Has anyone got married in a museum?

[Thenthatsthatthen]

Specifically the natural history museum in London. It’s always been my dream but somehow have got DP on board. But as a guest:

1. would the location put you off? No parking nearby and it would be London prices. Most guests will be around a 30minuet train journey from central London. I don’t want to make it to the expensive for guests. Reception would end in time to get the last trains home.

2. am I likely to loose guests to the museum? Won’t have exclusive use of the venue, just one of the galleries so as a guest would you wander off to explore the museum?

3. Is the whole idea a bit naff? We don’t want a traditional venue but is this to out there?

I think it's a lovely idea. The Peggy Porschen tea room is walking distance from there to have a lovely afternoon tea wedding breakfast. Or claridges if you've got money (they rent lovely side rooms for parties)

No, but it sounds freaking amazing!

I did! Not in London but in the big, beautiful museum in the city I'm from.
It was great as we had over 50 children at our wedding so plenty to amuse them before and after the ceremony!

I went to a birthday party in a museum in Hamburg and it was fab! We had the whole museum though, private tours, and a BBQ in the grounds.
I wouldn't be put off by a wedding in the NHM or the logistics, but I could see that it might seem awkward for some guests.
Elderly relatives may find it especially problematic and it will fall to other people to get them there and back.

I love that building OP.

Londons the closest city to us that has museums. We would have a sit down meal of some sort and then more food in the evening depending on what the Museam offers. Doubt we’d do a free bar though-is that terribly rude? We’re not massive drinkers and would have small DC to watch so not intending to have more than a few glasses of prosecco or something (we’d buy a round in for he speeches). I’m sure we could pay for taxis to/from Waterloo for the elderly relatives, it’s just making sure they can get on the train okay.

I did. I was a small local Victorian house museum that is run by our local council, it’s full of mannequins dressed up in Victorian garb stuffed animals. It’s in a park a mile or so away from our house that we go to all the time so it means a lot to us. It was perfect! Cost £400. We had our reception in a Victorian dance hall that was also owned by different local council.

Check on your local council website to see if they have anything. I loved my wedding ❤️

Sort of. The Town hall and museum were part of the same building. Before our wedding, DH and I wandered round the museum in our wedding clothes, sat in the cafe and did the crossword. I think a couple of people also visited the museum before it all started, but then everyone stayed with the party.

I adore museums, any and all museums but I think I'd cry if i couldn't look round it. I'm not sure that i could resist.

I went to a wedding in a museum. It was really, really lovely.

There was a dedicated slot for wandering around the museum (after hours) and people didn’t tend to wander off at other times.

I have run corporate events at museums in London before. I love the idea for a wedding.

Another museum that is absolutely fabulous and so little appreciated is the Garden Museum. And they have a lovely garden (obviously!) as well as a brilliant space to hire.

It's possible to get married in the Horniman Museum, it's in the old Victorian Conservatory. I always thought that looked like a lovely place to get married.

Just to add; I have also been a guest at a wedding in Kew Gardens and that was a-maz-ing!!! So anyone else reading this thread and looking for unusual wedding venues - that's another one!

A company I worked for used to have the Christmas party there every year. You actually only have the main hall where the dinosaur used to be, for dining and another room at the side for dancing. Presumably this would be used for the wedding ceremony too. You also get the use of adjacent loos. You can’t wander very far.

We were guests at a wedding in the V and A. We had the sculpture gallery, the big central courtyard and some adjacent spaces, but not access to the entire museum. It was absolutely gorgeous.

We did. My DH and I meet outside the museum on our first date. We then got married in a room above museum 4 years later.

I got married in a geological museum in Edinburgh and it was amazing. Guests were either locals or they rented apartments/hotel rooms in town and loads of people made a weekend of it. The museum was open when the wedding started so I got a fair bit of attention when I arrived which felt weird but fun. We got to explore some of it after dark and it was brilliant.
I'd go for it!

Have you seen the prices op?
Looks bloody amazing though!

We had a look round and would use the Earth room (the one with the giant metal globe and stairs in the centre) or maybe the north hall. The main room sits 450 and we’d have 150 max (at a push) for the reception and less for the ceremony so I’d be worried the main hall would look to empty. Good to know people wouldn’t have access to the whole museam all the time.

If you held it outside of term time your guests could get cheapish rooms at Imperial College round the corner.
Sounds lovely.

It sounds like an amazing place to get married, and as a guest I would absolutely to attend. It sounds like you've been very considerate of guests expenses and travel which is lovely

Been to a wedding at a different museum. It was lovely, ruined all future weddings for DD as she will expect a dinosaur at every one

Fabulous venue. Previously used for work event for 400. You’d have an amazing day and a great turnout, I’m sure. Plus, lots of fun being around all of the tourists etc when you arrive.

It’s a glamorous venue with steep hire fees...IMO a pay bar doesn’t really fit. Might be worth letting people pay their own way to the venue and offering wine/beers/soft drinks (maybe not spirits) to your guests.

Hiring a couple of nannies to entertain little ones would definitely be a worthwhile investment. You’re the star attraction at your own wedding and I can’t imagine trying to host and watch kids too.

Have an amazing time planning.

My friend did, not in London, but another city.....it was amazing, different, yet perfect. I would totally recommend it.....It's your day, your choice, everyone will love it!