2020 has been a hell of a year, hasn't it? And due to being unable to gather in large numbers, intimate weddings have been the only option, and may in fact be the only option for the foreseeable future. If you are planning a reduced-in-size celebration, you will not be alone! To help you out, I have pulled together this guide to awesome venues perfect for smaller celebrations. This features wedding venues across southern England, and I hope it helps you find your perfect one!
If you'd like to skip straight to your locale of choice, you can click on one of these handy links! Or if you'd prefer to browse the map, you can find that below.
Bedfordshire Wedding Venues | Berkshire Wedding Venues | Buckinghamshire Wedding Venues | Bristol Wedding Venues | Cambridgeshire Wedding Venues | Cornwall Wedding Venues | Devon Wedding Venues | Dorset Wedding Venues | East Sussex Wedding Venues | Essex Wedding Venues | Gloucestershire Wedding Venues | Hampshire Wedding Venues | Hertfordshire Wedding Venues | Kent Wedding Venues | London Wedding Venues | Northamptonshire Wedding Venues | Oxfordshire Wedding Venues | Somerset Wedding Venues | Surrey Wedding Venues | West Sussex Wedding Venues | Wiltshire Wedding Venues
Bedfordshire
A fan of country houses? This Georgian manor handily situated between Bedford, Luton, and Milton Keynes is beautiful! It boasts three function suits which are all licensed for civil ceremonies, giving you plenty of choice, and is perfectly suited for small weddings, with all rooms having a maximum capacity of 60 guests. Bonus, you and your guests can stay on-site, and the bridal suite boasts a very cool-sounding tartan four-posted bed!
Here's another Georgian manor! This lovely venue features a white-columned porch, perfect for wedding photos, as well as a stunning garden, complete with a waterfall. They have four rooms licensed for weddings, and can accommodate eight to 70 guests. They also give the newlyweds a complimentary night in the bridal suite!
This beautiful seventeenth-century manor just north of Bedford is perfect if you want an intimate wedding venue with exclusive use. They allow you to have the place for the whole weekend, including sixteen bedrooms for up to 35 guests to stay on-site! Their gardens are acres of gorgeousness and would make amazing backdrops for your wedding photographs. Inside the house up to 40 can be seated for dinner, and there are a range of licensed locations for your ceremony.
Situated in central Bedford with views out over the River Great Ouse, The Embankment is a lovely Victorian hotel. Their charming Blue Room seats 24 and is perfect for smaller celebrations. They also have 20 ensuite bedrooms so no need to leave at the end of the night!
One of the bonuses of this venue is that if you're after a religious wedding, it has a small chapel on-site with a capacity of up to 25 guests. The light and airy East Drawing Room is then available for your reception, and can host up to 70. There are bedrooms available to stay on-site, and 33 areas of parkland to explore!
Berkshire
Luxury Cliveden is perfect for intimate weddings, and offers an amazing array of choice, in a great location just outside London. Overlooking the River Thames and set 376 acres of National Trust parkland, it is one stunning venue. You have a whopping six options when it comes to places to hold your ceremony, ranging from a maximum capacity of 16 to 60. Similarly, there are four options for where you can hold your wedding breakfast, and they're all so lovely, it will be hard to choose!
This boutique hotel in Reading has been described as the ‘UK’s Sexiest Townhouse Hotel’ by the Evening Standard, which is a pretty good place to start! The hotel is set in an early Edwardian listed mansion and has loads of wonderful ammenities, including a mini cinema and a spa! They host weddings from two to 52 guests, keeping things lovely and intimate.
I had the pleasure of being at The George recently, as I was shooting a wedding at the church opposite, and the groom hosted some guests there beforehand. It's a really lovely venue and has two great options for an intimate wedding. They have a REAL TEPEE in their grounds, which is also heated, making it suitable for weddings all-year-round. This magical location has space for up to 40. If you'd like something more traditional, they also have the Boxers Barn, which has space for 60.
Like the idea of your wedding venue coming with some history? The Bear in Hungerford dates back to the 13th century, and was once owned by Henry VIII and given to his final wife, Catherine Parr. This charming hotel sits on the banks of the River Dun and you can marry in the Riverside Suite with its own bar and private terrace, as well as wonderful views over the water. The Bear can accommodate up to 60 guests.
A fan of fantastic food? This may be the venue for you. Waterside was established by legendary chef Michel Roux and awarded its first Michelin star in 1974. It has held three since 1985 and is the only restaurant in the world, outside France, to have retained three stars for such a long time. The venue is sitting right on the river, giving you amazing views, and can host up to 50 guests.
Buckinghamshire
You can find this new luxury wedding venue in Iver, near Slough, on a former royal hunting ground. Weddings for up to 60 can be held in the stunning Winter Garden, and the stately gardens, originally designed by Capability Brown, make the perfect backdrop to your wedding photographs. For a pre or post-wedding chill-out, they also have a spa on-site
This hotel in Waddeston is full of historical charm and would be wonderful place to hold your intimate wedding. Two venues are licensed for ceremonies; the larger Old Coach House, and the smaller Rothschild Room, the latter with room for 40. The Old Coach House has a private bar, dining area, and views out onto the garden, and can seat up to 60 for dinner.
This venue is nothing short of COOL, and perfect for the couple who want a unique venue. When the hotel first opened in 2008, it made Conde Nast's Hot List for best new hotels in the world, and being situated in a fifteenth century coaching inn, it also has plenty of history. The venue is licensed for civil weddings of up to 40 guests, and can accommodate 36 diners for your wedding breakfast - though you can have more people if you opt for exclusive use.
I've decided to use an interior shot of the main staircase to illustrate just how awesome this place is - as the exterior ones don't do it justice! For a seriously cool photo-op around every corner, it doesn't get much better than this venue.
