Whatever you’re dreaming of for your wedding, there’s the chance to make it truly exclusive in Gloucestershire — with rustic barns, medieval castles and opulent stately homes all offering exclusive-use hire for your big day.
From intimate ceremonies to grand affairs, SoGlos handpicks 17 enchanting exclusive-use venues that can create your perfect wedding day in glorious Gloucestershire.
Weddings at Westonbirt House
Westonbirt House, near Tetbury, is a spectacular wedding venue available for exclusive hire, offering bespoke menu options through its award-winning in-house caterer, local wines and drinks packages, too.
Promising the most incredible wedding photos, partners can exchange vows in the opulent Grand Hall or atmospheric Library, both steeped in history, with blessings also available in the 12th-century chapel. While the landscaped gardens and Cotswold scenery provide the perfect backdrop for any special day. With plenty of space, if you want to throw a big bash, you can host up to 500 guests.
Weddings at Eastwood Park
Eastwood Park's 19th-century country house in Wotton-under-Edge on the southern edge of the Cotswolds is yours to make your own with its exclusive use, offering views spanning across the rolling hills of Berkeley Vale — making for a picture-perfect day.
Rich with unique character and standing tall within 200 acres of stunning south Gloucestershire countryside, the venue provides a private and intimate atmosphere for you and your guests to celebrate, accommodating up to 120 overnight guests in 70 bedrooms, paired with tailored wedding packages designed to be bespoke, fitting all personalities and budgets.
Weddings at Pauntley Court
Located in the scenic district of the Forest of Dean, Pauntley Court is an eccentric and unique country home famous for its vibrant red exterior and beautiful weddings, offering exclusive use from Friday until Sunday for you and 22 friends and family members, across 10 gorgeous bedrooms.
The Grade II-listed house is grand in nature and intimate by design, making for a fabulous base for smaller weddings. Its 20 acres feature magical formal gardens, a tennis court, croquet lawn and a pétanque court; as well as a lake with resident swans and rolling countryside — if that wasn't enough, it's also the birthplace of none other than Dick Whittington!
Weddings at Matara
With its Japanese-style gardens and unique decor, Matara promises magical wedding celebrations near Tetbury, blending Cotswold charm with a slice of unique style — with a tree being planted and dedicated to all newlyweds.
With endless photo opportunities within its formal gardens, couples can celebrate their special day within the Regency home or underneath the cloisters in the courtyard. As part of its exclusive hire, Matara provides access to its in-house catering team, producing seasonal dishes that care to all imaginations; as well as wedding coordinators who will be on hand to help you prepare and organise everything from florists to entertainers for your big day.
Weddings at Clearwell Castle
For the full fairy tale effect on your wedding day, a venue like Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean is hard to beat… turrets, portcullis and all.
With Clearwell's bespoke all-inclusive package, to-be-weds can enjoy the assistance of the venue's wedding coordinator, helping from the venue design to choosing suppliers. Within its gorgeous 20 acres, you’ll find a licensed bandstand for outdoor ceremonies, as well as a lake for capturing Kodak moments, while the lawns can be used for playing garden games.
Weddings at Cowley Manor
Wedding parties can have Cowley Manor all to themselves, with exclusive use of the spectacular country house hotel near Cheltenham, its 55-acre grounds and 31 boutique bedrooms — including the premier Best Room for the happy couple, for every night of exclusivity booked.
Plus, all wedding guests can enjoy 20 per cent off treatments at Cowley’s award-winning C-Side Spa for the duration of their stay. The perfect tonic for sore heads the next day!
Weddings at Berkeley Castle
A grand medieval fortress with royal connections and a fascinating history, Berkeley Castle, near Stroud, offers a glorious setting for wedding celebrations with a fairy tale feel — with newlyweds able to take over the majestic venue for the whole weekend.
Whether opting for an outdoor wedding, church service or civil ceremony, celebrants can say their vows within a wonderful setting, before enjoying drinks on the terrace, exploring the castle and dancing into the night. Accommodation for up to 36 guests is included from Friday to Sunday.
Weddings at The Lygon Arms
Steeped in 600 years of Cotswold history, the honey-hued exterior of The Lygon Arms in Broadway promises a warm, cosy and characterful setting to say 'I do...' — offering those tying the knot the option to pull out all the stops by exclusively hiring the coaching inn in its entirety.
With catering options for as little as two people, all the way up to 100 guests when hiring The Lygon for exclusive use, its various wedding packages cover everything needed to impress guests and create memories to last a lifetime.
