12 of the Best Country House Wedding Venues in the West Country
If it’s a quintessentially British wedding that you’re after, then look no further than all the gorgeous country houses dotted across the UK. With its expanse of land, greenery, proximity to the sea and beautiful views, we’ve found the West Country to be particularly fruitful when it comes to finding some of the best country houses around.
We’ve listed below just some of the breathtaking venues this area has to offer. We recommend making a little shortlist and taking yourselves on a road trip over that way - a lovely cosy way to wedding plan in style!
1. Rockbeare Manor
Built during the regency period with plenty of hallmark features of a regal country home, Rockbeare Manor has all the Bridgerton vibes you could wish for. From elegant white pillars that greet you at the entrance, a sweeping staircase that leads you up to the Drawing Room along with being set within beautiful parkland, its definitely a venue that will impress your guests. They host exclusive hire weddings for between 50-160 guests, with the ceremony taking place in either the Dining Room or on the pretty outdoor terrace, followed by the wedding breakfast in the ballroom, complete with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the acres of parkland. They have 13 bedroom suites in which to host some of your guests, along with plenty of outdoorsy entertainment for them, with the venue sitting on the doorstep of two national parks - Dartmoor and Exmoor.
2. Pynes House
Set within the picturesque Exe Valley, in lovely countryside near to Exeter, the beautiful Pynes House is believed to be the inspiration for Barton Park in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. The venue primes itself to be an inviting home away from home (albeit quite a fancy one!), encouraging you to curl up with a cup of tea in the Morning Room, or sip on cocktails in the Drawing Room. It is an exclusive use venue that can seat up to 130 of your guests comfortably, along with several of their state rooms being licensed for civil ceremonies, each with their own special features and quirks. You can even get married outside on the entrance steps in front of the big ornate front doors, or if you fancy - you can also pop up a tipi or marquee within the grounds too.
3. Shilstone Country House
A cherished family home turned award-winning wedding venue, Shilstone is an exclusive hire restored Georgian manor house. It is fully licensed, and along with the house itself it also has a rustic ceremony barn and options for outdoor ceremonies. They have a beautiful walled garden that houses their Mughal Marquee, decked out with romantic, twinkly fairy lights, handcrafted oak bar and sound system. With countryside views aplenty, we particularly love the view over their tiered lakes.
4. St Audries Park
Set amongst the Quantock Hills in Somerset, St Audries Park is a traditional Georgian manor with heritage dating back to 1086. An iconic part of the wedding venue, you can get married in the beautiful Georgian Orangery, or if you’d prefer a religious ceremony, there is St Etheldreda’s Church nearby. The venue can sleep up to an impressive 100 guests, so is a lovely option if you’re hoping to make a wedding weekend of it.
5. Brympton House
With lots of different and unique spaces for every part of your day, Brympton House is a beautiful setting if you want to add interest and intrigue throughout the day. Enjoy pre-ceremony drinks in the library bar and morning room, set with a restored 1920’s bar and snooker table. For the ceremony there are three different spaces to say ‘I do’ - the romantic, medieval Castle House that is adjacent to the main house, a tranquil temple on the South Terrace for an outdoor wedding or the Church of St Andrew, which is nestled within the grounds themselves. Enjoy the wedding breakfast in the ballroom for guests up to 228, the Salon for up to 100 or the cosy State Dining Room for weddings up to 60. Finish off the evening in the lovingly redesigned party barn, with it’s marble topped bar, two dance floors and a nice comfy area for guests to rest their feet from all the dancing!
6. North Cadbury Court
A grade I listed 16th century country house surrounded by 1,500 acres of land, North Cadbury Court is owned by the Montgomery family who are world famous for their cheddar cheese. It is a grand and expansive exclusive use venue which plays host to 25 bedrooms, lawn tennis courts, a lake, a rooftop golf tee, snooker room and an indoor swimming pool and spa. The venue is built for entertaining, with the ability to host up to 160 seated guests and is licensed for civil ceremonies. Plus it even has it’s own secret disco and grand casino within the cellar!
7. Berwick Lodge
Secretly tucked away within 18 acres of grounds with views across Wales, Berkwick Lodge is a venue that is perfect year round. With warming open fires for the winter and glistening fountains for the summer, the 1890’s country house is surrounded by breathtaking grounds tended to by former Highgrove gardener Robert Dunster. It can host up to 150 of your guests (plus dogs too!) along with 14 rooms to sleep your bridal party and close family. For their menus, they source their produce locally, with some of their vegetables coming from their kitchen garden.
8. Elmore Court
This breathtaking house was originally a home in the 13th century and has remained in the family until 2003 when luckily for us, the family owners decided to open it up in all its glory as a wedding venue. During your wedding you can enjoy views over the Cotswolds countryside and River Severn, along with all the lovely grounds the venue has to offer. It is well set up for a full on house party of a wedding, with the ability to exclusively hire the venue along with a soundproof rammed earth section of the venue in which you can carry on partying until the early hours.
9. Huntsham Court
Set on the borders of the Exmoor National Park, Huntsham Court is the ideal wedding party house, both award-winning and highly acclaimed by the press. It is an exclusive use, no corkage wedding venue, that enables you to have real flexibility and freedom over the wedding weekend. It can host up to 130 guests and sleep up to 92 people across its 40 luxury bedrooms and suites. As a licensed ceremony venue, you have the choice of hosting your wedding in the house, outdoors or within the local church.
10. Bridwell Park Estate
Hidden from the public for over 240 years, in 2015 the owners Lord Ivar Mountbatten and James Coyle decided to open the doors of this private Devonshire home for weddings and events. They cater specifically to intimate weddings, with a minimum of 2 guests and up to a maximum of 15. With an abundance of lovely rooms that feel suitable for a small wedding, from the oval hallway and morning room, to the library and conservatory, they can create an inclusive tailored day especially for you. You’ll find beautiful bedrooms for your guests to stay in within The Park Wing and Garden Wing of the Old Stables.
11. Smedmore House
With the luxury of both countryside and sea views, Smedmore House is located on the well-loved Jurassic Coast. The ultimate in wholesome living, it’s home to two acres of pretty flower gardens and orchards, with a pathway from their walled garden down to Kimmeridge Bay, an area that is known for swimming, canoeing, wind-surfing and fossil hunting. It is an exclusive use venue that can sleep up to 16 guests in the main house and a further 6 in the newly refurbished Garden Wing. There are plenty of spaces around the venue to host your civil ceremony, including the Front Hall, Dining Room, Drawing Room, Old Kitchen and Walled Garden. If you’re after extra space or a more outdoorsy wedding, you can also put up a marquee on the lawn at the front of the house too.
12. Cowley Manor
A luxury gem in the countryside, Cowley Manor has grand Italianate exteriors and bold iconic interiors, along with a multi award-winning spa that includes both an indoor and outdoor heated pool, that is guaranteed to impress your guests. It is located by the regency town of Cheltenham and can cater for weddings from a small intimate wedding for up to 40 in their Garden Room up to a whole house takeover for up to 200 guests. It has 31 bedrooms on-site in which to host your guests and plenty of further accommodation for guests within nearby Cheltenham too.