This historic house is situated near Aylesbury, just 40 miles north west of London. Its most famous resident was Louis XVIII, the exiled King of France, for five years from 1809! There are a number of settings where you can hold your wedding, depending on how many guests you are inviting. The two most suited to intimate parties are the Doric Room, which leads out onto the south terrace, and has space for 36, and the Octagon Room, which has views over the lawn and a stunning crystal chandelier. The latter has space for 24. If you're going super-small, the Library or the Drawing Room can play host to weddings of less than 15.
If you want choice, this venue has it in spades, boasting no less than seven different quirky locations to tie the knot in. They are situated in 45 acres of beautiful woodland, and surrounded by over 30 rescued historic buildings! All are available on a dry-hire basis and no corkage is charged.
Northolt Barn is available for weekday and weekend weddings and dates to the Tudor period. Outside there is a beautiful grassy area with a pond, wagon bench, and a wild cherry tree. This barn can host up to 65 guests.
Skippings Barn is also available for weekday and weekend weddings and dates from the eighteenth century, with wonderful rustic oak beams and a staircase that leads to a minstrels' gallery. It can host up to 56 and is also dry-hire with no corkage fees.
The Henton Tin Chapel is available for mid-week weddings for ceremonies only, though you have it for three hours and are allowed to use the museum's buildings, gardens and grounds for your photographs. This unique little church was used for services from 1886 until the 1970s and has been a filiming spot for Midsomer Murders. The chapel can fit 18 people - including the wedding couple.
Going for the most intimate of weddings? Check out the Victorian Toll House, which is available for mid-week cermonies. The front room with a lovely fireplace can accommodate the wedding couple and two guests, and you also have use of the grounds afterwards for pictures.
The museum's Iron Age Roundhouse may be the venue for you if you want something really unique! Available for mid-week ceremonies, the roundhouse was built during the 1990s and furnished as it would have been around the year 50 (which feels so bizarre writing!). Like previously mentioned venues, you have it for three hours and can use the museum's grounds for photographs. The roundhouse has space for up to 46 guests.
Arborfield Barn, dating from around 1500, is also mid-week only and available for ceremonies with up to three hours' usage. The barn has played home to famous names, including being a location for the recent Mary, Queen of Scots film. It can accommodate 46 guests.
Finally, the Thame Vicarage can host your wedding ceremony and reception, for mid-week weddings. It is dry-hire, with no charge for corkage. The building was first constructed in 1896 and is an early pre-fab which arrived by train to be used as additional vicarage space! The venue can accommodarte up to 36 guests.
Bristol
This central-Bristol venue has three very different spaces licensed for weddings, all of which are lovely!
If you want an outdoor wedding, why not opt for the Underwood Centre, adorned with twinkling fairy lights and informal wooden bench seating. There is room for up to 60 guests and after the ceremony you can actually toast marshmallows around a fire pit! You can use the Underwood until sunset or 9pm - whichever is first.
The Spielman Centre dates from 1839 and is a beautiful building full of natural light - great for photos! The grand stone steps also make for a good photo-op and a perfect confetti exit. The venue is a blank canvas, allowing you to really put your own stamp on your wedding day, and you have space for up to 90 guests, though it would also lend itself to more intimate celebrations.
If you want a church wedding, the Victorian Anglican Chapel is a stunning place to exchange your vows, and is also available for receptions if you want a civil ceremony elsewhere. The chapel is the largest of Arnos Vale's wedding locations.
Beautiful Tracy Park, situated between Bristol, Bath, and Chippenham, is a historic house with spaces suited well to intimate weddings, and 42 bedrooms on site to accommodate your entire wedding party! The Fleet Suite is perfect for a small wedding; light and airy with views across the parkland and direct access to a terrace for drinks. It can accommodate 30 for your ceremony, and 40 for a sit-down meal. If you would like a little more room, The Masons is a stone lodge with great original features, once used for Masonic ceremonies and meetings. It can accommodate up to 70 people for a civil ceremony.
This hidden gem of a venue is located in beautiful Clifton, with several spaces ideal for an intimate wedding celebration. The largest space is the stunning Orangery at Goldney House, with French doors leading straight to the gardens, which boast a shell-covered grotto and a canal! You can also opt for the more intimate Mahogany Parlour, with room for up to 40 guests, or tie the knot outside at the Rotunda, with up to 12 guests.
Also owned by the University of Bristol, the house dates from 1747 and was the first Hall of Residence for female students when the university began admitting them. They come with beautiful 18th century gardens, perfect for your wedding pictures! There are several options for smaller weddings at Clifton Hill; the Drawing Room can accommodate up to 80 guests, as can the Wills Reception Room. The Clifton Room can sear 50, and the Clifton Lounge 40. All are full of natural light.
Fancy getting married in a Tudor castle once owned by Henry VIII and Mary I? This historic venue offers the Baron's Sitting Room for smaller weddings of up to 24 guests. The castle has 27 bedrooms so you can stay on-site, and its food has been awarded two AA rosettes.
This beautiful intimate wedding venue in Clifton can accommodate up to 40 guests within its elegant Georgian townhouse. You can marry in the Admiral Room and move to the Galley Room with its private bar for a post-celemony drink, while the room is changed around to a dining space. If you want a unique backdrop to your wedding pictures, the Clifton Suspension Bridge is just a few minutes’ walk, and the venue also has a walled garden.
If you want a venue with striking panoramas over Bristol and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Observatory may be for you. Larger parties can tie the knot in the William West Room, with space for up to 60. Afterwards you can head for a drinks reception on the 360-degree roof terrace to drink in the views. If you are after a smaller occasion, you can get married in the Observatory Tower, which can fit 10-15 guests. And for a truly unique wedding, why not marry in the Giant's Cave, where after a 130-step climb down to the viewing platform, you can look out over the Avon Gorge. The cave can accommodate around 20 people standing.
