Revealed: the 23 most spectacular wedding venues across the globe

By Natasha Leake

Wedding venues with serious wow factor. Pictured: the ballroom at the Corinthia

Will it be grande-dame opulence with monogrammed robes or garden glamour with a black Labrador acting as ring bearer? From London to Barbados, North Yorkshire to Rome, these are the 23 most exclusive – and unforgettable – wedding venues from around the world.

Hotel Café Royal, Piccadilly

Want a stylish going-away? Hotel Café Royal's fleet of ready-to-hire cars includes a Lamborghini. But what truly makes this place perfect for weddings is its location. Right in the heart of London, its ornate Pompadour Ballroom opens onto a pillared outdoor terrace, giving panoramic views of Regent Street. Another perk is the spa, with its legendary hammam for a night-before body scrub (and electronic music meditation for nervous brides). And for that extra-personal touch, robes and pillowcases canbe embroidered with the bride and groom's initials.

hotelcaferoyal.com

Chelsea Physic Garden, Chelsea

Aristos, movie stars and the metropolitan elite clamour to be hitched in this 17th-century garden, filled with birds and aromatic herbs. ‘VIPs don't want the paparazzi trailing them,’ says events coordinator Hannah Kahn, ‘and the Physic is a place they feel safe.’ However, this is one of the hardest venues to bag: ‘We only hire two evenings a week,’ says Kahn, ‘so we sell out very quickly.’ In the summer, you can smell the roses here; lounge on Moroccan rugs on the lawn and wander round the four acres with your spouse. A chance for a bit of peace – and some excellent photographs.

chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge

For your wedding here, it's all in the detail. Thus, if you choose to enter from Knightsbridge, they’ll arrange for flags emblazoned with your names to fly overhead. The bride and groom celebrate their day in a ballroom overlooking Hyde Park, where Queen Elizabeth II learned to dance. And the hotel offers complimentary transfers home the day after the wedding. To celebrate their first anniversary, couples are invited back to dine at Michelin-starred restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. On the house.

mandarinoriental.com

Corinthia London, Westminster

If it ever matters how a couple look and feel, it's on their wedding day. And what's special here is the free precision healthcare prepping – in partnership with the London Regenerative Institute – that helps them achieve their optimum. On the day itself, natural light streams into the ballroom; personalised drinks by barman Salvatore Calabrese flow freely in the Velvet cocktail bar; and the rooftop terrace guarantees glorious photos against the sweeping skyline.

corinthia.com

Chiswick House, Chiswick

Channel the spirit of 18th-century It girl Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire – a former chatelaine here – and wed with charm and grace. You have three options: the ornate house, replete with art history; a conservatory set in the Italian Garden; or the garden pavilion marquee. Personalised cocktails – using a gin flavoured by extracts from 300-year-old cedar trees and petals from its heritage camellias – can be concocted. For the photographs, the bride and groom can be transported by buggy around the 65-acre gardens, which include a waterfall and lake. Love is in theair – in the kitchens, too. ‘We are currently working on a tailored menu, based on a story of how one of our couples met through a love of cooking,’ says venue manager extraordinaire Camilla Criswell.

chiswickhouseandgardens.org.uk

Bulgari Hotel London, Knightsbridge

Weddings here literally drip with opulence. The founding father of the firm, Sotirios Boulgaris, was a silversmith; and in tribute to him, a pair of solid silver chandeliers have been hung from the ballroom ceiling. Meanwhile, couples staying in one of the seven Bulgari Suites will not only find headboards that take inspiration from a brooch design by Sotirios, but bedside table lamps adapted from silver candlesticks. You may be late retiring, though: thanks to the ballroom's amazing sound-proofing, no one will be asking you to wind things up for the sake of other guests. Every suite has butler service around the clock. You can arrange a private pre-wedding dinner, with live music and DJs in Nolita, the basement bar. And on your first anniversary, you’ll be treated to a complimentary night in the magnificent Bulgari Spa Couples Suite.

bulgarihotels.com

The Berkeley, Knightsbridge

Right next to the gorgeous St Paul's Knightsbridge (ideal for exchanging vows) and neighbouring Belgravia, The Berkeley ensures every room-fridge is pre-stocked with face masks by 111 Skin – official suppliers to the Oscars – for bride, groom and guests to apply the night before. As for the festivities: ‘It's not just about a white ballroom with some lilies in it, it's about being contemporary and cool,’ says communications director Charlotte Alexander-Stace. She waxes lyrical about The Snug – a private space filled with art and pink velvet blankets – as a hen-do location. Bottled cocktails come as favours from the renowned Blue Bar. And for the wedding feast, Insta-famous chef Cédric Grolet's team is on hand to make cakes that break the mould.

