When I was brainstorming London wedding venues for a blog, I thought who better to talk to than Ria, founder of The Event Book. Her knowledge of venues is absolutely incredible and she always knows the best venue for the brief at hand. So when she said she would be happy to write a guest blog for us on her favourite London wedding venues and her hidden gems we were very excited and honoured. So without further ado, I will hand you over to Ria the venue expert...
Guest Blog With The Event Book
Here at the Event Book we work with lots of wedding venues and bespoke suppliers from across the industry and when Holly asked us to write this blog, we were honoured at the privilege of appearing on the website and sharing our knowledge of perfect wedding venues. We have over 15 years of experience in the events industry and we never recommend a venue unless we have personally seen it, or drank champagne with the events team. This means that you are in safe hands and know that any venue we recommend will fit your wedding day brief exactly.
Finding the perfect wedding venue can be a big task and sometimes feels like a bit of a minefield as there are so many beautiful venues to choose from in central London. Not everyone is in a position to hire a dedicated wedding planner, so it can be difficult to know where to start; Here at the Event Book we can help with the planning from day one and be there to run the event on your big day, or simply help you find the perfect venue. We can be involved as much as you feel you need.
We have selected some of our favourites wedding venues and our reasons why we love these venues so much for your perfect day. We have a wealth of striking spaces in which nuptials can be confirmed. These range from period rooms in royal palaces and chic, modern atriums to elegant gardens and stunning parkland.
With a wealth of experience in hosting wedding services, many of our venues are able to help extensively with the planning process, to create a bespoke and truly memorable ceremony.
We have also popped together some top tips for you to consider before you start your wedding venue search.
Make a venue checklist before you start your venue search.
We advise to make a "must have" tick list with a few key things that you want your perfect venue to have; For example, if you are looking for a summer wedding, you may want to ensure the venue has beautiful grounds or outside space for pictures. Mark this down as an essential venue "must have". This makes looking for venues easier to narrow down the search if you’ve got an idea of what you’re actually searching for!
Wet weather option
If you are considering an outdoors wedding venue, then just consider that the British weather can be unpredictable, therefore it is important that you have an equally as beautiful inside option should the heavens open up on your wedding day. Also check things like access points for less accessible guests and also if the venue has a licence to serve alcoholic beverages outside.
Budget
One of the most important things when planning a wedding is to think about the budget for the venue element of your day.
Drinks
The drinks you offer on your wedding day can add a significant cost to the budget. If you are working towards a limited budget you can ask the venue if they can offer a cash bar alongside the drinks you choose to purchase for your guests. We would suggest a welcome drink, half a bottle of wine and water with the wedding breakfast and a glass of bubbly for the toast.
The Catering
This is the fun part, from selecting a formal 3 course seated menu, from a buffet or even maybe family sharing style. You may want to select canapes and bowl foods for a more informal setting. Ensure you ask the venue for their wedding menus before booking the venue, and it is always useful to know if they can be flexible on the menus. You will also have an opportunity to go to the venue for a tasting before your big day and at this point make any changes to the menu that you want. 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!
OUR FAVOURITE WEDDING VENUES IN LONDON
One of The Event Books firm favourites, The Ballroom is perfect for unforgettable weddings for up to 570 guests for a seated wedding breakfast. This glamorous venue is the perfect location for a high end, luxury weddings in the centre of town. 8 Northumberland Avenue, London's most central venue, with years of experience in corporate hospitality, the onsite team will ensure that your wedding surpasses all of your expectations.
This is a really cool venue for those looking for something a little less ordinary. There are two fabulous spaces to choose from, either the Chainstore or the Electricians Shop.
The historic Chainstore is a beautiful Grade II listed brick building with triple height ceilings and plenty of Character. Built in 1854 and connected to London’s only Lighthouse, The Chainstore offers 420 m2 of space with an optional 1,528 m2 of riverside terrace to take advantage of the spectacular views which looks beautiful whatever time of year. This space is perfect if you are hosting a wedding in warmer months as you can take advantage of the outside space, which also works well for your wedding pictures.
Direct access to the Trinity Buoy Wharf Jubilee Pier also provides a unique opportunity for your wedding guests to arrive by boat, which is sure to give your wedding the "wow" factor. The large entrances also allow for vehicles to be driven into the space if required, think food trucks for your catering! The space is licensed for music, alcohol, performance, films and dance until 1am . Whats really brilliant about this venue is that it’s a one stop shop as it is also licensed for wedding ceremonies.
Located in the South Downs, and just a ten minute car journey from Chichester station this is a stunning estate set in acres of grounds with several different options to choose from for your perfect wedding day. If you are looking for a country estate and lots of outside space for your wedding pictures, then this could be the venue for you. It has lots of character for a quintessentially British wedding.
This unassuming historic deconsecrated chapel in the heart of London really is a hidden gem, we love this venue as it used to be a church but can also host ceremonies that are non-religious and also your wedding reception. Located just a stones throw away from the world famous, Oxford Street, and Oxford Circus tube station.
