Setting the Scene at the Biltmore Hotel London

The first priority lay in creating a backdrop in keeping with the Biltmore Hotel London. Fabulous Functions UK, based in the Cotswolds and specialising in timeless elegant floral designs set about creating the concept and colour palette for the table settings.

With the desire to create a setting that was both fresh and contemporary yet the height of elegance, Sandra designed a serpentine table setting with florals in a palette of tangerine and butter yellow through white to lilac. She created small arrangements in the colour scheme, arranged in an ombre style, meandering along the centre of the table. Florals placed on the floor created interest and added texture to the setting.

We partnered with William of Wedding Metal Art Prop Hire. A talented artist, William creates the most incredible and beautiful metal structures. He provided the halfmoon arches from which we suspended our floral chandeliers above the tables – we designed them to mirror the ombre colour way of the floral designs on the tables.

Then we repeated this theme in the concept for the stationery. Anna is the creative talent behind the luxury wedding stationers, Evelyn and Elliot Wedding Stationery. She designed the guest’s name cards in a half-moon form on seeded paper and featured the guest names, the wedding date, venue and the menu. A lot of information on a guest place card, you may think. But Anna accomplished the task with aplomb. She embellished the place cards with silken tassels in the ombre colour scheme. Creating the stationery suite on seeded paper that one can plant in one’s garden made a beautiful guest memento.

Photography and Film

It was our delight to work with Stuart Wood of Stuart Wood Weddings. His trademark fine art style of photography captured with perfection the beauty of the venue and the grace and elegance of our model bride and groom.

Said Stuart: ‘I wanted to use the elegance of this special place to its fullest extent, while making sure a definite ‘city vibe’ shone through in the imagery and showed clearly that we are in the very heart of Mayfair’

Meanwhile, Adam of Creative Spark Films lived up to the name, producing a beautiful and memorable recording of the shoot.

He wanted to capture everything at the Biltmore Hotel London using natural light wherever possible – often a challenge in the English winter! He made sure to expose for the highlights to give a darker and more cinematic look. That helped to elevate the footage to give a more mysterious, yet elegant vibe. Doing so also allowed him to focus the viewer’s eyes on the detailing of both the jewellery and the dress whilst maintaining flattering angles for our gorgeous models.

The Cake

What’s a wedding without cake? And they can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Claire and Dan of Peboryon are cake artists with an international reputation. They’re much in demand for their luxury wedding and event cake and sweet treats. This incredible duo creates visual feasts full of delicious flavours to delight both your palette and your eyes. It was a huge honour for us to have them as part of the amazing team on this styled shoot at the Biltmore.

Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

Well at the very least they’re elegant, timeless and beautiful. And Nina of HP Diamonds, a family-owned jewellery house has a deep passion for exceptional diamonds and craftsmanship. HP Diamond Jewellery specialises in exquisite and rare diamonds and gemstones, creating bespoke pieces that are a seamless blend of artistry and luxury.

Featured in the shoot, Lumière is a celebration of light and elegance, showcasing three stunning pieces: a ring, necklace, and earrings, crafted with colourless 2.5 carat marquise shaped diamonds and tapered baguettes. The marquise, known for its elongated form and regal heritage, symbolises elegance, ambition, and brilliance.

HP Diamond jewellery designed the Lumière collection with sleek, geometric lines, where each piece enhances the diamonds’ natural radiance, providing a perfect blend of a classic design and modern sophistication.

Our model bride wore several headpieces created by the ultra-talented Jayne at Camille Lux Accessories. Every piece that leaves Jayne’s atelier is hand-crafted and personalised for her clients. Jane weaves in any personal items and family heirlooms to create a personal design to complement your vibe, your gown, your colour palette and your joie de vivre.

Make-up and Hair

Johanna of Johanna Villarreal Brides, our hair stylist, and Bev of Makeupology Brides, our make-up artist collaborated to create Estelle’s flawless look for this shoot. They produced subtle makeup that enhanced and complemented Estelle’s natural beauty and dark glossy curls. Putting our model at at ease, between them they created for her a look of timeless elegance, full of glamour.

Johanna created a soft cushion of curls on which to nestle the beautiful headpieces created by Camille Accessories.

Gowns and Shoes

Sian of Shimmering Ivory, designer of exquisite bespoke wedding gowns and bridal couture, provided our model bride with her beautiful gown. It featured delicate lace appliqué, gorgeous beading and stunning Swarovski crystals.

As a couture designer specialising in bridal wear, each tailor-made couture gown used the finest French laces and luxury silks. All adorned with detailed embroidery and embellishments of Swarovski crystals and pearls to stunning effect. Your gown becomes part of your beautiful wedding journey.

Dianne Hassall of Di Hassall designer and creator of bespoke bridal footwear creates beautiful shoes for the bride who wants to stand out and stay true to the romance and elegance of their special day. Di provided a pair of stunning, soft, white toned shoes with delicate petal appliqué and adorned with pearls, secured with a silk ribbon.

The Groom

All eyes are on the bride! But let’s not forget the groom! Brigden’s of Derby provided his attire, comprised of an elegant Wilvorst navy blue dinner jacket with matching waistcoat and trousers. Completing the groom’s sartorial statement, we had a modern twist. A black tie and the florals in the form of a pocket square in the colour palette of the bridal bouquet.

Tableware and Table Linen

The Biltmore hotel London supplied the tableware. It featured their muted silver-toned charger plates complemented by their cutlery and glassware. And Allen’s Hire supplied the Kew range of linen. The silver-grey range formed the foundation for the table setting.

Collaborating with a talented team in love with what they do ensured the success of this styled shoot set in the luxury wedding venue, the Biltmore Hotel London. Aiming to inspire future wedding couples, the shoot exuded luxury, style, and sophistication. From the first flourish of the makeup brush and the tilt of the model’s head to the flicker of the candle lighting to the last click of the camera’s shutter, it was a team effort.

Credits for the Biltmore Hotel London

Venue: https://www.thebiltmorehotels.com/biltmore-mayfair

Photographer: Stuart at https://stuartwoodweddings.com/

Florist and stylist: Sandra at https://www.fabulousfunctionsuk.com/

Stationery designer: Anna at https://www.evelynandelliot.co.uk/

Bridal gown: Sian at https://www.shimmeringivory.co.uk/

Menswear: https://www.brigdens.com/

Makeup: Bev at https://makeupology.co.uk/

Hair: Johanna at https://www.johannavillarreal.com/

Chandelier stand: William at https://www.instagram.com/weddingmetalart_prophire/

Cake designer: Claire at https://www.peboryon.com/

Jewellery: Nina at https://hpdiamondjewellery.com/

Wedding planner: Daisy at https://daisydoesweddings.wordpress.com/

Videographer: Adam at https://creativesparkfilms.co.uk/

Shoes – Di at https://dianehassall.com/

Headdress Jayne at: https://camille-accessories.com/

Table linen – at https://allenshire.co.uk

Your wedding Planning

Creating your beautiful weddings designs is speciality. From your fabulous wedding floral designs to spectacular venue transformations.

Our wedding collections comprise a range of packages for your Wedding Flowers, your Venue Transformation and a spectacular Luxury Wedding Experience

Browse our wedding collections to find the one that is right for you.

You can chat with us by WhatsApp Message and begin designing your wedding with us.

As a London wedding florist who has flowered up many beautiful wedding venues I know the best London wedding venues across the city. I believe you should walk into your venue and feel you have stepped into another world. A world where you are surrounded by love, your heart will sing beautiful songs, and you will make memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Selecting a great wedding venue is the first step to bring your vision to life, allowing you to step into another world. The world of your wedding dreams!

So without further ado, here’s our list of Swoon Worthy London wedding venues. We’ll add more as time permits. So keep popping back to see new venues as they’re added.

The Mandarin Oriental

Should you be planning a London wedding then, The Mandarin Oriental is a fabulous contender and a must see wedding venue.

66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA London, United Kingdom.
Phone: +44 (0)20 7235 2000
Website:
Nearest Tube Station:
Nearest Parking:

Venue type: Landmark London hotel Vibe: Classic, Knightsbridge luxury with Hyde Park in touching distance.

