You can’t turn a corner in London without running into a historic building, ancient church, or legendary hotel — so where should you look if you’ve got your heart set on tying the knot across the pond? Here’s a starting point.
Small but mighty
For the most micro of weddings, head to The Milestone in tony Kensington, which boasts the smallest private chapel in London. Here, in the Oratory, up to 8 people can witness your intimate civil ceremony wedding, in a small but very grand room featuring leaded windows and sweeping arches that can be beautifully laden with flowers.
The chapel is original to the 1689 building, which has had a checkered past as the home of aristocrats and a stint as an asylum before becoming a hotel in 1922. In 1998 it became part of the Red Carnation portfolio, when it was restored to its neo-Gothic glory. Rest assured, as small as your wedding may be, you’ll feel very much the lord and lady of the manor.
Afterwards, head to the Victorian charm of Cheneston’s restaurant, all mahogany paneling and roaring fireplace, for British fare under the helm of executive chef Daniel Putz. Or, if you’re keeping it really simple, have bespoke cocktails as you relax into the leather sofas at the Stables Bar.
Choose a romantic room overlooking Kensington Palace (home to Will and Kate) complete with balcony from which to sip Champagne and round out your intimate, perfect day.
Oratory weddings from $635. Rooms from $710.
Lawfully wed
New York’s NoMad brand reached London in 2021, when it reimagined the former magistrates court in Bow Street Covent Garden into luxe lodgings.
The NoMad‘s Grade II building opposite the Royal Opera House started life in 1740, and was the birthplace of the Bow Street Runners, London’s first police force. Now, as a premium hotel, it’s all rich fabrics, curated art, soothing color palettes, and eclectic upscale dining in the subterranean atrium restaurant.
Still, in some of the former women’s cells on the lower level, the door grids and alarm buttons are still there — these would have housed the suffragettes who were tried here in 1908. And famously, Oscar Wilde also met his fate here — his life effectively ended when he was found guilty of indecency (aka homosexuality) in 1895.
The metal podium he stood in to hear the verdict is still there, too, at the rear of what is now the Ballroom, one of several boutique wedding sites within the hotel, and the grandest, for weddings of up to 120. Clouds and faux paint effects adorn the soaring ceiling and paneled walls, and the space can be artfully arranged for maximum wow factor.
Given its history, this also makes the perfect place for a same sex wedding. Wear your green carnation with pride.
Weddings from $31,700. Rooms from $630.
Picture perfect
Going for more of a Gothic vibe, or want magazine cover-worthy photos from your big day? Head out to Peckham in southeast London, to the distressed glory of Grade II listed Asylum Chapel.
Asylum here means “sanctuary,” since the chapel once belonged to the local almshouses (charitable housing) in this case designated for elderly retired pub owners (well, who else is more deserving?).
The tenants were evacuated in WWII — luckily, since it was bombed, though amazingly the stained glass windows survive — after which several ideas were floated for the derelict space, until in 2010, creatives Jo Dennis and Dido Hallett took it over for their art projects. They went on to form an event space company, Maverick Projects, and began using it for weddings. (They now have other “forgotten” London venues on their books, too.)
The rustic space holds 120 people, and can be customized to create the faded glory of your dreams, with antique seating and masses of candles placed among the crumbling Georgian walls.
Newlyweds Charlotte Lennon and Nyuito Amankwah described it as “breathtakingly elegant, but with an unfussy, stripped back aesthetic that was perfect for us. The late afternoon December light streaming through the stained glass windows into the darkest corners of the chapel made for a stunning and deeply historical backdrop to our wedding day.”
Be assured, your Instagram feed will explode. Weddings from $1,780.
Crowning glory
Be careful what you wish for. When Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey built Hampton Court Palace in the early 16th century, he wanted to have a place fit for a king. He did so well that King Henry VIII decided to take it for himself.
The Tudor palace, set in sweeping grounds on the banks of the river in Richmond upon Thames, has since housed many royals, including all six of Henry’s wives — ill-fated Anne Boleyn’s coat-of-arms and initials are carved into the roof of the Great Hall and her ghost is said to haunt the place.
That hasn’t stopped couples from flocking to this grandiose palace for a fairytale wedding. There’s a mix and match choice of locations, including the Garden Room, which boasts a private lawn and terrace — add marquees to fit up to 1,000 guests; up to 50 guests can wed in the Little Banqueting House, and 270 guests can be awed by the majestic Great Hall, which can also be used for a right royal feast after the nuptials.
Weddings from $9,000.