Weddings at Blackwell Grange
Bursting with rich history, Blackwell Grange is an elegant, exclusive-hire wedding venue, located in a rural setting near Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire.
Made up of characterful barns dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, which have been lovingly restored, the grange offers gorgeous landscaped gardens and luxurious on-site accommodation, as well as numerous dining options and a honeymoon cottage for loved-up newlyweds.
Weddings at Thornbury Castle
Feel like royalty on your wedding day with exclusive use of the grand Thornbury Castle in South Gloucestershire — the only Tudor castle operating as a hotel — ruling over the whole castle, its 27 bedchambers and 15-acre grounds for the day.
With beautifully refurbished rooms, exquisite architecture and pristine gardens, it provides an exceptional backdrop for the most luxurious marriage ceremonies. Exclusive hire starts at £10,000, including breakfast for guests the next day.
Weddings at The Barn at Upcote
Home to a gorgeous set of restored Cotswold barns, make your rustic wedding dreams come true at The Barn at Upcote, near Withington. Venue hire includes exclusive use of the beautiful buildings, grounds and honeymoon suite on both the morning and night of the wedding.
Whether you want alfresco drinks in the courtyard, a relaxed barbecue, an intimate meal in the Grain Store or a wedding breakfast in the Threshing Barn, the blank space venue offers flexibility within a secluded countryside setting.
Weddings at The Painswick
An ideal setting for more intimate weddings, The Painswick is a contemporary, boutique hotel, set within the picture-perfect village of Painswick, that can become all yours for your big day.
Accommodating up to 50 guests for the main event, and up to 80 for evening celebrations, hire of The Painswick includes exclusive access to the lounges, garden, restaurant and treatment rooms, with 17 stylish bedrooms for guests as well as the option of a cottage stay for the bride and groom.
Weddings at The Kingscote Barn
Set in its own secret valley in the Cotswold hills, couples can take over the charming Kingscote Barn for their wedding day, making full use of its traditional barn, picturesque grounds, unique accommodation options and on-site dressing room.
Whether you’re planning an outdoor summer wedding with drinks on the lawn, or want twinkling fairy lights for a cosy winter celebration, The Kingscote Barn can create bespoke packages to celebrate your day in style.
Weddings at Elmore Court
A stunning stately home with lovely Cotswold views, Elmore Court remains one of Gloucestershire’s most sought-after wedding venues, with couples able to enjoy exclusive use of the grand house and handsome gardens for their special day.
Elmore’s unique celebration space, the Gillyflower, is all geared up for drinking, dining and dancing, to keep the party going after the ‘I do’s’, while exclusive-use hire also includes a honeymoon suite for the happy couple to spend the night, too. Guests staying overnight also have the option of a sleepover that's truly unique, by settling down in one of the estate's new treehouses!
Weddings at No.38 The Park
Nestled in a leafy corner of Pittville in Cheltenham, this Georgian townhouse offers 13 bedrooms and its restaurant, lounge, bar and outdoor terrace for your big day.
There are no packages at No.38 The Park — just a promise to tailor the day to whatever you're dreaming of. Its position opposite Pittville Park is perfect for photos and the bride and groom get the hotel's best bedroom the night before the wedding for a relaxed start to the day.
Weddings at Blackfriars Priory
An internationally significant English Heritage site and multi-award-winning venue, Blackfriars Priory sits in the heart of Gloucester, close to the historic docks. Its North Range — which boasts a spectacular 65-foot scissor-braced oak ceiling — provides a versatile space for ceremonies for 60 to 180 guests; wedding breakfasts for 150 to 180 guests; and evening functions for up to 230.
For intimate celebrations, the Upper East Range can host ceremonies for up to 60; wedding breakfasts for up to 50; and evenings functions for up to 50. Or for couples looking to elope together with only their very nearest and dearest, the Lower East Range Old Kitchen can accommodate up to 14 people.
Weddings at The Stroud hotel
Smack bang in the heart of Stroud town centre and opposite the train station for easy arrival for guests, this unique 24-bedroom venue combines modern elegance with rich heritage, offering the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wedding reception.
The recently revived historic Grade II-listed hotel, bar and restaurant has been designed with a contemporary and rustic charm and has a small urban garden space too. The Stroud can host up to 60 guests for an intimate, sit-down dinner or up to 110 guests for a lively reception for dancing and delightful canapes.
