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About

The perfect historic setting for an intimate wedding in the heart of Manchester.

Situated just outside the hustle and bustle of Manchester City Centre, sits the former home of Manchester’s most famous Victorian writer, Elizabeth Gaskell. This beautifully restored Victorian house, with spectacular period rooms and villa style garden, provides a unique and stunning backdrop for your wedding celebrations.

Ceremonies can be held in the cosy book-lined study, the elegant drawing room, or the award-winning garden. Complete with Victorian furnishings and a boudoir grand piano, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is perfect for couples wanting something special, intimate and with plenty of charm.

Following the ceremony, we can provide a drinks reception in the Victorian period rooms, including the dining room where Elizabeth wrote her famous stories and letters. Weather permitting, the beautifully restored garden with its mixed heritage and native planting schemes offers another option for your drinks reception and is a beautiful backdrop for wedding photographs.

Key information

  • Our dedicated wedding coordinators will help you throughout the planning process.
  • Couples have exclusive hire of the house on their wedding day.
  • We only hold weddings on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
  • We can accommodate wedding parties of up to 36 people. This includes the couple and 34 guests.
  • Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is located just 1 mile from Manchester city centre.
  • Up to 3 hours free on-street parking on weekdays and free all day at weekends.
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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

Unusual weddings
Asian wedding
Historic
In the city
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Corkage option
Alcohol licence

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Changing room for wedding guests

Reviews for Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

Mandy
Mandy Sent on 25/07/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful venue

If you are looking for a perfect venue for a small intimate wedding then this is the place.

Beautiful house and surroundings and Katie and her team worked really hard on the day to ensure everything went like clockwork.

It also reduced our stress levels knowing that Katie was ahead of the game with timings and also contacting our wedding suppliers.

We were able to dress the rooms exactly as we wanted and had access the day before to ensure everything was in place and ready for the following day.

I also made use of the lovely bedroom upstairs to change into my wedding dress, and prepare/keep calm for the ceremony!

All our guests complimented our choice of venue and we would highly recommend.
Abbie
Abbie Sent on 24/05/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Wedding Day

Beautiful venue with staff who were so kind and helpful throughout the whole process. The day was catered to our needs and wants. Working with vendors who frequently work at the venue made everything go by so smoothly. Could not recommend the venue more.
Barbara
Barbara Sent on 24/03/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Magical Venue!

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect venue for our wedding. It was serene, beautiful, intimate, and cozy—everything we had hoped for. Shout out to Lucy and Ellie who were so helpful! The atmosphere made the day feel truly magical, allowing us to celebrate surrounded by our closest friends and family. Our families loved it so much that they’re already planning to return to visit the house when it’s open as a museum!

The setting was simply stunning, and having Martin the pianist there added such a special touch to the day. A huge thank you as well to our incredible photographer, Michelle Jane, for capturing every precious moment so beautifully and Sharon from Vintage afternoon teas for the amazing food. It was an unforgettable experience, and we are so grateful to have chosen this venue for our special day.
Damien
Damien Sent on 21/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A wonderful day with wonderful service

Aesthetically, we (the Booth's) knew immediately that the venue captured what we envisioned for our wedding. However, what we didn't expect was how fantastic the experience would be thanks to the efforts of the staff. At every stage in the process, we felt informed, supported and most of all - accommodated. Nothing was too much trouble and we could not have imaged the day going as smoothly as it did without the attentiveness of the team. They collaborated with us from start to finish to ensure that the venue was beautifully prepared and met the needs of ourselves and our guests.

All-in-all, whilst the venue itself is stunning in its own right, support of all those involved ensured that all aspects of our wedding was every bit as magical as we dreamed.

Thank you - from both Damien & Danielle - for an unforgettable day.
Sian
Sian Sent on 30/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue!

From the moment I enquired about my wedding day right up to the day itself, the volunteers and wedding enquiries team at Elizabeth Gaskell's house have been so warm and friendly. All of my emails were responded to either the same day or next working day, and if the team didn't know something immediately they would always check and contact me back as soon as possible. Their patience and knowledge really made it easy and took away a lot of my stress whilst planning.

