LGBTQ Friendly Wedding Venues



Gay marriage has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland since 2014 but it can still be difficult planning a same-sex wedding. 

If you’re a lesbian phoning up to make an appointment for a viewing, then it may well still be assumed that your partner is male.

Gay men could be directed to a bridal suite once the DJ has packed away, the guests have departed and the confetti swept up.

Wedding magazines still fixate on the idea of women as the principal organisers of weddings with bridal trends dominating most of the articles, blog posts and advertisements offered to audiences.  It’s not always the case – especially with blogs – but take a look at the wedding shelf in your local high street newsagents as chances are it’s rather hetero-centric.

We’ve always been big believers in the rights of the LGBTQ community to see themselves represented in the wedding industry.  It’s why Pink Wedding Days promote same-sex wedding venues, vendors and service providers from across the UK and have done since civil partnerships were first introduced all the back in 2005. 


In today’s post we’re going to pick 5 of our favourite same-sex wedding venues highlighting what’s special about each one.

Venue Name: The Vu
Type of Venue: Wedding & reception venue
Location: Bathgate, Scotland
Capacity: Up to 200 guests (280 by special arrangement)
Bedrooms: 5* luxury Canadian log cabin for the happy couple
Website: https://thevu.co.uk/

What We Love: The views out onto and across the Ballencrief Reservoir are absolutely stunning.  The two buildings offer panoramic views with the Water Lily expanding out onto the water itself.  The location between Edinburgh and Glasgow make this rural retreat easily accessible for guests, too.

Venues Own Words: Your wedding is one of the biggest days of your life and we understand how challenging it can be to make a venue choice. Our events team strive to ensure you are 100% happy with our spectacular Oasis & Vu Suites, our fabulous Water Lily Island Suite and every aspect of the service we provide.

Your Wedding Ceremony

The unique Water Lily, in the middle of Ballencrieff Reservoir, offers something truly magical for you and up to 150 guests. With full height windows providing 270-degree views to the West over the reservoir you really do feel as if you’re on the water. Have your drinks reception at the Water Lily while photographs are being taken.

Your Wedding Reception

Have your reception in our fabulous Oasis/Vu suites.
With its warm contemporary interior and feature lighting, our Oasis suite provides the perfect atmosphere for your wedding reception. 150 guests can be accommodated and 300 can be catered for by special arrangement. Our equally contemporary and welcoming Vu suite provides a more intimate venue for 85 wedding guests and a maximum of 110 evening guests.

Speak to our weddings consultant about those special touches for your table arrangements and how you can utilise the lighting and integrated sound system.

Visit our website for much more information and photographs showing just how stunning and unique our venue, cars and dedicated staff are .... Read our testimonials, download our brochure and most importantly - email or call to arrange a tour.


Venue Name: Iscoyd Park
Type of Venue: Private country house
Location: Whitchurch, Shropshire
Capacity: Civil ceremony: up to 120 people
               Wedding breakfast and evening reception: up to 160 people.
Bedrooms: Accommodation onsite for the couple and guests with additional accommodation with nearby hotels & B&Bs
Website: https://iscoydpark.com/weddings_at_iscoyd_park/

What We Love: This Georgian house is bursting with charm and character but it also offers couples a modern outlook and one that’s reflected in the sumptuous dining choices and the gorgeous interiors.  It must be impossible to take a bad photograph of this beautiful building and its sharp décor.  We love that couples can take a 3D tour of the venue without having to step out of their front door.  We’re confident that you’ll fall in love with it.  We love, too, the insistence that there are no packages at Iscoyd House – only formulas.  Book your wedding here and this venue will take your breath away.

