Best places to get married in Cornwall
Cornwall has a reputation as one of, if not the, best places to get married in the UK. With the some of the most beautiful beaches in the British Isles, stunning countryside and spectacular moorland, this reputation is well deserved. It simply would not be possible, or fair, to identify a single ‘best place’ to get married in Cornwall. There is just too much choice. So this guide should be taken as a whistle stop tour of some of the wedding venues that are definitely worth a look at. There are lots to choose from with choices to suit all sorts of different weddings. Hopefully it should help you to find your perfect wedding venue or wedding location in Cornwall.
The best places to get married in West Cornwall
St Ives is a favourite holiday destination of many people. Accordingly, it is also a top wedding location. It is a reputation that is richly deserved. With venues like Tregenna Castle and the St Ives Harbour Hotel it tends to suit people who are looking at more of a traditional hotel wedding. But with the added bonus of been able to visit the beach or moors for bride and groom photos during the day. Just a few miles down the coast you will find the wonderful Carbis Bay Estate, which features both the Carbis Bay Hotel and their Beach Club (which is literally on the beach).
The advantage of all these locations, is that they can all utilise St Ives amazing beaches – which rate as some of the best in the country. Just one word of warning. In the summer can be tricky, so you need to work with your photographer to work out the best time of day to travel down for photos.
If you are looking for a more intimate wedding venue, then have a look at Pengersick Castle near Marazion. It is perfect for elopements and intimate weddings. West Cornwall is certainly a strong candidate for finding one of the best places in Cornwall to get married.
Mid Cornwall Wedding Venues
Mid Cornwall has a range of weddings venues that extend from the small to the large. First off is the beautiful Nancarrow Farm, just outside of the smelt hamlet of Zelah. With its rustic ceremony barn and old oak barn, Nancarrow can easily handle up to 120 people.
Nearby, Newquay also offers some incredible venues with access to superb surfing beaches – perfect for a pre wedding surf. The Headland Hotel could not be any closer to Fistral Beach. Just outside of Newquay you’ll also find the Bedruthan Steps Hotel and the Scarlet Hotel. Both of these make use of the spectacular beach at Mawgan Porth. You just walk down the hill from either hotel and you a straight onto the sand.
One of my favourites for small intimate weddings is the beautiful Treseren near St Newlyn East. It is perfect for elopements or weddings of up to 22 people.
Heading towards the south coast you’ll find Boconnoc House. A stately home that provides a lavish wedding experience set in its own grounds. It is an incredible beautiful place.
North East Cornwall Weddings
For a festival feel wedding, Trerethern Farm near Padstow provides fields for a marquee wedding with incredible views across the Camel Estuary. For something really different, the incredible Cornish Tipis can be found near Polzeath. Tucked into a valley, it features a hidden sucked quarry, beautiful woods and tipis (yes, that’s right tipis). Alternatively, there is the Pengenna Manor near Wadebridge. Featuring an old Cornish Manor House at it can host everything from marquee weddings through to intimate elopements. With rolling hills and beautiful woodlands nearby, it is a real gem of a wedding venue. All three of these venues are totally different. It’s great to have a choice.
South East Cornwall Wedding Venues
South East Cornwall is lucky to have a selection of really great wedding venues. First up is The Green. Situated just off the South Eastern tip of Bodmin Moor, The Green is an incredibly popular wedding venue. Nearby, is the equally popular Trevenna Barns near St Neot. Like The Green, Trevenna Barns features a large function barn and a dedicated outdoor ceremony area. It’s a really special venue.
Further down towards Looe you have two superb venues to choose between. Trenderway Farm provides a rural setting for weddings. Once again it has a large converted barn but this time with a rustic farmyard. Just down the road is the beautiful Kilminorth Cottages. With tons of onsite accommodation, Kilminorth is set up to holed marquee weddings – allowing you to put together a bespoke wedding day. In face, all four of these venues offer accommodation on site. Which can really take the pressure out of deciding where you and, at least some of, your guests should stay on the day of the wedding.
Finally, tucked down on the Rame Peninsula, we have the stunning Polhawn Fort. Sitting on the cliff high above its own beach, Polhawn Fort is a Napoleonic Fort that has been lovingly repurposed as a wedding venue. It’s utterly unique.
The best places to get married in Cornwall - examples from Real Weddings
Hopefully this guide to finding the best places in Cornwall to get married has given you some ideas. It’s not a full list, but gives at least an idea. If you would like to see some examples of real weddings Cornwall, here are a few weddings to have a look through.
First up is Lisa and Steven’s festival style wedding at the wonderful Cornish Tipis. There is nothing better than a warm summer night standing round a roaring fire, whilst everyone parties the wedding night away. Alternatively, have a look at Zoe and Daniel’s elopement at Cornish Tipis.
For a stately country house wedding then pop over to Maddi and Nick’s wedding at the beautiful Boconnoc House. Boconnoc has to be one of the most stunning country houses in Cornwall. I absolutely love weddings there.
Always a favourite is the incredible Polhawn Fort that sits nestled on the cliffs high above Whitsand Bay. Visit Katie and Paul’s wedding to see more of this wonderful venue or try Jessica and Simon’s stormy winter wedding at Polhawn Fort.
Laura and Elliot’s wedding at Kilminorth Cottages really showed what makes this venue so special for marquee weddings.
For something more rural you have two wonderful venues to choose from – the amazing Trevenna (have a look at Sam and Rob’s wonderful wedding at Trevenna) and The Green (visit Amy and Tom’s wedding at The Green). Both these venues provide rural calm in beautiful country locations.
Finally, the Isles of Scilly. I missed The Isles of Scilly from my guide above. The Isles of Scilly has a couple of small venues for weddings – but it takes a lot of effort to travel out there to get married – but that effort is well rewarded, it is an amazing place. If you are looking at getting married on the Isles of Scilly then take inspiration from Jo and Matt’s wonderful wedding on the Isles of Scilly. It really is a wonderful part of the world.
If you’ve picked your venue and are looking for a wedding photographer in Cornwall, then I would l love to talk. I’m fascinated to hear what venue you went for and why.