London’s Wedding Venues – The Iconic Mandarin Oriental Hotel

A brief history: the adjective iconic is one that’s over-used and often wrongly-used. But it’s fairly-used in respect of this magnificent building. In 1889 the Hyde Park Court and Club, as it was called then, opened its doors as an exclusive apartment block of 138 bachelor flats and its own Hyde Park gentleman’s club. Its story stretches back 117 exhilarating and exciting years. For more fascinating detail of this London institution’s history go here.

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park lies on the edge of Hyde Park, in the heart of Knightsbridge. From the start this superlative hotel welcomed guests from around the world and counts royalty, dignitaries, celebrities and VIPs among that number. And, perhaps, you?

The Mandarin Oriental’s Capacity

This hotel offers three spaces for your wedding – or indeed other special occasion.

• The Ballroom: With a view of Hyde Park and an area of 243sqm this space can play host to up to 400 guests. All through its illustrious history, royalty and celebrities aplenty have passed through its doors. Recent years have seen it undergo extensive restoration. The ballroom boasts dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, a terrace and a private garden.
  
• The Loggia: With a capacity of up to 70 guests this impressive space is perfect for a more intimate celebration. Boasting floor-to-ceiling views this room features direct access to the hotel’s gardens, through the famed Royal entrance.
  
• The Carlyle Suite: Bridging the gap between a large guest list and the small and intimate affair is this suite. Boasting natural daylight, the Carlyle suite is suitable for up to 250 guests and offers an intimate and elegant event space.

Mandarin Oriental’s Special Touches

Should you be holding your celebration in the ballroom, then the hotel can arrange for you to make a red-carpet entrance via the private royal entrance from Hyde Park. If, on the other hand, you’re entering from Knightsbridge the hotel can arrange for personalized flags bearing your name or initials to fly over your arrival.

An Expert Planning Service

The Mandarin Oriental boasts a talented team of events specialists. There’s nothing they haven’t done, having arranged the gamut from intimate cocktail parties to royal banquets. You can rest assured they’ll apply the attention to detail required for the latter to your celebration.

Personalized Menus

The culinary team at the Mandarin Oriental are specialists in the creation of exciting menus that are sure to delight your guests. They’ll meet any dietary or preferential requests you may have. And of course, the sommelier will give expert advice on the best wines to complement your bespoke menu.

Say it with flowers

The hotel is blessed with tall graceful ceilings, and a fairly neutral colour palette which creates a gorgeous setting for your celebrations and allows you to choose your favourite colours for your wedding florals and installations. Whatever you choose will be beautiful.

The Biltmore Hotel, Mayfair

44 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 2HP
Tel: 020 7629 9400
Website: The Biltmore Hotel Mayfair
Nearest Parking: Care Park, Grovesnor Hill Car Park,
Nearest Tube: Bond Street

Venue type: A prestigious Mayfair address, part of the Biltmore brand, in an area of London with a rich history. Vibe: Discreet excellence offering responsive, intuitive service.

In 1883 Grosvenor Square did brief service as home to the infamous wit, dramatist and poet, Oscar Wilde.  Such an impression on him did the area make, that he featured it in some later works – one of which was The Picture of Dorian Grey. 

Also known to have lived lives of luxury in Grosvenor Square were four of the Bentley Boys – they being a group of British motorists who made a huge contribution to the success of the Bentley company.

But there’s an earlier stage of British history that features Grosvenor Square. In 1815, the Battle of Waterloo marked Napoleon Bonaparte’s final defeat by the Prussian and British-led forces under the Duke of Wellington. Tasked with delivering the victory news was Major Henry Percy. He arrived on June 21^st and his first stop was 44 Grosvenor Square where members of the cabinet had gathered – and now the site of the hotel.

Weddings at The Biltmore Mayfair

The Biltmore Mayfair offers the ultimate canvas on which you can paint your dream celebration. Whether you seek a big splash or an intimate affair, the hotel’s dedicated wedding and event’s team can tailor each package to meet your needs and ensure a memorable day.

They offer three wedding packages with their in-house internal caterers. 

The Biltmore Hotel Capacity

The Biltmore Hotel features spaces capable of catering for large receptions or intimate parties. Boasting three sumptuous banqueting rooms and an elegant ballroom with its own private foyer, the Biltmore is a superlative venue in which to make your vows and celebrate your commitment with your beloved, your family and friends. 

• The Ballroom – the Biltmore’s stunning 484 square metre ballroom makes a wonderful setting for your special event. It accommodates up to 600 souls for a cocktail reception and 290 for dinner and can be divided into three separate areas.
  
  The ballroom also boasts, and this is perfect for pre-main event refreshments, a dedicated foyer able to accommodate 250 people.
  
• The Manhattan Suite – 99.7 sq. metres facing out on the gorgeous Grosvenor Square and filled with natural light, this suite can hold up to seventy guests for a cocktail reception. With the implementation of partitions, it’s possible to have the space separated into three areas depending on the size of your event.
  
• The Waterloo Suite – at 80 sq. metres here we have an ideal space for an intimate celebration, the Waterloo Suite can hold up to sixty guests for a cocktail reception. Further, there’s a connecting outdoor terrace overlooking Adam’s Row.
  
• The Kendal Suite – at a mere 43 sq. metres the Kendal meets the need for an intimate space for a smaller event. If thirty guests for a cocktail reception is your ideal then this suite is for you. And it’s fitted with ceiling speakers for the perfect party atmosphere.

Accommodation at the Biltmore Hotel

The hotel offers over 250 guest rooms, forty-nine curated suites and eight signature suites. Between them all they afford an unparalleled blend of the contemporary and the classic with luxury amenities. The Biltmore rightly joins the list of Swoon Worthy London Wedding Venues.

The South Place Hotel

Address: 3 South Place, London, EC2M 2AF
Telephone: 020 3503 0000
Website:
Nearest Parking: NCP Finsbury Square, Bishop’s Gate Parking
Nearest Tube: Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations

Venue type: City centre, 5* boutique luxury.

Vibe: Designed by Conran & Partners for restaurateurs D&D London, this hotel is all about wining & dining & dancing with a super-comfortable bed to collapse into.

You’ll find the South Place Hotel in the east of London. The famous Conran name has brought to this establishment, what the hotel website describes as, inspired details and playful touches designed to echo the vibrancy of the hotel’s neighbourhood. It’s a skilled mix of the modern city, some of London’s most historic areas and the eclecticism of the East End.

The South Place Hotel Capacity

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop then a South Place hotel wedding is worthy of consideration as they’re licensed for civil ceremonies. You can tie the knot, celebrate till dawn and retire to a luxury suite, and all under the same roof.
Should you have a big budget to blow they can, as they put it, stage a showstopper. On the other hand, if what your heart desires is a tasteful and sophisticated meal with your loved ones then the South Place can do that too. And we’re loving the nods to iconic TV shows of the 1960s and 1970s. If you know you know. Or there’s Google!

• Purdey and Steed: These rooms are suitable for wedding breakfasts for up to 100 guests and evening receptions for 200. The Purdey and Steed rooms are decorated in neutral style giving you a blank canvas on which to put your own stamp. South-facing they boast floor-to-ceiling windows running their length.
  
• Peel: If you’ve not worked it out, this room takes its name from Emma Peel, that thoroughly modern Avenger’s heroine. A private and intimate space, the Peel seats up to twenty guests around an ivory, lacquer table.
  
• Kurayakin: This bold red private room seats up to twenty guests to dine at a ruby red lacquer table. Indeed the decor absolutely conjures up the 1960’s spy series from which it takes its name. That is of course, The Man from UNCLE.
  
• Solo: Continuing The Man from UNCLE theme, the South Place Hotel offers the Solo. With herringbone wooden floors and dark wood paneling, Solo gives off an air of a plush and exclusive club. Furthering this image is the dining table that transforms, at the flick of a switch, into a billiard table. The Solo is the hotel’s most intimate dining/meeting room. It seats up to twenty for dinner and twenty-five for drinks and games. Though it has double doors that open onto Le Chiffre, increasing the capacity available to you to 100.
  
• Le Chiffre: Keeping with the spy theme we move to Bond. James Bond that is. Le Chiffre the South Place describes as a speakeasy style bar offering an ideal spot for a relaxed drinks reception or an after-party that can go on into the wee small hours. They can also connect this space to Solo to give a big space for up to 100 party-goers.
  
