Beautiful backdrops

For some people, the most important factor is choosing their wedding location is that it is close to home and close to their family and friends. Others may want to marry in a particular town. There are other search options available though. You could use our National Parks & Beauty Spots search to hunt for venues in the Shropshire Hills, between the Don and the Dee or on the South Downs. You can use the drop down search box in the left hand column on our Venue Search page. Here’s a little taste of what you can find.
Let’s start on London’s doorstep, with the North Downs. These wooded hills stretch across Surrey and Kent and afford some lovely scenery just a short hop from the capital. Jane Austen fans will know that Box Hill features in Emma, while the Hog’s Back is where the savage takes refuge in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. As for the wedding venues, there are lots of country houses, schools, golf clubs and even Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking.
A big jump to the west will bring us to the Cotswolds. This area of outstanding natural beauty runs from Gloucestershire up through Oxfordshire and into Warwickshire. Barns, manor houses and some rather stately hotels in Cheltenham figure prominently on the lists of wedding venues. For something a little different, there’s even the Royal Agricultural College.
Time for a little to dip into Wales. North of the major cities of Swansea and Cardiff and north still of the valleys, are the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons. It’s hard to find more powerful landscapes to form a back drop to a wedding. Castles and other historic buildings are there to explore.
Racing northwards and eastwards, we pass through the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors before moving into Scotland. Loch Ness is a name that resonates throughout the world. It conjures up images of a gorgeous and mysterious countryside, not to mention the monster. Sadly there isn’t much chance that a monster does flourish beneath the loch’s surface but the countryside certainly lives up to its reputation. Loch Ness Lodge is perched above the water towards the north east end of Loch Ness and combines traditional architecture and modern design. It’s an ideal location for small, intimate weddings.