There’s no city like London – which means there’s no wedding quite like a London wedding. We’ve so much goodness in our capital, from florists to flautists and everything in between. This is definitely true of venues: whether you’re looking for historic or modern, North or South, light and airy or dark and moody, there’s bound to be a space perfect for your day. But that amount of choice might feel overwhelming, so here's my round up of 13 favourite unique wedding venues in London.
Top unique wedding venues in London
Unique wedding venues in City of London & Central
If you’re looking for venues that make travel and transport a total breeze, these City of London and Central spaces will suit you down to the (under)ground.
The Barbican
The Barbican is one of the most iconic buildings in London, but did you know you can also get married there?
Externally, The Barbican is famous for its brutalist architecture, but inside, it’s the plants that are the star. Beneath The Barbican Conservatory’s high glass roof lies a total tropical oasis, featuring over 1,800 plants as well as pools of tropical fish. Greenery cascades from every available surface to create an ideal ceremony backdrop. Plus, all the lush foliage makes the venue feel cosy and intimate, whilst also feeling expansive and spacious.
The Hoxton, Holborn
Bringing East London cool to central, The Hoxton in Holborn is an incredible space for refined but relaxed weddings. Expect the elevated, tongue-in-cheek interior design that you know and love from the Hoxton, in an unusual layout: their special events space, The Apartment, houses seven individually designed spaces centred around a kitchen pantry (which transforms into a bar after hours!).
Unique wedding venues in East London
Check out these unique wedding venues in London’s home of cool: east, glorious east.
Wiltons Music Hall
We’re starting as we mean to go on, with perhaps the crème de la crème of the unique wedding venues in London: Wiltons Music Hall.
If there’s one word to describe Wiltons Music Hall, it would be atmospheric. The Grade II* listed building dates back to the mid-1800s, making it the oldest surviving Grand Music Hall in the world. With loads of the original features still intact, it oozes old-school glamour and a magic that can’t be faked. Plus, thanks to the setup of the space itself, ceremonies there are almost like theatre productions, owing to a totally unusual, unforgettable I do.
Trinity Buoy Wharf
Trinity Buoy Wharf is one of my favourite unique wedding venues in London: a Grade II listed brick beauty on the banks of the Thames. The main wedding space is The Chain and Buoy Store, which is a large Victorian warehouse space with original wooden beams, sliding doors, alcoves, and beautifully curved windows. Inside, the mixture of exposed and white brick with the atmospheric lighting make the space perfect for summer and winter weddings. Outside, there’s a large terrace overlooking the river, the O2 Arena, and the Docklands skyline.
As well as being built for beauty, Trinity Buoy Wharf is built for fun, with the nearby pier allowing guests to arrive by boat. Plus, it’s connected to London’s only lighthouse (fun fact), which is just one of the many available spots perfect for couples’ portraits.
Clapton Tram
Though it’s not obvious from the name, Clapton Tram is yet another on this list of unique wedding venues in London that celebrates a lush tropical aesthetic.
Originally a Victorian stable within an old horse-drawn tram depot, the space has been converted into a plant-filled film and photography studio. This means the venue is not only filled with dreamy light, thanks to the skylights running the full length of the space, but also with period features, like a picture-perfect parquet floor, a stunning staircase, and mismatched antique furniture too.
Hackney Co
The Hackney is a lesser-known but exceptionally well-loved entry to this list of unique wedding venues in London. The building is the definition of industrial chic, with a perfect mixture of original features from its history as a brewery and mechanics’ workshop. Every time I’m there, I notice something new – from an interesting corner to an old safe door.
Again, however, the four-metre high ceilings make everything feel light and airy. But perhaps hte coolest bit of this already very cool venue is the outdoor courtyard – you don’t get many of those in East London!
MC Motors
People often describe arriving at MC Motors as stumbling upon Aladdin’s Cave, and I can totally understand why: through an unassuming door lies 6,000 feet of sprawling industrial gorgeousness.