• Secret Garden: How do you fancy you and your guests partying the night away in a tropical, hidden bar in the centre of the city? Well, with the Secret Garden all is possible all-year-round. That’s thanks to a retractable roof and heaters. This space can accommodate eighty guests.

A South Place Wedding Ceremony

As a licensed London wedding venue, the hotel can also offer up their entire first floor for your exclusive hire and will create a series of intimate spaces for your entire party. Celebrate your wedding your wedding breakfast in the Purdy and Steel, then pop next door to dance till your feet protests. There are several other rooms to carry out various cultural ceremonies during your celebrations.

Hackney Town Hall

Mare St, London E8 1EA
Tel: 020 8356 3000
Website: Hackney Town Hall
Public Transport: Well served by buses and tubes

Venue type: A stunning Art Deco, Grade II listed civic building – reputedly one of London’s finest examples of the genre.

Vibe: City wedding venue. Channel your inner Agatha Christie in this award-winning, 1930s building that remains at the heart of Hackney’s community life. 

Hackney Town Hall with its imposing celebration spaces is a worthy participant in the list of Swoon Worthy London Wedding Venues.

The original Assembly Hall boasts a private entrance with two curvaceous staircases leading to an elegant event space. Recent, sympathetic alterations have brought the building into the 21st century. Two state-of-the-art glass-roofed atriums give you the sense of being outdoors no matter what the great British weather is doing. With imposing chandeliers and original 1930s wood panelling, the council chamber and committee rooms form a perfect setting for stand-alone ceremonies.

Hackney Town Hall Capacity

This wonderful civic building has a number of spaces for hire:

• The North and South Atria: A beautiful large and airy space for your celebrations. These areas holds 200 guests standing and 200 theatre style. In a banquet setting it has a 100-person capacity.
  
• Assembly Rooms: the whole thing is 415 sqm. That offers standing room for 500 people and 250 people for banquet/dance. Theatre style it offers capacity for 420.

When partitioned, the Assembly Rooms measure 140 sqm creating a more intimate space for your celebrations. This area boasts standing room for 120 and banquet space for 60. Set-up in theatre style it holds 120 people.

• Committee Rooms: Theatre style you’ll find capacity for 100. Boardroom for 28.
  
• The Council Chamber: 100-person capacity in the main part and forty-nine in the viewing gallery.
  
• Lanchester Suite: bookable directly from the ceremonies team, this suite has capacity for thirty people in a theatre-style arrangement.

Langtons House

Langtons House, Billet Lane, Hornchurch. RM11 1XJ
Tel: 01708 433155
Website: Langtons House
Nearest Parking: Keswick Road Parking, Billet Lane Car Park.

Venue type: A Grade II listed 18^th century manor house, standing in landscaped gardens with an ornamental lake. Venue vibe: Country house elegance.

Langtons House, now a beautiful London wedding venue, once belonged the Massu family – Huguenot refugees from France who became wealthy silk merchants in London. The house came into the possession of Hornchurch Urban District Council in 1929. But it came with a caveat: that it must be used for council purposes. And the four acres of grounds must remain open to the public.

See a little more history of this fine building here:

https://www.langtons-house.co.uk/house-gardens/history-of-langtons-house/

Langtons House Capacity

If you’re looking for a country/manor house vibe for your nuptials Langstons House could be your ideal London Wedding venue . You can choose from four unique rooms all with a view of the landscaped gardens and ornamental lake.

There are three ceremony rooms at Langtons House and one hall. They are:

• The East Room – holding fifty people the East Room overlooks the lake and landscaped gardens. Its main feature is a breath-taking decorative ceiling still with its original mouldings. The duck-egg blue paintwork is complemented by light blue drapes and a pair of stunning crystal chandeliers.
  
• The West Room – this space also holds fifty people and overlooks the lake and landscaped gardens. With a gold and off-white colour scheme the West Room exudes warmth and elegance.
  
• The Orangery – seating ninety people, this is the outside venue of Langtons Hall. It joined their portfolio of ceremony rooms in April 2017.  Set in the gardens of the Hall this space has undergone restoration to its former splendour. With the serene waters of the lake and the beautifully tended gardens, this is the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. 
  
• Langtons Hall – is both a ceremony room and reception hall. It holds ninety people for a ceremony (eighty-eight guests plus the couple) and overlooks the gardens and lake. This grand hall is adjacent to Langstons House. Its walls are covered in golden brown wood panelling and William Morris style wallpaper. It’s a good for a larger ceremony.

It holds ninety people for a ceremony (eighty-eight guests plus the couple) and overlooks the gardens and lake. This grand hall is adjacent to Langstons House. Its walls are covered in golden brown wood panelling and William Morris style wallpaper. It’s a good for a larger ceremony.

Receptions in Langtons Hall

The Grand Hall is adjacent to Langtons House and seats a maximum of seventy people but can hold a maximum of 100 people standing.

With its large airy spaces we welcome Langstons House into the list of Swoon Worthy London Wedding Venues.

The Rosewood Hotel London

Address: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN
Telephone: 020 7781 8888
Website: The Rosewood Hotel London
Nearest Tube: Holborn Station on the Piccadilly Line.
Nearest Parking: Lincolns Inn Fields Parking

Venue type: An Edwardian, Grade II listed building restored with sensitivity and care. Venue Vibe: 5-star luxury oozing sophisticated London residence style.

A mere few minutes from Covent Garden, the Rosewood London boasts a luxurious yet welcoming location in the capital’s heart. 

The hotel boasts 263 rooms and forty-five suites and houses – one of which is the Grand Manor House. That being a six-bedroomed suite with its own postcode.

The Rosewood Hotel London Capacity

Thanks to the 1914 Edwardian manor backdrop, the Rosewood Hotel comprises a wedding venue par excellence.  They offer:

• The Grand Ballroom – under glittering chandeliers, this room boasts ceremony capacity for 350 and banquet capacity for 280. 
  
• The Foyer – leading from the lobby to a balcony overlooking the spectacular foyer of the Grand Ballroom is the Foyer. This striking setting works well as both a reception or ceremony space. It has capacity for 280 for your wedding ceremony and for seventy for your banquet.
  
• Sir George – If an intimate ceremony and reception is your plan then the Sir George is for you. It features a ceremony capacity of sixteen and a reception capacity of fifty.
  
• The Living Room – the ground-floor Living Room is another space offering perfection for an intimate celebration. It has a banquet capacity of thirty-six and a reception capacity of fifty. 

The Rosewood Hotel is definitely one to add to your list of London Wedding Venues to view. With its graceful decor, intimate spaces and understated luxurious setting, your are guaranteed to celebrate your nuptials in fabulous style.

Four Seasons Hotel Tower Bridge

Address: 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ 
Telephone: Address: 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ 
Website: Four Seasons Hotel, Tower Bridge
Nearest tube: Tower Hill and Aldgate
Nearest parking: Apcoa Parking Services

Venue type: Erstwhile home of the Port of London Authority and designed by Sir Edwin Cooper in the Beaux-Arts style, 10 Trinity Square nestles in the city’s heart with views of the Thames guaranteed to give you shortness of breath! Venue vibe: Think urbane London living in the private residences offered in this historic building. 

The gentle hillside on which Ten Trinity Square now stands boasts a prominent place in London’s rich history. Beginning with the Romans and moving through the Middle Ages to the present day, this site has been one of trade and commerce. And, thanks to a display of ancient artefacts, on loan from the Museum of London, you can get a sense of this building’s illustrious history, under the grand domed ceiling of the Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge.

The Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge Capacity

Celebrate your big day in the restored-to-perfection UN Ballroom or the contemporary Merchants Hall. Or you might want to make your vows from the elegant Thames Penthouse, against a backdrop of the Tower Bridge and Tower of London.

• The Thames Penthouse – 613 sq. metres of stylish interiors and an extensive terrace with views over the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the city. It has reception space for 120 guests.

• The City Penthouse – chic and intimate, the city penthouse is perfect for a small affair. At 282 sq. metres it has a max occupancy of forty for a reception. 

• The UN Ballroom – the setting for the 1946 inaugural reception of the United Nations General Assembly will bestow an unmatched sense of history upon your celebrations. 203 sq. metres in size, this room offers banqueting space for 150.

• UN Reception – positioned between the UN Ballroom and the Merchants Hall, this reception area is ideal for refreshment breaks, exhibitions and pre-event cocktails. At ninety-six sq. metres it has a fifty-person maximum capacity.

