My 10 Best Wedding Venues In Cambridgeshire
A a Cambridge Wedding photographer I have worked at some fantastic wedding venues all across my home county of Cambridgeshire. There are some truly awesome venues from the fabulous architecture within the colleges of Cambridge University to the many large country house and hotels in the area there are a wealth of options. For this post I wanted to focus on venues that offer an alternative to the more traditional options. These are alternative wedding venues in Cambridgeshire with a quirky or unique appeal that sets them apart.
Here are my 10 Favourite Wedding Venues In Cambridgeshire…
1. Longstowe Hall
Everything about Longstowe Hall oozes style and sophistication. Set in the gentle hills of South Cambridgeshire between Cambridge and Royston this beautiful country house offers everything you could want for the perfect one stop wedding location. The beautiful estate’s house is still a family home surrounded by some of the most stunning grounds that any wedding venue in Cambridgeshire has to offer. Perfectly manicured lawns, colourful and picturesque wooded areas and a classic money shot overlooking the lake back to the house the provide a wedding photographer’s playground.
For weddings ceremonies, Longstowe Hall offers the best of both worlds. The Rose Ball Room with its spectacular oak fireplace and plasterwork or the tranquil lakeside setting on the pavilion island. The reception is held in a marquee with amazing views back out across the estate. The marquee includes and fixed dance floor and bar meaning guests can dance the night away without having to relocated to grab some refreshment. There is also a cottage onsite which provides a tranquil and private space for all of the bridal preparations in the morning.
Longstowe Hall is located on the A1198 between Royston and Huntingdon.
See more photos and information about Longstowe Hall on my blog post here V
If you want to escape to the country for that festival feel or simply want a fun focused wedding day in a truly rustic setting in Cambridgeshire – Willow Grange Farm is a must visit venue.
Clara (who runs & lives on the farm) and her now husband Errol got married on the there in April 2019 and loved it so much that they wanted to open it up for others to enjoy, offering weddings, social parties, glamping and events. So while the Farm is long established as a venue it’s an exciting new venture while remaining a working farm.
It’s perfect for my love of weddings and couples on the non-traditional and quirky side. The buildings have bucket loads of character with loads of awesome nooks and crannies. The opportunities for capturing stunning wedding photos are plentiful. The textures and colours of the rustic buildings are fabulous and the light in the barns is so beautiful it genuinely excites me.
As a Cambridge wedding photographer I get to shoot at some amazing venues that are steeped in tradition but this venue is a refreshing alternative, perfect for weddings full of fun with couples who like to do things a little differently and want to have an amazing, informal party.
Willow Grange Farm is superbly placed just off the A10 around 20 minutes north of Cambridge and 10 minutes south of Ely
See my blog post on a Wedding at Willow Grange Farm here. Visit: Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire: Willow Grange Farm
3. The Old Hall Ely
The Old Hall Ely is a privately owned country house wedding venue, just outside the fabulous cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire. The renovated Jacobean house is set within a beautiful countryside setting overlooking three ornamental lakes and Ely Cathedral itself. The Old Hall Ely is a totally exclusive, creative, flexible and personal wedding venue. It has everything you could want in a “one stop” Wedding venue with plenty of spacious accommodation, including the honeymoon suite, complete with four poster kingsize bed, huge bathroom with views over to the cathedral and a closet room.
The outdoor seating area overlooks a pergola where the ceremonies are conducted and for indoor wedding ceremonies (starting in 2022) 2022 the venue will have completed the brand new Orangery building, with amazing vistas over the fenland landscape. A permanent marque houses the reception and a bespoke dance floor which is kept hidden from wedding guests until the fist dance “reveal”. The Old Hall is an incredibly slick operation and has weddings down to a fine art. The grounds (while not huge) are great for photos offering a variety of interesting backdrops and textures along with the huge fenland skies and view of Ely’s “Ship of the Fens”.
Visit: Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire: The Old Hall Ely
Any wedding at South Farm always feels extra special. It’s one of the area’s busiest wedding venues and it’s easy to see why. It’s a fantastic farmhouse which sits alongside a yard of listed timber framed barns which have been beautifully restored and are also home to some popular and rarer breed farm animals.
There are stunning gardens all around the buildings including a small nature reserve and wooded area. The farm is accessed via an amazing long tree-lined entrance which is tastefully lit at night, the site also includes four gypsy caravans – both of these features are really popular for Bride & Groom photos. One of the best things about South Farm is that it has multiple ceremony and reception options available. Outdoor weddings are held in the Summerhouse (for up to 146 people), or indoors, in the Drawing Room (up to 35), the Old Dairy (100) or the splendid Tudor Barn (146) So they really can cater for weddings of all shapes and sizes.
This awesome Cambridge wedding venue feels really relaxed but is a run with military precision, testament to the incredible professionalism of the super friendly staff (something which should never be overlooked).
There are stacks of options for capturing amazing couple portraits and the sunsets here are really special too. Most wedding suppliers in Cambridgeshire are full of praise for South Farm.
Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: South Farm
5. Hockwold Hall
Ok, so this one is not technically in Cambridgeshire but it’s so close and has so much to offer. Hockwold Hall is a spectacular Grade II listed manor that operates as a wedding venue in Norfolk, near the borders of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire counties and only 30 miles from Cambridge. The estate marries historic charm with natural beauty and was once the Royal home of Prince Victor Duleep Singh, godson of Queen Victoria.
The venue has super options for both indoor and outdoor ceremonies throughout the year and has a permanent marquee in the grounds for large receptions. Hockwold Hall provide options to for budget and style requirements for those interested in an elegant country estate venue, a barn wedding venue, or simply an alternative wedding venue near Cambridge.
