10 best wedding venues in the Cotswolds for an idyllic celebration

With its endless rolling hills, quaint villages, and pretty market towns, it’s easy to see why the Cotswolds is such a popular wedding location. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers parts of five British counties, including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, and borders the historic cities of Bath, Gloucester, and Oxford. Stretching across some of the most beautiful corners of the country, we've rounded up the best wedding venues in the Cotswolds to guarantee you a picture-perfect celebration.

At this point, you’ll likely know whether you need a large venue for a more traditional wedding or something small and intimate for a select guest list – either way, you’ll be spoilt for choice. From grand manor houses to rustic barns, sprawling country estates to boutique hotels, it’s fair to say there is no shortage of wedding venues in the Cotswolds and all of them benefit from bucolic surroundings.

But despite its rural setting, the best wedding venues in the Cotswolds also often boast excellent transport links, easily reachable from London via the M40. There are also a number of well-connected train stations, and Bristol Airport in the vicinity. Plus, many of the top venues to say ‘I do’ in the Cotswolds boast accommodation on site, and offer multi-day weddings, so you can have either all your guests staying overnight or nearby or keep it intimate with a small few. Given its status as a staycation destination, you’ll find plenty of pubs with rooms and B&Bs nearby as well.

With the area covering multiple counties – spanning roughly half of Gloucestershire, and reaching into Oxfordshire, with parts in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Wiltshire as well – you’ve got a fair amount of choice. Rustic barns, historic estates, and intimate country inns; read on to discover the best wedding venues the Cotswolds has to offer.

The Feathered Nest Inn

What: For couples who want their wedding to feel more like a brilliant country-house party than a formal production, The Feathered Nest Inn is a must-see. This 15th-century former malt house sits high above the Evenlode Valley, with the sort of sweeping countryside views that make an outdoor or marquee wedding a very attractive option. Inside, ceremonies can take place in the Main Restaurant, Garden Room or cosy Fireplace Snug, while larger celebrations can spill into a marquee on the lawn. Once the speeches are over, the outdoor oven can turn out pizzas for evening food, and four boutique bedrooms and a secluded cottage mean you can stay put after the last dance.
Capacity: Up to 60 (ceremony), 120 with marquee hire in summer months
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Nether Westcote, OX7 6SD
Find out more: The Feathered Nest Inn

The Manor House

What: If you love the idea of marrying on your own private country estate, The Manor House could be the venue for you. Nestled in the Bybrook Valley, this 14th-century manor house is exclusively yours for the duration of your celebration, with elegant interiors, landscaped gardens and 50 bedrooms on site. In warmer months, make the most of the riverside setting with an outdoor ceremony beneath the bandstand, before wandering through the Italian Gardens for photographs. Lawn games keep guests entertained, while the on-site spa and 18-hole championship golf course make this a particularly tempting choice for a full wedding weekend.
Capacity: Up to 150
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Chippenham, SN14 7HR
Find out more: The Manor House

Owlpen Manor

What: This impressive Tudor house has all the grandeur you’d expect from a historic wedding venue, with the added benefit of being family-run for a genuinely personal touch. Fully licensed for ceremonies, you can exchange vows in the Great Hall, the 15th-century Cyder Barn or outside in the picturesque gardens, while couples wanting a church service will find a parish church nearby. Hire Owlpen Manor and the entire estate is yours for three days, including nine cottages sleeping up to 40 guests. Ancient buildings, a secluded valley setting and multiple ceremony options? It’s all covered.
Capacity: Up to 200
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Dursley, GL11 5BZ
Find out more: Owlpen Manor

Burleigh Court Hotel

What: If you’re looking for a venue for a traditional wedding, Burleigh Court Hotel is a great option. This Grade II listed Georgian manor house is full of history, with original features, ornate finishes and romantic interiors. Outside, three and a half acres of pretty gardens overlook the Golden Valley, creating a lovely backdrop for photographs and drinks on the lawn. With space for up to 56 guests for a seated ceremony and reception, plus 18 bedrooms, the hotel works particularly well for smaller celebrations. Better still, the entire house can be yours for exclusive use, making it feel wonderfully personal.
Capacity: Up to 56
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Stroud, GL5 2PF
Find out more: Burleigh Court Hotel