• Merchants Hall – a circular ballroom glowing with natural light and showcasing extensive views of London landmarks. You can utilise this room as a welcoming pre-function space for the UN Ballroom. At 132 sq. metres the Merchants Hall offers 100-guest reception space and capacity for 90-guest banquet rounds. 
  
• UN Reception – positioned between the UN Ballroom and the Merchants Hall, this reception area is ideal for refreshment breaks, exhibitions and pre-event cocktails. At ninety-six sq. metres it has a fifty-person maximum capacity.

The Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane

Address: One Hamilton Place, Park Ln, London W1J 7QY
Phone Number: 020 7409 3131
Website: The Intercontinental Hotel
Nearest Parking: Valet Parking is available at a cost of £65
Nearest Tube: Green Park Underground- a 7 minutes walk
Venue Type: Iconic City Hotel

Venue Type: Opened in 1975, by His Grace the 8th Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, the Intercontinental boasts one of London’s most distinguished addresses overlooking the royal parks. Vibe:  Modern luxury in the midst of Mayfair.

The Intercontinental Hotel Park Lane Capacity

Begin the next phase of your love story on the site of Queen Elizabeth the II’s childhood home.

Whether you’re going big, with up to 600 guests or planning an intimate gathering with those closest to you, the Intercontinental offers a superlative setting for your wedding day.

The Ballroom – boasting its own private entrance, the ballroom offers a flexible venue for up to 600 guests for your ceremony, your wedding venue or both. A booking of the ballroom for your nuptials brings with it a complimentary room for you and your spouse.

Intimate weddings – but should you be wanting a small and intimate affair, then the Intercontinental Park Lane, offers a selection of sophisticated private spaces each offering the last word in style, in which you can celebrate your marriage. 

You may choose from the Puglia dining room, seating up to twenty-two guests or the larger Amalfi dining room for up to forty-six guests.

For full details and capacities you can find a downloadable chart here.

But if you want to do something a little quirky then you can opt for an alfresco celebration at their Number One Park Lane terrace with its wonderful views of the Wellington Arch. You can host up to twenty-four guests here. The terrace is equipped with heated parasols for the comfort of your guests.

The Lansdowne Club

Address:  9 Fitzmaurice Pl, London W1J 5JD
Phone Number: 020 7629 7200
Website: The Lansdowne Club
Nearest Parking: Valet Parking is available at a cost of £65
Nearest Tube: Green Park Underground- a 7 minutes walk
Venue Type: Built in 1763, Landsdowne House became a social club in 1935. But not any old social club. It became an exclusive and traditional London private members’ club – but one that’s admitted both men and women from that day. Vibe: The Lansdowne comprises a fascinating and eclectic blend of rich history and 18^th century grandeur with 21^st century comfort.  

For more of the Lansdowne Club’s richest of rich histories go here. 

The Lansdowne Club Capacity

As spectacular wedding settings go, this 18^th century gem, boasting a prestigious postcode, is hard to beat. Whether your imagination is running to intimate or splendid, the Lansdowne Club can do it. 

The Ballroom – the Grade II* listed ballroom is the last word in magnificence, with its ornate ceiling and minstrel galleries.

Oozing timeless, English charm and luxury the ballroom can accommodate up to 190 guests. It’s also licensed to host civil ceremonies. Overlooking the courtyard, the adjoining Long Gallery presents a perfect setting for your drink’s reception.

• The Shelburne Room – if a moderate sized wedding is your heart’s desire then the elegance of the Shelburne Room will fit the bill with perfection. With its private anteroom, it’s just the right fit for twenty to fifty guests. 

• The Findlay Room – Dreaming of a small and intimate wedding? The Findlay Room is a private dining room that offers a delightful atmosphere for small wedding celebrations or pre-wedding dinners for up to eighteen guests.

• The Adam Room – Decorated in soft pastels boasting a simply stunning fireplace and a ceiling bedecked with frescoes, the 18^th century Adam room oozes splendour and romance. Accommodating up to eighty guests, this room will enchant each and every one of them.

• The Courtyard – With the Lansdowne’s courtyard, not a common facility in the heart of London, you can give your celebrations an al fresco feel. And, thanks to the retractable roof, the rain can’t rain on your parade – or party. It’s divine for a drinks’ reception, perfect for a photo shoot or even as a place for your ceremony.

• The Crush Hall – the Crush Hall sits at the heart of the Lansdowne Club and boasts original 18^thcentury features. All of which offers a brilliant backdrop for your cake cutting ceremony.

The May Fair, A Radisson Collection Hotel, Mayfair London

Address: Stratton St, London W1J 8LT
Phone Number: 020 7769 8200
Website: The May Fair London
Nearest Parking: RCP Parking London, Piccadilly 
Nearest Tube Station: Marble Arch, Green Park, Bond Street

Venue type: Opened in 1927, this Radisson Collection hotel offers a cosmopolitan alternative to a country house wedding. Venue vibe: 5-star elegance and luxury in the heart of London’s Mayfair in a venue boasting a glamorous history dating back to the Roaring Twenties.

The May Fair London Capacity

The Crystal Room – crowned with a six-metre bespoke Baccarat chandelier, this room is easily the pièce de résistance of the May Fair hotel. Secluded and available for the exclusive use of your guests, the Crystal Room oozes the ambience of a bygone era.

It offers standing reception space for 370 or 120 in cabaret style and dinner dance capacity for 220.

• The Danziger Suite – this space takes its name from former owners and Hollywood impresarios, the Danziger Brothers. Once inside you’re whisked back to an era of elegance. It has standing reception capacity for 250 guests and 120 in cabaret style with dinner dance capacity for 160. 
  
• The Danziger Suite – this space takes its name from former owners and Hollywood impresarios, the Danziger Brothers. Once inside you’re whisked back to an era of elegance. It has standing reception capacity for 250 guests and 120 in cabaret style with dinner dance capacity for 160. 

London Wedding Venues at a Glance

To make your search effortless, we’ve curated this comparison chart of London’s most enchanting wedding venues.
From iconic ballrooms to intimate hidden gems, it offers a refined snapshot of each venue’s capacity, character, and distinctive details, helping you envision the perfect setting for your celebrations.

London City Sights

Come rain or shine, London is an amazing city!

The city of London boasts a cornucopia of historic and/or beautiful sights – so why not make use of them? Take inspiration from the photographs you see here and book your photographer to snap you both with the London metropolis as a backdrop. Clearly London is blessed with far too many sights to mention all of them on this page – so we’ve picked a select few to get you thinking – starting with two world=famous parks.

1. Hyde Park – A stones throw from the iconic Mandarin Oriental Hotel London Hyde Park, this wonderful park comprises 350 acres of green space, with 400 trees and a large lake. It’s also home to the Diana Memorial Fountain – a peaceful monument honouring the late Princess of Wales. Hyde Park is famous to for Speakers’ Corner. This historic site of public protest, debates and speeches counts the likes of George Orwell, Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx amongst the number that have pontificated here.
   
2. The Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill – Designed by John Nash in the early 1800s, Regent’s Park marks the high-water mark of Regency elegance. It’s the home of London Zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world, and the Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Established in 1932, this multi-award winning theatre is one of the largest in London boasting 1,304 seats. All in an exquisite Royal Park setting.
   
   A registered charity, the theatre receives no regular public subsidy. Rather it relies entirely on earned income and charitable contributions. Yet, in 2024, the theatre introduced 33,000 tickets at a mere £15 across the summer season, making a visit to the theatre more accessible.
   
3. Trafalgar Square – as well as being a destination in itself, thanks to its famous lions and fountains, this public square is home too, to galleries and historic buildings. We’re talking about the National Gallery, St-Martin-in-the-Fields church, the Strand, Whitehall, Admiralty Arch and The Mall.
   
4. Marble Arch – Originally designed by John Nash to be two things. In the first instance, a grandiose gateway to Buckingham Palace and a jubilant celebration of British victories in the Napoleonic wars. A triumphal arch if you will. Though it may surprise you to know that what you see today is not in fact anywhere near as extravagant and splendid as Nash intended.

