In many people’s eyes, their wedding is the most important day of their lives – the opportunity to celebrate their love, surrounded by their nearest and dearest. With so much effort and anticipation leading up to the big day, you want the event itself to meet or even surpass your expectations and as such, need to find a venue that is special enough to host such an occasion. It is, after all, the basis for the entire day’s proceedings and therefore one of the most crucial planning decisions of all. With that in mind, here are some of London’s very best options to make your day as beautiful as you’ve always dreamed it would be.
ICA
Damien Hirst described the ICA as the ‘cultural heartbeat of London’, giving you a clear indication of the sheer quality on offer at this beautiful venue. The reception rooms available are finished in an 18th century style, immediately granting a palpable sense of glamour and sophistication to your big day. It’s also incredibly easy to organise an event here, with several teams of highly experienced specialists on hand to assist you every step of the way, from the events team to the resident caterers (who will create bespoke, seasonal menus for you) and the in-house technical team who ensure that there are no hiccups once proceedings are underway.
St John at Hackney
This beautiful London church is fast building itself a reputation as a go-to event space. It is a popular choice for live music performances, hosting everything from classical concerts to chart-topping pop stars, with a whole range of popular artists having appeared on their bill, including Ed Sheeran, Emeli Sande and Coldplay. Being a church however, it is also a great choice for a wedding venue, with the huge windows allowing vast amounts of natural light to fill the plentiful space, which can itself hold an impressive 1400 guests. With lots of onsite parking facilities and grounds of around 200 square metres, there’s enough room for everyone to enjoy the day.
Beach Blanket Babylon
You’d be wrong to think that Beach Blanket Babylon is merely a bar and restaurant, when in reality it offers so much more than that. Described as a lifestyle, it is rich with cool character and relaxing charm, ideally suited to getting you and your guests in the right frame of mind for the wedding. With ambient lighting and a luxurious finish, you get that exclusive feel without the need for private membership. Instead, they are entirely inclusive, hosting many different event types for up to 350 people, including – of course – people’s big days. With outdoor space and eye-catching ornamentation throughout, it is a wonderful setting for any special occasion.
Hackney Town Hall
Hackney Town Hall offers a sense of grandeur, due in part to its popular Art-Deco style. The event space itself is very flexible in its use, available either as one large room for a party atmosphere, or broken down into three separate areas – through use of the original floor to ceiling partitions – if you should desire a more intimate feel for your wedding. There are several other retained features in this tastefully restored, historical building as well, including striking chandeliers from the 1930s and the spring dance floor – likely to be put to good use by your guests in the evening! The Assembly Hall itself is reached via a double stairway, so you can make a grand entrance, while the generous 550 person capacity should provide sufficient space.
Century
This hidden gem of a venue may well fly under your radar at first but it’s one not to be missed for those in search of something totally unique. Tucked away discreetly in the popular Soho area of London, Century is a private member’s club split across 5 different floors, each with something interesting on offer, not least the cocktail lounge on one floor and the rooftop terrace up top – Soho’s biggest in fact. It is well situated, with a couple of Underground stations within very easy walking distance, and though the space is highly adaptable for a whole range of uses, wedding receptions held here can accommodate up to 200 guests.