Conveniently located 30 minutes outide Bristol, the Barn at Old Down Estate is a lovely rustic venue to hold your intimate wedding. It can be exclusively yours from miday to midnight, and has woodburning stoves to keep you warm all year round. The venue can accommodate up to 70.
Cambridgeshire
The eighteenth century manor house near Newmarket is a beautiful wedding venue, and has seven acres of gardens to enjoy. For a smaller wedding, you can hold your nuptials in the Study, which opens out onto a terrace for your post-wedding drinks and photographs.
You can find this venue in Stow-cum-Quy, and it has two lovely options for your wedding. The Waterwheel Room can seat up to 80 and, true to the name, has a view or the original waterwheel. If you'd rather look out onto the landscaped gardens with loads of natural light, then consider the Garden Room, with space for up tp 75. Quy Mill also boasts 2 AA Rosette food, which is locally sourced.cum-
y
Poets House in beautiful Ely is licensed to hold weddings for up to 80 guests, and is conveniently located in the city centre. You can get married in the Writing Room, and with plenty of accommodation on site there is no need to leave at the end of the day! If you want to incorporate Ely's iconic cathedral into your wedding photos, it is only a short walk away.
This eighteenth century hotel in a lovely riverside location is conveniently located in central Huntingdon. The Dining Room, which can accommodate 60, is perfect for an intimate wedding. The venue also has 24 bedrooms on-site.
Cornwall
How about walking down the aisle on a privately-owned Blue Flag beach? Check out Carbis Bay in St Ives, which sits right on the white sand. If you want to get married as close to the beach as possible, choose the lower deck of The Wedding Hut for your ceremony, with space for 80. If you want panoramic sea views, The Godrevy Room is your spot, with space for 70. And for the most cosy of ceremonies, The Pavilion, above the spa gardens, with views out to sea is perfect!
Lusty Glaze is the only venue in Cornwall where you can legally marry on the beach! On the outskirts of Newquay, the venue can be hired exclusively and has a dedicated intimate wedding option for up to 30 guests. The package is available as a six hour slot on Mondays-Thursdays, from midday to 18:00.
In a pretty North Cornish valley you can find 800-year-old Penegnna Manor which is available for exlusive hire throughout the year for weddings. Bigger spaces include the Summerhouse, with views over the valley, and the rustic Cowyard Barn, but there are a number of smaller spaces for those wanting a smaller wedding. You can get married under the archway of the 450-year-old manor front door, with room for 80 guests seated outdoors. The 200-year-old Stables has a capacity of 30, as does the Drawing Room, and the Dining Room, which is one of the oldest parts of the house.
If you want a secluded micro-wedding, Lower Barns is a great choice for a party of up to 20 people, who can stay on site and enjoy the walled gardens, sauna, and hot tub. You can get married in The Wed Shed, The Shack, or The Lounge.
This romantic castle 20 minutes north of Plymouth, on the bank of the River Tamar, is great for an intimate wedding. You can wed outside, under the pavilion glad with wisteria, or the loggia, or inside by the riverside in the Victorian Bathing Hut. The castle can accommodate weddings with up to 50 guests.
This grand Georgian house is a great choice for a luxury intimate wedding. You can marry in the Dining Room with 40 guests, in the open-sided barn with views over the countryside with up to 60 guests, or in the newly-renovated barn full of natural light and with space for 80. Alternatively, if you want a religious ceremony, the Church of St. Helena in Helland, is five minutes away and can accommodate 75.
Devon
Rock Farm was designed with the intimate wedding in mind and the peaceful rural location dates back a whopping 1000 years. The stunning granary, pictured below, was restored by local craftsmen and is very romantic, and has room for up to 50 people. If you'd like a truly micro affair, the rustic little Potting Shed is licesnsed for up to eight guests. You can also marry outside in the garden pergola with its stunning views, with the open-air aisle up through the garden steps.
Treetops at The Fox and Hounds Hotel
After something a little different? How about getting married IN A TREEHOUSE? This luxury venue overlooking a forest, a fishing lake and six acres of gardens and is licensed for civil ceremonies and can fit up to 10 guests for an intimate wedding in a truly quirky location.
This unique venue is perfect for a romantic, intimate wedding and available for exclusive use. The venue has panoramic views over Devon, Dartmoor, and the south coast, particularly amazing from the roof terrace, which is available for your use. Weddings take place in the Ballroom, which is light and airy with high ceilings and original Baroque plasterwork. The venue can accommodate up to 50 guests.
Just south of Exeter, this venue is stunning and regardless of the size of your wedding, you will have exclusive use. The venue is purpose built for small weddings and has space for up to 60. Your ceremony will take place in the restored historic Round House which has a natural outdoor aisle through a wildflower meadow!
Coombe Trencard is a stunning Arts & Crafts country on the edge of Dartmoor with acres of beautiful gardens. They only hold a small number of weddings every year so each is designed for you. There are no short of 12 licensed places to get married at the venue, many of which are perfect for an intimate wedding. Inside you have the Main Hall, with space for 70; the Morning Room with space for 60; the Old Billiard Room with space to 60; the Coach House North Gallery with space for 60; and the Coach House South Gallery with space for 50. Outside, you can hold an intimate ceremony at the Bothy, with space for 50. The Pavillion and the Coach House can also each host 120, for bigger weddings.