Credits for photos in the list of Swoon Worthy London Wedding Venues

South Place Hotel photographs: Samaria Ofuasia
Hackney Town hall Photos: Samaria Ofuasia
Fl.orals at Hackney Town Hall: Fabulous Functions UK and Botanics Florists
The Rosewood Hotel: Stuart Wood Wedding Photography
The Four Seasons Tower Bridge: Stuart Wood Wedding Photography
Big Ben and the London Eye: Yvonne Beck
Hyde Park: Stuart Wood Wedding Photography

What to do after you have celebrated your nuptials in one of the beautiful London wedding venues

What do you do in and around London once you have enjoyed your London wedding in one of the swoon worthy Londons wedding venues?

Well, there’s no shortage of activities to fill your weekend. There’s West End shows and museum visits. Or hop on the open top buses for a bird’s eye tour of London city, Enjoy a spot of retail therapy in the many wonderful stores that London boasts. Or treat yourselves to afternoon tea at an iconic restaurant – there are a few to choose from.

And don’t forget the Thames. There are many interesting ways to enjoy the river while you’re in the city. We found this activity that sounds glorious. Skuna’s Igloo Boats . They’re running till Easter 2025. Enjoy ninety minutes of fun and fondue as your drift along the River Thames. Definitely one not to miss and a perfect way to see more of the city after your London wedding celebrations.

Take our advice and scour the Visit London website. It’s as comprehensive as anything gets. It not only tells you what there is and where to find it – it has a ticket booking facility too.

Our Socials

Why not follow us on our social media to keep up to date with our activities, and to see even more of our floral creations, venue decor and fabulous accessories for hire? Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest

We met Kerry at a wedding fair held at Steam Museum, Swindon. I’m not sure how many people know that they can have their wedding reception in the Steam Museum. They can cater for a small intimate ‘do’ – right up to a mahoosive affair with all the bells and whistles!

A silver and grey wedding theme decor

Kerry chose a silver and grey theme for their wedding. And, as luck (or forethought) would have it, we had just the right accessories from our venue accessory hire department to help her and her fiancé bring their vision to life.

Staggered-height tea light holders brought warmth and ambience to the table settings. Do chat with us about our accessory hire services as we have a fabulous range of accessories for you to hire. We have tea-light votives and other illuminating options all available on a cost-effective hire basis.

The silver and grey theme included silver-grey table linen, platinum satin sashes with a silver lace sash overlay for the chair decoration, and silver sequinned table runners.

White charger plates with a diamanté decorated rim completed the beautiful setting. Displaying amazing resourcefulness, Kerry’s brother sourced the tall glass mercury vases.

See our range of chair covers, sashes, and chair decorations, all available to hire, here. I’m sure you’ll agree that the sequinned tablecloths lend a glamorous air to this cool and sophisticated silver and grey theme. We have a range of table linens to hire – there’s something for almost every style you can imagine.

Here at Fabulous Functions UK, we offer four venue dressing packages. There’s something to suit you, from off-the-peg to bespoke.

The Wedding Collections

1. The Classic Venue Styling Collection is a DIY hire accessory collection for the DIY couple who along with family and friends, wants to add to their wedding day memories by decorating their venue themselves.

We offer two off-the-peg collections to suit your various requirements. Both serve a guest list of 75 guests. 

2. The Reach for The Stars Styling Collection offers you all you need to style your venue. 

3. The Touch of Glamour Styling Collection gives you an added level of decor, detailing, and sophistication.

4. The Bespoke Option allows you to input your ideas. With this one, you can take accessory items from all the packages, add the accessories you have your heart set on, and create a one-of-a-kind design for your wedding venue.

Photos credits: Thanks go to Glen and Colin of Your Digital Memories

Our wishes for a long and happy life to Kerry and Mark.

Venue Styling Inspiration

We’ve got other venue styling themes showcased in our blog. So if this silver and grey wedding theme doesn’t appeal to you then have a look through this section of our blog for more inspiration: https://www.fabulousfunctionsuk.com/category/venue-styling-themes/

Or of course simply to talk to us! If you’ve got ideas but aren’t sure how to implement them we can most definitely help. Creativity and imagination go hand-in-hand with Fabulous Functions UK. So do not hesitate to get in touch. You can find our contact details here.

Social Media Connections

We would love for you to join our social media family and you’ll find our Instagram and Facebook links here. On those pages, you can see lots of images of our work and testimonials from happy clients.

As a Wiltshire wedding florist and venue stylist with many years’ experience, I get to visit and work at many beautiful Wiltshire wedding venues. Thus, I’m well-placed to give you my first-hand insights on some of the best venues in the Wiltshire area.

Your actual marriage ceremony may be some time away and there are a few things you will need to do before you get to your glorious ‘I Do’s.’

 It’s so easy to become overwhelmed by the choices facing you as an engaged couple starting out on your wedding planning journey. Reducing your choices paradoxically gives you more choices. And increases your chances of finding the venue you really, really want.

First Steps to Researching your Wedding Venue

Your immediate tasks on your wedding planning adventures are to:

• Think about your budget. How much are you willing and able to spend on your wedding?
• Then consider how many guests you want to invite to your wedding.  Too big a venue and your guests may get lost in the space. Too small a venue and they’ll be jostling for elbow room.
• Also mull over what you want your dream wedding to look like. What style of wedding do you dream of.
  
  Are you:
  
• Dreaming of a country house wedding?
• Hankering for a chic city hotel wedding?
• In need of lots of green space for an outdoor ceremony?
• Looking for a rustic barn wedding?
• Throwing a big bash in an iconic or historical venue?
• Planning a romantic elopement in a far away destination?

Or

• Do you need a venue that has mobility access?
• Do you need onsite accommodation?
• Do you have special catering requirements? I.e. do you need halal catering?

Once you’re armed with a comprehensive list of your criteria and priorities: your venue must haves – you can then start researching the venues in your chosen area.

This is a list for wedding venues located in Wiltshire, and there are many beautiful options for you to consider.  

Marrying at one of the Wiltshire Wedding Venues

Registering your intent to marry in one of Wiltshire’s wedding venues
To book your Civil Ceremony contact Wiltshire Registrars on 0300 003 4570 or email ceremonies@wiltshire.gov.uk.
More details is available on the Wiltshire website: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/registrations-ceremony-notice 

It’s advised to give notice at approximately six months before your wedding date.

Now to Find the Perfect Venue for Your Wiltshire Wedding

Congratulations are in Order

But before embarking on a million venue visits let me say ‘Congratulations to you both.’ You said Yes! Now you are on your way to making your vows.

I hope you’re taking some time to enjoy the glow and excitement of your resounding Yes. It’s so important to savour the moment!

Create Your Venue Long List Now!

Now! Before scheduling a million venue visits, start your research online. There’s a couple of things you absolutely must do.

Create your long list of venues. This list will be your starting point. From here you will begin to eliminate the ones that don’t make the cut.

• Look at photos. ‘That’s an easy one’ I hear you say! I know this may be an obvious place to start, but there are several different ways to go about this.
  • Find photos of the venues on your long list. You can start by looking on the venue’s website, they’ll have photos of past weddings so you can see how the venue looks when dressed for a celebration.  
  • Look for blogs posts by photographers, florists and stylists who’ve worked at the venue.  
  • Is the venue featured on Pinterest?  This is a great platform to find images of the venue.
  • Do a Google search for the venue. When you search for a venue on Google, a little box pops up with directions, reviews and also photos! Click there to see not only pictures the venue has uploaded themselves, but also photos from wedding couples and their guests. This will also give you a great insight on the venue and the transformations it’s undergone for past weddings.  These are also great sources for inspiration for you to create your own wedding vibe.
    
    
• Read reviews. Check out Google Reviews and wedding directories such as Hitched and Bridebook, Also check out Instagram, and Facebook for feedback from previous couples who’ve celebrated their wedding at the venue.  The more 5-star reviews left for them the better!

Your Venue Short List

The next step is to sift through all the info you have gathered and meticulously eliminate the venues that don’t meet with the criteria you have set out as your base line.
You’ll have made some notes on the things you can compromise on. Have these in mind when making your short list of Wiltshire wedding venues.  

Wiltshire Wedding Venues

Wiltshire, famous for white horses, ham and prehistoric monuments boasts a wide range of wedding venues. There are far too many to detail all of them here. For a full list visit For Better-For Worse. There you’ll find sixty searchable Wiltshire wedding venues, arranged in a range of categories. But below we’ve detailed a few of our favourites.

