Large Wedding Venues for Hire in London

Large Wedding Venues Hire Guide

Big wedding venues in London don’t need to be dull or expensive. These are our favourite types of venues for large weddings in the capital:

• Hotels – From elegant historical buildings that boast Victorian elegance to equally charming places in London’s more tranquil areas, hotels are ideal for large-scale wedding receptions. These venues feature stunning reception spaces (ballrooms, banquet halls, etc.). Need to provide accommodation for guests who’ll be coming from abroad? Then hiring a hotel for your wedding celebration is the best thing you can do. In such a case, both the rooms and the reception area will be in the same building! This takes a lot of the hassle out of organising your big day.

• Manor houses – Planning a Downton Abbey- or Jane Austen-themed party, or maybe you’re just passionate about history? You can’t go wrong with a traditional British manor house. These large wedding reception venues are spacious enough for big groups and are often located in pretty-as-a-picture locations. What’s not to like?

• Community halls – If you’re cost-conscious, this is a cheaper option for large wedding parties. Already have special decor ideas in mind? A simple reception hall will be perfect for you, as it gives you the opportunity to get creative. And the really good news? Community halls are spread all over London – no matter if you’re looking for a venue in Brixton or Stoke Newington, with Tagvenue you’re sure to find the perfect large wedding space.

Organising a large wedding in London – tips and tricks:

• Prepare a checklist – This tip is crucial because it makes the entire preparation process way less stressful. You don’t need to worry you’ll forget about something when you have everything noted down in one place.

• Book the right-sized space – Do you need a big ceremony space for 300 guests, a huge wedding reception venue for 400 or an absolutely enormous hotel function room for 500 or more guests? We have the right space for you. Use our search filters to select the planned number of guests and see what spaces come out.

• Finalise the guest list and send the invitations in advance – Preferably six to eight weeks before the wedding reception. There are many websites which will allow you to create personalised invitations from scratch or using pre-prepared templates. Do you want to prepare something extraordinary for your guests? Wouldn’t it be interesting to send them video invitations? 

• Don’t underestimate the importance of catering – The food really gets people talking. Choose a caterer tailored to your needs or a restaurant with a mouth-watering menu. Last but not least, check whether some of your guests have special dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, kosher, halal, etc.).

• Make it personal – Don’t forget to pop around to each of the tables and say hi to your guests. It might be a bit time-consuming when you’ve invited upwards of 400 people, but it’s undoubtedly worth the effort.

• Talk to the venue manager – Ask about the wedding venue’s terms and conditions. It’s good to ask how early in advance you can drop by to decorate the space – and for how long you can celebrate your special occasion.

• Seat the guests properly – The most common layout of the room for the wedding reception is banquet-style seating, which offers round tables with 8 or 10 guests to a table. It is a perfect choice for any venue, but especially for large ones as it encourages the guests to interact with each other. The most important people – newlyweds, should be seated in the middle of the room. Another common layout for a wedding day is family-style seating. This consists of one long table or several rows of  longer tables. Again, it is a perfect seating style for large spaces. Not only does it create an intimate atmosphere and bring guests together but looks stunning on photos as well! Make sure to place guests at the tables together with other guests that they know. It will make them feel more comfortable during the reception.

• Treat the guests with party favours – It is always a good idea to give the guests small gifts in return for coming to the reception. It doesn’t have to be anything big. You can find plenty of inspiring ideas on the Internet.  From macramé keychains, small jars of honey, themed cookies  to loose-leaf teas packed in small boxes. And you can order ones that match your wedding theme! You can either buy them from websites like Etsy, or do it yourself!

• Provide a place to stay – There may be guests travelling from afar to attend your wedding. Most likely, they will not return home right after the reception, as they will be too tired to drive in such a condition. In that case, be sure to provide accommodations for these guests. Whether you pay for a hotel room or invite them to your house is up to you. 

• Hire a wedding planner – All this searching for decorations, party favours, catering makes your mind dizzy? Why not hire a wedding planner? They will guide you in all the decisions from deciding on a venue to choosing the decorations. In some cases you can even book a wedding venue that offers the services of an event planning team.

FAQs about Large Wedding Venues in London

How much does it cost to hire a large wedding venue in London?

Big wedding venues in London come in all shapes and sizes as well as at different price points. On average, hire fee per day can be found anywhere from £500 to £1300, while rates per person are set around £65 to £150. When it comes to minimum spend, you can expect to pay as low as £800 per session or £2000 per day. (All data from Tagvenue.com platform).

What are some unique large wedding venues in London?

Book a unique large wedding venue in London and be sure that you will have a wedding that will amaze and astound your family and friends. After all, it’s not just about the size of the venue, it’s what you do with it.

• Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe – Situated on the Thames, this reconstructed Elizabethan theatre complex offers couples an amazing historic ambiance and an experienced events team. Wedding packages are also available.
• Asylum Chapel – A beautiful Grade II listed Georgian chapel from 1827 for those favouring a distressed historic look and modern amenities, this chapel is a popular London wedding venue.
• 1901 at Andaz London Liverpool Street – Be amazed by the luxurious Victorian era grand ballroom and imagine your wedding amongst stunning Greco-Roman columns and stained glass ceilings.

Which areas of London offer charming/breathtaking large wedding venues?

London is known for its charming wedding venues, but if your party is especially big, it might be a problem to find a venue that is spacious enough. There are many beautiful historical spaces in the City of London or Covent Garden, but if you are looking for a unique wedding experience we suggest you also consider spots in the outskirts of London. There are many breathtaking wedding spaces surrounded by nature just waiting for you to say ‘I do’.

How long before the wedding should I book a venue?

Ideally, you should book a wedding venue about 9 months before the wedding, or even earlier if you are planning the wedding for May or October (which are the peak seasons). This will give you enough time to make sure the venue you want hasn't been booked already, as well as give you the time to book your vendors, prepare the decorations, decide on a menu, and sort out all the details of the hire.