The Best Alternative
Wedding Venues
Here at UW, we’re lucky to get to visit lots of awesome, alternative wedding venues. From alpaca farms to the National Space Centre, we’ve seen it all! Your wedding venue sets the vibe of your day, so it’s important to pick one that matches your personality. We know venue hunting can be overwhelming, especially when you’re looking for something a little different. So we’ve compiled some of our favourite alternative wedding venues into this list for you!
The Canary Shed, Essex
This Essex wedding venue is cool as heck (see featured photo). How about a wedding weekend? The Canary Shed offers a three-day hire so you have no reason to rush any aspect of your big day. They have kickass accommodation AND a spa! On top of that, the modern & chilled vibe of this venue is bloody awesome. You’ll also have the freedom to decorate however you like. We’re sold!
Check out their listing here!
Photos by Lex Fleming Photography
The Shack Revolution, Hereford
The Shack Revolution is an industrial wedding venue, smack bang in the middle of Hereford. This urban blank canvas is SUPER versatile, with walls hand-painted by local artists, exposed brick, metal beams, a greenhouse room, high industrial ceilings, greenery, and outdoor space. Craft your big day exactly how you want! They have a licensed bar and an on-site catering kitchen for your choice of food supplier. This alternative wedding venue is pretty special!
What if instead of a venue you went for a marquee?
Check out these circus vibes from Bigtopmania! These guys are the kings of Devon marquee hire, with everything from traditional tents to awesome big tops, as well as accessories and finishing touches. They also offer kickass wedding entertainment. Perfect for circus weddings or for creating the alternative shindig of your dreams!
Check out their listing here!
Cerdyn Villa – Welsh Micro Wedding Venue
Cerdyn Villa is a Welsh micro wedding venue with its very own celebrant! This gorgeous location is owned by Berni B, who uses the term ‘non-wedding’ to describe her beautiful and badass commitment ceremonies. Use Berni’s beautiful grounds and glamping accommodation to celebrate your love in a way that suits you both, AND have an unforgettable wedding ceremony whilst you’re at it!
Photos courtesy of Bobbi Lee Photography
Dating back to Queen Victoria’s reign, Arnos Vale Woodland Weddings is a beautiful cemetery that opened in 1839. Built in the style of an ancient Greek Necropolis, this was once the most fashionable place to be buried in Bristol. Arnos Vale is now a registered charity, restoring and preserving the site. With it’s stunning gardens, 45 acres of woodland and unique Gothic interior, it makes the perfect alternative wedding venue! They have 3 unique wedding venues that you can mix and match. The Spielman Centre has grand steps and bold pillars- a blend of Victorian architecture and modern glass work. Their Grade II listed chapel is breath-taking, opening into a beautiful grand hall. There are so many gorgeous photo opportunities!
Arnos Vale wedding venue is perfect for people looking for something dark and moody, but also surrounded by nature.
Looking for a laid back, blank canvas to make your own? Great Betley Farmhouse in Sussex is perfect for an alternative wedding. It has a 16th century farmhouse with 200 acres of countryside, this venue is perfect for outdoor weddings and tipi weddings. For all styles including: traditional, rustic and luxury, this versatile venue can work for everyone!
This venue is perfect for outdoor weddings in the countryside with a rustic touch.
The Tractor Barn, Northamptonshire
The Tractor Barn is a part of Stone Siding Events, a rural Northamptonshire wedding venue. What makes this venue special is that it’s a family-run working farm, so you’ll get an extra personal service! Decorate this gorgeous space however you see fit – no theme or idea is too much! The floor is yours to get creative and build your dream day.
Check out their listing here!
The Venue On Middle St, Croydon
Fancy a London wedding? The Venue On Middle St is a unique wedding venue in Croydon, bursting with quirk and character. This grade II listed building is a former printworks, giving the venue a cool, industrial edge. You can explore their 3 floors, each with a different style, and have a bespoke package made to suit your exact needs.
Want to know more? Check out their listing here!
Photos courtesy of Leesha Williams Photography
The National Justice Museum is a stunning, Grade II listed building in the heart of Nottingham City Centre. If you’re looking for a dramatic, gothic and historic backdrop, this alternative wedding venue is for you! It’s just perfect for gothic wedding days. You can hold your wedding day in the Grand Jury Room, grand Shire Hall or the amazing civilian courtroom. They are also a featured tribe member.
Couples could go for a full-on medieval wedding, gothic themed wedding or keep it traditional. The venue is packed with so much personality!
Photos courtesy of Vicki Clayson Photography
In their own words:
“We’re a family-owned barn wedding venue on a farm in Tregynon, mid Wales. We’re a bona-fide, one-of-a-kind, straight-up anomaly: a heptagonal palace of joy and confetti and dancing. There’s nowhere like us. You should totally get married here!”