Manors and Country Houses

Euridge Manor

Euridge Manor, Euridge, Chippenham, SN14 8BJ
Phone 01225 745813

Venue type: Stately house, iconic castle – Vibe: Other worldly, romantic fairytale, luxury chic

This gem of a Wiltshire wedding venue is set in heart of the lush Wiltshire countryside, near Colerne. Euridge Manor is an exquisite exclusive use wedding venue.  Featuring beautiful Georgian-style architecture, water features and palm trees.

Row your beloved across the waterway or traverse the ancient, well-trodden walk way to the boathouse for your wedding ceremony. Enjoy your canapés and bubbly on lawns manicured and maintained to perfection and mature gardens surrounded by, what you could at first sight think are ancient ruins. But which closer inspection reveals to be a perfectly preserved castle. 

An archway part crumbled, carefully trimmed topiary, rose gardens, lawns and cloisters are a mere few of the delights of Euridge Manor.

YYou can marry in the beautiful boathouse and gather your guests on the wisteria covered pergola and terrace to witness your vow making. 

Other areas licensed for your ceremony are:

• The Cloister for an intimate ceremony for 40
• .The Orangery for up to 120 guests
•  The majestic Ballroom which accommodates up to 150 guests.

For a more traditional marriage ceremony, there’s the beautiful 12th century Saxon stone church of St John the Baptist, only two miles away, in Colerne.

As a dry hire Wiltshire wedding venue, you’ll need to provide all you need for your wedding celebration’s setting.  That’s all tableware, furniture, catering, bar, sound and production systems needed and all décor items and florals. The venue does have a range of tables and chairs you can hire straight from them. This saves on your delivery cost.

Euridge Manor carries a list of recommended suppliers but you’re free to choose the suppliers you love to work with.

A Wiltshire wedding venue jewel, Euridge Manor, is full of mystery, delights, intrigue and unfolding magic. Weddings at Euridge Manor are a thing of beauty and joy, a celebration of love and a tiny bit of time travel.

Getting to Euridge Manor

By Car
Euridge Manor is a little under two and a half hours from London.
By Train
The nearest train station is Chippenham Station, eight miles away.
By Air
Bristol Airport is one hour away by car.
On Request
Helicopters are allowed to land.  

The Pear Tree Purton

Contact : 01793 781 270
Email: enquire@peartreepurton.co.uk
Address: Church End Purton, Wiltshire, SN5 4ED

Venue type: Country house – Vibe: Relaxed country house, modern chic

An exclusive use Wiltshire wedding venue, The Pear Tree Purton is a 400 year old former vicarage set amid 7 acres of Wiltshire countryside and has its own vineyard.

Recent, sympathetic renovations have brought the venue up to date with all the modern conveniences demanded by today’s modern couple. Yet it all the while keeps the original aesthetics and charm of the bygone era. The featured exposed Cotswolds stone and high ceilings all combine to create the modernised and charming wedding venue that is The Pear Tree. It’s a wedding venue full of romance, charm and character.

 A Wiltshire wedding venue offering amazing spaces:

• The Orangery, with a fabulous skylight- perfect for your wedding breakfast.
• The bar area for a chilled-out space and dance floor.
• The Blossom Room, where indoor wedding ceremonies are held.
• The Pavilion for outdoor ceremonies and amazing photo opportunities
• The covered terrace providing a relaxed, chilled-out area.

The Pear Tree Purton’s Capacity

The Pear Tree Purton can accommodate up to 200 guests at different points in your celebrations

• It has a capacity for a maximum of 200 guests.
• The Orangery can accommodate up to 150 seated guests
• The Blossom Room, where indoor wedding ceremonies are held can accommodate 150 guests.
• The 18 bedrooms accommodating 32 guests after your celebrations.

Then there’s the beautiful grounds with mature trees and beautifully manicured lawns, giving your guests plenty of room to frolic, relax and renew bonds and friendships while celebrating your glorious wedding day.

Our Take on the Pear Tree Purton

As a Wiltshire florist and venue stylist, we’re well placed to give you our first-hand view of this venue. We’ve done the florals for many weddings here and have more to come. We want to share our joy of working at this venue and how we transformed the venue for each of the weddings we worked on. The staff are amazing, helpful and caring and always on hand to cater for your every need.

We’ve put together an in-depth blog about the Pear Tree Purton Wedding Venue with more detailed information. We trust you’ll find it helpful when researching your Wiltshire wedding venues. Do pop over and have a read. 

If you’re searching for your wedding venue, this one is well worth adding to your list for a visit.

A Pear Tree Purton Wedding

We do love showing you how we transform the venues for your wedding day. Making it come alive with your vision, your colour palette, your vibe. Pop along to the blog An Elegant Fuchsia and Forest Green Wedding and have a read of Izzy and Joe’s wedding day at the Pear Tree Purton, They chose to fill this Wiltshire wedding venue with colour, textures and a whole lot of sophistication. And we were on hand to make it happen for them.

Grittleton House

Contact: 01249 782434
Address: The Street, Grittleton, Chippenham SN14 6AP

Venue type: Stately house, country house – Vibe: Relaxed country house

Should you be searching for a fabulous location among the glorious Wiltshire wedding venues, then on your list of requirements do you have a venue with a glorious drive to the entrance of a Grade II listed building? If so then the exclusive use of Grittleton House is a worthy candidate and should be on your shortlist for consideration as the venue for your dream wedding celebrations.

Found in the pretty village of Grittleton, near Chippenham this is a beautiful gem among the Wiltshire wedding venues. Grittleton House sits amidst 35-acres of beautiful gardens and mature grounds. It’s truly the most breathtaking setting for your special day.

The church of St Mary the Virgin, Grittleton, originates from c. 1200. It’s available for your religious ceremony and more information can be found via their website https://bybrook.org.uk/our-churches/grittleton/.

Grittleton is a short distance from Bath and Bristol with fabulous transport links to London and beyond. Thus, it’s easily accessible to all.

Grittleton House’s Capacity

Welcoming up to 400 guests, Grittleton House is the perfect venue for a larger gathering.

Additional accommodation is available locally in various B&B and AirB&Bs.

• 11 luxury bedrooms located in the main house-available for all weddings
• 20 bedrooms within the estate, located at the Old Stables-available for all weekend and some weekday weddings
• Additional accommodation is available locally in various B&B and AirB&Bs.
• 18 bedrooms accommodating 32 guests after your celebrations.

Your furry friends are welcome for your marriage ceremony and photos but you’ll need to make off-site care arrangements for them as Grittleton cannot accommodate them in the dining rooms or bedrooms.

You can bring the outside in by having your marriage ceremony in the newly-covered orangery overlooking the beautiful grounds.

Can you see yourself entering through beautiful wrought iron gates, driving up the tree lined avenue and entering the venue into the main hall to gaze at the magnificent double staircase, tall ornate ceilings and beautiful fireplaces? 

There’s so much to love about this venue, so go along and take a look. You too will love it.

Barns

Kingscote Barn

Venue type: stone barn – Vibe: secluded, all season luxury venue in a picture-perfect location.

This award-winning barn lies in its own secret valley. It’s an impressive, exclusive use venue surrounded by 400 private acres of the Cotswold hills. 

Here, you can sweep down the private driveway and be captivated by the verdant fields and extensive views. That’s all before you arrive at the 17^th century Cotswold stone barn that’s going to serve as backdrop to your nuptials. 

Begin your special day, getting ready in the opulent dressing room. Featuring Hollywood-style mirrors and a selfie wall, this is the most relaxing place to begin your day.

Kingscote Barn Capacity

The venue sleeps up to 50 guests in either:

• Pods
• Woodland lodges
• A large shepherd’s hut
• Cottages and more.

Not forgetting of course, what the venue describes as their ‘out of this world’ tree house suite in which the newly-wed couple can enjoy their wedding night with panoramic views over the valley. 

Here you can host your wedding in one space. At Kingscote Barn you can host your ceremony, wedding breakfast, evening party and accommodation in this exclusive Cotswold valley.

Catering

Kingscote Barn offers a range of catering companies from which you can choose. Between them the venue can offer you an informal BBQ, street food, sharing boards or your 3-course-meal. All using locally produced ingredients.

