Skip to main content
Weddings

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.

Our light and airy basement includes the original servants' hall and kitchen, providing the perfect space for your wedding celebrations including wedding breakfast and reception.

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.
  • Our bottle bar is available (minimum spend of £100) but all catering must be provided externally.
  • 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.
illustration popular

Venues you may like

Check out other venues that are popular with couples right now

Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

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

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Private catering allowed
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities

Evening entertainment:

Evening reception facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

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

Do you have any questions?

Request pricing

Reviews for Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
15 reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
Amanda
Amanda K. 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
Jennifer
Jennifer R. Sent on 20/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A little hidden gem!

We got married here in September 2021. Staff and volunteers couldn’t do enough for us. The house and gardens are stunning. Such a special place to get married. 100% recommended.
Charlotte
Charlotte C. 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





Dejan
Dejan L. Sent on 04/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful venue with dedicated staff

EGH is a lovely location for an intimate ceremony - very happy with our choice. The staff were organised and helpful throughout and contributed to a fantastic day. Would recommend highly!
Beth
Beth N. Sent on 17/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Special venue

We had our wedding ceremony at Elizabeth Gaskell House and can honestly say we wouldn't have had it anywhere else. The venue is ideal for an intimate ceremony and has such an interesting history. Katie (Wedding Planner) was absolutely amazing. She helped us through the whole process and recommended suppliers when needed. The day itself was wonderful and ran without issue. The volunteers who supported the event were so warm and welcoming and we really appreciated this especially with pre-wedding nerves! I would definitely recommend this venue. It is reasonably priced and truly unique.
Charlotte
Charlotte Sent on 31/07/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect venue for our chilled out wedding

Looking for an intimate wedding venue not far from central Manchester, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House was a great find. Reasonably priced, well situated, and working with us each step of the way. They offered a beautiful and historic setting, with the relaxed vibe we wanted. Big shout out to Katie who helped to plan and co-ordinate the day, allowing us to just relax and enjoy ourselves. I can’t recommend this venue enough! x
Mandy
Mandy N. 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.
K
Kim H. Sent on 19/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful bespoke wedding

From the very start Lucy, Katy and the rest of the team have been with us all the way guiding us through the process of booking, arranging and the wedding day itself. The venue is absolutely beautiful, just perfect for the size of wedding we wanted and everyone commented how wonderful it was. The care they took over the day made them feel as much our wedding guests as organisers.
L
Laura L. 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.
C
C Munro Sent on 09/09/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

Perfect wedding

This was the best and much better than I could have imagined our big day. Katie and all the staff were so supportive and helpful, it really made things much more manageable.
The venue is so rich and perfect for such an occasion. I cannot recommend them enough, don't think twice! I am so happy we had our wedding there!
R
Rachelle S. Sent on 19/06/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Boutique wedding in the heart of Manchester

Perfect for history nerds!
My wedding isn’t until August but they have been nothing short of amazing to this point. Any question is answered swiftly and they have made excellent suggestions that enhance the wedding and help make it our own special day.

The venue is lovely and takes away a lot of the stress of entertaining guests and decorating a space.
G
Georgia H. Sent on 24/03/2022
4.8 out of 5 rating

Beautiful small venue

We loved using Elizabeth Gaskell as our venue! It holds up to 35 guests and the value for money is incredible (compare it to other venues and you'll see why!). The venue team were lovely; be aware that they only work/open on certain days so if you need to make a visit there it may be on a weekday. They were really accommodating in terms of accessibility for elderly/disabled guests and even helped us with some tricky chair sashes. Really appreciated their help and would like to visit again in the future.
H
Hannah G. Sent on 01/01/2022
5 out of 5 rating

A beautiful venue

We had an amazing day at Elizabeth Gaskells house. The value for money was unbelievable and the experience did not feel cheaper than any other wedding I have been to.
The venue is beautiful and has gorgeous period features and furniture.
Everything in the run up was very smooth, even with a change of wedding coordinator mid way through or planning- we were never left feeling forgotten about and both Ellen and then Katie were so helpful and kind to us.
We were able to go to the venue the day before the wedding to set up, at no extra cost and when we went to tear down the following day- Katie and her team had already cleared everything and had it ready to go in boxes for us.
We had an amazing day and are so thankful to the entire team at the house.
L
Elizabeth M. Sent on 28/11/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Relaxed Perfect Wedding!

Got married here in Oct 21. Had the perfect relaxed day we wanted. The house is a beautiful setting and it was great we could have afternoon tea after the ceremony. All our guests commented on how lovely, unusual and memorable our wedding was.
L
Louisa J. Sent on 12/11/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing venue for an amazing day

The venue was a 'yes' as soon as we walked in the door. Beautiful period house and decor. We were looked after brilliantly by Katie, the wedding organiser, both before and during the day of the wedding. We felt lucky to celebrate with Katie and two of the volunteers (Cath and Jane? Sorry ladies, my mind was elsewhere!) who were responsive, friendly and kind. We had the best time. I recommend 100%.
illustration stars

Did the reviews win you over?

Send a message

Badges

Events

14 Sep
Open Door

You are invited

The Wedding Team at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House request the pleasure of your company at their wedding open day on Saturday 14 September 2024.

Order of the day

This is the perfect opportunity to see the House as it would be on your special day. One of their wedding coordinators will give you a tour of the venue and provide details of their various packages. You can then explore the House further and speak to their dedicated wedding volunteers.

They will also be joined by some of their favourite suppliers including pianists, florists, photographers and caterers. Their Tea Room will be open on the day, serving drinks and sweet treats!

RSVP

Attendance is by appointment only. Enquire to book your 30 minute slot with one of their wedding coordinators.

Date: From 14/09/2024 to 14/09/2024 Schedule 11:00 - 16:00
Place: 84 Plymouth Grove, Manchester, Greater Manchester

Map

84 Plymouth Grove M13 9LW North Grove (Greater Manchester)
illustration visit

Would you like to schedule a visit?

Request a visit

Other suppliers in Greater Manchester for your wedding

Wedding Venues