15 Eco-Friendly Wedding Venues in the UK
Want to make your big day more sustainable? We've found the UK's most eco-friendly wedding venues that offer planet-kind, green initiatives without compromising on style
What's the easiest way to host an eco-friendly wedding? Consider an eco-friendly wedding venue, of course!
There's been some real innovation in recent years when it comes to planet-kind celebration spaces. From no-miles menus to carbon-neutral energy and plastic-use reduction, wedding venues around the UK have been rolling out initiatives to help you have a more sustainable wedding.
This doesn't mean compromising on anything wedding-related - in fact, you probably won't even notice the difference. And yet each green initiative will help reduce the carbon footprint of your celebration.
With everything from barns to chic country houses going eco-friendly, these are our favourite venues for a green wedding.
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1. Stockton House, Shropshire
Open for wedding bookings from April 2022, Stockton House is a place for making magical memories. From the dining space in the secret walled garden to the luxurious bedrooms, every last element has been designed to delight. As well as planning a wedding like no other, you can also add extra touches, such as a champagne tasting with canapés the night before you get married and a sumptuous 'day after' picnic.
What makes this country house even more special is the team's commitment to sustainability. The carefully constructed menus use local ingredients, and the wine list includes plenty of English varieties. The venue is powered by an environmentally-friendly wood chip burner, and there's an impressive tree planting programme in place. As if that's not enough, the Stockton House team use recycled materials wherever possible, and compost any excess food.
2. Folly Farm Centre, Somerset
Surrounded by verdant countryside, Folly Farm feels like a true sanctuary - but it's just 10 miles from Bristol and Bath. Sustainability is at the heart of what this charming venue does. It's owned by Avon Wildlife Trust, which means all profits are used to protect wildlife and promote the importance of the natural environment.
There's accommodation for 56 on site, and in warmer months, extra guests can hire a bell tent for glamping.
3. Dewsall Court, Herefordshire
Planning a 'wedkend' with your loved ones? Dewsall Court is an enchanting venue for wedding festivities that last a whole weekend, with plenty of space, excellent facilities and the feel of a much-loved (albeit luxurious) family home.
The venue's eco credentials are impressive, too, with a whole host of programmes in place to reduce environmental impact. These cover every aspect of weddings, from food to waste management - there's even a machine to convert food waste into energy!
READ MORE: The UK's Most Impressive Country House Venues
4. Borthwick Castle, Lothian & Borders
What could be a more atmospheric venue for a wedding than a historic Scottish castle surrounded by magnificent countryside? Borthwick Castle is a real gem, with interiors quite as impressive as the setting. You'll have exclusive use of the whole place, from grand reception rooms to sumptuous bedrooms.
The venue is also committed to being planet-kind, winning an award from Green Tourism UK for their environmentally friendly initiatives.
5. Silverholme Manor, Cumbria
Silverholme Manor is set on the Graythwaite Estate, where sustainability is taken very seriously. Thanks to its biomass boiler, Silverholme has carbon-neutral heating and hot water, and a hydroelectric turbine provides the electricity. There's also an on-site water supply.
Along with all this, you can expect luxury at every turn, from the Georgian manor itself to the special touches the events team can arrange, which include everything from spa treatments to helicopter rides.
6. Nantwen, Pembrokeshire
Dreaming of an intimate wedding? Luxury cottage Nantwen would be a beautiful backdrop to a bijou celebration, whether for an elopement or for up to 12 guests (30 for the ceremony). They have a variety of flexible weddings, including a festival-style package with guests camping and an elopement stay.
Nantwen has a Gold Award from Green Tourism UK, so you'll know you've chosen a wedding venue with strong eco credentials.
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7. Middle Coombe Farm, Devon
Middle Coombe Farm is ideal for a laidback country wedding. Surrounded by Devonshire countryside, the venue features a Grade II listed farmhouse, a Cider Barn and 700 acres of private grounds for you to build your celebration, from a woodland blessing to a marquee reception.
The venue is run along sustainable principles - the swimming pool and hot tub, for example, are solar heated.
8. The Wellbeing Farm, Lancashire
This beautiful rural venue has personality in spades, from the llamas, alpacas and donkeys that can join your reception (yes, really!) to the crazy golf course and a vintage blue tractor for photo opps.
What's more, The Wellbeing Farm is working towards becoming fully carbon neutral, and is powered by a wind turbine. To help couples achieve a more sustainable day, they offer a green wedding package, where every element has a low environmental impact.
9. Abbey Home Farm, Gloucestershire
This organic farm is a lovely place for a relaxed celebration - and the venue is certainly eco-conscious, too, with everything organic, from the cake and catering to the flowers.
Abbey Home Farm has a range of pretty spots to suit different parts of the day, from a hidden glade to a converted shed.
READ MORE: 21 of the Best Rustic Farm Wedding Venues
10. Pines Calyx, Kent
Looking for an unusual wedding venue? Pines Calyx was built according to sustainable principles, and the result is a venue with a cool and quirky style that has high eco standards.
It's owned by the Bay Trust, whose mission is to connect people with the outdoors and encourage local biodiversity.
11. fforest, Pembrokeshire
This wonderful Welsh venue is all about connecting with the great outdoors - that's unsurprising, given the beauty of its secluded setting. On this 200-acre farm you'll find everything from tipis and barns to geodesic domes and a private stone pub, so you can put together your wedding, your way.
What's more, fforest is mindful of the need to protect the environment, offering a vegan wedding package made up of zero-miles ingredients.
12. Casterley Barn, Wiltshire
Not all barn venues have to be rustic. Casterley Barn, for example, is a wonderfully sleek, contemporary space for a stylish wedding.
It's also a sustainable option. Set amid organic farmland, the barn is fully off-grid, with solar electricity and heating from a biomass boiler.
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13. West Lexham, Norfolk
West Lexham is a gorgeous country retreat, with accommodation spread over tree houses, bell tents and cottages - you'll certainly have somewhere delightful to stay for your first night as newlyweds! The rest of the venue features idyllic woodland and serene lakes that would make a dreamy backdrop to an outdoor wedding.
The venue runs on sustainable principles, with solar panels and a biomass boiler to generate energy, and water from a fresh chalk well.
14. Elmore Court, Gloucestershire
Sustainability is at the heart of glorious country venue Elmore Court. Their electricity comes entirely from renewable sources, their heating is carbon neutral and they've banned plastic as much as possible.
What's more, they even have an eco-friendly ballroom, The Gillyflower, created from natural materials from the estate - it's the perfect green party pad.
15. Nancarrow Farm, Cornwall
This family-run organic farm is an idyllic spot for a rustic wedding, particularly if you're looking for a planet-kind venue. Nancarrow Farm has been in the family for 9 generations, raising beef, lamb and pigs using non-intensive traditional methods that have animal welfare at their heart and that don't involve any chemical fertilisers or pesticides. The result? An abundance of wildlife, and a glorious setting for your big day, full of wild flowers, orchards and a kitchen garden that supplies produce for the menus.
While the venue is lovely in spring and summer, you can still have a fabulous country celebration in the colder months, thanks to the wood burner in the enchanting Oak Barn.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out our wedding venues directory for gorgeous spaces around the country.
