5 of the Best: Luxury Wedding Venues in LondonBy Angelica Malin
Palaces, theatres, museums—you name it, you can probably tie the knot there in London. If you’re looking for a London wedding venue with that luxury touch, you’re in luck. We’ve teamed up with to bring you a list of five of the best luxury wedding venues in the capital.
The Natural History Museum
The Lowdown: Home to more than 80 million specimens of animal and plant life, the Natural History Museum doesn’t just boast one of the world’s largest natural history collections, the ornate 19th century building can now also be used as a wedding venue.
If you want that real luxury feel, you have a choice from the range of opulent halls located inside the museum, allowing you and your guests to bask in the grandeur of the building’s stunning Victorian architecture. Hintze Hall, the main entrance hall, is particularly popular for events, with its grand Romanesque arches and spectacular stone staircases offering an awe-inspiring setting for your nuptials.
If you’re looking for something even more unique, or just fancy a prehistoric themed ceremony, you could tie the knot in the Earth Hall and enjoy a six metre long Stegosaurus skeleton as your backdrop. Alternatively, you could host your nuptials in the Fossil Way space, watched over by a giant sloth and various other fossils.
Where: Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London, SW7 5BD
Kensington Palace
The Lowdown: Give your wedding the royal touch by throwing it at Kensington Palace. The residence of the royal family since the 17th century, the palace’s vast number of luxurious rooms and gargantuan, tranquil grounds make it a versatile venue perfect for weddings all year round.
For those planning a winter wedding, areas within the palace like The Orangery are ideal. Built in 1704, The Orangery was originally built as somewhere for Queen Anne to store her orange trees during the colder months of the year, but instead became a sumptuous venue for balls and celebrations in its own right. With its lavish interior decor and Portland stone terrace for guests to spill out onto, it is one of London’s most sought-after wedding venues, and can seat up to 300 guests.
Kensington Palace’s 275 acre garden also makes it ideal for summer nuptials. Take its East Front Gardens, which enjoyed a makeover as part of a £12 million refurbishment, completed in 2012. Hosting up to 400 people, the garden gives you and your guests a panoramic view of the palace as you’re surrounded by gorgeous ornamental flower beds. The palace’s 80-person capacity Sunken Gardens are more suited for intimate events, and feature vibrant coloured flowers and a beautiful pond.
Where: Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX
Sky Garden
The Lowdown: If you haven’t yet been up the 150 metre, 38-storey 20 Fenchurch Street
Building (nicknamed the ‘Walkie-Talkie’) to reach its Sky Garden, you’ve likely marvelled at the skyscraper from afar. The building is undoubtedly one of the capital’s most distinctive, with an instantly recognisable design. However, the views of the Walkie-Talkie from the ground have nothing on those from the Sky Garden, located on the 35th, 36th and 37th floors of the building.
Offering breathtaking 360-degree views of London from its central city location, the Sky Garden creates a stunning backdrop for your big day. With beautifully landscaped interior gardens which give the venue its name, it is another perfect luxury wedding venue. The Sky Garden is available for private hire and can host events with a maximum of 450 guests, with top class catering and drink options also available.
Where: 20 Fenchurch St, London EC3M 8AF
The Globe Theatre
The Lowdown: There aren’t many places that encapsulate centuries of romance like the Globe Theatre. Renowned worldwide as the home of Shakespeare, the theatre has seen romance from every angle, from the will-they, won’t-they thrills of Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, to the bawdy lovers in As You Like It. It may be best known for hosting plays for the best part of four centuries, but it now also doubles up as an extravagant luxury wedding venue.
Spouses-to-be can choose between the intimate Balcony Room or the grand Underglobe Room to host their wedding. The former can hold up to 70 guests, and features views of both the theatre itself and St. Paul’s and the Thames. The latter is exclusively an evening venue, seating up to 350 guests. With a stunning staircase, secret river-side entrance and private mezzanine, as well as a full-sized model oak tree, it provides a lavish backdrop befitting of a luxury wedding.
Where: 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT
The Savoy
The Lowdown: Ask people to name London hotels and one of the first names many will say is The Savoy. Opened in summer 1889 as Britain’s first luxury hotel, it provided its guests with innovations that we now take for granted, like electric lights and lifts, bathrooms in most of the rooms and constant running water. It has since become known as a go-to hotel for the rich and famous; stars like Frank Sinatra, Oscar Wilde and The Beatles have all stayed there, and it still attracts a prestigious clientele to this day.
The hotel’s magnificent interior, its range of rooms and glowing reputation make it a fantastic luxury wedding venue. The lavish Lancaster Ballroom, River Room and Abraham Lincoln Room are all suitable for larger affairs, each hosting between 300-400 guests, whilst the signature suites provide the ideal setting for smaller ceremonies and receptions, with many overlooking the Thames.
Where: Strand, London WC2R 0EZ