Want a unique wedding with stunning views? How about getting married in a cave on north Devon's beautiful coastline? You can find Ocean Kave near the golden sane beach at Westward Ho! and the venue has views across the ocean. The Kave was excavated by local masons - purpose built as a magical wedding venue, and it works perfectly as the setting for your micro wedding. You can either host your reception in the cave, or in the rustic barn on-site, and if you want to stay longer, there are 14 luxury holiday cottages, complete with hot tubs!
If you are hosting a small wedding and want luxury and exclusivity, stunning Ugbrooke in Chudleigh may be the place for you. Their beautiful Drawing Room can host ceremonies for up to 60 people, and you have the house and grounds all to yourselves for the weekend. This includes two nights accommodation for up to 24 guests, a butler, and a private chef! If you are after a Catholic wedding, there is a slice of history here, with on-site St Cyprian's chapel being the oldest Catholic parish church in the South West - dating from 1673.
Romantic Gidleigh in Dartmoor is a great choice for your intimate wedding, each of which is a bespoke experience. The venue is set in 107 acres of land and beautiful riverside gardens, and can host weddings of two to 50.
Dorset
This lovely intimate wedding near Blandford Forum is perfect for a relaxed celebration. The Shed was formerly Farnham's village hall and will be exclusively yours, with space for 34 seated guests/60 standing.
The Shed opens onto a lovely courtyard which would make a great background for wedding photos. The Museum Inn has a selection of rooms in which you can stay, and there is also Mole's Cottage - which sleeps 16!
You can host an intimate, private wedding at Abbots Court, halfway between Dorchester and Blandford Forum. The venue has six acres of woodland, a beautiful walled garden, orangery, and can be exclusively yours for your wedding weekend. The house has room for a ceremony with 30 guests, and can accommodate 22 in the on-site accommodation.
If you want a celebration stretching over three nights in a stunning location for just you and your guests, Chaffeymoor Grane near Gillingham is a great option. What's more, it doesn't charge any corkage! The venue has two rooms licensed for marriage ceremonies; the larger Drawing Room, which can fit up to 80, and the Dining Room, with room for 40. You can host drinks on the terrace overlooking the gorgeous pond, before having your wedding breakfast in the house - with room for 45.
East Sussex
Who says you can't have a stunning beach wedding in England? Check out The Gallivant in Camber Sands, set right on the sand! Smaller weddings can utilise the Cabin Room, the Summer House, or the venue's new beach barn. But the best bit? WEDDING. PHOTOS. ON. THE. BEACH.
15th century Pekes Manor is a lovely estate in the East Sussex countryside, with views over to the South Downs. If you want to get married in a romantic, historical room, the Tudor Dining Room has room for up to 50 people. You can have the estate to yourselves for the weekend for a truly private event, and there is space for up to 60 people to stay and enjoy the amazing facilities, inclusing an indoor pool, hot tubs, saunas, and tennis and baminton courts.
If you want a venue with a really cool honeymoon suite, check out The Bell, near Royal Tunbridge Wells. They have room for up to 90 but can also accommodate smaller gatherings! In total the venue has seven quirky bedrooms and four lodges - one of which is the Love Nest, complete with a copper bath, double shower, wood-burning stove, and a private roof terrace!
This stunning medieval venue is brimming with historical features, from original beams to witch's marks intended to ward off evil spirits, and a secret tunnel under the Great Hall! The Great Hall can seat up to 60 for your wedding ceremony and would be perfect for a cosy winter wedding, as the venue provided rustic benches topped with faux furts, and there is a huge fireplace to provide an atmospheric crackle. In the summer, there is a lovely walled gaerden to enjoy, which would be perfect for wedding photos.
Are you and your fiancé(e) rock n roll? This awesome Brighton hotel is PERFECT for your wedding day. Thee is room for up to 50 people to celebrate your nuptials and 19 individually themed rooms, including a Star Wars pad, and a room designed as a homage to David Bowie! The jewel in the crown, which should definitely go to the happy couple, is the 'Lover's Lair', a three-room suite with a private entrance. It comes with an 8ft circular bed and a bath big enough for two, along with monsoon showers.
Essex
Located near Braintree, The Hare's Field is a delightful new wedding barn which can accommodate up to 60 guests. The venue boasts underfloor heating and a firepit in the courtyard, so perfect for weddings at chillier times of the year. There are five double bedrooms, also with cosy underfloor heating, so you can stay on-site if desired.
For intimate fairytale weddings, check out Creeksea Place, a Tudor mansion east of Chelmsford, on the River Crouch. They have several locations to choose from, inclusing outside in the walled garden, the lake gazebo, and the orchard, and inside in the Regency and Panelled Rooms.
I love a wedding venue that's a bit different, and if you do too, how about getting married in a 200-year-old windmill? With space for up to 20, Rayleigh Windmill is perfectly suited to your micro wedding. The windmill's gardens are available for use after your ceremony for photographs.
Here's a cool fact - the Old House is one of the oldest buildings in England! Apt name, then, and a great venue for those who love history. The Old Hall, dating from 1270, can fit 24 people for an intimate wedding. The venue also has two rooms for getting ready, and a cosy reception room for afterwards.
Barns are perfect for intimate weddings, in my opinion. So much character - and so cosy! This lovely barn is just outside Chelmsford and has no requirement for a minimum number of guests, so you can keep things as small as you would like. The maximum number the barn can accommodate is 70.
This country house hotel lends itself well to a smaller wedding, and is located in the north of Essex. You can either marry in the Garden Room, which boasts valley views, or outside at the Pool House in warmer weather. You can have up to 50 guests to celebrate with you, and also enjoy the spfa, heated outdoor pool and hot tub.
Gloucestershire
For something different, how about getting married outside under the cloisters in the courtyard at Matara? It's a beautiful location and perfect for an imtimate wedding. And if you're green-minded, the venue plants a tree on the ground for every couple that married there - to date they have planted over 1,500! Matara also boasts a honeymoon lodge; a self-contained studio with a kingsize bed and jacuzzi!.
