10 of the best city wedding venues
With stunning interiors and cityscape backdrops, we think you'll fall head over heels for these chic city wedding venues
City wedding venues you will love
If the thrum of metropolis life excites you and you’re a modern bride looking for a super-cool venue, say hello to a city wedding. From Edinburgh to London, we’ve rounded up the coolest city wedding venues across the UK for you to say ‘I do’ in style…
1. Hawksmoor Guildhall, London
The streets of London’s City are quiet at the weekend, making the Hawksmoor Guildhall restaurant ideal to hire Hawksmoor for exclusive use. The famous eaterie is licensed for ceremonies for up to 100, after which up to 140 of your friends and family can tuck into its famous steaks. The chefs have devised a special sharing platter, creating a menu that celebrates all that is great about British produce, from vegetables and seafood to the cheeseboard. And there’s room for 200 to party in the evening.
2. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
The stunning Ashmolean is dripping in history and an exquisite backdrop for your photos. If your guests fancy a little culture, you can even arrange for tour guides to show them around the galleries at the oldest public museum in the world. It’s licensed for up to 100 for a ceremony, followed by drinks surrounded by the world-famous exhibits which include Old Masters and classical statues. Wedding breakfasts can be held for up to 160 with an evening party in the vaulted café.
3. The Glasshouse Edinburgh
The Gothic architecture of this former Victorian church gives The Glasshouse Hotel a stately, historic feel, yet its post-millennial refurbishment is stylishly contemporary. There’s a romantic 2-acre rooftop garden where you can hold a ceremony for up to 80, and the same number for a wedding breakfast, with room for 110 to party into the wee small hours. And more than 70 bedrooms means no-one needs to be waiting around for late-night cabs.
4. BMA House, London
The Grade II-listed BMA House in Bloomsbury was built on the site of a former home of Charles Dickens and boasts a beautiful courtyard that feels miles away from a central London postcode. You can invite up to 200 people for a ceremony and wedding breakfast and another 100 in the evening. Twice winner of the Greenest Venue in London award for its sustainability credentials, its proximity to Euston and King’s Cross station means guests can arrive on public transport, too.
5. The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow
Once one of the great British railway hotels, The Grand Central has 20 event spaces that can cater for up to 360 for a ceremony and party should you need it too. Or you can keep things small with a celebration for a more sedate 70. Grand in every sense of the word, there are wow-factor staircases, chandeliers and marble pillars to add sophisticated details to your photos, and an eclectic mix of styles that range from Georgian to Art Deco.
6. Kimpton Fitzroy, London
If you have 400 friends and family on your guest list, you can fit them all into this grand late-Victorian building. But it’s not compulsory and various different spaces at the Kimpton Fitzroy in Bloomsbury can accommodate weddings of all sizes, including parties for under 50. The décor is all turrets, arches, pillars and candelabras, but the original architectural details are stylishly blended with modern refurbishment. A stone’s throw from the British Museum, this is city chic from its marble floor to its chandeliers.
7. The Shankly Hotel, Liverpool
Named after one of the city’s great football managers (Bill Shankly), The Shankly Hotel is smack bang in the middle of Liverpool. You can say your vows on the Garden of Eden rooftop terrace overlooking the city’s iconic sights, with a party in the Garden of Eden space (minimum of 80 in the day and 120 in the evening). Smaller celebrations are held in Baby Eden, with up to 120 guests for ceremonies, 60 for the wedding breakfast and 80 in the evening.
8. The Chester Grosvenor, Chester
Cheshire’s only five-star hotel, The Chester Grosvenor has a great central location. Originally built in the 1860s, it has a stunning black and white timbered exterior with grand pillars at the entrance that will look fabulous in the photos. As will the impressive crystal chandelier on the original staircase. The team can host weddings of all sizes in a variety of spaces, from small and intimate, to 240 should you want to push the boat out.
9. 20 Stories, Manchester
When it comes to city wedding venues, a good view really wins us over. And if you’re going all out for stunning vistas, it’s hard to beat the rooftop terrace at 20 Stories in Manchester’s vibrant Spinningfields area. But if you don’t have a head for heights, you can have an equally romantic ceremony in the restaurant or private dining room, depending on your numbers. When it comes to celebrating afterwards, their bespoke approach means you can take over the whole restaurant (200 seated), half of it (120), or have 150 standing for drinks on part of the terrace. If you want the whole place exclusively, you can fit in up to 500!
10. Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool
Hope Street Hotel was converted from a Victorian warehouse and is now a luxurious, contemporary venue. It has a variety of spaces to suit your numbers and style, including The Fifth, a stunning room on the fifth floor with a terrace and wow-factor views, and The Residents’ Lounge – an ideal space for an evening gathering complete with grand piano. Menus are from the award-winning The London Carriage Works, catering for anything from small intimate groups up to 120.
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