Help Planning Your Wedding Hints, Tips and Advice

Part 3 – Help Planning Your Wedding Hints Tips and Advice – Venues

10th November 2025

Help Planning Your Wedding Hints Tips and Advice – Part 2: Choosing Your Venue

Choosing your wedding venue is one of the most important parts of planning your day. It sets the tone for everything that follows and gives your guests their first impression of the celebration. Whether it be a religious ceremony at Church or a marriage at a venue you probably already know which is right for you. This post forms part of Help Planning Your Wedding Hints Tips and Advice – Introduction and aims to guide you through key things to consider when picking your perfect place. Welcome to Help Planning Your Wedding Hints Tips and Advice – Venues.

Planning Ideas When Choosing Your Wedding Venue

Are you dreaming of a grand country house, a rustic barn, a stylish hotel, or something more personal such as a church ceremony followed by a marquee at your family home? The options are endless. The right venue should reflect you as a couple and feel natural to you.

Or should it… ?

John once photographed an intimate wedding at a stately house for a Harley Davidson owners group Boss Hog. Fully suited and booted and the bride in her amazing dress. After the vows and wedding breakfast the newlyweds drove away, escorted by over 100 Harleys to Mallory Race Circuit for a festival-styled evening party. This proves you can shape your day exactly as you want.

Hints Tips and Advice on your Wedding Venue Location

Your venue does not always need to be central. If there is accommodation nearby, many couples prefer to make a weekend of it. A new place often feels more exciting than one guests have attended many times before.

That said, converted barns and rural venues often have limited accommodation. Think about how practical the location will be for your full guest list. Look for a local hotel like a travelodge and see if you can get a price deal on multiple room bookings. Some barn style venues or stately homes like Ragley Hall that don’t have accomodation have deals with these type of hotels so worth asking.

Travel and Distance Tips for Wedding Venues

John once photographed a wedding in Italy where 54 guests happily made the journey. More recently, he captured a day where friends and family travelled from Spain, Italy, France and even Australia. Distance is not always a barrier.

If a church wedding is your choice, John suggests a journey of no more than 40 minutes from the service to the venue. If you choose a church away from where you live, speak with them early as you may still need approval from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Rules are easing but it is always worth checking.

Essential Wedding Planning Advice for Your Venue

Large venues sometimes cater for smaller weddings too, so don’t dismiss them too quickly. Big does not always mean expensive.

For example Kilworth House – I did a wedding here for just 4 people but it can do weddings for 130.

Popular venues often book up far in advance — sometimes 24 to 36 months. If you fall in love with a place, secure the date quickly, especially if you are fixed on a particular season or day.

Was this post – Help Planning Your Wedding Hints Tips and Advice – Venues – helpful, you can explore the full series via the Introduction post.

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