The Venues Own Words: At Iscoyd we pride ourselves on the warm , relaxed and friendly feeling this family house and gardens have.  We operate in a different way to a hotel and those who get married here really feel that Iscoyd is their place for their day.  We only ever have one event on at any time so that apart from the people who are looking after you the only people you will see are your own family and friends. Having recently completed a major renovation project Iscoyd Park has a choice of two beautiful licensed Ceremony rooms, a fine selection of reception and party rooms and a permanent marquee which is attached to the house itself and can seat up to 150 for a Wedding Breakfast.  We can accommodate up to 18 people in the house and surrounding buildings and further 8 in an estate cottage nearby.


Venue Name: Craig-Y-Nos Hotel
Type of Venue: Castle
Location: Penycae Swansea
Capacity: up to 150 people
Bedrooms:  Both for the couple and for overnight guests
Website: https://www.craigynoscastleweddings.com/

What We Love: This is a castle – what’s not to love? And what’s more, couples will benefit from having exclusive use of the entire castle as Craig-Y-Nos only hold one wedding a day.  There’s a historic Grade I opera house inside the castle as well as a conservatory with gorgeous views over the Brecon Beacons.  There are a number of packages available making this fairy tale venue affordable for not only you and your partner but for guests, too, as there are good rates for overnight accommodation.

The Venues Own Words: Craig Y Nos Castle is ideally situated in the Brecon Beacons as one of the premier wedding venues in Wales. Being a Castle it is steeped in Romance and History and features a Grade 1 Listed Opera House - which is ideal for Wedding Ceremonies.


Venue Name: Malone Lodge Hotel
Type of Venue: Hotel
Location: Malone Road, Belfast
Capacity: Up to 250 people
Bedrooms:  Bedroom and suites available for both the couple and the wedding guests.
Website: https://www.malonelodgehotelbelfast.com/

What We Love: There’s only one wedding a day at the Malone Lodge so you won’t be competing with anyone else on your big day.  There’s also the chance to take a whopping 10% off the total if you get married in 2019.  We love, too, that this hotel is just a 10-minute drive from some of Belfast’s biggest attractions and the city’s centre but as the Malone Lodge is in a green suburb it feels apart from the action.

The Venues Own Words: As a licensed Civil Partnership venue, the Malone Lodge Hotel is the perfect venue to declare your vows in front of family and friends. With some of the most exquisite parks and gardens in Belfast only minutes away, you'll be spoilt for choice in choosing the perfect location for your wedding photography.

Our experienced and professional team will guide you through the steps you need to take and answer all your questions, ensuring that we create a Wedding Day that exceeds your dreams. Our Award-Winning Chefs have designed the Wedding Selector Menu, using local suppliers, thereby ensuring the finest quality produce will be used in your Wedding Menu.

We have put together 4 Wedding packages; the Elegance Wedding, the Malone Wedding, the Platinum Wedding and the Orchid Wedding. These packages have been specially tailored for a minimum of 80 guests (Fri & Sat), and 50 guests (Mon - Thurs).

In the Malone Bridal Suite, an oasis of serenity and luxury, opulent fabrics and luxurious soft furnishings, compliment the 6ft bespoke Bridal bed. For your guests, we have a range of accommodation options to suit every need, including luxurious bedrooms, sumptuous executive bedrooms and suites, and self-catering Apartments.

At Malone Lodge Hotel, a welcoming ambience and relaxed luxury await you. We look forward to welcoming you.

Are you looking for a wedding venue in another part of the country? We list LGBTQ wedding venues and service providers right across the United Kingdom. 



Popular posts from this blog

Should I Propose at Christmas? (Spoiler Alert: Probably Not)

Image
There’s something relentlessly optimistic about the festive season: the gathering of family and friends, the gift-giving and peace-and-good-will-to-all-men shtick. It’s probably the proximity to New Year, too, and all those resolutions and promises for a fresh start. SO many Christmas films have proposals in them, too.  And what greater gift could there be than an engagement over the festive period? Well… It’s easy to get carried away in the spirit of things but Christmas engagements aren’t always a great idea.  And if you have to ask should I propose at Christmas , then the answer is probably no. According to a survey by event company Chili Sauce , men seem to like proposing on Christmas Eve  (woman aren’t quite so keen). Guess you lucky lesbians are off the hook… Only you know whether or not it’s the right time to propose to your partner but here’s why we think you should be careful. 1.   Don’t propose just because it’s Christmas .  Propose bec
Read more

Who Walks Down the Aisle at a Gay Wedding?

