Whilst beach weddings are more often than not associated with luxurious destination weddings, with the long, hot summer seen this year here in the UK, we’ve seen more couples opening their eyes to the possibility of a UK beach wedding. With some jaw-dropping coastline around the UK, we reveal our tips on planning the ultimate luxury UK beach wedding.
Locations
The British seaside has a great nostalgia for many of us, and there is so much scope to create an incredible coastal luxury wedding for you and your guests. For wide, sandy bays, check out Wales or for something even more rugged and remote, how about extending your celebrations with a wedding in Scotland or the Isle of Skye?
The South West of the country is of course blessed with beautiful beaches, but don’t forget the East of England too, with Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent proving popular and easily accessible.
Venues
The UK is blessed with some incredible coastal cool venues to choose from.
One of our faves is the seriously stylish Launcells Barton. Close to the seaside town of Bude on the North Cornwall coast, the venue offers spectacular sea views from the top of the farm and manages to blend its historic charm with contemporary, chic design to create a truly timeless venue. The venue has a number of different spaces, to be tailored to your day. From small cosy rooms perfect for intimate weddings, through to a large events barn accommodation up to 200 guests (plus adjacent land allowing scope for a marquee, yurt or sperry tent). This venue is spot on for your luxury UK beach wedding!
For the ultimate gastronomic luxury wedding, look no further than Lympstone Manor, near Exmouth. This hotel and restaurant is available for exclusive use and ideal for foodies, with the option to dine in either one of their beautiful dining rooms or a marquee, and opt from either a bespoke three course menu or chef Michael Caines’ 8 course tasting menu. Not only that but Lympstone Manor sits in its own vineyard, creating their own English sparkling wines to go alongside their enormous and varied wine cellar.
Or, how about Gileston Manor in the Value of Glamorgan in Wales? Set in fabulous gardens with sea views, this venue has its own church and stunning house on site, sleeping up to 24. This stylish venue offers the perfect backdrop to your photos and is just that little bit different.
Lastly, the Cow Shed in Crail in Scotland offers the opportunity for weddings right on the beach, or in either the local church or the Cow Shed barn itself. The venue is a great blank canvas with whitewashed walls and exposed stonework allowing great flexibility as well as the opportunity for some truly stunning and wild coastal couple photos.
Food and Drink
If, like us, you’re a bit of a foodie then a UK beach wedding is perfect. Not only do you have lots of locally sourced produce on tap, but they lend themselves particularly well to the current wedding trend for interactive food stations. Think freshly shucked oyster stations, scallop bars or big seafood BBQs, served up sharing-style. Wash that down with some chilled champagne and you’re on to a winner! What’s not to love?!
The Dress
If you’re planning on actually getting married on the beach itself, or visiting for your couple shots, then think carefully about your bridalwear. Something a little looser and more floaty in style which can easily be hitched up to avoid getting soggy is ideal, and make sure your pack some flats or go bare-foot!
Contingency Planning
Planned well, and a UK beach wedding can be just perfect – often feeling like you are much further afield than you actually are. But the coast can be temperamental, so it’s important to have a contingency plan. With the British summer as it is, let’s face it, wind and rain is always possibility so ensure your venue choice has sufficient cover from where you can admire the still-impressive views. Don’t forget about the opposite end of the spectrum too though – if you get a scorcher, you and your guests may want some shade and protection from the sun (read our recent blog post on how to deal with a heatwave for tips!).
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