When it comes to weddings, after the dress it’s usually the venue that a bride has imagined since childhood when she was dressing up with net curtains for veils. A castle, with a charming prince for a groom, is common in fairy tales, but these days unusual venues can become reality for more and more of us.
Many of us would like to have a wedding that stands out – it’s our wedding day, after all – but creating something that is truly memorable can be easier said than done.
There are still options for a very unique venue if you are able to think outside the box a bit or have a strong personal tie to a building.
Milling About
Cley Windmill in Norfolk is a quirky venue offering views out towards the Norfolk coast. This traditional windmill will hold 20 people, and they can all stay on site too, making this unusual venue all the more attractive to smaller wedding parties. The sails provide a dramatic backdrop for your photographs.
Be Keeper of the Lighthouse
Very few working lighthouse have a wedding licence in the UK, but Nash Point on the rugged coastline in South Wales is one that does. If dramatic scenery is high on the list for you, looking out over the Bristol Channel could be perfect. It’s an intimate venue – only 25 people – and you’ll have to move for the reception, but it does score highly on the quirky stakes.
City Slicker
If a coastline is not your thing and you prefer a city venue, the House For An Art Lover, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow is worth investigating. The house will hold 110 for the ceremony, and after that it comes down to whether you prefer to stay inside with the elegant finishes and beautiful stained-glass windows or go out into the grounds. The venue is big enough for a classic Scottish wedding without a tartan overload. That or try the County Ground Taunton it is a venue for hire in Taunton that is actually based in and around Tauntons cricket ground. With views of the pitch and other beautiful scenery could this sporty themed location be the wedding of the centuary!
Stylist Magazine and Amazing Venues have some more suggestions for wacky venues, although please note that not everywhere is automatically guaranteed a marriage licence. It is always worth checking what sort of licence you need for the ceremony you want and whether your prospective venue has that.
Your wedding photographer will want to discuss your venue with you, so be prepared to talk about it and why you have chosen it. If there is something about a place that is particularly special to you, your photographer will be able to take that into consideration.
Once you have made all the choices for your big day, you need to be able to trust your suppliers so that you have time to enjoy it, so make your brief as clear as possible.
