What To Look For When Choosing a UK Wedding Venue - A Wedding Photographers Perspective

So you’ve finally tied the knot. Congratulations! The first thing on you’re mind is probably getting the wedding venue of your dreams booked. Unless you already have one in mind, you’ve probably taken a quick look on google and seen the thousands of amazing options at your fingertips, all quirky and amazing in their own ways. But how do you choose the best?

“What separates an amazing wedding venue from a good one?” “How many guests can I invite without it getting crowded?” “Will the photos be good here and will the photographer need to see it first?” Let me answer all of those questions for you.

The lovely St Tewdrics House at Chepstow, South Wales

Average UK Wedding Venue Cost:

Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of what makes some wedding venues so special, lets first talk about price! This will be at the forefront of most couples decisions of where to host their day. According to bridebook.co.uk, the average venue can call for around £6,000, which is usually the most expensive item on the budget.

Why are they asking for such a large slice? This is because a majority wedding venues tend to earn their yearly bread and butter through the wedding season but still must provide the up-keep and bills for the grounds into the winter. Not only this, but the venue also lays out the foundation for your day from the number of guests you have to what can keep them busy throughout the day.

They usually provide privileged access to all their facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms, allow you to host your wedding ceremony, saving you money on a second venue and finally, adding flavour to your day based on the look and feel that you’re after.

Prices can vary based on a number of factors, most often its the location makes the biggest dent. If you’re looking to have your wedding in a grand, urban venue with good motorway links just outside of London, expect to pay a lot more versus a secluded, scenic barn venue in the edge of North Wales. While most couples choose to book venues within easy reach of family and friends, some may opt to venture further for better value or bigger grounds.

Garden games and Jenga at Loughborough Endowed School Weddings

What Makes a Good UK Wedding Venue:

Something that’s hard to picture is how a venue might fare with a large group of slightly drunk, but very happy people on the wedding day. After capturing over 150+ weddings, there are a few things I’ve noticed which allow certain venues to shine over others.

Group shots at St Tewdrics, South Wales. (Can you tell I like this venue?)

The first being the grounds. Once everyone pours out of the ceremony room in the afternoon, they’ll be guided by their wedding photographer to begin the group shots. Finding a beautiful area big enough to host up to two hundred guests for the wedding party shot is always a challenge, but some venues make this a delight when you’ve got all the room and a stunning vista to match. While the focus of group shots is always the guests themselves, having a gorgeous background can totally change and enhance a photo.

On the flip side, living in the UK definitely has it quirks so always prepare for the chance that group shots will need to be done indoors should the weather change on the day. This doesn’t have to mean that the photos will be any less beautiful as grand architecture or great decor can make for a fantastic backdrop! Another thing some couples have opted for is a photo wall, which can be used throughout the day for indoor group shots, rain or shine.

Magician keeping guests entertained at Rock Village Hall, Worcestershire

The second thing that makes a venue shine is its interior space and capacity to house the correct amount of guests without seeming cramped. We’ve done a ton of weddings at small venues where the casual time between formalities can have some guests elbow to elbow, while this is lovely for getting up close and personal with people you haven’t seen for years, sparking many great conversations, it makes capturing the day slightly more difficult from the wedding photographers position. It can be hard to frame subjects correctly or scout out the room and see where a good moment is about to take place.

Having an open wedding venue with a great interior is the best way to keep guests happy, also helping with the heat that can build up in the room over the summer months. Should the weather be unkind on the day, having the room for everyone to mingle, drink and maybe even play a few wedding games definitely helps the day flow. Venues will usually suggest the ideal guest count which should help you and your decision!

Lastly, having lots of natural light definitely helps give that bright and airy look on the wedding day. Not only does it help with photos, it also aids in making things feel open, larger and more modern. Photos captured just as the sun is setting, shining in through the windows while you and your guests enjoy themselves will be some of your favorites, guaranteed. While most photographers including myself will use a special backwards-facing flash throughout the day, nothing beats that genuine natural light.

Enjoying a game of ring toss at Longhouse Weddings, Somerset

Improving Your Venue Further:

Groom riding Bucking Bronco at Bridal Barn, Wolverhampton

Having a lovely venue definitely goes a long way, but your finishing touches can add something truly unique. If a summer wedding is your thing, garden games make a fantastic addition to the day, no one is exempt from bringing out their competitive side when these come out to play.

Not only does it give the wedding guests something to do later on in the day, but it also makes for great photos and videos, especially when the bride & groom. Games like ring toss, Jenga, sack race and Piñatas are all fantastic ways to spice up the day without flexing your budget. We’ve also seen couples go as far as having a Bucking Bronco at the wedding, as you can imagine it was a lot of fun, keeping the guests (and ourselves) entertained into the night.

Extra activities seem to play well throughout the day, too. Magicians will keep the kids occupied for hours, but you’d be mistaken to think that adults won’t also love the act. Bands are also a very popular option for live music in the day and night. Some couples hire violinists to serenade the ceremony along with bands to cover their first dance.

We haven’t even begun to talk about the multitude of options there are for decorating your wedding venue. No doubt you’ve seen beautiful photo walls, elegant table dressing and quirky present baskets from the likes of Pinterest and Instagram. Almost all venues encourage adding your own special touch to the day as they strive to enhance your experience as much as possible.

Finally, and probably everyone’s favorite, food. I’m not talking about the wedding day breakfast, I mean those amazing horderves, served up while everyone’s chatting and relaxing. I’ve seen many eyes light up once the trays of finger food start flowing. Honourable mentions to pizza trucks, pulled pork stands and pick-a-mix booths for keeping many photographers full and friendly through the day!

Guests relaxing on the lawn of Canada Lodge & Lake, Cardiff, South Wales

Final Thoughts:

So, now that you know more about how venues are priced, what to expect and the extras you can add to improve the day, you’re ready to get out there and book one! If your dream venue is popular, it’s best booked two years in advance, but they may still have some space free the year before through cancellations and postponements.

While expensive, the wedding venue you choose will have the biggest effect on your day out of all your choices. It dictates your wedding date, location, guest capacity and rules, meaning picking the right one is important. Some of my favourite venues throughout the UK include St Tewdrics House for its beautiful grounds and interior, Clearwell Castle with its grand architecture and great location and finally Bridal Barn with the contemporary look and convenient area. All three tick the boxes of an ideal wedding venue and have been a pleasure to shoot there.

This isn’t a paid promotion of any kind, just my thoughts and opinions from my time of being a wedding photographer and videographer. If you’ve enjoyed looking at my photos above and are currently looking for someone to capture your day, it would be a pleasure! Simply get in touch using the buttons below and I’ll check my availability. I cover all over the UK from Newcastle to Pembrokeshire with a natural, documentary style to capture the best moments of the day. You can see more of my wedding photography work here!

If you have any questions about this article or wedding venues in general, I’ll be more than happy to help. Just send me an email here and I’ll respond within 24 hours!

Thanks so much for reading!
by Cameron Jones,

Wedding Photographer & Videographer at Bright Sight Photography.