The Gladstone Library on the 2nd floor of One Whitehall Place offers a very special licensed event room accommodating up to 220 people for ceremony, and 220 for wedding breakfast. The Library interlinks directly with the Reading & Writing Room which accommodates up to 120 for ceremony or wedding breakfast, or 250 for drinks reception and offers views over Whitehall Gardens, London Eye and River Thames. Wedding packages are available with our internal catering, and can also be offered as a dry hire venue with external caterers for Indian and Kosher cuisine.
A wedding on the River Thames, what could be more perfect! This beautiful riverside venue is available for exclusive hire at the weekends and can host up to 140 guests for a stunning reception. With floor to ceiling windows, the views of The Shard are breathtaking.
Situated in the heart of central London, the Institute of Contemporary Arts is a vibrant cultural venue with views over the Mall, Big Ben and London Eye. The Nash and Brandon Rooms feature floor to ceiling windows that open out to three balconies overlooking St James's Park. Designed by John Nash these beautiful and versatile spaces can host civil ceremonies and weddings for up to 90 guests seated in one room, 150 across the two, as well as stand up receptions and parties for up to 150 guests.
This beautiful Grade ll listed building overlooks the kangaroos, wallabies and emus in their homely Australian Outback and offers stunning views of regents park and Tiger Territory. Combining floor to ceiling windows with a warm neutral decor, the Mappin Pavilion here at ZSL London Zoo makes an ideal setting for gorgeous wedding ceremonies and receptions.
The Main Hall is the very essence of grandeur and opulence, The Hall walls are handsomely panelled in English oak and walnut, luxurious rich crimson velvet curtains. Fascination motifs support the main beam, while ten magnificent crystal chandeliers, adorned in gold leaf effect, hang from the superbly engraved ceiling. The lavish Main Hall can accommodate 600 standing event and 450 seated dinner. The Main Hall and Small Hall are licensed to hold civil ceremonies. Porchester Hall works with a carefully selected group of caterers to provide a wonderful selection of menu choices to suit all.
The House is licensed to hold civil ceremonies, with a wide range of rooms available from intimate gatherings to ceremonies for up to 140 guests. From the grandeur and impact of the Great Room to the unexpected delights of the candle lit Vaults, this venue provides a truly welcoming atmosphere for your guests.
Bethnal Hall is the ideal event space for the elegant, glamourous wedding reception every bride envisions. For large events with up to 200 guests and a buffet dinner, the full space is perfect. If you have a smaller group, the room is very versatile, with its solid walls that recess into the ceiling to create a more intimate space for a seated dinner or drinks reception. Town Hall hotel holds a license to host wedding ceremonies, and is conveniently located in the heart of trendy East London, just one stop from Liverpool Street station.
Our redbrick courtyard is far more than a striking entrance. This enclosed space becomes an open air space ideal for drinks and canapé receptions, or even dining beneath the stars. Watch your guests take a deep breath and smile as they step through the ancient archways and relax by the sparkling fountain. Hire of the Courtyard is included in the hire of the Palace and it creates a wonderfully private atmosphere from the moment your guests arrive. For that special day, wedding cars are able to drive into the courtyard and up to the front door to allow you to make that special entrance.
Your wedding day is the best day of your life and the planning process should be a joyous experience too, filled with creativity, personal touches, beautiful dresses and as little stress as possible. So, we've compiled all our top tips and tricks to help you enjoy every minute.
Choosing your venue is one of the most important decisions you'll make and one that will help you to make further decisions around colours, flowers, food and guests.
Venues will get booked up far in advance, particularly during the popular summer months so getting your perfect wedding venue on your perfect date will be much more likely the further in advance you enquire. Create a shortlist and go and visit them, ask if you can see the venue set up for a wedding to give you a better idea of whether your vision can be achieved.
You should have an idea of your total budget and have estimated how much you want to spend on each individual element, from flowers to bridesmaids dresses and music at the reception. This will help you to prioritise what is most important to you and where you can make a bit of a saving so you can get that string quartet you've always wanted as you/your partner walks down the aisle. If you have a smaller budget we've got loads of beautiful and affordable wedding venues here.
This is the fun bit where you add all the little touches that make your day personal and special. The possibilities are endless, you could go for a traditional stately home or something more unusual, perhaps a museum or a blank canvas space that you can completely transform to suit you. Your is your starting point, your choice of flowers, whether you have a band or a DJ (or both) and what colour scheme is completely in your control.
Are you thinking of choosing an outdoor wedding venue? British weather can be very unpredictable so it’s important to have a contingency indoor plan in the event of poor weather. It’s also worth noting if there suitable paving for the bride and guests to walk over without getting muddy. Wheelchair accessibility can be more difficult with outside venues too so make sure you take this into consideration if necessary. It is also important to check if there is a license to serve alcohol outside.
Once you have a guest list and you've got your date, send out a 'save the date' card followed by a formal invitation 2-3 months before the wedding day. Apart from the obvious information like the date, venue and time, other useful information to include are the dress code, nearby accommodation and specific directions. You could also consider having a wedding website where you can include more detail about the day and everyone involved.
Drinks can be a significant cost depending on what you decide to offer your guests. You could have an open bar throughout or perhaps a designated amount of drinks per person or a certain amount of money behind the bar so you can keep a control over the spend, this will all depend on your budget. It's important to think about alcohol alternatives too for those who don't drink and children. If you choose a blank canvas space and you're bringing your own alcohol, make sure to double check if there's a corkage charge as this can quickly add up. And don't forget to check what time last order is.
When choosing a photographer it’s good practice to ask to see past works, testimonials or any examples of working in a similar venue or setting. Sit down with your partner and work out what what aspects of your day you’d like photographed and what sort of style. Double check what permissions to access your photos you’ll be granted (ensure you are allowed online access to originals so that you can obtain copies). Finally, if you have children in your bridal party it's good to know if the photographer also has experience dealing with young children.
You'll have the opportunity to go for tastings before the day in order to choose your final menu. You'll need to consider the timings of your wedding breakfast, you don't want to keep your guests waiting too long whilst you have photos taken, will you provide canapés with the welcome drink. Evening food is also something to consider, it's always good to provide some carbs to soak up the alcohol before bed. Dietary requirements need to be collected with RSVPs so you can inform your venue with enough time, similarly with children's menus. And, of course don't forget the cake, choose a time to serve it and ask the venue to package up the rest. You'll be super busy throughout the day, so nominate someone in your wedding party to make sure you get to try all the food!
Decide whether you'd like a DJ or band or both and what other entertainment you might want throughout the day. Do you need something to entertain your guests before dinner too? Make sure you discuss not only your first dance song but also your favourites for them to play throughout the evening, you could even take requests from your guests before the event.
So, get browsing and find your perfect wedding venue and start the journey to one of the best days of your life.
There's no shortage of wedding reception venues in London, for all types of weddings, whether large or intimate, traditional or unusual, you're sure to find what you're looking for in this diverse city. You can choose from iconic London buildings, beautiful hotels, unique historic spaces and venues with beautiful outside space and that's just for starters!
With so much choice you'll be pleased to know that you can search by location, budget and capacity to browse all our wedding venues but if you'd like more guidance, we can help there too. Get in touch with us to share your vision and we'll pull together a bespoke proposal tailored to your requirements.
With the venue nailed and one of the big decisions made, you can concentrate on the more exciting details of your big day and create something truly special.
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Hire Space responded immediately with some fantastic, unique options. Couldn't have been easier.
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