Your wedding day is a magical and unforgettable day. It’s a day where you bring all the best people in your life together to celebrate your love for your special someone. It’s a day to be treasured, remembered, and a day to finish by dancing the night away surrounded by special people, music, and laughter.
The wedding venue you choose is likely to be one of the larger parts of your wedding budget and for that reason will often get picked first – so it’s going to be one of your main decisions.
I photograph weddings in Warwickshire and have done for many years. I live here, so that helps, but I also love what Warwickshire has to offer a wedding couple. The history and stunning backdrops you can find here in are a real marvel, and although the cities and other counties might have something they think beats it – this is my county, and I believe it’s the best!
Having photographed hundreds of local weddings, I thought it was about time I shared my favourite six wedding venues in Warwickshire. I’d love to know what you think.
Six Unusual (and Stunning!) Wedding Venues in Warwickshire
Warwick Castle
In the heart of the county in the town of Warwick, you’ll find one of the most spectacular castles in the UK. Warwick Castle is a large draw to the town of Warwick for tourists, and a big winner for weddings too.
If you’re looking for an absolutely stunning venue in which to get married, then Warwick Castle is a big tick in that box! The castle was founded in 1068 from an original wooden fort built by Willian the Conqueror (remember him from your school history books?). The castle remained in the hands of dignitaries until 1978 when it was sold to the Tussauds Group, of Madame Tussauds fame.
Why get married here?
Well the chance to be wed and then celebrate your wedding in the stunning Great Hall and classic State Rooms is one you won’t be able to resist. The backdrop for photos is out of this world, too! If you’re looking for drama, theatre, backdrops to die for, and a wedding that will beat all your friends’ weddings – this is it!
Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick
Another venue in the heart of the county is the Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick. Not to be confused with an actual hospital, this building was originally home to Warwick’s medieval Guilds. But in Queen Elizabeth 1st reign the build was changed to house injured soldiers from the wars and acted as a retirement home for those who served for Queen and country. And it’s still like that today.
The site is a stunning example of a medieval Britain with a Norman Chapel that sits on the old gateway to the town. It’s used as a backdrop for films and TV programmes, too.
Why get married here?
As a wedding venue, you’re spoilt for choice from the Great Hall for the reception to weddings held in the Guild Hall above the Norman cobbled courtyard. Photo opportunities are everywhere here with stone, timber beams, classic medieval architecture, and even the masters garden where you’ll find wildflowers, ornamental gardens, and more.
Lord Leycester Hotel Weddings.
Ettington Park Hotel
Set in a 40-acre estate in Stratford-upon-Avon, Ettington Park is part of the HandPicked Hotels collection, and you can see why. With Cotswold stone, towering turrets, and beautiful gardens, Ettington Park is a high society wedding shoot waiting to happen.
It’s a ‘Neo-Gothic mansion’ and at first glance might look a little overwhelming but this warm and welcoming hotel has a lot to offer your wedding and your guests. It even has a ruin outside for summer outdoor ceremonies for those who prefer to be in the great outdoors!
Why get married here?
With six areas to choose for ceremony or dining plus the outside ruin option, Ettington Park is a truly customisable wedding venue. I love shooting weddings here as the space constantly gives you more and more inspiration to photograph.
Shustoke Farm Barns
With a 200-guest capacity and on-site wedding licence, this 18th century red bricked building with private courtyard is a marvellous choice for your big day. The dramatic tall ceilings with staggered oak beams overlook the perfect venue. If you’re not one to decorate or overdo the wedding tables, you’re in luck because you don’t need to here – it’s already set! Candlelight or fairy lights are all you need to make this a romantic and unforgettable scene for your “I do” day.
Photo opportunities are in abundance here from the ceremony to the late-night party. You can invite 140 guests to your barn ceremony and up to 200 overall for the evening celebrations so it’s a good size, too.
Why get married here?
The venue is licenced and has a mouth-watering menu from which to choose. Your photos will be simply incredible as you celebrate at this intimate and well-thought-out venue just south of Birmingham.
Dodford Manor
From my gallery you probably get the impression that I like to be outdoors, and you’d be right. In Warwickshire we have so much history, backed by luscious green countryside, so it would be a crime not to use it! Dodford Manor is another great location where you can do this. Weddings are held in the previously hidden Oak Barn which is naturally lit with a visually stunning glass wall.
The venue is complete with a courtyard for unforgettable photos and even a ‘Beauty Booth’ for the bride (or groom) is a converted grain store that now plays its part as the bridal suite.
Why get married here?
This venue works all year round and the team on-site are award-winning for a reason. The full package here is great and the setting will look incredible in your wedding album! It’s well worth a look.
Stoneleigh Abbey
Fancy getting married where Jane Austen, Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert once visited? Well Stoneleigh Abbey could be the venue for you. Stoneleigh Abbey is a huge site with a stunning driveway over a stone bridge that will set the scene for an amazing wedding day ahead.
From the elegant and ornate Saloon in the West Wing which overlooks the picturesque Grade II listed parkland, to the timber beamed Victorian Banquet Hall, or the more contemporary Orangery, Stoneleigh Abbey has so many fabulous choices and is steeped in history.
Why get married here?
The riverside location with grade II listed gardens is a glamourous and awe-inspiring backdrop to your wedding. The Grade 1 listed English mansion house, once host to King Charles I, is a well-preserved Georgian example of the times that will set your wedding day off perfectly. And the photos… oh wow, the photos!
Wedding in Warwickshire?
Looking to capture all those memories? I LOVE Warwickshire and all it has to offer for a fantastic wedding. Castles, mansions, converted barns and everything in between – Warwickshire has got it going on!
If you’re looking for wedding photos that don’t feature traditional wedding photography with its awkward posed photos and fake smiles, then we should talk.
Of course, if you have a venue elsewhere I’m happy to travel. But we do have some superb choices if you’re getting married here in Warwickshire.
