Choosing a wedding venue in the South West
Choosing a wedding venue in the South West
If you’re looking for help choosing a wedding venue in the South West then you’ve come to the right place. When you first get engaged, it’s very exciting but can be overwhelming thinking about all the choice of wedding venues on offer.
You may know exactly where you want to tie the knot, but if not this blog will give you plenty of inspiration and helpful links to some of the amazing South West wedding venues I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited over the years. Featuring everything from stunning manor houses to rustic city pubs.
Stylish manor houses
The majestic grandeur of stately homes is perfect for a fairytale wedding. They offer large decorative indoor spaces and stunning gardens, which will definitely impress all of your guests. Everywhere you look there is a stunning array of backdrops to celebrate with your loved ones, perfect for creating a memorable set of images.
There is always so much scope for photos, and I’m spoilt for choice when taking couples off to do their portraits. From long sweeping driveways and well groomed gardens to decorative doorways and photogenic steps, you will be guaranteed not to be disappointed and have a truly epic day.
Here’s a list of venues to check out… Coombe Lodge, Orchardleigh House, Old Down Manor, Leigh Court, Clevedon Hall, Brymton House, Manor by the Lake, Pennard House, The Manor House in Castle Coombe, Prior Park Bath, Eastington Park, Grittleton House, The Orangery at Goldney House, Clearwell Castle, St Audries Park, The Mansion House Clifton, Tortworth Court, Widbrook Grange, Elmhay Park, Eastwood Park & Charlton House.
Rustic barns & farms
The beautiful British countryside is dotted with a whole host of charming farms and barn conversions set up to host relaxed wedding day celebrations. Many have neutral and characterful spaces with plenty of room to tastefully add your own style.
The rural setting means there’s plenty of scope to get out into nearby beautiful natural scenery for a round of chilled-out couple portraits. More often than not there are open fields with stunning views, perfect to soak in the setting sun. If you’re looking for a super chilled affair then this is definitely an option to consider.
Here’s a list of venues to check out… Priston Mill, Kingscote Barn, Great Tythe Barn, Milton End Farm, Wick Barn Bath, The Hay Barn, Oxeleaze Barn, Over Barn, Folly Farm Centre, Alwick Court Estate, The Matara Centre, Stone Barn, Yarlington Barn, Court Farm Satnderwick & North Hidden Barn.
Outdoors: tipis and marquees
These types of weddings are well suited to care free party animals and festival goers. The informal set up means you can plan your day the way you want. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to suitable land then you can even do it all yourself. If needed, all the legal bits can be done in the registry office beforehand, meaning you can have a really personalised ceremony with all your loved ones without having to consider the legal requirements.
I have photographed lots of weddings just like this, where a close friend of the couple or family member conducts the ceremony. There will also be no restrictions on where you can have your ceremony and sentimental places (like under a special tree in a family field) can be used for a unique celebration of your love. Why not include a little sing-song to add some more fun to the festivities?
These are most likely to happen from April to September, so when it comes to your photos we can make the most of the outside space. I will search for the perfect spots making the most of things like gorgeous views, the glorious light of the setting sun, colourful meadows, nearby crop fields along with beautifully textured rustic doors and walls.
You may have access to a family-owned field but if not here’s a list of venues to checkout… Old Oak Farm, Bickley Barns, Fernhill Farm, Deer’s Leap Retreat, Drakestone House & Pennard Hill Farm.
City weddings
Let’s not forget what our cities have on offer. There are many super cool and unusual urban wedding venues in which to host your big day.
Often these venues don’t have lots of dedicated outside space to use for your photos, making them a cheaper alternative to larger rural locations. Don’t worry, the urban environment offers so much more than you might originally think. I’ll be able to provide some fun and creative photos making the most of the surrounding areas, which you may have overlooked. I absolutely love making the most of things like colourful doorways, graffiti, striking architecture and rustic brickwork.
Here’s a list of venues to check out… The Mount Without, Radnor Rooms, Alma Tavern, Paintworks, M-Shed, Mud Dock, Assembley Rooms, Square Club, No. 4 Clifton Village, Clifton Observatory, The Pump Room, Roman Baths & Hotel Du Vin.
Winter weddings
When it comes to planning a winter wedding I do have a few tips to make your day a roaring success. First of all, take note of when the sun will be setting. Give yourself, along with your photographer, plenty of time to get a round of photos taken (making the most of your venue) before the sun disappears below the horizon. If possible, I would recommend arranging your ceremony between 12 noon and 1pm.
Secondly, visit venues at roughly the same time of year you plan on getting married. When walking around think about how light spaces are, as us photographers love a well lit room. For the non-photographers out there, look for large areas of windows and sky lights etc. Orangeries are absolutely perfect!
When I photograph winter weddings I tend to prioritise taking your couple portraits outside and, if it’s not too chilly, the group photos as well. I don’t want to force you or your guests to endure the cold, so it’s great to have a nice indoor space to make use of if needed.
Coombe Lodge, Old Down Manor, Leigh Court, Clevedon Hall, Brymton House, Eastington Park, The Orangery at Goldney House, St Audries Park, the orangery at Tortworth Court, Elmhay Park, Eastwood Park & Charlton House all have well lit indoor spaces in which to hold your ceremony and easy accessable grounds during wet conditions for a round of couple photos.
Hopefully this has given you some inspiration for choosing a wedding venue in the South West. Whatever venue you decide to book I can guarantee you will have a day that you’ll never forget. Your wedding will be all about the love you have for each other and sharing that with all your nearest and dearest.
If you have any questions or would like any further advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. To get more inspiration and to find out more about how I work please check out the links below. Hopefully I’ll be hearing from you when you have more solid plans for your big day. Good luck with your planning!
Simon Withyman Photography | Choosing a wedding venue in the South West