One of our favourite wedding venues in town and just a stone’s throw away from Regents Park station is the beautiful, Grade I listed One Marylebone, one of London’s leading unique venues. Only one of only three London churches by Soane, the venue is most architecturally distinguished with a beauty of national and architectural significance. Fall in love with the beautifully landscaped gardens and breath-taking courtyard and choose between two exclusive spaces for your perfect day. The 27-foot-high Soane Hall with its stunning mosaics and stained glass windows or the U-shape Galleries with marvellous floor to ceiling windows that let in natural light.
If you’re looking for five-star luxury lifestyle then look no further the landmark hotel, it really does have the luxury and opulence for a grand wedding event. With two beautiful ballrooms to choose from all decorated in neutral tones with grand chandeliers, the landmark really does make for a "wow" factor wedding and great for those with numbers over 150 guests.
The stunning South Lodge Hotel is a boutique rated property but we would definitely rate this property a five star deluxe hotel complete with a stunning recently refurbished state of the art spa. Guests would have access to the spa if they were staying overnight, each bedroom is individually styled to a high standard and the ballroom is simply beautiful. This venues works well for numbers of up to 150 guests.
Part of the Camm & Hooper venue group and located right outside London Bridge, this is a cool and quirky warehouse converted space in the style of an old school gymnasium. Suitable for couples looking for something a bit more unconventional.
Banqueting House is one of the historic royal palaces and is located on Whitehall. Split over two floors, you enter into the vaults at the venue which make a magical drinks reception space, you are then guided up the sweeping staircase into the main hall complete with the Reubens ceiling which is breath-taking. Banqueting House has two spaces for corporate and private evening entertaining. The Main Hall is topped by the magnificent Rubens ceiling and able to seat 380 for dinner or 500 for a drink’s reception. The Undercroft is an atmospheric space and works well for drinks receptions. If you want to feel like a King or Queen on your wedding day, Banqueting House is definitely a venue to consider and works well for numbers of 100 guests upwards, with a maximum of 300 for a seated wedding breakfast. Budget wise you’ll be looking at a venue hire of anything between £9,500 - £14,500 and catering floral design and AV in production would be in addition to this cost.
A beautiful late-Victorian architectural hybrid, the house combines the grandeur of a London mansion with the intimacy of a private home. The interiors are adorned with mahogany, marble and stained glass and create an opulent yet intimate setting for any event. With a variety of stunning rooms, exclusive hire of the house enables you to create a truly unique experience for your guests.
The perfect place for a quintessential London wedding, Dartmouth House features only the most elegant interiors to "wow" your guests on your big day. The Grade II listed building offers three spaces: The Long Drawing Room, The Small Drawing Room and The Churchill. Each room has seating for around 100 guests and standing room for 450. The mansion also has a courtyard, a private and secluded haven if an open air reception is more your style. Situated in the heart of Mayfair, the mansion features a grand marble staircase to make sure you get all the insta-worthy wedding shots.
Banking Hall is a Grade II listed building split over two floors, the counting room and the main banking hall provide a stunning art-deco setting for any wedding. Located in Bank right outside the tube station and overlooking the Bank of England. Classic British favourites with a modern twist represents the traditional and contemporary coming together in a way that is also reflected in the venue as a whole. We recommend this venue for numbers of 75 upwards.
Fall in love all over again at Syon Park as you and your partner celebrate your special day at this idyllic venue. Be as intimate or extravagant as you want with 50-800 of your most loved friends and family in this sublime London home of the Duke of Northumberland. From the impressive and majestic Great Hall to the intimate State Dining Room, or even the stunning Great Conservatory and Garden Room Marquee, you can design your wedding however you dreamed!
The Event book would love to help you with your wedding enquiry.
How our venue finding and wedding planning service works.
We offer a free venue finding service across London and the surrounding areas, we only ever recommend venues that we personally have worked with and know the onsite events team, meaning that venues that we recommend really have come from our little black book, built up over the last 15 years within the events industry. There are not hidden charges for you, as we claim a small introductory commission from our partner venues, should you wish to confirm your wedding with the venue. We also benefit from getting you the best rates as the venues we work with see us an extension of their in-house sales teams.
If you are looking for a fuller service we offer a full event planning service, where we look after your whole wedding from start to finish. The Event Book would deal with all of the suppliers on your behalf, meaning that you only ever need to speak to one person, us! We manage everything else on your behalf and you only ever need to sign one contract with the Event Book, which will cover all the elements of your wedding, making it a much easier and smoother process for you.
Our friendly and helpful event planners will work with you to bring your dream day to life. We’ll tailor our event planning and management service to your exact requirements. We can join you at the start of the event planning process or we can join you last minute to pick up any last-minute requirements such as on day running of your wedding.
We can chat through wedding concepts and ideas with you and then once we have a venue in mind, we can plan all the theming decor and entertainment for your perfect wedding day.
Get in touch with Ria today on 02075235046 or email us on Ria@theeventbook.uk
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All images were taken directly from the venues websites.