As for the venue itself, the interior is even more beautiful than the exterior, and if you are looking for an intimate wedding with only a handful of guests then I do not think you can do better than here.
Kelsey
Kelsey Sent on 11/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible!

We had the most amazing experience with EGH. The house is absolutely beautiful and the perfect backdrop for your special day. The staff are incredible and were attentive, responsive throughout the whole journey. Everything was absolutely amazing on the day and we can’t thank them enough. If you’re thinking of having your wedding here, do it! Magical, absolutely magical.
Dani
Dani Sent on 13/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Phenomenal!

Our day with Elizabeth Gaskell’s house was spectacular. The venue itself is so beautiful, and reasonably priced. The staff were incredibly helpful, not just on our big day, but throughout the whole planning process.
All of our guests had a wonderful experience exploring the house and speaking to the volunteers. Our older guests and wee ones, found the place very accessible.

We could not have asked for more!
Siobhan
Siobhan Sent on 15/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Just perfect from start to finish! So happy we chose EGH!

Lucy and the team reassured us from the get go. Highly professional, communicative and organised, with a breadth of experience and advice. What really sets this venue apart from the others we considered is the warmth and genuine engagement with ours ideas and vision for our special day. It truly is a special house with a special vibe, with quality people you can have confidence in.
Paula
Paula Sent on 28/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Our wedding

We had a civil partnership at Elizabeth Gaskells House. We had always wanted to have our ceremony here as we preferred a unique ,intimate wedding, and we were lucky enough to have a July date offered to us when we contacted them.. Ellie the wedding coordinator and Chris the volunteer were so supportive on the day and nothing was too much trouble.
In the run up to the wedding we met with Ellie many times and discussed our day the music, the decorations and timings etc.
On the day we had use of the house including the bedroom of Elizabeth Gaskell, so we could get ready and have some quiet space before the ceremony.
The house is gorgeous and as it was a nice sunny day we had fizz in the garden afterwards where our guests could mingle and have fabulous photos taken.
We could not have asked for more on our special day.
The house will always hold a special place for us and we plan to return often to support this wonderful museum.
Thank you everyone for making our day perfect.
If you are thinking of using EGH for your ceremony you will not be disappointed.
Amanda
Amanda Sent on 22/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding day

We had our wonderful wedding day here at Elizabeth Gaskell's house, we cannot thank them enough for everything they did for us.
The professionalism, engagement and communication with us through the whole process was fantastic, they went above and beyond to make our special day what we had dreamed off... A big thank you to all who volunteered to help make our day the best..

Mr & Mrs Castle
M
Matt Sent on 07/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic Intimate venue

We had a wonderful wedding day at this historic and intimate venue. The staff were amazing in the lead up to the big day and helped us organise all the details to make it a really special occasion. The venue really suited the personal wedding that we wanted with our close family. The drawing room for the ceremony is a lovely space with big windows and a piano, and the rest of the house has beautiful spaces to spend time and have pictures taken. The garden is great to enjoy drinks and have more wedding pictures. We would highly recommend using EGH as a wedding venue. We can't thank Lucy and the rest of the team enough for making it a fantastic day.
Ursula
Ursula Sent on 30/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Gorgeous bijou venue

As others have said this is a real hidden gem. Very central location but the house and gardens feel private and serene. Perfect for an intimate wedding in a setting that feels like a family home. The servants’ hall looked amazing decorated for the meal and all the guests felt relaxed and at ease as the venue set such an informal tone. Stunning backdrop for photos also.
E
Emyr Sent on 30/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Friendly, Professional, and Adaptable - A Wonderful Wedding Venue

My partner and I got married in Elizabeth Gaskell's House in June 2024 and I can honestly say that the staff made the day even more magical and memorable than it would already have been. The team are quick to respond to emails, are incredibly friendly in person, and did everything they could do lighten the load of wedding planning, including directly liaising with our suppliers. The venue itself is gorgeous and made wonderful memories.
L
Laura Sent on 19/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Intimate Manchester Wedding Venue

We absolutely loved getting married at Elizabeth Gaskell's house and couldn't imagine getting married anywhere else. It's a beautiful historical venue for intimate weddings and the team (particularly Lucy & Ellie) went above and beyond to make the whole experience as stress free as possible.