Image
Wedding traditions remain an important component of many gay and most straight wedding ceremonies. So who walks down the aisle at a gay wedding?   The short answer?  Whoever you want. What you choose to do and celebrate within your own wedding should be entirely up to you and your partner. Tradition shouldn’t be seen as something that must be adhered to or – in the case of LGBTQ ceremonies – adapted mindlessly.  One of the best things about planning a gay wedding is that there are plenty of opportunities  to customise both the ceremony and reception to reflect your own individual personalities.  The important thing is not to let family or friends who are fixated on what’s traditional to unduly influence what it is that you want to do on your big day.  Some people just don’t have the imagination for anything other than a cookie-cutter ceremony. You might hear people saying things like: You CAN’T see each other before the ceremony You HAVE to have
Read more

Wedding Fair or Wedding Fayre: Which is it?

Image
Fair or fayre? We got busted by a simple Google search.  And we owe you an apology. After writing hundreds of posts promoting wedding open days , showcases and exhibitions , we assumed that we had wedding terminology down-pat. It turns out that we didn’t. All’s Fair or Fayre in Love (and Wedding Planning) According to The Cambridge Dictionary, Fayre is: “an old-fashioned spelling of fair , used to talk about a traditional public event where goods are bought and sold and where there is entertainment: a country fayre” Uh-oh. We went back through some of our posts to double check what we've been using and... How to Survive a Wedding Fayre  Hadley Park is Hosting a Wedding Fayre And these weren't the only ones.  In fact, every single wedding event we’ve advertised (aside from those specifically marketed as open days) has been described as a fayre. Okay , we thought, let’s get a second opinion.   The Oxford E
Read more

Gay Wedding Hashtags

Image
Creating a wedding hashtag for a ceremony and reception isn’t every couple’s cup of tea but is it really so ridiculous when most of us use social media to document and organise our lives anyway.  Gay wedding hashtags are one example of how same-sex couples are creating new traditions.  Planning a wedding when you’re LGBTQ often means navigating heterosexual customs and gender-based norms.  This is one way that couples (gay or otherwise) can embrace modernity and add a bit of fun to their ceremony and reception. Customising a hashtag for friends and family to follow across social media platforms is bound to raise an eyebrow with some guests who may feel that it’s a bit soulless, tacky or narcissistic BUT hashtags are so helpful in curating photographs taken throughout the day.   It’s great for the happy couple to search back through, too, and see a different side of the celebrations: a guest’s eye-view.    Another reason that it’s popular is that a wedding hashtag
Read more

How To Make Small Talk At Weddings

Image
*This post was updated July 30th 2015* The service  was delightful. The brides looked divine. The grooms were as handsome as you’ve ever seen them. You made small talk with the mother-in-law, buried your face in the order of service when everyone was  hugging , and mouthed hello to someone you vaguely remember from the hag do.  Now, you’re standing in the car park and everyone’s hanging around before the reception, but you don’t have anyone to talk to. Or maybe, you are with people you know. Maybe you’re laughing all the way to the reception until – ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? – You read the place settings only to realise that you’re sitting on a table with people you don’t know. Suddenly, you can’t kick your shoes off under the table; you can’t bury your face in the salmon starter, and you can’t do that party trick with a glass of water, a penny and the tablecloth. Well, you could... Oh, but THANK THE STARS , at least there’s wine. Being polite shouldn't be so
Read more

