My 10 Best Wedding Venues In Cambridgeshire
A a Cambridge Wedding photographer I have worked at some fantastic wedding venues in Cambridgeshire. There are some truly awesome venues from the fabulous architecture within the colleges of Cambridge University to the many large country houses and rustic farm venues in the area, there are a wealth of options. For this post I wanted to focus on Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire that offer a variety of alternative options in terms of style and setting. These are my favourite 10 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 venue in Cambridgeshire. 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 grand 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 just a couple of hundred yards offsite 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.
Visit: Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire: Longstowe Hall
2. Granary Estates
Located in the village of Woodditton, near Newmarket, this carefully restored 18th-century barn is home to an award-winning wedding venue set among surrounding cornfields.
Granary Estates is a blend of rustic charm and modern style and functionality. Barns that are beautifully and tastefully restored retain their original charm while being modern, light and elegant.
The venue consists of two original barns linked by an open glass walkway and a landscaped courtyard garden. The venue holds licenses for ceremonies in both barns and the courtyard and offers both intimate ceremonies of up to 88 in the Flint Barn, Courtyard and up to 175 in the Main Barn.
The spacious Granary Barn hosts the reception and provides a great space for both the wedding breakfast and the evening party. This is a fabulous reception area with the tables being nicely spaced (you won’t feel crammed in here) as well a decent-sized dance floor area and the bar on the opposite side of the barn.
One of the other standout features of this venue is the private cottages on the grounds. There are twin adjacent cottages so both partners can have morning preparations with the groomsmen/bridesmaids in separate spaces right next door to one another.
3. Lanwades Hall
Lanwades Hall is a Tudor-style manor house tucked away in the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border countryside, specifically in the village of Kentford near Newmarket. It features 12 acres of beautifully maintained gardens and parkland, the estate offers a serene and private setting for weddings.
The venue boasts several elegant rooms licensed for civil ceremonies, including the Morning Room and the Great Hall. Each features original oak panelling and high ceilings with classic English country historic charm.
Couples and their guests can enjoy exclusive use of the property throughout the day. There are 13 bedrooms available, including a luxurious Grand Wedding Suite overlooking the Sunken Garden. This suite is perfect for pre-wedding preparations, and the light here is divine.
Particularly memorable at Lanwades is the outdoor ceremony space, the Sunken Garden. The garden is beautifully manicured and the perfect size for a ceremony while being well enclosed to protect from the wind adds to the sense of exclusivity.
The Great Hall is typically used for larger gatherings of over 70 guests, this spacious room boasts atmospheric dark wood panelling balanced by full-height bay windows that flood the space with natural light. Its grandeur makes it perfect for both ceremonies and receptions. This is where the wedding breakfast and evening party take place. As a photographer, something I love here is the position of the top table which is lit by a large window on the opposite side of the room, this makes for great naturally lit speech photos.
The grounds at Lanwades are great to explore – as well as the aforementioned sunken garden you can vent into the adjacent fields for a wide shot of the grounds with the house behind or head over to the woods where the sun hits late in the day. It’s a great venue for a versatile set of backdrops for the couple’s wedding portraits.
4. South Farm
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. Bassmead Manor Barns
Nestled in the picturesque corner of Cambridgeshire, close to the border with Bedfordshire, Bassmead Manor Barns stands out as a remarkable wedding venue. This fabulous wedding venue offers a perfect blend of rustic charm and contemporary luxury.
Bassmead features a collection of beautifully restored barns, each with its own unique character, providing an idyllic setting for both intimate ceremonies and grand celebrations. The Rickety Barn, with its exposed beams and high ceilings, creates an intimate and romantic atmosphere, while the Bridge Barn, overlooking a tranquil moat, offers a scenic backdrop for exchanging vows. The elegant and versatile spaces at Bassmead Manor Barns ensure that couples can customise their wedding experience to suit their vision, whether it be a cozy winter celebration or a sunlit summer affair with an evening bathed in warm sunshine.
Bassmead Manor Barns also boasts meticulously landscaped gardens and courtyards that enhance the overall charm of the venue. The well-manicured lawns provide a delightful space for guests to enjoy games and music while there are a range of options for beautiful couple portraits even though the entire area around the venue can be walked in just a few minutes.
The courtyard offers a picturesque backdrop and great textures, while the bridge on the other side of the building is an obvious go to for photos. Best of all (particularly from a photographer’s perspective) are the wheat fields alongside the approach to the venue. The sun sets perfectly behind the trees here, making for awesome golden hour and sunset photo opportunities.