This lovely country house is handily situated between Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford and Worcester. The gardens, with views reaching down to the River Leadon valley, are perfect for a wedding reception on a warm day, and you can also marry outdoors, in the formal gardens, by the lake, or in the woods. If you prefer to keep things indoors, there is a Norman church onsite, or else you can wed in the Ballroom, which has a capacity of 40. Pauntley Court offers exclusive hire for thtee days/two nights, and can accommodate the wedding couple and 22 additional guests. A bonus - the venue is dry hire, so you can truly make your wedding your own, and no corkage is charged.
These historical gardens were designed in the 1740s to host parties for the guests of Painswick House, and are a stunning backdrop to your nuptials - and your wedding photographs! There are three gorgeous places licensed for weddings; the one which can accommodate the most guests is the Red House, which your ceremony will take place inside of, while your guest watch from the terrace. A more intimate wedding can be held at the Eagle House, where up to 40 guests can watch from outside, anf if you want to keep things even smaller, The Bothy can accommodate up to 20 people.
Do you want to feel like a queen for the day? Sudeley Castle is a good choice! This historical venue has several amazing spaces in which to host your wedding. The Castle Library is full of antiques, art, tapestries and rare books, and can accommodate up tp 50 people. The spacious Banqueting Hall, with a big open fire, can accommodate up to 80 guests. And if you want views of the Cotswold Hills and access to the terrace, consider the larger Terrace Pavilion. Sudeley Castle is a wedding photographer's dream, with so many amazing backdrops - including ruins, and 10 gardens!
Hampshire
Three Choirs is a really romantic wedding venue and sits between Southampton and Portsmouth, and a great location to hold your dream outdoor wedding ceremony. The Gazebo has space for a generous 90 guests, but the large benches are perfect for socially-distancing your guests if you have fewer!! Receptions are held in the Old Winery, a rustic barn lit by fairy lights and a chandelier made of vintage crystal-cut wine glasses, which opens out onto a courtyard.
You can find this 17th century gem in the beautiful New Forest, and it is available for intimate weddings as well as exclusive hire. Two of their histoical rooms are perfect for small weddings. The original 17th century Paris Room is great for those going truly micro; it has a capacity of 10, and a cosy setting with an open fire. If you want a few more loved ones at your special day, check out the Oakland Room. This elegant space has lots of natural light and can hold up to 60 guests.
If you want a private celebration with your nearest and dearest, Heathfield, on the edge of the New Forest, is ideal. They only host a few weddings a year, allowing them to work with you to create a celebration which is uniquely you. There is space for 24 guests, including your lovely selves.
This lovely hotel near Farnborough gives you the options of either an indoor or an outdoor wedding. If you want to make things alfresco, you can wed at the standstone Gazebo in the gardens, which also gives you exclusive access to them, and the decked area. Indoors, up to 35 guests can be accommodated in the Garden Room, a private dining area next to their Italian restaurant, Sapori di Casa. The larger Ballroom can also be divided into two, making it well suited to weddings of under 80 guests.
Romantic Houghton Lodge overlooks the River Test and has views along the Test Valley - so this is one for those who want stunning photo backdrops. And if you want a lucky place to be married in, how about the Chinese Dining Room, which can accommodate 54 people. The beautiful room is part of the original house and decorated with hand-painted silk wallpaper from China; the design of birds and peonies tell a symbolic story of friendship, peace, love and luck. For a slightly smaller celebration, the Music Room can fit 38, and is equally stunning; a ciruclar room with a domed ceiling painted with blue skies, clouds and swallows. If you want to take things closer to nature, you can also marry in the Conservatory in the walled garden, with views of the fountain, and up to 30 people.
Hertfordshire
This intimate hotel with views of iconic St Albans Cathedral is great for smaller weddings. Only 35 minutes from London, in a great city centre location, you can hold your wedding in one of the three function rooms, which can accommodate up to 40 people.
The first record of an estate at Rothamsted was in 1212, so if you're looking to get hitched in a historical location, you have found it! The manor is available for exclusive hire as part of wedding packages, and offers delicious food with locally sourced ingredients. The Library, added in around 1900, has a beautiful decorative fireplace from 1622, which is a great backdrop for a wedding with up to 60 guests. The Great Drawing Room, a larger space with stained glass family crests in the windows, can also be used for weddings. It is also a great space for your wedding breakfast, and with space for 76 there is plenty of room to socially-distance those tables!
Pendley, near Aylesbury, is a Victorian manor house set amongst beautiful manicured gardens with patrolling peacocks. There are several rooms to choose from when planning your wedding; the smallest of which is the sunshine-filled Willow Room, with a capacity of four. Alternatively, there is the Acorn Room, which can fit 50 for a ceremony and 40 for a wedding breakfast. The Verney Room, with original wooden panelling, can, comparatively, fit 60 and 50. The largest room is the Oak Room, which can fit 80 people.
Kent
Want to get back to nature? This charming venue near Ashford is romantic and offers amazing wedding photo locations such as the Wild Flower Garden, Butterfly walk, the Peter Rabbit Orchard, and the Cobbled Courtyard. You can get married in the Coach House, which has double doors opening onto an undercover terrace overlooking the walled gardens. This space has room for up to 80 guests. If you want to let the glorious outdoors in, how about the Glass House, which can fit up to 50 for a ceremony and 24 for a sit down meal. If you need a bit more room for your wedding breakfast, the Chapel can seat 30.
This cosy, unique venue can be found in the cente of Rochester, and dates from the 1300s. The George Vaults is licensed for weddings and can accommodate up to 70 guests for your ceremony, wedding breakfast, and evening reception.