10 Things You Need On Your Wedding Morning – By Tammy Madge, Owner of Manor By The Lake

Image
Today, we're handing the blog over to The Manor By The Lake, Cheltenham Spa, and this outstanding venue really does have to be seen to be believed. They know their stuff about weddings, too, and we're fortunate enough to benefit from that experience with  10 Things You Need On Your Wedding Morning. The morning of your wedding can be super stressful so ensure that you are ready beforehand and fully prepared for anything that might come your way. Below is a quick list: 1. Breakfast Start the day off right and have a light healthy breakfast, it's important that you don’t skip any meals. You don’t want to feel faint or light headed! 2. Timings Make sure everyone knows timings of things throughout the day – especially anyone coming to do your hair or make-up! The wedding party has to be ready in time – only you can be a little late – on purpose! 3. Emergency Survival Kit  Be prepared for an outfit or beauty related problem! Have an emergency kit which include
Read more

Should You Invite a Homophobic Relative to Your Gay Wedding?

Image
It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning a straight, gay or bi wedding – families can make things difficult .  LGBTQ couples have the additional headache of deciding whether or not to invite relatives that don’t support same-sex marriage .  It’s hurtful and it adds additional pressure and stress onto what is already a difficult time of planning.  When you’re curating your guest list the question is: should you invite a homophobic relative to your gay wedding?   No – that’s our gut reaction.   If someone can’t give you 100% love and support on your wedding day, then they shouldn’t be there.  For some couples, it’s as straightforward as that.   But it isn’t always that simple, is it? It rarely is when family are involved.  Only you can decide whether or not that person (or those people) deserves to be a guest at your wedding.  You hold the power.  You’re the inviter-in-chief.  But before you make a decision, there are a few things that you might like
Read more

Guest Who? A Wedding Guest Book with Personality

Image
The Guest book is hardly the highlight of the wedding reception. There's the pressure of writing something thoughtful, something touching, lightly humorous or insightful in the space of a couple of minutes and all  without the luxury of a first draft.  Unless you're some kind of ad hoc Shakespeare , then it's hardly ideal. There's the risk, too, of scribbling some insipid message that's as generic as the  verse  in the Hallmark card you've already deposited in the  wedding  postbox.  But o f course, you don't want to write something too personal. Those penning later entries can't help but flick through previous pages to see what's already been said. Nobody wants what they've written to become a template for what not to write.  That's why we thought we'd share with you something that could spice up your guest book:  the wedding guessing game and guest book – Guest who? (Scroll to the bottom of the page for a li
Read more

5 Shakespeare Quotes about Love for your Wedding

Image
Tuesday (March 27th, 2018) was World Theatre Day , and we thought what better way to celebrate than with some love quotes from William Shakespeare’s plays. Poems and readings make great additions to a wedding but there’s also room to include some romantic Shakespearean quotes on your invitations, on your personalised wedding website or even as table centrepieces at your wedding breakfast or reception. Shakespeare’s words about love and marriage aren’t just deeply moving, they’re also timeless. Adding a touch of sophistication, charm and emotion to your ceremony, the bard’s take on love, relationships and marriage should be easily recognisable to your guests, too.  There are so many plays and sonnets to choose from but we’ve picked some of our favourites from Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labours Lost, The Tempest and, of course, Romeo and Juliet. We’d love to hear what your favourites are. Or maybe you’re more of a Kit Marlowe fan?  Did you incorp
Read more

10 Laid Back Processional Songs For Your Summer Wedding

Image
"Here comes the bride da da da daaaa." We all know how the tune goes. Whether it comes from the clunky key changes of a church organ or from the hissing crackle of a CD player, it's about as traditional as wedding traditions get. But what if you don't want traditional? Or what if you want something more than the musical equivalent of brown bread. And what if there's no bride? If you're planning a relaxed summertime wedding, then wouldn't it be better to have something a little bit more upbeat? As we're heading towards the summer months (yes, we know it's only March, but summer is technically ahead of us, so we're sticking with that ). We thought we'd select 10 songs that could work at your wedding. We've chosen some upbeat, light and airy songs to counterbalance the plodding beat of the wedding march. If you had something different for your wedding, then please let us know. We'd love to hear your suggestions. You c
Read more