I love this super venue because has a real sense of history about it and is quintessentialy British without being pompous. It’s appeal is far reaching an it has played host to some famous guests who love it’s Old English charm and sense of privacy and escape from the outside world.
Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: Hockwold Hall
6. Stradsett Hall
I am constantly on the lookout for the opportunity to shoot weddings at new and exciting venues, especially if they offer something a little different.
Stradsett Hall offers a mix of both the traditional and quirky. The venue is consists of an Elizabethan house set within two-thousand acres on the Cambridgeshire / Norfolk border. It enjoys formal gated rose gardens, an elegant Victorian orangery and a swan lake. For wedding photographers and videographers alike, it is a fantastic playground and there are a plethora of options for couple portraits.
At first look it is very much a typical English country wedding venue but the buildings used for wedding ceremonies and receptions have a less typical feel.
The Orangery and the converted Old Stable offer an intimate and rustic feel while still feeling exclusive, and the courtyard is great for a drinks reception with a relaxed, informal vibe that doesn’t feel enclosed or contained.
I can see this new wedding venue becoming very popular in the coming years.
Visit: Wedding venue in Cambridgeshire: Stradsett Hall or my blog post on a Wedding at Stradsett Hall.
7. Barrington Hall
If you’re looking for an elegant and altogether classic venue in Cambridgeshire you’d be hard pushed to beat Barrington Hall.
Set amongst hectares of rolling green lawns and woodlands, wandering peacocks and giant cedars, Barrington Hall is known for its homely charm and timeless, classic character. The venue has 2 beautifully decorated reception rooms that are both licensed for civil ceremonies, as well as their Kendall Suite.
They offer exclusive use of a private house within the grounds to bridal parties. The two bedroom areas are perfect for hair and make-up and the large kitchen area is great for breakfast or brunch and the all important bottle of fizz.
There is something very tranquil and peaceful about Barrington Hall and it has a timeless quality that is unrivalled in the surrounding area.
If you’re planning a wedding near Cambridge with a boho or vintage feel and some classic and traditional touches it’s a fantastic choice.
See my post from a Barrington Hall wedding here Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: Barrington Hall
8. The Thatch Barn
For a superb rustic wedding venue in the heart of Cambridgeshire The Thatch Barn is a great choice.
The renovation of the magnificent Grade II listed barn was completed in 2013, the use of oak beams and glass throughout offer warmth and great light inside.
Set on a working farm, the Heritage award winning barn is situated beside crops of wheat, beans, lavender, wild flowers and daffodils, all of which provide an awesome backdrop for photography, depending on the time of year you visit.
The thing I really like about this venue, located in Yelling near St Neots is that everything is under one roof, in one room. It’s a fantastic way to keep all your guests together and creates a proper party atmosphere where everyone will want to hit the dance floor.
The surrounding fields are fab too and I have captured some of my favourite ever bride and groom sunset portraits at here.
See my blog post featuring The Thatch Barn here Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: The Thatch Barn
9. Holmewood Hall
Holmewood Hall is a Tudor gothic mansion situated in the north of the county close to Peterborough but you would never know it, this Cambridgeshire wedding venue is a real hidden gem in a beautiful natural setting.
Like many of the wedding venues featured in the post it offers a beautiful elegant house set in many acres of open green surroundings including a stunning lake and a pergola perched on the natural rise in the grounds and overlooking the main house.
There are however a couple of unique features that really make Holmewood Hall stand out as a wedding venue.
The honeymoon suite must surely be one of the grandest and most spacious in any Cambridgeshire wedding venue with huge windows that flood the room with light, a four poster bed, sofa and separate dressing room.
The main staircase is able a bit special, and the venue use it well for both cake cutting and first dance photo opportunities.
The ceremony room is fab too, colourful and real light and airy (the large mirror can be a slight issue for use photographers and videographers).
There are also a good range of outdoor spots for couple portraits with wide shots back to the house with the lake in the foreground and the more sheltered wooded area if a great spot for golden hour photos.
Holmewood Hall has a bit of everything to offer.
See my post from a Holmewood Hall wedding here. Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: Holmewood Hall
10. The Colleges of Cambridge University
With the University of Cambridge having such an enormous influence over not only the city of Cambridge itself, but also the much wider area, I could not have a post about the best wedding venues in Cambridgeshire without the colleges of Cambridge being featured in some way.
The University of Cambridge is made up of 31 colleges of varying ages, architectural styles and features, some of which date back to 1284 (Peterhouse). Most of the colleges not only have beautiful historic buildings but are set within exclusive grounds with immaculately marinated gardens and many of them offer facilities for corporate and private events such as weddings.
The services offered by the colleges are exceptional. A wedding at a Cambridge college is really special and feels particularly exclusive as in most cases, weddings will only be offered to college alumni or those with historic associations. If you are in the fortunate to take advantage of the opportunity to use these one of the colleges facilities I would highly recommend doing so.
Visit my blog post from Emmanuel College Cambridge here
Being a wedding photographer in Cambridgeshire is fantastic and I am spoilt with a wealth of historic places to capture couples wonderful celebrations of marriage. I am always on the lookout for interesting new places to shoot and always hoping to discover new and exciting alternative wedding venues in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
If you’re planning a wedding and looking for an alternative wedding venue in Cambridgeshire then please do check out the rest of my website and blog posts for inspiration and to get a feel for how my style of wedding photography is a great match to the quirky, relaxed and non-traditional venues listed here.
I’d love to hear from you.
Damien
Damien Vickers is a highly regarded wedding photographer based near Cambridge and shooting weddings all over the uk and beyond.