Wedding venues with the best outdoor space and scenery

From walled gardens to woodlands, celebrate mother nature in a space that boasts the best outdoor scenery…

Hampton Court Palace gardens — Credit: Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

Celebrate like royalty at King Henry VIII’s old Tudor haunt, Hampton Court Palace, in East Molesey. Enjoy acres of beautiful gardens with a choice of various rooms; The Orangery is a great location for a drinks reception, where guests can enjoy exclusive use of the Privy Garden. The Garden Room, with its French windows that open right out onto a private walled garden, is a great space for live bands and dancing.

Montalto House and Lake at The Carriage Rooms

The Carriage Rooms, County Down

Set on the Montalto Estate, The Carriage Rooms offer the option of an outdoor ceremony in the romantic walled garden, where afterwards you and your guests can enjoy lawn games and drinks in the stunning surroundings. Plus, for the bride and groom only, you can access the boathouse and lake for some precious time alone.

Hayne House, Kent

There’s natural beauty to be found at Hayne House whatever the time of year – from cherry blossom in spring to the rich, earthy colours of its mature trees in the autumn. Wed beneath the romantic oak-framed porch in the gardens, adorned with ivy garlands and climbing roses, with up to 120 guests watching on, or treat them to an indoor ceremony in the new purpose-built orangery, which looks onto the manicured gardens.

Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh

Sitting in the 100-acre grounds of Bonnington House just outside of Edinburgh, Jupiter Artland is a sculpture park of epic proportions. At the heart of the various artworks is Cells of Life by landscape architect Charles Jencks – a collection of eight landforms sculpted around four lakes, making for a superb backdrop to your celebrations.

Lucknam Park, Wiltshire

The traditional walled gardens and extensive grounds at Georgian Palladian mansion Lucknam Park provide the perfect photographic setting for you and your guests to enjoy post-ceremony. For an everlasting memento of your special day, you can plant a tree of your choice in its arboretum – complete with a plaque commemorating your marriage – that you can return to for years to come.

Dewsall Court, Hereford

For your very own country pad that feels just like home, Dewsall Court works for both intimate and grander celebrations. Civil ceremonies can be held outside or in a choice of amazing indoor spaces, and there’s also a quaint, ancient church located just a short walk through the gardens.

Stonor Park, Oxfordshire

This grand country house makes a breath-taking location for your reception. Choose between four outdoor locations on the Stonor Park estate: the lawns at the front of the house; the Italianate pleasure gardens complete with lily ponds and fountains; the park for a more private setting; and the hilltop with amazing views of Stonor valley.

Birtsmorton Court, Worcestershire

Birtsmorton Court, the Grade I-listed manor house, makes a great wedding venue all year round – think cosy ceremonies beside the roaring fireplace or a sunny soirée outside beside the dramatic moat. Head out onto the terrace for post-ceremony drinks and take in the glorious views, then make your way to the marquee and Garden Room for your bespoke reception.

Notley Abbey, Buckinghamshire

Right on the Buckinghamshire-Oxfordshire border, Notley Abbey is steeped in history. Hold your ceremony in its walled garden, where you can choose to walk down a carpet aisle or stick to its perfectly manicured lawn. Post-ceremony, spend some time walking amongst the grounds, complete with lavender borders and 12th-century ruins.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Surround yourself with nature in all its forms at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. There’s three event suites where you can officially wed – the Terrace Suite with its original domed ceiling, the grand Garden Suite featuring a sub-tropical glasshouse, and the London Suite with a veranda overlooking the Japanese Gardens. And in finer weather, you can enjoy a drinks reception out on the terrace.

Barnsley House, Gloucestershire

Barnsley House & Gardens is the perfect location for an intimate outdoor wedding. Exchange vows in front of The Temple, a neo-classical structure with a paved terrace and lily-filled pond, where there’s space for 40 people. Or if your wedding party is a little bigger, the Gothic Summerhouse can seat up to 100.

Eden Project, Cornwall

Looking for a more unusual venue? The Eden Project’s rainforest biome is the largest indoor jungle in the world, with lush foliage and tropical flowers at every turn. For something truly special, receptions after-dark can be held in its Mediterranean Biome, with low lights reflecting on the arched ceiling to create the illusion of a thousand stars.

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