the-berkeley.co.uk

Roundhill Grange, Somerset

For a truly ‘sustainable’ celebration delivered with holistic care, you can't do better than Roundhill. Every last detail is hyper-locally sourced. The lamb and hand-reared Wagyu beef served at the wedding breakfast comes from the Grange's 1,000 acres of farmland, and vegetables from the Walled Garden. In-house beekeepers supply honey; wine comes from the estate's vineyard; and resident forager Kenny creates bespoke chutney that, at the request of one couple, was served with the cheese course. Though you can't stay at the Grade II-listed venue overnight, the bridal party tends to decamp to nearby Durslade Farmhouse.

roundhillgrange.co.uk

By Natasha Leake

By Laetitia de Belgique

By Hope Coke

Grantley Hall, North Yorkshire

Although it's only been open since 2019, Grantley is already known as the ‘Ritz of Ripon’ and – thanks to its friendly Yorkshire hospitality – highly regarded as a big-day venue. From crafting a bespoke logo for the happy pair and providing personalised wedding stationery, to making a ‘His&Hers cocktail’ with the couple's preferred fruits and colours in mind, nothing is impossible. Llama-walking – they’re on leads – is available on request, as are acrobats to perform at the reception. The best part, though, is the subterranean champagne bar – Valeria's – for the evening revels.

grantleyhall.co.uk

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

BP is a venue that is rich not only in history but also in local produce. The estate's spring has even been tapped for its own-branded bottled water. The Grand Hall was naturally the Marquess and Marchioness of Blandford's wedding venue of choice in 2018. And, wow, can the interiors be accessorised: when model Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar married Nigerian oil heir Folarin Alakija in 2017, florist Jeff Leatham supplied one million white roses.

blenheimpalace.com

Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire

Romance is engrained in the grounds of this Grade II-listed mansion hotel, nestled in the bosom of the countryside: Henry VIII is said to have met his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, on this land; the rose and lavender walkway is ideal for photos (and the hotel makes lavender eye masks to ensure a sound night's sleep for the bride-to-be). Wedding manager Rebecca Marsh tells of couples who have requested clay-pigeon shooting or falconry to make their nuptials more memorable. Meanwhile, the resident black Labrador Oliver Beckington is available as a ring bearer.

fourseasons.com

Coworth Park, Surrey

No wonder Prince Harry spent his last night as a bachelor at this rural, regal, white edifice: it has its own polo field and stables. But if you’re thinking of the photographs, then Coworth's wildflower meadow and herb gardens might make better locations. Meanwhile, the Dower House – a delightfully quaint Tudor-style cottage boasting a magnificent copper bathtub and views over the countryside – is perfect for quiet time because of its set-back privacy. And the establishment's child-friendly ethos is a big plus: activities, playrooms and staff all help couples with children find a moment of peace before and on the big day.

dorchestercollection.com

By Natasha Leake

By Laetitia de Belgique

By Hope Coke

Barsham Barns, Norfolk

Most grand weddings in these parts are solemnised in the Palladian splendours of nearby Holkham Hall. But if you’d like somewhere cosier the night before or after, Barsham Barns's cottages radiate home-from-home comfort. As well they might, being part of the family estate owned by the Hon Jeremy Soames's three children (who often come and say hello to happy couples). Renowned interior designer Flora Soames's decorative schemes feature duck-egg-blue walls, wood-burners and freshly cut flowers – it's aristo taste. There's craft beer-tasting for guests at the Soames's own Barsham Brewery; and the freshly-shucked oysters served at your banquet are supplied by a wonderful local seafood company.

barshambarns.co.uk

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire

Nuptials at this Grade II-listed, Bridgerton-style country manor are seldom run-of-the-mill. For one wedding, the team procured the Grammy-winning American jazz singer Gregory Porter. And recently, it has both hosted a funfair – complete with ferris wheel and dodgems – and created an indoor forest of mature trees. Talking of trees, you can plant one with a plaque commemorating your marriage in the arboretum – then watch it grow as you return to celebrate your anniversary over the years.

lucknampark.co.uk

Fairmont Windsor Park, Berkshire

Among the standout facilities at this Jacobean-style new-build is its colossal spa, boasting a magnificent Himalayan salt room. Lucky the couple who can entirely book out one of the spa wings, pre- or post-wedding, for some quality rejuvenation. Meanwhile, Floris – the oldest perfumer in the UK – has an on-site shop, where you can create a personalised scent to remember the day. Literally any masterclass can be laid on for the bride and groom if they have down-time (afternoon tea, hot chocolate and cocktail masterclasses are popular). And if they choose to jet off to the Fairmont Sirru Fen Fushi in the Maldives for their honeymoon, they will be treated to one night free of charge.