The venue is also amazing value for money in an industry where the W word inflates prices enormously. It has everything you need for your wedding day and is flexible enough to deal with any weather. You are free to decorate the venue, although some rooms require little dressing thanks to the period features and decor. The downstairs rooms are perfect for a wedding breakfast either sitting down or more informally if you want to.

The venue coordinated directly with all our suppliers to make sure they were able to set up and collect. They also helped us decorate the venue and took it all down for us to pick up the next day. The team were supported by volunteers on the day who make sure everything runs smoothly as well as teaching guests the history of the house which our guests loved! There is the added bonus that the money you spend goes back to supporting the upkeep of the house.

All in all we can't recommend Elizabeth Gaskell's house enough for any intimate weddings in the North West.
Charlotte
Charlotte Sent on 11/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Couldn't recommend this place enough!

Where do I even begin?! When we started planning our wedding we knew we wanted a small and intimate ceremony that felt cosy and welcoming, but everywhere we looked felt too corporate and modern. Until we found Elizabeth Gaskell's House. Katie showed us around and had so much knowledge to offer. At the time, the house was open to the public and not set up for a wedding, but she helped paint the picture of what we could do. We knew immediately that this was the location for us - it was STUNNING! It was for a maximum of 36 guests (not including ourselves, the photographer & piano player) but this was perfect. In the lead-up to our wedding their communication was incredible and a few weeks prior to our big day we had a final meeting to discuss the little things like music, decorations, parking and any other last questions. All of this really helped put my mind at ease.

The day before the wedding we were allowed in to set up the venue with our decorations. We were at liberty to decorate the venue as we wished as long as we weren't sticking things to walls etc. as it is a historic house. But, it was so beautiful that you really didn't need to add anything at all if you didn't want to! We just added some small bouquets to the chairs down the aisle and a big bouquet on the signing table. We were also able to practise walking down the aisle to our music as many times as we liked, which really helped put my father's mind at ease. They provided a Bluetooth speaker for other music for when you're exiting and signing the book and they helped us set up the volume appropriately. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

Now for the big day itself... which was nothing short of perfect. Upon arrival, I was escorted in a back elevator up to the private bedroom, which meant I was at no risk of being spotted by my guests. Then Katie came to check up on me, made sure I was okay and reassured me that everything was going as planned downstairs. There were a handful of incredibly kind volunteers on hand who were keeping everything running smoothly. They sorted out a first look with my dad in the private study and made sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. It all flowed so seamlessly! Then the ceremony itself was perfect. Although the room is relatively small, I loved this as it meant that I could see every single smiling face easily once I reached the end of the aisle. So special!

After the ceremony, champagne/elderflower fizz was provided on a table in the entrance hall by the volunteers (we paid extra for this) but you can bring your own for a corkage fee and they got everyone in place outside of the building to throw some confetti. They also took my husband and I away immediately for 10 minutes alone together whilst they did this which was really appreciated as it meant I could decompress for a moment!

All in all, I couldn't be happier that we chose Elizabeth Gaskell's House for our wedding venue. We did depart the house after the ceremony back to our home for the reception but you can have a small reception in the tea room downstairs should you wish! We just wanted a few more people to join us so couldn't do that as the limit of 36 guests still stands.

For the price we paid, you get private use of the absolutely exquisite WHOLE house for three hours plus all these amazingly kind women helping you from start to finish. It was flawless and so many people said how stunning it was. 1000000/10, would recommend it to anyone who wants a homely, intimate ceremony. Plus, all the money you spend just goes straight back into keeping this historical house maintained so do your part and book your wedding here! - Love from The Carpreaus





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