Struggling to find quirky wedding venue in NW

[bellissimiaow]

My partner and I have decided to get married next year. I've been married before, he's not. My first wedding was in 1997 and was a pretty traditional church affair. For our wedding, we'd like something really informal, non-traditional and we'd love to embrace the whole 'Anything Goes' ethos. We both love live music and have lots of connections with musicians/bands etc so music will play a big part. We love gigs, festivals, films, museums etc and have loads of brilliant, easy-going friends so we just want to provide a great, happy gathering for them.

The problem we have is finding a venue without spending an absolute fortune. We've decided to do away with a formal meal altogether to reduce costs and hopefully be able to invite more guests.

I think it would be a late afternoon, celebrant-led ceremony for all guests (around 100) with informal speeches and toasts but no formal meal. A bit of time for drinks and photos, and then straight on to an early evening buffet/food and live entertainment and music for the rest of the night.

We're currently looking at hiring a tipi but I'm nervous about what would happen if it rained. It would be gorgeous on a late summer evening as people could mill about outside and we could have it in the middle of nowhere with no noise restrictions but we'd also have to actually find a piece of suitable land or grounds which adds to the cost.

We're also looking at quirky venues in or around Manchester. They don't need to be licenced wedding venues as we will be using a celebrant so it can be literally anywhere, but this is making it difficult to know where to look! There's a couple of distilleries that offer wedding spaces that look very cool, and some of the old buildings like the Albert Hall or the Victoria Baths are amazing but too expensive. Some of the historic Manchester University buildings also host weddings which would be great as I studied there many moons ago but to be able to invite 100 people to these kind of spaces is ££££.

Do any NW people have any ideas of largish, quirky spaces that could be used for a big party that wouldn't cost the earth. We really want something a bit different that people will remember rather than the usual hotel/hall but I really need help to think outside the box. Typing in 'unusual wedding venues' into Google still just brings up obvious venues for weddings. What we need really is an impressive space that isn't an obvious choice for weddings but that can easily be transformed and used for one.

Any ideas, or has anyone done something similar?

Hooe Mill Theatre or Halle St Peters in Ancoats

Salford Museum and Art Gallery

The Lowry (compass room) or Victoria Warehouse

Agree with PP - look for party venue rather than wedding

There is a really great space near Hebden Bridge, it was a mill. I have photographed a wedding there, the light was amazing and they had a festival/bands all day theme. It had a cool outdoor space. You could get the train to your wedding from Manc.

Rivington Hall Barn is pretty versatile.

The trouble is if you search for ‘unique wedding venue’ or similar, you’ll come across pricey places that are marketing themselves as being unique and quirky.

My friend really wanted a marquee weddings and local venues were charging an absolute fortune. She ended up finding a village hall that had a big field out the back, and got a whole weekend hire for about £500. The hall itself was very 70s, but it had kitchen and loos, so no need to hire portaloos etc. We had a great time!

If you’re doing a festival type thing, try local campsites who offer exclusive hire. Also some youth hostels in the YHA do exclusive hire venues which are very unique and great fun for parties.

Barns are so overdone. Don't do a barn unless it's on and actual farm with hay and stuff.

@SlugRose

A tipi in the rain will be perfect for the anything goes vibe.

One of the nicest weddings I've been to was a cousin's, where they had a big marquee in their huge garden in the middle of July. The marquee was in the lowest part of the garden, and it poured with rain for days beforehand and on the day. The bride's mother went out and bought dozens of pairs of wellies for guests, and lots of others just took their shoes off (it wasn't cold) and we danced in the mud. It was like a posh Glastonbury, with champagne, it was brilliant. The bride was barefoot and ended up with mud all over her dress, but it was a LOT of fun.

You can get married on the platform at Bolton St Station in Bury...

You probably really need to like trains for that (they do an evening do on the platform too, its mostly under cover and then theres a whole train to use as well).

Salford Lads Club have rooms you can hire for the Smiths type vibe

Victoria baths!!

Spinningfields and The Great Northern have event spaces. My BIL went to a wedding inside an old mill space which looked very cool.

Just look for event spaces, don't mention the word wedding when you enquire either - they hike the prices. I would be looking at places like for instance rugby/sports clubs with a licenced bar on site and many will allow camping too - hold your own mini festival. We've been to lots of rally's at these sorts of venues and it's very reasonable to hire ( they know they make money on the bar!)

I was going to suggest the Albert Hall. What’s your budget, and how many people are you thinking of? There’s a gorgeous converted church in Ancoats that I loved the look of, but it’s quite large, so a small party would be swallowed up. Manchester Museum has a space where they do weddings, as does the central Art Gallery, and the Central Library.

Will you be having a register office actual marriage as well for the legal bit? Just curious.

Was coming on to suggest Hope Mill Theatre but see a PP beat me too it!

Check put Abels Harp on facebook. They have just reduced a booking. We stayed glamping it was lovely. Wpuld fit your criteria near shrewsbury

Scale in Liverpool city centre could be worth a look

I saw a band on Jools Holland play at a Victorian swimming baths in Manchester. Looked reall cool

Bolton school has a wedding venue. Not sure what it's like though but the building itself is quite harry potterish.

my friend had tipi's in a local farmers field not cheap when you factor in toilets, generators, table and chair decorations etc flooring, they also has wine logs, gourmet caterer's etc they used a firm near York for theirs, was a really special day but dread to think of the cost.
My other friend hired a local parish hall that opened up onto a field at the back, had a live band, tables indoors and outside, festival style catering trucks and local pub did the bar, we all went and decorated the hall a few days before looked amazing and was a fraction of the cost and just as memorable.

Depends where in north west
I’ve been to weddings at brockholes nature reserve - lovely venue on a floating man made island
Butterfly house at Williams park
Wyresdale near Lancaster - lots of interconnecting barns with glamping pods for guests - you can make it cheaper by sourcing own catering and bar etc

Is Blackpool too far
The Waterloo music bar has just been licensed for weddings
x.facebook.com/TheWaterlooBpl/photos/a.763831560412138/4154182591377001/?type=3&source=48

I knows its Yorkshire but not too far from manchester google druids temple Nidderdale The Druid’s Temple is a unique folly in Nidderdale in the Yorkshire Dales. It consists of a series of stone formations and archways set in a circular layout. Although The Druid’s Temple clearly takes inspiration from Druidism and other stone circles such as Stonehenge, it is unlikely it was built for any religious purposes. its in a country park style setting and the do pagan weddings in a dedicated part of the park, theres woods to walk through and the stones are amazing for pictures i dont know prices

SafeMove
Possibly Gibson Mill in Hardcastle Crags. National Trust property. There's also East Riddlesden Hall in Keighley - also West Yorkshire.
The Town Hall in Hebden Bridge is also nice and although you can't get married there, have a look at the Birchcliffe Centre. Not expensive to hire, licensed but no actual bar.
Hebden Bridge is a fun little town, lots of accommodation and bars/restaurants but not a huge place.
Not sure if Todmorden Town Hall does weddings or not but that's amazing inside.

Rivington Hall Barn

thewellbeingfarm.co.uk/
Very nice and has llamas and donkeys. With hats.