fairmont-windsorpark.com

Glenapp Castle, Aryshire, Scotland

Looking over the sea at the outcrop of Ailsa Craig, with Ulster looming beyond, is the penthouse suite. And if the magic happens in here, it's not for want of prepping. Paige Hill, who runs weddings, meticulously compiles a special planning book with the bride, and the team deftly co-ordinate a ‘first look’ for the couple. The Azalea restaurant in the Walled Garden also makes a perfect place for the ceremony: its glass roof allows you to marry under the stars. For your honeymoon, try a Hebridean Sea Safari in the castle's rib boat. Not only will you see incredible marine life, taste whiskies and glamp under canvas in the wild, but the hotel's team will also arrive early to cook up a feast. A chance to truly wind down.

glenappcastle.com

By Natasha Leake

By Laetitia de Belgique

By Hope Coke

Cobblers Cove, Speightstown, Barbados

People who gather for weddings at Cobblers ‘feel they are part of a luxurious, glamorous house party’, says co-owner and creative director Sam de Teran. At this beach-front family-run property, couples return by boat from their ceremony at a nearby church to a reception made all the more memorable by the pink and white umbrellas dotting the sands and horse-rides along the beach. De Teran has also been complicit in surprise proposals. One hopeful young swain asked for a picnic in the grounds. ‘And when she said "yes", all the staff cheered from the balcony!’

cobblerscove.com

GoldenEye, Oracabessa, Jamaica

It doesn't get more glamorous than having the original Bond novels written on your property, but that also sets a high bar. Wedding planner Fiona Campbell urges couples to embrace their inner Jamaican. ‘One bride and groom jumped from the suspension bridge into our Blue Lagoon after their ceremony, overwhelmed with joy,’ she recalls. It's all about connecting with the local heritage. So think Rasta high-priest drummers for the reception; and unique bonfire ceremonies lit by the full moon. Yoga on the peninsula is popular for relaxation before the big day.

goldeneye.com

Palm Heights, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Sitting on one of the Caribbean's most coveted stretches of white sand, Palm Heights is an unsurprisingly desirable address for weddings (and, in Chloë Sevigny's case, for a hen do). Personalised cocktails from its ocean-view bar, the swanky Coconut Club, are a speciality. And since it gives on to the beach, evening festivities can take place in the open, with the hotel's comforts just a few steps away. This place also boasts the only rooftop space on Seven Mile Beach (excellent for sunset photography) and to keep trim, there's the Palm Heights Athletics gym.

palmheights.com

Hotel Eden, Rome, Italy

What makes Hotel Eden special for weddings is its intimacy. Just minutes from the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, it's also steeped in culture. Although you can't be officially married in the hotel, the Eden recommends the magnificent Sala Rossa on the Capitoline Hill for the ceremony; and once you’ve dragged yourself away from its views over the Forum, you can retire to the hotel's Bellavista Penthouse Suite, which offers an equally stunning panorama. La Terrazza restaurant at the top of the hotel is available for private hire on Sunday and Monday evenings, so British brides might want to book a Bank Holiday.

dorchestercollection.com

By Natasha Leake

By Laetitia de Belgique

By Hope Coke

Airelles Le Château d’Estoublon, Provence, France

Privacy, and the locations on offer for the ceremony, are what set Château d’Estoublon apart. Tucked away in glorious Provence, the estate (which can only be hired in its entirety) offers weddings at the Romanesque-style chapel in its grounds, as well as in its rose garden, or inside the castle itself. Staff include a team of butlers, a battery of chefs and a squad of fitness instructors for wedding-morning yoga – and a tennis coach. The 10-bedroomed château is set in a vineyard and olive grove, so party favours include olive oil and wine. The Estoublon Roseblood rosé is a must-try.

chateau-estoublon.com

São Lourenço Do Barrocal, Alentejo, Portugal

The wedding cake is on the house at this rustic sanctuary, set in the rolling hills of southern Portugal. And as it only accepts block bookings, the farm – which sleeps up to 114 people in estate cottages – is all yours, too. Take your pick from a dozen ceremony locations: under the shade of a cork tree, beside a 7,000-year-old menhir; in the old apiary, or the bull ring. All have bucolic charm. As does the food, which is grown on-site or locally sourced from village artisans, such as the cheesemaker in nearby Reguengos de Monsaraz.

barrocal.pt

Royal Mansour Hotel, Marrakech, Morocco

With petal-pink pathways and the Atlas Mountains as backdrop, you can say hello to flawless wedding photographs. You may be taking a few more yourself. Sunset hot-air balloon-rides over the Sahara are available (bespoke, so you can land and have a champagne picnic). One groom asked for the Grand Riad to be covered in 20,000 red roses for his bride. Hélène Darroze, one of the world's best female chefs – lately at the Connaught – has just settled here and her team can be requested to create a magical rooftop wedding banquet.

royalmansour.com

By Emma Elwick-Bates

By Astrid Joss

By Stephanie Bridger-Linning

By Michael Roberts