Wedding Venue

[Nettle256]

Hi! I am interested in people's opinions on wedding venue ideas.

I am looking at purchasing a beautiful church in a scenic rural part of the country. It is around 35 mins from the nearest large town, 10 mins to the beach, has lovely walks and countryside close by. The church itself has a great history and is modelled off one of the popular Royal churches.

My plan would be to turn the church into a gorgeous wedding venue with a kitchen area and perhaps a bridal suite for getting ready/ staying over. It has a relatively large garden so I would install a marquee for the reception with the idea that the ceremony (doesn't have to be religious) would happen in the church and the reception could be outside/in the marquee.

The vibe of the place is very relaxed and can be as fancy or casual as people want. It would be at an affordable price point as it wouldn't be a 5* venue but it would be a really classy place in lovely surroundings.

Would this be the type of place people would be keen on/ would it be popular?

Well I'm not your target market but my first thought would be that people who are attracted to churches would want a religious wedding in a church (which you won't be offering.) Whereas people who want a non-religious wedding probably don't want to be in a church. They'd rather be in a converted barn or a hotel or something?

I'd also say you'd be best talking to your local register office about getting a licence to conduct weddings. They will have restrictions/requirements on which venues can be licensed.

As above really. Also, it's not guaranteed you would get planning permission to use it as an events venue. Have you investigated that?

Very possible but would depend on licensing and location.

The Mount Without have done it very well.

Well I'm not your target market but my first thought would be that people who are attracted to churches would want a religious wedding in a church (which you won't be offering.) Whereas people who want a non-religious wedding probably don't want to be in a church. They'd rather be in a converted barn or a hotel or something?
I agree with this. I think it massively limits your potential market.

Does it have anywhere for guests to stay nearby? Depending on how rural it is transport could be a problem back to hotels.
Also agree you need to check if you would be able to get a license for weddings first.

Honestly, I think the concept sounds really nice. I’d personally be more interested in a venue that has a beautiful setting and a relaxed vibe rather than something that feels overly formal or expensive.

The church + garden + marquee setup sounds like a pretty good combination. Having the ceremony in a historic building and then moving outside for the reception would also give couples a nice change of atmosphere during the day.
I’d just make sure the practical stuff is covered — parking, accommodation nearby, weather backup, catering facilities, and transport since it’s a little outside town.

Recently, I’ve also looked at venues like Azul Reception Hall, and one thing I’ve noticed is that flexibility matters a lot. Couples want to be able to make the space feel like their wedding rather than having everything dictated by the venue.

So yes, I could definitely see this working, especially for couples who want something scenic, intimate, and a bit different from the usual hotel or banquet hall.

Sounds lovely but definitely speak to your local registration service as there are rules around what venues can be licenced