The Giraffe Shed in Mid Wales is the ultimate alternative wedding venue. A combination of rustic barn, industrial warehouse and homely living room, you won’t find a place quite like it. It’s full of character, yet perfect for adding your own personal touches. No request is too much for Team Giraffe.
An outdoor wedding venue perfect for industrial and barn weddings with the personal touch.
Overgrown Acres in Nottinghamshire is a bespoke wedding venue, comprised of three gorgeous tipis. This dreamy location will suit any vibe, from bohemian festivals draped in fairy lights to themed events and relaxed affairs. There’s also a stunning woodland for your use! This venue offers the space and freedom for your dream day to come to life.
See more on their listing here!
Transformed from a medieval smallholding, Higher Holcombe is now one of Devon’s most unique wedding venues. Since buying the land, the owners have planted over 8000 trees and transformed the neglected pastureland into a glamping wonderland. With a hilltop willow ‘cathedral’, a party barn and a silver birch ‘church’, this location is far from conventional! Higher Holcombe allows you to have your wedding however you want and suits a wide range of styles. No rules, regulations or turnaround times!
Photos courtesy of Jo Bradbury Photography and Higher Holcombe
How about a wedding ceremony in an engine room? Papplewick Pumping Station is a unique, Victorian wedding venue set in Nottinghamshire. Full of history, it retains all its original features. You’ll see hand fired Lancashire boilers and beam engines that once lifted fresh water from a 200ft deep well for the people of Nottingham. The pumping station is simply beautiful with its Gothic Revival style of architecture, set amongst stunning landscaped grounds. Here you’ll find elaborate stained-glass windows, grand columns and polished mahogany.
Perfect if you’re looking for something industrial, historic and beautiful. It’s your alternative wedding venue!
For a wedding that’s out of this world (excuse the pun, I just had to…), take a look at The National Space Centre! They’re also one of our featured tribe members!
Located in Leicester, The National Space Centre is the only one of its kind in the UK. You can get married under the stars in their planetarium with a mind-blowing 360 degree cinematic experience – without the worries of the english weather! If you’re looking for a smaller wedding ceremony, you can get married beneath two real rockets… how cool is that? You’ll also get to explore their six space themed galleries with hands on exhibits and stunning visuals.
Perfect for Sci-Fi weddings, space weddings, star wars weddings (they have resident storm troopers) and generally out of this world wedding days.
The Secret Bunker Weddings, North West
The Secret Bunker is a badass Cheshire wedding venue in a NUCLEAR BUNKER. This place was kept a secret in the cold war and hosts Europe’s largest collection of nuclear weapons. How friggin’ cool!
From the ‘Cinema Room’ to the ‘War Room’, They have a range of quirky indoor spaces and a stretch of outdoor land, too! Whatever your style, this alternative wedding venue offers something truly unique and historic.
Maybe your dream wedding venue isn’t listed as one! Look around local museums and attractions- maybe you can hire them out! We’ve seen some awesome weddings in breweries, train stations, zoos and more! If you don’t ask, you won’t get!
Pictured above is the Museum of Scotland – with the impressive dinosaur skeleton(see our latest blog on this one here). In the gallery below we’ve also pulled out Edinburgh Castle. the Great Central Railway Leicestershire, The National Railway Museum and The National Brewery Centre. We’ve even recently featured a wedding in the Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery!
This section is for the venues that we lust after but couldn’t be bothered to respond to us! We didn’t want to leave them out as we really do love them.
Digbeth Weddings, Birmingham alternative wedding venue
Three awesome Birmingham wedding venues. A former HP Sauce factory, a blank canvas industrial warehouse and a refurbished chapel, Digbeth Weddings has something for every couple! When it comes to food and décor, you’re only limited by your imagination! The team work closely with you to make your vision a reality.
ironbridge - Shropshire
The Ironbridge Gorge is a World Heritage Site in Shropshire that was the heart of The Industrial Revolution. Weddings at this venue are historic, quirky and full of character!
Ocean Kave, Devon Wedding Venue
Ocean Kave is a beautiful coastal wedding venue in Devon, set in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Their magical cave overlooks the ocean and creates a secluded, romantic setting for your vows. Alternatively, you could choose to get married outside right next to the sea! They’re big on minimising their environmental impact, too, with a section of their website dedicated to green weddings!
asylum chapel, London wedding venue
Asylum Chapel is a Grade II listed building and East London hidden gem. The space was bombed in WW2 and is now used for exhibitions, photoshoots, events and weddings. This is a badass alternative wedding venue, with its jaded walls and historic interior.
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