With its historic barns, scenic surroundings, and attention to detail, Bassmead Manor Barns offers a unique and enchanting backdrop for couples seeking a romantic and memorable wedding celebration in the heart of the English countryside.
Visit: Wedding venues in Cambridgeshire: Bassmead Manor Barns
6. Trinity Hall College, Cambridge
Trinity Hall College in Cambridge offers a unique setting for a wedding, combining centuries of history and stunning architecture with fabulous location on the banks of the river Cam.
The college features beautiful courtyards, tranquil gardens, and a grand riverside location, making it a captivating choice for couples seeking a sophisticated yet timeless atmosphere.
Featuring gothic architecture, Trinity Hall college’s standout features are the Great Hall and the riverside grounds, which not create a fantastic backdrop for wedding photography but offer couples and their guests the opportunity to hop directly onto a guided punt tour from the venue, to take in the sights and sounds of the river Cam on a relaxing 30 minute ride. The quintessensial Cambridge experience.
As a photographer, Trinity Hall College is a lovely venue due to its rich, historic surroundings and diverse spaces. The classic architecture, with its intricate details and ambient lighting, provides amazing backdrops everywhere you turn and the contrast of the lush green gardens with the pale, textured stone of the buildings is especially pleasing.
For the wedding breakfast, we head to the dining hall, which features impressive wooden beams, rich oak panelling, and a grand atmosphere. Ideal for a formal wedding breakfast, the hall has a unique blend of traditional academic grandeur and warmth. The large windows also provide ample natural light, creating an inviting and beautiful space and are great for photos during the speeches, including an opportunity for a great wide shot from the balcony.
Additionally, the Master’s Lodge is an intimate and luxurious space that can be used for smaller, more personal gatherings or pre-wedding events. Its elegant rooms, classic decor, and historic charm make it a fantastic option for an elegant wedding celebration.
All these versatile spaces at Trinity Hall College offer a blend of classic beauty and timeless elegance, making it a perfect venue for a memorable wedding day.
Visit: Tinity Hall Wedding
7. Madingley Hall
Madingley Hall stands as an exquisite and relatively well kept secret as a venue for weddings, The hall itself, a grand 16th-century mansion, exudes a timeless beauty that provides a captivating backdrop for wedding outdoor ceremonies and receptions.
Its grandeur is complemented by meticulously maintained interiors, featuring opulent reception rooms and a stunning oak-paneled dining hall that exudes an air of sophistication. Couples seeking a venue with a rich history and architectural splendour will find Madingley Hall to be a perfect choice.
Madingley Hall is just three miles west of Cambridge, England. Surrounded by magnificent historic gardens and fantastic views along the tree lined avenues to the villages beyond. This charming venue provides numerous backdrops for a varied range of couple portraits and those all important documentary shots during the drinks reception.
At the end of your big day, the venue can offer overnight accommodation to you and your guests to enjoy comfortable night’s stay after a hard day’s celebrations.
8. Westminster College, Cambridge
Westminster College in Cambridge offers a stunning venue for couples seeking a wedding with a perfect balance of elegance, academic charm fantastic photo opportunities.
Nestled in beautiful surroundings, the college features lush green lawns, picturesque gardens, and impressive historic buildings that serve as a magnificent backdrop for weddings.
The quaint chapel and spacious reception halls provide both grandeur and intimacy, making it an ideal location for a memorable celebration.
There is an intangiable quality to the light at Westminster College that I love as a wedding photographer – especially inside. The combination of the historic high ceilinged rooms with the light coming through the huge windows creates a wonderfully dramatic light that adds depth to the indoor portraits.
One of the standout spaces is the Chapel, which features stunning stained-glass windows, high vaulted ceilings, and an air of serenity, making it the perfect setting for a ceremony. Its historic and elegant architecture provides a grand yet intimate atmosphere for exchanging vows.
For the reception, the Great Hall is a popular choice. With its high ceilings, traditional wood paneling, and large windows letting in natural light, although this space is notably excellent after dark with a candlelit reception creating a wonderfully intimate atmosphere.
Finally the gardens are perfect for some more portraits and group shots and also well placed for some late golden hour moments too.
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 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”.
See one of my recent weddings from The Old Hall, Ely HERE
Visit: Wedding Venues in Cambridgeshire: The Old Hall Ely
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 a 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.
