Top 5 Cotswolds Manor House Wedding Venues

I count my lucky stars how fortunate I am to live near the Cotswolds. It truly is one of the most gorgeous, and quintessentially English, places in the UK. When you think of those pretty English villages and golden brick buildings, the Cotswolds is it. Is it any surprise then that so many engaged couples choose to get married there? The gorgeous Cotswolds stone buildings, the rolling fields of green – we as a family love to explore it on weekends.

Spanning across five counties Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire (where I live – yay!), the Cotswolds is a vast area so there are plenty of wedding venues to explore. As a wedding photographer who has been so her fair share of local wedding venues, here’s 5 Cotswolds wedding venues that have absolutely everything you could want – the classic Cotswolds stone buildings, gorgeous landscaped gardens, loads of natural light in their reception buildings (very important for wedding photography) and lots of gorgeous backdrops for your wedding photos!

Eastington Manor – Gloucestershire

The gorgeous Eastington Park is set within acres of land and is super easy to get to, a 5 minute drive off the motorway. It also has lots of accommodation for your guests so you can all party long into the night, and have breakfast the following morning to keep that wedding buzz going into the next day.

Why is this wedding venue great for wedding photos? Lovely neutral colours and period features throughout venue and lots of light for gorgeous photos with no colour cast from walls or floors.

Photo Tip: This venue has a two-room prep suite so you can keep all your bags and clutter in one room and keep the other free for gorgeous portraits and reveal photos with a clean backdrop.

Venue capacity: 250 guests

See a wedding gallery from Eastington Manor: https://gracedovephotography.com/2024/08/10/eastington-park-summer-wedding/

Caswell House

If you want a venue filled with character and history – this is it. With parts of it dating back to the 15th Century this wedding venue is everything that a Cotswolds wedding venue should be. It has a stunning courtyard which is incredible for ourdoor ceremonies with an arch to frame you both and landscaped gardens. There’s also a stone barn for a cosy reception space with fairy lights all above it.

Why is this wedding venue great for wedding photos? The grounds of this venue are vast with fields and golden stone walls with lots of flowers which bloom at different time of year. You can get so many different backdrops for portraits without need to venture very far from your guests.

Photo Tip: There are black barns at the venue which made the PERFECT backdrop for a champagne spray, they also really make your wedding dress pop for a more dramatic image.

Venue capacity: 200 guests

See more about Caswell House here.

Hyde House – Stow-on-the-World

Hyde House is pretty much in the middle of the Cotswolds, right next to one of it’s most well known villages – Stow-on-the-Wold. It has two main buildings, the Grange which is where most of their wedding ceremonies take place, and the Barn which is where you’ll have your cocktail hour and wedding reception. The front of the buildings alone are gorgeous for wedding photos but inside you have a neutral, warm feel with the cream walls, wood floors and wooden beams to add character.

Why is this wedding venue great for wedding photos? The ceremony space is just as lovely as the reception area which isn’t always the case. Yet even though they’re different buildings they complement each other well so your wedding photos taken in both areas are cohesive. There’s also lovely photo spots in the wedding preparation area for dress photos etc.

Photo Tip: Between the two main buildings, there’s a small landscaped garden area where guests don’t usually go. This is perfect for couple portraits but is also perfectly placed for golden hour when it arrives in the Summer!

Venue capacity: 150 guests

See a wedding gallery from Hyde House: https://gracedovephotography.com/2023/08/20/summer-hyde-house-wedding/

Elmore Court – Gloucestershire

Elmore Court is essentially, my entire home decor Pinterest board. So of course, it was going to feature in this list. The character the house has, the level of detail that’s gone into every room, the incredible sky light above the main wedding breakfast area. This venue, was made for gorgeous weddings and photographs.

Why is this wedding great for wedding photos? Unlike some other venues, even if the weather isn’t on your side, the interiors are grand enough that you know your wedding will be utterly gorgeous regardless. You can see so much through has gone into ensure all the main spaces are beautifully lit and the aesthetic is neutral enough to make your wedding styling shine.

Photo Tip: The greenhouse, it may not look like much but when the sun peeks through it – can make the most stunning setting for wedding couple portraits. You’ll be perfectly framed by the exterior and when it’s filled with flowers – it’s just incredible.

Venue Capacity: 200 guests

See more about Elmore Court.

Manor by the Lake – Cheltenham

I’m lucky enough to have photographed at Manor by the Lake a few times now and every wedding is different. Largely because the venue has so many options for where you can host different parts of your day so you can really make it your own. The grounds are amazing and you can easily spend hours out there. The Italian Pavilion is a stunning space to have your ceremony and the courtyard in front of the house is an amazing spot to have portraits taken in front of the house, or perhaps a huge group portrait on the balcony!

Why is this wedding venue great for wedding photos? The house and grounds are so beautiful that you really don’t need much to style them at all. There’s also two wedding preparation areas so you can lots of room to spread out and get ready.

Photo Tip: Try to book an outdoor ceremony by the arches or Italian Pavilion and then have your wedding breakfast on long tables in the Maximilian room. It has plenty of character but a LOT more light than the ballroom for speeches photos if you have under 100 guests.

Venue capacity: 250 guests

See a wedding gallery from Manor by the Lake: https://gracedovephotography.com/2025/05/08/spring-wedding-at-manor-by-the-lake/

Looking for a Cotswolds wedding photographer?

Well, as you can see above, I am rather passionate about Cotswolds wedding venues. There are so many more I have yet to visit and I absolutely love the Cotswold aesthetic and how it works with my true-to-life, romantic style. So if you’re looking for a Cotswolds wedding photographer, I’d love to hear from you here!