Offering stunning vistas at every turn, this location is a photographer’s dream. There are almost infinite opportunities to have your wedding day captured. From intimate portraits in their Linhay (a farm building) to outdoor shots in lush green fields and the romantic rose garden. If weather permits the lawn or games paddock make a wonderful backdrop to your group photos. And if that’s not enough you can venture on up to the farm for some Arcadian shots amongst the hay bales.

For further information on this Wiltshire wedding venue visit their website.

The Ridgeway Barns

The Ridgeway Barns

Venue type: 19^th century threshing barn – Vibe: secluded, rustic, country wedding in an all-weather venue.

A 15-20-minute drive from Swindon railway station, this exclusive-use venue sits amidst Wiltshire’s wonderful countryside close to the historic Ridgway and the North Wessex Downs.

Capacity at the Ridgeway Barns

• You can enjoy an intimate celebration in the farmhouse for 24 people.
• The threshing barn has capacity for 100 seated or 120 standing.
• The main farmhouse sleeps 11-12
• Two self-contained annexes for larger groups or individual bookings.

If it’s a weekend event you’re after, the Ridgeway Barn offers three-day exclusive hire. That includes accommodation for 15 souls. As they say, that allows you to make the most of your wedding. You can gather together with your closest friends and family on the eve of the main event. You can, if you wish, extend your celebrations into Sunday too.

For a mid-week wedding, there are one and two-night options available.

With this venue you can use caterers and other suppliers of your own choosing. Though the venue does offer wedding planning support and day-of-the-event co-ordination should you need it.

Seeing is Believing

We do love showing you how we transform the venues for your wedding day. Making it come alive with your vision, your colour palette, your vibe. Pop along to the blog A Fabulous Burgundy and Teal Wedding at the Pear Tree Purton and have a read of Jenna and Andrew’s wedding day at the Pear Tree Purton, They chose to fill this Wiltshire wedding venue with colour, textures and a whole lot of fun and personality. And we were on hand to make it happen for them.

Map of the Wiltshire Wedding Venues

Book a Chat with Us

You’re only a step away from having a chat with us to see how we can help you create the wedding of your dreams. Here is the link to our on-line calendar. Book a consultation today and watch as your vision take wings and unfold into a beautiful thing. 

Credits

The images of Euridge Manor are curtesy of Siobhan Amy Photography and Film
The Images at The Pear Tree Purton are curtesy of Pedge Photography and Steffen Milsom Photography
Images of Grittleton House are curtesy of Twirly Girl Photography and Your Digital Memories

Our Socials

Why not follow us on our social media to keep up to date with our happenings and to see even more of our floral creations, venue decor and fabulous accessories for hire? Follow the links to Instagram , Facebook and Pinterest

But, if you’re not one of those couples, then you could be agonising over the piece of music to which you intend to step onto the dance floor.
Image curtesy of Kevin Lines Photography

Wedding First Dance

You need to tread carefully here – did you see what I did there? This could be as tricky as who you’re going to sit your great-uncle Fred next to – what with his repertoire of off-colour jokes and his habit of blowing his nose REALLY loudly.

You can of course play it safe with some classic first dance songs, or you can look for what’s trendy at the time of your wedding and go with one of those. Alternatively you can quickstep to your local dance school in an effort to impress the guests with some slick salsa moves. To mix the dance step metaphors somewhat.

Decisions, decisions, decisions
So if you’ve not yet started to think about this one then dig out your dancing shoes because Fabulous Functions UK is here with some foot-tapping tips to get you started.

The First Dance Song Suggestions

And in no particular order, here are a few suggestions for your wedding first dance songs to consider.

1. At Last – Etta James
2. When Love calls – Atlantic Star
3. What a Wonderful Thing Love Is – Al Green
4. Love of My Life – Brian McKnight
5. Real Good Hands – Gregory Porter
6. The Closer I get to You – Luther Vandross & Beyonce
7. All My Life – K-Gi & JoJo
8. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys & James Taylor
9. Amazed – Lonestar
10. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith
    

And if there’s not enough for you there, then You and Your Wedding have a list of 100 first dance wedding songs for every kind of couple.

I love them all and want to have lots of first dances. If you can’t decide on one dance that you both like then why not have all the songs you both love.

Have some fun and create your very own first dance mashup! Have a look at this couple and see what fun they had with their Wedding Dance mashup.

Your wedding first dance can be as choreographed as you want or you can be spontaneous and make up your moves as you go along. The essential thing is: have fun!

Contact us

Should you wish to talk to us about anything wedding-related all our contact information is on our website here.

Meeting Lucy and Sam at the Kings Head Hotel was so much like meeting old friends – because we’d communicated so much in the previous weeks. I had a good grasp of the vision they wanted to create and had with me many samples of the colour tones in the fabric they’d chosen with which to create a gorgeous rose gold wedding theme. 

I also had with me many samples of agate slices for them to choose from. They loved the ideas of what the French call “joindre l’utile à l’agréable”  – a lovely phrase that translates to “to combine the practical with pleasure.”

In this instance the agate slices would serve as both guest place names and guest favours. Sam and Lucy chose the natural colour agate slice as they were the perfect complement for the rose gold tones of the vertical drops they’d chosen for the chair decor.

Fast forward many months and the much-planned and much-anticipated wedding day arrived. They and we were super excited to see all the planning and preparations come to fruition in the rose gold wedding theme that Sam and Lucy had wanted to create.

Rose Gold Themed Wedding Décor

The décor was classically elegant in its simplicity and the rose gold theme suited the Kings Head Hotel wedding venue beautifully.

The personal touches were apparent everywhere in the decor and especially in the personalised post box for the guests to leave their card and gifts. And the table plan continued the rose gold theme of the wedding decor.

NB: We have a selection of wedding post boxes for hire and you can find them all, including the one you see here, in the treasure trove section of this website.

“We had an absolutely perfect day!! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and efforts, we couldn’t be happier with how everything looked!”

Lucy and Sam

For More Inspiration

If you want to get an idea of how we work and what we do checkout our Instagram and Facebook feeds for inspirational images and ideas. We update them both on a regular basis.

And also the section on our blog that has a range of venue styling themes to inspire you. And of course, we’re always happy to chat and bounce ideas around. If you’ve looked through our website and not seen what you’re looking for please don’t go away without talking to us first. If we don’t have it there’s a jolly good chance we can either source it for you or make it for you.

We have a web form here: https://www.fabulousfunctionsuk.com/contact-us/ but if you prefer to pick up the phone or drop an email here’s how you can:

Mobile: 07511 842 451

Email: hello@fabulousfunctionsuk.

Photos on this page by kind courtesy of the fabulous Twirlygirlphotography

Something old and something new

All the occasions we celebrate are riven with traditions. Easter has the eggs and the bunny, Christmas has Father Christmas/ Santa Claus – and more besides – depending on the nation. And, of course, every family puts their own spin on these regular calendar markers. And weddings are no exception.

So here’s a quick tour round some of the classic wedding traditions from horseshoes, to chimney sweeps to the well-known rhyme featuring something old and something new and something borrowed and something blue.

Chimney Sweeps

Back in the days when most of us had chimneys, to have a chimney sweep turn up at your wedding was seen as great good fortune. If he wished the couple good luck that was a very good omen indeed.

Remember Dick Van Dyke inn ‘Mary Poppins’?: ‘Good luck will rub off if you shakes hands with me’.

Chimney sweeps had, as Sooty the Sweep explains, this luck dispensing ability invested in them by King George II, when a sweep was the only one brave enough to stop his out-of-control carriage and save the king’s life.

As a result the king issued a royal decree declaring chimney sweeps as bringers of luck that one should treat with respect.

Lucky Horsehoes and Edible Traditions

Then there’s horseshoes – an ancient symbol of good luck of course. Since time immemorial we’ve hung them over doorways across the globe to protect the home from evil spirits.

The giving of horseshoes to a bride is a tradition of long standing. Well before Christian times people thought that a horseshoe resembled a crescent moon and that made it a very potent fertility charm! But, more recently, in Victorian times the tradition became established as a way of bringing good luck to the newlyweds for the duration of their lives together.

The Wedding Cake

Steeped in as much tradition as it is in fruit and brandy is the old fashioned wedding cake.