This historical, magical venue in the Kent countryside is a wonderful place to tie the knot. The Norman church built over 900 years ago is the only remaining part of the 'lost' village of Dode. You can get married in the restored church with up to 40 guests, or if an outdoor blessing or Pagan handfasting is more your thing, this can be held in the ancient stone circle.
This historical hall at beautiful Leeds Castlel near Maidstone, is well suited to intimate weddings. Inside, you can wed in the wood-panelled Ceremony Room, with space for 40, and move on to the Drawing Room or Library to continue celebrating. In warmer months, you can marry outside under an ancient timber-framed bower. There are five luxuious bedrooms on-site if you would like to stay, offering views of the gardens and Leeds Castle itself.
London
Petersham Nurseries, Covent Garden
If you want a central London wedding venue which feels like a world away from the city, choose pretty Petersham Nurseries. They have three different locations in which to hold your wedding, all great for a small wedding. The Gallery is a sunlight-filled room with Genoese chandeliers and can accommodate up to 60. The opulent Private Dining Room opens out onto a private terrace. This room can accommodate 40 seated or 50 standing. Finally, La Goccia Restaurant offers a semi-private dining room which can accommodate 30 seated or 40 standing. In the summer, you can also enjoy the Floral Court and dine outside amongst the foliage. Petersham Nurseries also has an on-site florist, who can take care of your floral needs, and focuses on seasonal British-grown flowers.
Hard to imagine a more iconic wedding venue than Tower Bridge and, yes, you can actually get married on the bridge! The glass-floored walkways sit 42 metres above the Thames, and offer amazing views up and down the Thames. There is enough space for 54, and hire length is a minimum of five hours. You are also able to hold your reception and wedding breakfast up there in the clouds. Alternatively, underneath the southern side of the bridge, you can find the Victorian Engine Rooms which also contains a range of interesting exhibits, and which can fit 60 for dinner. If you are after a different environment entirely for your ceremony, the relaxed North Tower Lounge can host 47.
This Victorian hotel in Richmond upon Thames has great views of the River Thames, and no better than from the aptly named River Room, which has its own private terrace and far-reaching views. The room can accommodate up to 38 guests for wedding ceremonies.
This trendy hotel and member's club in the City of London has a wealth of great spaces for a micro wedding. All weddings take place on the sixth floor, which has two outdoor terraces with views across London. The venue also boasts Ned's Club Spa, perfect for a pre-wedding treat, or as a place to get ready before the big day, and an amazing honeymoon suite, with a four-poster king-size bed and a private terrace. The Saloon, with a vast eighteenth-century chandelier originally from Devonshire House, has space for up to 70 guests. The Drawing Room, styled in the feel of a library, has space for 60, and the RWB Room, an intimate space full of period art, can also accommodate 60. The coolest space is the Princes Dome, one of two converted domes on the roof, which has an outdoor terrace and a bar - it has room for 50.
This lovely Victorian pub in Wandsworth, opposite the leafy Common, has a great space for an intimate wedding. There is room for 45 in the Trinity Room on the first floor, which has the bonus of its own bar. Their bigger space is the Belvedere Conservatory, which comes with a designated garden space and is full of great natural light.
I lived in Hampstead for four years, and have very fond memories of the place. If you like one of London's prettiest villages as much as I do, then consider getting married at Burgh House, an elegant eighteenth-century house on the edge of the Heath. You can get married at Burgh House from 10am-10pm on Saturdays, and from 5pm onwards on other days of the week. For micro weddings, there is space for 15 people in the Library, and if you'd like a bit more room, The Music Room has space for 70.
Clissold House in Stoke Newington is set in the middle of tranquil Clissold Park, giving you a great opportunity for wedding photos with lots of green, something often hard to find in the middle of the city. Its lovely rooms are full of natural light, and period architecture, and include original features such as marble fireplaces (you can see one in the picture below!) and a beautiful spiral staircase. The rooms on the ground floor conveniently open out onto a terrace overlooking the park; The Drawing Room can seat 60, and the Dining Room 50. On the first floor, there are two smaller spaces; the Church View Room and the New River Room, which both fit 30.
Stunning, light-filled Pembroke Lodge is the only licensed venue within a London Royal Park, and is located in 11 acres of landscaped grounds, perfect for your wedding photos. The smaller of the venue's two wedding suites is great for smaller weddings; the Russell Suite has space for up to 70. It is situated on the first floor of the Georgian wing and the large windows bring in lots of light, as well as give you amazing views across the park and beyond.
This stylish Victorian townhouse in Islington has some great spaces for micro weddings, and is handily located across the road from Islington Town Hall, in case you felt inclined to have your ceremony there. On the top floor of Upper House, you can find the Ballroom, which boasts a gigantic disco ball and cool exposed brick walls, and can fit up to 52 seated. On the first floor, there is the Library, which can fit up to 20, and comes with original features and hand-illustrated walls. Across the landing is the Drawing Room, which overlooks Upper Street and has lots of natural light - there is space for 36. All the rooms come with their own bars, which is a useful bonus, and the venue has a late license, meaning you can boogie until 4am every day of the week, other than Sunday, when you have until 2am.
This Twickenham gallery with views of the River Thames and surrounding woodlands has a truly stunning room for a small wedding ceremony. The Octagon Room, pictured below, is newly restored and is licensed for ceremonies of up to 60. It is also available for drinks receptions afterwards; alternatively, you can make sure of the gallery's lawns.
Northamptonshire
If you want a truly stunning wedding venue for your intimate nuptials, go for The Church Restaurant in Northampton. I shot a wedding here recently and it's really lovely, especially the first room with the bar and the amazing stained-glass window throwing coloured light across you. The town centre location is also very useful, and you are a short drive from the gardens at Delapre Abbey if you want. to venture off-site for your wedding portraits. The venue can accommodate up to 60 people.