Ingleside House

What: Stylish couples will love the interiors at this gorgeous boutique hotel, where historic character meets a more contemporary feel. Dating back to 1812, Ingleside House has been beautifully restored, combining rich colours, elegant details and sleek finishes throughout. There’s plenty of flexibility, too, with a choice of spaces for ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and celebrations, including the rather unexpected Barn Theatre. The friendly team takes a flexible approach, allowing you to create a day that feels like your own, while 11 bedrooms mean your favourite people can stay overnight.
Capacity: Up to 180
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Cirencester, GL7 1BN
Find out more: Ingleside House

Prior Park

What: Quite literally on the border of the Cotswolds and Bath, Prior Park might not suit the conventional rural Cotswolds vision. But this Grade I listed Palladian mansion with all its 57 acres of landscaped parkland is frankly too photogenic to leave off this list. Tie the knot with 100 at the beautiful, covered portico, with the enormous pillars framing the famous Palladian Bridge. Going grand? Check out the astonishing Our Lady of the Snows Chapel for 400-person ceremonies, or head to the Academy Hall for receptions with 120 beneath ornate plasterwork and chandeliers. With just one wedding per weekend and a maximum of 20 weddings a year, this is less wedding factory, more house party with an extraordinary architectural backdrop.
Capacity: Up to 400
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Prior Park College, Ralph Allen Drive, BA2 5AH
Find out more: Prior Park

Cokethorpe Estate

What: Set near Witney, on the fringes of the Cotswolds proper, Cokethorpe Estate comes armed with 150 acres of parkland and flexible choices. The estate combines historic and contemporary buildings with lawns, woodland and open countryside, giving you plenty of scope to shape the day around the season and your guest list. Marquees, tipis and yurts are all permitted, while exclusive use means the estate is entirely yours to put your own stamp on. There’s also on-site parking, bridal changing facilities and scope for late-night celebrations.
Capacity: Up to 250
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Cokethorpe School, Witney, OX29 7PU
Find out more: Cokethorpe Estate

Wick Farm

What: Set amidst the rolling Somerset countryside just outside Bath, Wick Farm is a relaxed, family-run barn venue with plenty of character and three ceremony settings to choose from. The Upper Barn, with its stone brick walls and exposed rafters, offers a lighter feel, while the Rustic Haybarn offers a raw, countryside edge. The Garden, meanwhile, offers an alfresco setting to tie the knot under a fairy-lit archway. Afterwards, head to the terrace overlooking the duck pond or The Lower Barn for drinks, before dinner in the Upper Barn. The Lower Barn houses the bar and provides a natural spot for dancing later on, while a one-bedroom bridal cottage gives newlyweds somewhere cosy to retreat to.
Capacity: Up to 200 for evening reception
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Farleigh, Hungerford, BA2 7NQ
Find out more: Wick Farm

The Great Barn

What: Chances are, your Cotswold wedding might look something like this: an 18th-century stone barn, exposed oak beams, big open spaces and 250 acres of countryside. Set on the Oxfordshire-Northamptonshire border, The Great Barn is an exclusive-use venue with all the trimmings. The Cart Shed is licensed for ceremonies of up to 120, while the Croughton Barn handles the wedding breakfast and the Aynho Barn takes over when things get livelier, with evening celebrations for up to 175. Plus, three on-site cottages sleep ten guests, with a dressing room, in-house catering and, importantly, wood-fired pizzas for the evening - because every wedding needs late-night pizza.
Capacity: Up to 175
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Upper Aynho Grounds, Aynho, OX17 3AY
Find out more: The Great Barn

Clearwell Castle

What: It might not actually be in the Cotswolds, but located in Gloucestershire’s Forest of Dean, this spectacular castle venue is the ultimate destination for a fairytale wedding. Surrounded by lush green lawns, Clearwell Castle is every bit as special inside and out. The historic ballroom is a magical setting for your ceremony, allowing you to make your big entrance down an impressive 75ft aisle. Alternatively, host it outside at the bandstand with the surrounding forest as your backdrop. In terms of accommodation, there are 15 bedrooms available, as well as on-site cottages, and there are 24 additional rooms available in the nearby Wyndham.
Capacity: Up to 150
Licensed for ceremony: Yes
Where: Forest of Dean, GL16 8LG
Find out more: Clearwell Castle

The Cotswolds' top wedding venues often have one of two things (sometimes both): rustic charm or a historic feel. So, if you're seeking out more options, simply head over to our edit of the UK's top rustic wedding venues, or explore the country's finest country house venues.