What makes MC Motors such a treasure trove is the character and personality that oozes from every corner. The walls all have their own stylish texture, and the floor changes depending on which area you’re in. There’s even an untouched Victorian street running through the middle (as you do), where the space was adjoined by a skylighted roof after the World War. All of this makes it an intriguing, unforgettable space that’s perfect for a wedding that’ll be anything but ordinary.
Unique wedding venues in North London
There are so many gems in North London, but here are two of my favourites – each with an airy, editorial vibe.
Loft Studios
As a boutique collection of loft and warehouse spaces, Loft Studios is in itself multiple unique wedding venues in London. No two weddings are the same, so no two Loft Studios weddings are either. Whether you’re looking for high vaulted ceilings, brickwork, white cove walls, windows, they’re all available across five+ spaces that these guys offer. And you don’t need to choose just one: the spaces are interconnected, so you can pick ‘n’ mix the perfect collection for your day.
And, in case you needed any further convincing as to the style credentials of this London venue…they have a sister studio in Ibiza. Enough said!
West Reservoir Centre
Who knew there was a lakeside wedding space in North London? West Reservoir Centre is a hidden gem of a wedding venue on the side of a reservoir in Stoke Newington. It’s a unique, blocky yet tall 1930s building that was originally built as a filter house. It maintains lots of the original features in the main hall (including cool hydraulic machinery, metal girders, and floor plaques), spotlighted by the gorgeous, floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the tranquil water. It’s a particularly dreamy spot for a summer wedding, with that golden hour glow.
Unique wedding venues in South London
Venture South of the river for these unique wedding venues in London, brimming with history and personality.
Asylum Chapel, Peckham
Another Grade II listed addition to this list of unique wedding venues in London is Asylum Chapel, a distressed Georgian church dating back to 1826.
Get married here, though, and you’ll be anything but distressed. The crumbling paintwork, stained glass windows and feature altar space come together to make an incredibly romantic space. It’s so wonderfully ethereal that stepping into Asylum Chapel almost feels as if you’re stepping out of London altogether. The beauty is, of course, that you haven’t: and when you come out of the chapel to the rapturous reception of cheers and confetti, you find yourself in the heart of Peckham!
One Friendly Place
Question: where in London can you get peacock chairs, neon rose lighting, and a giant portrait of Queen Elizabeth? Answer: One Friendly Place.
Like so many of the unique wedding venues in London, One Friendly Place is a photoshoot location as well as an events space: but that’s where any comparisons end. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind venue, boasting 7500 square foot split over multiple floors and playing host to a brilliant array of decor and props. It also has its own private road, and a 1500 square foot rooftop. Everytime I go, I find a new corner that I love and proclaim my favourite!
One Friendly Place is like a warehouse crossed with a circushouse crossed with a very vibey restaurant: it has to be seen to be believed. And when you see it, you instantly fall in love with it.
100 Barrington
100 Barrington is the newest of these unique wedding venues in London in that it only opened for private events a few years ago; but the building itself dates back to Victorian times. Some of the original features from that time remain, but they’ve been reimagined with glossy interiors and juxtaposed with artistic finishing touches.
Housed just next to the railway arch it’s a short walk from Brixton station, and the incredible, inimitable energy of Brixton has well and truly seeped into its every pore.
Unique wedding venues in West London
West London is home to so many incredible areas including Surrey and the historic Richmond-upon-Thames.
Kew Gardens
If you love the greenery of The Barbican but want something a little more classic, then The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew should definitely be on your radar instead.
Based in Richmond upon Thames, Kew is home to the largest and most diverse botanical collections in the world – yep, just outside of London! Obviously, the gardens and grounds are stunning (which is to be expected from a UNESCO World Heritage site), but the buildings are breathtaking too. Get married in the Nash Conservatory, a 19th century glasshouse with floor to ceiling windows looking out into the surrounding grounds, and then celebrate in the jaw-dropping Orangery.
London wedding photographer
If any of these unique wedding venues in London has tickled your fancy and you’re looking for a modern, natural wedding photographer to document your wedding day, then you can get in touch here – I’d love to chat.
Alternatively, if you want to check out more venues, why not head to my roundup of the best luxury wedding venues in London?
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