How to choose between the best Cotswold restaurant wedding venues
The Cotswolds’ renowned restaurants and historic pubs provide couples with celebration settings where memorable dining experiences and charming architecture create naturally romantic backdrops. Perfect for food-loving couples, these settings range from boutique country inns to acclaimed culinary destinations. If you are looking for a barn wedding scenario, we’ve got you covered!
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is Raymond Blanc’s legendary restaurant with rooms nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside near Great Milton. This internationally acclaimed culinary destination combines gastronomic excellence with exquisite gardens and luxurious accommodation to create one of the UK’s most prestigious settings.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The venue offers several elegant settings including the intimate La Belle Époque private dining room with its gallery of impressionist art for ceremonies of up to 50 guests, and the beautiful conservatory restaurant overlooking the gardens for larger gatherings up to 120.
- Outdoor Spaces: Le Manoir is surrounded by two acres of extraordinary gardens that serve both ornamental and productive purposes. These meticulously maintained grounds include Japanese tea gardens, a lavender walk, extensive kitchen gardens with over 90 types of vegetables and herbs, and an orchard of heritage apple varieties.
What Makes Le Manoir Stand Out:
- Unparalleled Culinary Reputation: As one of Britain’s most celebrated restaurants, Le Manoir offers wedding dining at a level few venues can approach.
- Package and Pricing Options: Le Manoir offers bespoke celebration packages starting from £40,000 for exclusive use reflecting the venue’s prestigious reputation and extraordinary standards. Their approach focuses on creating completely personalised experiences tailored to each couple’s vision.
- Boutique Luxury Accommodation: Le Manoir offers 32 individually designed rooms and suites that accommodate up to 64 guests in extraordinary comfort. Each space tells its own design story with inspirations ranging from Botticelli to Provence, providing wedding couples and their closest guests with truly memorable accommodation.
The Swan at Bibury
The Swan at Bibury is a 17th-century former coaching inn situated in what is often described as “the most beautiful village in England.” This quintessential Cotswold stone hotel and restaurant sits alongside the River Coln in the heart of Bibury.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The venue features several characterful areas including the elegant Garden Room overlooking the river for ceremonies of up to 110 guests, and the charming Signet Room with its original features and garden access for intimate receptions.
- Outdoor Spaces: The inn’s gardens run alongside the River Coln, with the gentle sound of flowing water creating a peaceful backdrop for outdoor ceremonies and drinks receptions. The grounds include immaculately maintained lawns, mature trees, and riverside seating areas where guests can enjoy the natural beauty that has made Bibury a tourist destination.
What Makes The Swan at Bibury Stand Out:
- Cotswold Inn Celebrations: The Swan offers wedding packages starting from £115 per person (2023 pricing), with options for both exclusive use of the entire property or specific areas depending on celebration size. Their 22 individually designed bedrooms can accommodate up to 44 guests, with rooms featuring traditional Cotswold character alongside modern comforts.
- Historic Inn Atmosphere: As a former coaching inn with over 400 years of history, The Swan offers authentic heritage character that modern venues cannot replicate. Original features including wooden beams, stone fireplaces, and traditional windows.
- Restaurant-Quality Dining: The venue’s reputation as a dining destination ensures wedding catering of exceptional quality. Their culinary team specializes in refined Cotswold cuisine that showcases local producers, with menus that balance sophisticated technique with crowd-pleasing accessibility.
The Bay Tree, Burford
The Bay Tree is a charming boutique hotel and restaurant housed within a historical building on Burford’s picturesque high street. This intimate venue combines medieval architectural features with contemporary comfort to create a distinctive setting for couples seeking a celebration with genuine Cotswold character and exceptional hospitality at its heart.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The venue centers around the beautiful Conservatory Restaurant with its stone walls, wooden beams, and impressive fireplace providing a naturally romantic setting for ceremonies of up to 90 guests.
- Outdoor Spaces: The Bay Tree features a quintessential English walled garden that provides a secluded outdoor oasis despite the venue’s high street location. This beautiful space includes manicured lawns, traditional planting, and mature trees that create natural shade for summer celebrations.
What Makes The Bay Tree Stand Out:
- Medieval Meets Boutique: The venue occupies a building dating back to 1565, with authentic period features including flagstone floors, stone mullioned windows, and wooden beams throughout.
- Boutique Hotel Exclusivity: The Bay Tree offers exclusive use packages starting from £8,500 for midweek dates to £12,500 for summer weekends (2023 pricing), including accommodation in their 21 individually designed bedrooms for up to 42 guests. Their approach focuses on creating a “house party” atmosphere where couples and their guests enjoy complete privacy throughout the celebration.
- Intimate Gathering Focus: With its boutique scale and interconnected spaces, The Bay Tree specialises in more intimate celebrations where guests can truly interact rather than being dispersed across expansive grounds. The venue’s layout naturally encourages mingling and conversation while maintaining distinct areas for different parts of the day.
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