The Wedding Attire

The traditional white wedding dress is a relatively new one for British brides after Queen Victoria made them fashionable. As this Vanity Fair article explains, Queen Victoria made such a sartorial impression nearly 180 years ago that her example of wearing white is still considered mandatory by many a traditional bride. Further, Victoria’s choice of white bore no relation to any notion of purity.

Victoria wore white for no other reason than that it complemented the delicate lace on her dress. Before Queen Victoria caused a sartorial stir women of the lower orders wore their best dress and those with a bit more money married in a colourful dress that they could recycle for other occasions. And IF, before Queen Victoria, a bride wore white, it symbolised wealth rather than purity – they could afford to have the dress cleaned.

A Wedding Rhyme – Something Old and Something New

There’s a related tradition that may have its origins much earlier than the white dress:

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue.

The origins of the rhyme are not clear but you can find references to it as an ancient custom in an 1876 edition of ‘Notes and Queries’. (Wikipedia) In Britain this old couplet is a direction to the bride on what she should wear. Originating here, the tradition has since spread across the globe.

Tradition holds that the something blue takes the form of a garter – and there’s yet more tradition behind that. In some wedding rites the bride had the garter plucked from her. Saucy? Or Chauvinistic?

Additionally, something blue combines with something old as a device to baffle the Evil Eye – feared to render the bride barren. Preventing such an unfortunate occurrence is the wearing of something borrowed. Properly speaking this should be the undergarment of a women blessed with children so as to pass on her fertility to the bride.

When I got married, many moons ago now, I observed this tradition but in my own way. I borrowed a necklace, the new took the form of my dress and shoes and the blue was a garter.

Popular Culture

This particular tradition is not ignored by popular culture. It made it into the ‘Friends’ episode: ’The one in Vegas’. Monica tells Chandler she has to have ‘Something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue before they can get married. So, to fulfil the borrowed part of the rhyme they stole a new blue sweater from a shop and for the old they pressed a used condom into service!

How about you? How did you meet the rigours of this something old and something new rhyme at your wedding? If indeed you met them at all. Or if you’re planning to tie the knot soon do you plan to?

Why don’t you let us know? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a note to: hello@fabulousfunctionsuk.com Our full contact details are here.

Tradition With a Twist

The website of Wedding Ideas Mag has lots of ideas on how you can follow the rhyme while you can find a list of 12 modern day takes on the tradition in this article: ‘12 Modern Items to Replace Your Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue’.

“What is a charger plate?”  That’s a good question. And, unless you’re in the wedding or events world, or do a lot of entertaining, it’s possible you’ll have no idea what they are.

A charger plate is a simply a very large plate used for decorative purposes.  They’re sometimes referred to as service plates or under plates.

Why Would You Use a Charger Plate?

We use charger plates to dress a table for special events such as a wedding, vow renewal or special birthday. They dress a table place setting and help to define your theme and style. Charger plates come in a wide range of styles, shapes and materials from glass to china to wood or metal. Or even melamine or plastic. They can be plain or decorated.

When you’re designing the style for your table, consider the look you want to achieve. Is the feel going to be a modern and contemporary one? Or are you aiming for a particular vintage era or something edgy and minimalist. Or maximalist on the other hand? Whatever look and feel you’re aiming to achieve, there’s a charge plate to complement your style and decor aesthetics.

The charger plates form part of the guest place settings. You can have the plates for your various courses set on top in readiness for your guests sitting at their tables. Or you can place the napkins and place cards on the charger plates. Your plated entrée and main courses are then placed on top of the charger plates during the meal.

Chargers are always removed from the table after all guests are finished eating the main course. They’re taken away with the dinner plate still on top, as this clears the table and leaves it ready for the serving of dessert.

Charger Plate Hire

If you plan to use charger plates a lot, it may serve you to buy them. Though this may restrict the range of chargers you have at your disposal for each of your events. Each event deserves its own style of charger plates depending on the theme, style and colour palette of your event.

Fabulous Functions UK has a range of beautiful charger plates at your disposal. Do contact us to discuss the range and style of chargers that we offer to find one that will best complement your wedding or event.

And don’t forget our promise: if we don’t have them in stock – we’ll source them for you.

 As you can tell, I love using chargers in the design of the tables. They lift the table design and, on a practical note, they protect the table from spills.

I trust this blog has inspired you to want to incorporate chargers in your table-scape designs.

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The wedding day was a long time coming. Allen and Rakhee had scheduled their nuptials for April 2020. They’d been many months of planning and preparations, right down to the smallest detail.

A Weekend of Celebrations …

At least the couple had intended the event to be that. They’d booked a grand and beautiful venue for a weekend of celebrations. The event would bring together two large families and many friends from across the world – 200 in total. An intimate minimony wedding wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

But then the dreaded C-word came into our lives turning everything upside down. First of all, the wedding was rescheduled by a few months. Then it was a year’s postponement. And then, with a few weeks’ notice, the wedding was back on for the end of August 2020. But in a much different form. This time an intimate minimony wedding. A minimony ceremony usually involves an officiant, a small group of loved ones and a select number of suppliers, ie. your photographer.

The UK guidelines at that time, restricted attendance at weddings to thirty people at the most. In total there were sixteen of us plus the photographer and the two registrars.

Honoured

I felt so honoured when Allen asked me to be his best man together with Ashley, his brother. So it meant a lot to me to attend this wedding, especially after all the ups and downs of the last month. Yet, being the only guest arriving from outside the UK, I needed to ensure my attendance at Allen’s wedding was both legal and safe.

I was living in Berlin at the time, which had a very low number of cases during the summer. After a lot of thought, I decided that I would do my best to make it to England, but minimising the risks. Easier said than done.  

Initially preferring not to fly, I booked three successive modes of transport: Eurostars through France or Belgium was the first plan, but that had to be cancelled a week before the wedding; then a ferry from the Hook of Holland was cancelled a day before my departure. Finally, I settled on flying directly from Berlin to London a few days before the day.

Arriving in the UK, I knew the wedding would be very different from the original conception. From a grand celebration in a sumptuous location, it would now be a much smaller, intimate affair. And in truth, I didn’t quite know what to expect.

Worries Soon Dispelled

But, on the day itself, any worries I had about this wedding in the present Corona virus times were soon dispelled. The first thing that became clear is this: big or small, the focus of the day remains the same. Celebrating the union of two loving partners.

The legal ceremony at the town hall in Frome was very sweet and tasteful. Despite the hygiene rules in place (1.5 metre distance between the attendants, masks worn indoors and no cheering) it never felt sterile or emotionless. Extended family and friends attended via Zoom to witness the beautiful exchange of vows and rings.

When the newly-married couple looked in each other’s eyes and everyone in attendance started clapping and stomping their feet, I completely forgot that we were only fifteen people in the room. Nor did it matter one bit. We were all here to celebrate and share this special moment.

A Covid-Compliant Wedding Reception

After the official ceremony, the celebrations moved to the decorated marquee in the groom’s parent’s garden. Sandra, the groom’s mother (and Fabulous Functions UK MD) had pulled out all the stops and made it look amazing.

Entering that marquee with a canapé in one hand and a glass of Champagne in the other transported me from suburban England into a different world. That of an Intimate minimony wedding.

From the flower arrangements to the delicious four-course meal, such an intimate minimony wedding at no point felt like it was a Plan B or a last-minute affair. In fact, the setting, with all the guests sitting on one long table, allowed conversations and sharing the moment with the happy couple, in a way not possible at a much larger celebration.

It was the small things that made this day so special. Instead of catering staff taking care of everything, family members shared those tasks. Parents, brother and sisters carried in plates and poured wine.

This was a joyous, celebratory gathering, and every single person played their part in making this intimate minimony such a special occasion.

Now, in an ideal world, the rest of the family and close friends would have been present. Fingers crossed they’ll also have the chance to celebrate with the new married couple sometime in the future in the manner of a sequel wedding. Yet, at no moment, did I feel that this wedding was ‘too small’.

Very different from the original plan yes, but beautiful in its own right.

The focus of the whole day was on the couple and it was truly a shared experience. Even more so than if 200 people had been in attendance.

I know that Rakhee and Allen will cherish this day forever.

And it’s one intimate minimony wedding that I’ll never forget!

Thank you so much Julian, for writing your account of your best friends wedding in these Covid times. This was certainly a wonderful wedding and the memories will be cherished by the couple and the guests alike. It was full of love and joy.