Just outside Northampton, you can find this relaxed, rustic venue, which is owned by a charity - so you know the money you spend on your wedding is going to a good cause! The High Barn, a beautiful space with exposed beams and stone, comes as a blank canvas so you can truly make it your own. It has space for up to 85 guests.
The barns at Dodford Manor, located in a useful spot just off the M1, are rustic and filled with lovely natural light and original features. Firstly, the Mortain Barn, which can be configured for an intimate wedding of 30-40. Thie barn has a gallery, allowing you to 'zone' your wedding, or provide a space for musicians - or for your photographer to get some aerial shots! Alternatively, you can tie the knot in the Oak Barn, which has glass walls, giving you views over the countryside, and which also has space for 30-40 guests. The venue does not charge corkage, which is always a bonus!
This historic venue, between Northampton and Kettering, is set in beautiful countryside and has several rooms full of glorious period features in which to get hitched. The aptly-named High Room is the tallest space in the Hall, providing a grand backdrop to your nuptials, and seating up to 50. Alternatively, if you're looking for a spectacular entrance, get married in the Oak Room, where you can glide in down the staircase in front of up to 70 guests.
Oxfordshire
Lovely Burford, between Cheltenham and Oxford, is a great place to hold your wedding, and if you're after character and historical charm check out The Bay Tree, dating from 1565. This small hotel is well suited to intimate weddings, and can also be hired for exclusive use, with 21 bedrooms available. At the rear of. the property, you will find the conservatory, which has views over the garden, and is suitable for a wedding of up to 60. If you're going for cosier, you can also wed in the Hawthorne Room, with space for 12.
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Foodie couples, come this way! Get married at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant of Raymond Blanc OBE, which happens to be in a beautiful thirteenth-century manor house just east of Oxford. The venue also has 32 bedrooms and grounds featuring an organic kitchen garden, orchard, and a Japanese garden. You can get married in a number of places great for small weddings. The Japanese Tea House is perfect for the tiniest of ceremonies, with space for four people. The Botanic Glasshouse can fit 14, and the Garden Pergola has room for 30. For larger celebrations, La Belle Époque has space for 50.
Who doesn't love the stunning Cotswolds? If you'd like exclusive use of a pretty village pub for your intimate wedding, this is a great choice. They are licensed for weddings of up to 65 guests, and have four bedrooms available - and an award-winning breakfast!
Just outside Oxford you can find this seventeenth-century five-star hotel, full of plenty of original features and well-suited to micro-weddings. The Pike Room is licensed for up to 20 guests, and all your guests will be able to stay on-site, as there are 35 individually-designed bedrooms with sketches of Oxford and marble bathrooms.
Somerset
Ah we're on home territory now! This lovely thatched pub is in Babcary, the village where I grew up, and is actually where I had my first job, waitressing at the age of 17! (I was terrible). The Red Lion has since evolved into a great country wedding venue, with six boutique bedrooms. The littlest parties can make use of The Den, which has glass doors providing access to a courtyard and garden, and bringing the light in. There is room for 20. Weddings of up to 80 can have exclusive use of the Restaurant, which is really cosy; think flagstone floors, panelling, and a roaring fire. The venue also has a marquee in the summer, with a larger capacity, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and wooden floors perfect for dancing.
I cannot recommend any venue more than I can Farrington Park, for the simple reason that I got married there, and not only had a wonderful day, but received excellent service from start to finish. If you are a fan of golf, you'll be pleased to know that the venue has a 27-hole championship golf course, as well as a health and fitness suite to wind down after all that exertion. The loveliest room for a wedding ceremony is King Charles Hall, which has rustic oak beams and the look of a barn. There is space for 60. For your reception, the light-filled Park Suite has its own bar and terrace, with stairs down to the garden. Farrington Park is near Midsomer Norton, not far from Bristol and Bath.
And if you're interested, here are some pictures from my wedding at Farrington Park, showing different aspects of the venue! Credit to Smitten Forever Photography.
If you want to have a Bath wedding why not go all in and get married in, well, a bath? I jest, of course, but the iconic Roman Baths is a really memorable and magical place to tie the knot in this gorgeous city. Ceremonies are available after 7pm from September to mid-June, allowing for glorious sunset shots at the right time of the year. After you've said your vows, you can take the celebrations upstairs to the Terrace, which is perfect for intimate celebrations. It overlooks the Bath and has room for up to 80 people.
This period gem is just outside of Bristol and conveniently near the airport for any guests who are travelling by plane. Surrounded by farmland, they locally-source a lot of their produce, and weddings come as a catering package which can be tailored to suit dietary requirements. The Dining Room has space for up. to 60 people and there are nine bedrooms up a sweeping staircase.
e licensed for a civil ceremony of up to 60 people inside the house.
If you like the idea of an orangery wedding but want a more intimate space, Hamswell House is perfect for you. You can find the romantic venue on the border of Somerset and Gloucestershire, near Bristol and Bath, and the M4. The venue and its grounds are exclusively yours for your wedding day, and there is space for 40 inside the eighteenth-century Orangery, though other guests are permitted to stand outside on the lawn to watch. Hamswell does not charge corkage.
This hotel in Taunton is one of the most historic in Great Britain, with origins stretching over 1000 years, and has a beautiful twelfth-century rose garden, with an original most wall, great as a backdrop for your wedding photos. They have four rooms which would suit a smaller wedding. If you want panoramic views, opt for the Penthouse, which has space for up to 34 guests. The Garden Room on the ground floor has space for 50, and if you want a bit more room, it can be adjoined with the Wisteria Room, which seats 40 on its own. Alternatively, the grand Music Room has space for 80.
