I’m a huge advocate for destination weddings at home, right here in the UK. They’re more sustainable, and still have that spine-tingly excitement of a holiday + wedding. We might not have white sands and melty-hot sunshine, but we have beautiful countryside, amazing landscapes and dreamy locations you can head for!

Inspired by luxury destination wedding planner Michelle at Elegante by Michelle J, here’s a few favourite locations – and tips on having an amazing destination wedding in the UK!

5 great reasons to choose a UK destination wedding

• Saving the planet
• Bringing all your guests
• Travel worries
• Amazing locations
• Easier planning

If most of your guests live in the UK, you’ll save on air miles and aviation fuel (ick!). Your guests will have simpler and less expensive journeys. Travelling overseas isn’t as simple as it once was (I’d say Covid, but the nightmares of Brexit…)

All of that aside, we have some incredible wedding venues right here in the UK. Essentially a destination wedding is a mini holiday – a weekender, or perhaps a midweek break. Choose a venue or location where your guests can spend the days with you: have barbecues or family meals, mini festivals with music and dancing, daytime hikes or trips to the beach. With all your favourite people in the world. Now doesn’t that sound amazing?

And if you don’t happen to be a wedding planner, having your wedding on UK shores might simplify your planning. I say might… it’s likely to take away a world of crazy planning dramas! If you hire a wedding venue you’ll get a coordinator who’s organised weddings before, and you’ll be working with experienced wedding suppliers who can help and advise you along the way. With no language barriers!

Some favourite UK destination wedding locations

I’ll start local (to me!) with the Lakes. My home is on the edge of the Lake District and I adore the place. While our venues are very slowly evolving to the modern wedding market, there are some absolute gems waiting to be discovered. Look up Silverholme , Town Head Estate (which has its own boat!) or the fabulous Cote How.

Then there are the fabulous locations Michelle lists as her favourites for UK destination weddings. On the list –

Osea Island, Essex

• Privately owned
• Secluded and exclusive use
• Seaside wedding vibes all the way
• See Michelle’s showcase of Osea Island here

Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk

• choose a thatched barn or Georgian mansion
• nature everywhere
• cottages with 86 guest bedrooms

Euridge Manor, Chippenham

• Cotswolds
• Italian villa vibes
• Fairytale venue
• with its own boating lake

Heckfield Place, Hampshire

• Award winning hotel venue
• Less than an hour from London
• 45 guest bedrooms
• Exclusive use

Perfect Manors, Scotland

• Achnagairn Castle and Cortes House, in the Scottish Highlands
• Luxuriously special venues
• Catering for up to 260 guests

The Four Seasons, Hampshire

• Bridgerton vibes all the way!
• Georgian venue
• 500 acres with forest and walled garden

Grantley Hall, Yorkshire

• in the beautiful Yorkshire dales
• on-site spa
• formal and beautiful

Dorfold Hall, Cheshire

• purpose-build event spaces
• tree-lined avenue
• lovingly restored, contemporary luxury

… and one more, eco-friendly wedding venue we couldn’t not mention!

E-Lope, Kent

A very special little venue specialising in elopements. If you’d like to get away, just the two of you, and have an intimate ceremony for just the two of you… it’s just what E-Lope does. Check out their testimonials and elopement galleries on their website!

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With huge thanks to Elegante by Michelle J for allowing us to be inspired by such a beautiful blog post. You can read the original and find out more about the venues here: https://elegantebymichellej.com/venues-for-a-destination-wedding-in-the-uk/