If you have dreamed of getting married in a sumptuous palace, then you could make it a reality.
Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and Kew Palace are all available as licensed wedding venues. You can even hire Banqueting House in Whitehall, although the thought that Charles I was executed there may subdue its regal elegance as a wedding venue.
How much would your dream wedding venue cost? Prices are mostly given on application only but according to E!, the venue at Kensington Palace costs around £18,000 to hire for the day on a weekend. For that price, you’ll get a wedding planner, a taxi service, daytime cleaning, on-site security and a private entrance to Kensington Palace for your guests.
Alternatively, you can book the slightly cheaper wedding venue of The Orangery on an evening for £12,100. The venue can accommodate 150 guests for a ceremony and 300 for a reception.
These may seem stark prices but according to research by bridal magazine Hitched the average cost of wedding venues in 2017 was £4,354. If you take into account the premium London location, not to mention the historic regal significance, then this could be seen as a rare chance for a fairytale wedding venue.
Should you care for a more democratic venue then you can even hire the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster. Once intended as a conference room and known as the ‘Painted Chamber’ after a room in the medieval Palace, the Members’ Dining Room was created in 1871 following demands for more dining facilities and costs £2000 + VAT to hire.
In reality, wherever you choose to get married will be your palace, treasured in memories far into the future. Whatever you decide, a wedding insurance policy may be a good precaution to protect your costs should unforeseen circumstances mean you have to cancel or re-arrange your wedding.