Taking you home again with this historical building in the centre of charming Castle Cary. Dating from 1855, and originally used to host market traders, restoration was completed in 2014. The Shambles, with many original features, including statement arched windows, seats 50 for an intimate wedding ceremony. Afterwards, you can have your reception in The Undercroft, a covered outside space depicted below, with views of the pretty high street.
Surrey
If history, character, exclusivity, and luxurious accommodation are all important to you, Great Tangley Manor may be your perfect wedding venue. It is 1000 years old and situated on the edge of the Surrey Hills, south of Guildford. There is space for 12 guests to stay, to enjoy the privacy of the extensive Victorian gardens and three acres of grounds. You can get married in the Marix Room, with a vaulted ceiling and large chandelier, where the French doors bring in loads of natural light, and there is space for 26. If cosy is more your thing, there is the sixteenth-century Caryl Room, which is panelled in dark oak, reportedly from the ships of the Spanish Armada! The venue also boasts a room which was a chapel at the time of Charles I, and signatures dating back to 1633 can be found etched on the windows.
Luxury hotel Langshott Manor dates back to Elizabethan times and even has a water-filled moat! You can tie the knot in the Mulberry Suite overlooking it, which also boasts its own garden and terrace. It has space for up to 80. If you want to get married closer to nature, you can do so outside in the Wedding Gazebo, with a natural aisle through a vine archway. This is available from April to September and also has space for 80. For a smaller space, you can marry in the wood-panelled Boardroom with space for 22.
Warren House, a Victorian manor house, is set on the quiet Coombe Estate in Kingston-upon-Thames. It has beautiful landscaped gardens in which to take your wedding photos, and picturesque views. The Edwardian Ballroom is modelled on the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles and provides a spectacular backdrop for your big day. For something more intimate, the interconnecting Lilac, Lavender, and Magnolia rooms are lovely backdrops for your wedding and open out onto the gardens. If you want something to entertain the little ones, Warren House can provide a TV and games console in the Azalea Room. There are 46 bedrooms, big enough for all your guests, and the luxurious Bridal Suite boasts a period fireplace and roll-top bath.
West Sussex
Medieval Bailiffscourt is set near the coast just west of Littlehampton, with 30 acres of parkland leading down to Climping Beach. The hotel has 39 luxurious bedrooms and an award-winning spa, perfect for some pre-wedding pampering. There is a thirteenth-century chapel within the grounds with space for 40, if you are after a religious service. Within the hotel, you can wed in the medieval Music Room with tapestry-clad walls and space for up to 40, or the Card Room, with space for up to eight. The Tapestry Restaurant is a larger space, available for daytime weddings until 5pm, though can be used for evening receptions when you book the whole hotel for exclusive use.
Chichester Harbour Hotel & Spa
In the centre of historic Chichester is this boutique Georgian hotel with beautiful period features, including a stunning staircase, perfect for wedding pictures. The hotel also has a spa where you can get ready for youe wedding in style. You can get married in the Priory Suite, which has. acapacity of 35.
This stunning historical castle, situated between Chichester and Horsham on the edge of the South Towns, is set in 12 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens containing a white peacock! The Great Room can accommodate 56 people and has direct access to the gardens, as well as views across the courtyard. For a smaller ceremony, the King Charles I Room can accommodate up to 12, and has views across the South Downs. If you'd like to stay. thenight, there are 19 luxurious rooms available.
Located near Horsham, Cisswood House is a charming ivy-clad country house with a leisure club, spa and beauty salon. You can tie the knot in the Garden Restaurant, with space for 50, or in the Willow Suite, which overlooks the gardens, and has space for the 30. On warm days, you can also marry outside in the Gazebo
Wiltshire
If you want a romantic outdoor wedding, Lamer Tree in the heart of Cranborne Chase, may be for you. The 11-acre gardens were created in 1880 and host a collection of beautiful ornate buildings. They offer a package specifically for micro weddings, on weekdays for up to 30 guests, which includes your choice of building for the ceremony, a marquee and garden games.
In the market town of Malmesbury on the edge of the beautiful Cotswolds you can find No. 1 Abbey Row, a luxury venue where you can have exclusive use of the North Wing for your intimate wedding. The Garden Room, licensed for weddings of up to 65, is full of natural light and opens onto a private terrace and the walled garden. Upstairs are bedrooms, so no one needs to leave once the party is over, and the venue serves a delicious feasting-style menu based on locally-sourced produce.
This Victorian manor house, just north of Chippenham and usefully near the M4, is sat in 37 acres of beautiful gardens and can. be exclusively yours for your wedding. If you want to marry with a view, the Orangery overlooks the Italian Gardens and can seat 50+, depending on the layout. Alternatively, you can wed in the Library Well which has room for 80 guests, and balconies for extra guests, if needed.
This venue, near Salisbury has an exquisite seventeenth-century walled Dutch garden, with two tiers of lawns. Hatch House is licensed to hold wedding ceremonies on the second tier; a stunning setting in good weather. If you prefer to marry indoors, you can also wed in the Dining Room.
Guyers House Hotel & Restaurant
Guyers House is under 10 miles to Bath, on the doorstep of the beautiful Cotswolds, and located in six acres of grounds. The Ballroom is licensed for weddings of up to 80, and the Dining Room has space for 56. The hotel has 36 ensuite bedrooms to accommodate your guests.
I hope this list has given you some inspiration for your small wedding! If you're thinking 'this lady has pretty good taste', and you still need a wedding photographer, why not download my brochure? Alternatively, you can contact me here.
If you have any suggestions for venues I should include in this blog, drop a comment below!
Now go off and plan the micro wedding of your dreams, my loves. YAY!!