Wedding Venues
Take a look and book one of our wedding venues
Bowden Hall Hotel
Beautifully refurbished Georgian house, set in the stunning Cotswolds countryside surrounded by rolling park and woodland.
Crumplebury
Luxury purpose-built corporate event venue situated on a private family estate in rural Herefordshire.
Foodworks Cookery School
Worked with companies big and small to host unforgettable corporate events.
Frampton Court
A multi-purpose space suitable for meetings, team building away days, parties and weddings.
Glenfall House
Peaceful seclusion offered by this Grade II listed manor house turned exclusive hire event venue.
Hillside Brewery
Wide range of challenging but fun activities and experiences that the team at Hillside can organise.
Island Hall
Island Hall is full of beautifully sourced pieces that complement the stunning renovation work of this 18th century property.
Kingscote Barn
As you drive down the private road to Kingscote Barn, you leave all the stresses and strains of life behind you at the gate.
Oxleaze Barn
This family-run venue gives you the flexibility to make it your own, to put your own individual stamp on your event.
Pauntley Court
Steeped in history, this colourful property with its stunning formal gardens sits proudly in the glorious Cotswold countryside.
The Barn at Upcote
The rustic charm of the original farm barns with the modern purpose-built additions make this a stunning event venue.
The Great Tythe Barn
The C16 barn oozes historic character from its thick stone walls and the exposed wooden beams.
The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum
With views of historic St. Mary’s Minster, the roof terrace here really is a hidden gem in the heart of Regency Cheltenham.
Three Counties Showground
Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills sits one of the UK’s finest Showgrounds.
Wellington Barn
Away from the hustle and bustle, this converted 18th century barn is the ideal venue to host your next event.
What to look for when searching for wedding venues
First things first…congratulations on your engagement! This is a really exciting time and we hope you are soaking up all the loveliness that surrounds being newly engaged. Now the fun really begins.
When planning the big day, many couples will start with booking the wedding venue first. Not only is this one of the biggest expenses in the budget, but it also makes it a lot easier when you have a focal point to plan everything else around. Some wedding venues get booked up months, if not years in advance, so it’s best to start your search early if there’s some unique wedding venues that you already have in mind.
There are so many different types of wedding venues available for hire, and they can differ enormously depending on your budget, theme and location. Are you thinking about a country wedding? Will you be looking at indoor or outdoor wedding venues? Are you wanting something traditional or are you up for looking at unusual wedding venues? It can be very overwhelming when you start looking, so we have put together a handy list of things to think about when you start to look at where you want to host your special day:
How to choose how many people to invite to your wedding?
First things first, before booking any viewings have a think about how many people you are planning on inviting to your wedding and/or reception. At this stage it doesn’t need to be a set number, but a rough estimate will help you choose the venue that is just the right size for your big day. Many wedding venues will be more than happy to partition off space or suggest alternative rooms depending on the number of people attending. Remember that each wedding guest costs approximately £50-100 if you invite them to the whole day, so choose your invite list wisely!
Top three tips for choosing a wedding location
Location is a really important factor to consider when deciding on a wedding venue, particularly if you are planning on travelling outside of your local area or choosing a country wedding.
- Take a look at your guest list and see who might need to travel and consider the transport links when looking at wedding locations and venues. Many barn locations are situated in rural areas, so bear this in mind when thinking about how people will get to and from the wedding venue.
- Plan ahead if you are hosting your reception at a different venue to your ceremony. Luckily, there are lots of local taxi companies on hand that can help you with transportation. Your chosen venue will be able to help you with local phone numbers.
- Use a wedding venue finder like Secret Spaces. We have lots of gorgeous local wedding venues and places in some great locations. You can start your search here.
How much should you spend on your wedding venue?
As much as you want to immediately say yes to your dream wedding venue, pricing is important, especially when sticking to a budget. However, there are many factors that can affect price, such as the day you are looking to get married and the season. Wedding season typically runs from May until October, so take a look at how much the price will be outside of these months if you are looking to save some money. It’s also a good idea to ask what is included in the venue price, as it’s very easy for hidden extras to add up. Some wedding venues offer a ‘dry hire’ option, where you pay an amount for the space but that doesn’t include furniture, catering or any entertainment. Although this means more to organise, it can also offer a lot more flexibility and freedom to have a more personalised day.
Three food and drink ideas to serve at your wedding
If you ask the average guest what they remember about a wedding day, the quality of the food and drink is usually one of the top answers. Here are some ideas to speak to your wedding venue about:
- A three-course wedding breakfast is still a very popular preference, but there are lots of different possibilities such as afternoon tea or feasts served on platters.
- More and more couples are choosing to opt for more casual dining options, such as pizza vans or festival style street food like Thai or Mexican.
- You could choose to serve Pimms instead of prosecco as your welcome drink or include beer on the table as well as wine during the meal. Remember that the day is entirely yours!
Don’t forget to consider your guest list and any dietary requirements that might be highlighted nearer the time. Some wedding reception venues are stricter than others with catering suppliers and watch out for any corkage charges when it comes to bringing in your own wine and champagne!
Ideas for wedding day activities that involve your guests
Getting your guests to take part in an activity is a great way for people to bond and get to know each other on your wedding day. If your wedding venue has a big lawn, you could set up some garden games, or for our Scottish couples, ceilidh dancing always goes down well if there is a big dancefloor to accommodate it. You could even have a roaming interactive magician or encourage people to have their photo taken in a dress-up photo booth. Numbers are important when deciding on your activity, particularly if you need to break people off into pairs or groups. Avoid anything that could get too competitive, you want your guests to be in good spirits and ready to party!
Three things to think about when it comes to audio at your wedding
You may think that good sound quality is only essential for the evening band or DJ, but there’s a lot more audio required at a wedding than you might think.
- Check with your venue if they have adequate sound facilities to accommodate your ceremony music, as well as anything that might need to be played during the wedding breakfast.
- If your speeches are taking place in a large room, it’s also worth asking if they have a microphone for the wedding party to use.
- Some wedding venues have in-house sound systems and PAs, and others will require you to hire them on the day.
Avoid any nasty surprises by asking upfront what might be needed!
Secret Spaces can recommend a wide range of wedding venues to suit your capacity, budget and theme. Take a look at their directory of wedding places here, to find the ideal space for your special day.
