The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Venues in Richmond & Southwest London

I’ve had the privilege of photographing over 250 weddings throughout my career, most of which have taken place right on my doorstep here in Richmond. Whether you are considering an intimate day with your nearest or an all-out celebration with 150+ guests, Richmond and the surrounding areas of Southwest London have some of the most beautiful and easily accessible wedding venues in England.

There is probably no decision that will impact the feeling of the day more than the venue you choose, so I wanted to put together this guide to be as helpful as possible to couples. Getting married last year has truly given me a new appreciation of all the time and effort that goes into planning the wedding of your dreams. From the grand hallways at Syon Park and Hampton Court Palace to the cosy and chic riverside setting of Petersham Nurseries and Bingham Riverhouse, there is a venue here for everyone.

There is no shying away from the fact that weddings are more expensive than ever, so I have made sure to also include venues like York House and Orleans House Gallery, which are priced more approachably, yet still capture the magic of this beautiful area. I am a firm believer that weddings can be beautiful, no matter what the budget.

I have split all the venues in this guide up into three groupings to make it easy to navigate - The Grand Estates, Riverside Elegance and Intimately Classic. I have published separate venue guides and blogposts for many of these venues and have made sure to link all of them below. I’ve also included a venue-specific piece of advice for each location (which won’t add anything to your costs!), in an effort to be as helpful as possible in helping you discover everything these places have to offer.

Please note that all pricing below is provided as a guide. Please contact the venue directly for the most up-to-date information.

Enjoy!

The Grand Estates

Syon Park

Cost for a June-September Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony in the Great Hall and reception in the Grand Conservatory: from £29,000

Syon Park is one of England’s most iconic venues and it truly has everything - grand indoor and outdoor spaces, luxurious on-site accommodation (that sleeps 12) and the most incredible wedding events team in Victoria, Laura and Tori who will work tirelessly to make sure that your day runs flawlessly. I have loved working with them (and the reast of the team) since being added to their recommended suppliers list in 2019. Interestingly, Syon House is the last privately owned country estate in London.

Your wedding will start as you get ready in the Hotspur Wing, followed by your ceremony in the Great Hall, drinks in the Inner Courtyard and dinner in the show-stopping Great Conservatory. Each space feels uniquely distinct from the last - the Hotspur Wing feels very British, while the Great Hall (with it’s stunning Marble floors) has a very Italian feel to it. Unlike other venues like Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace, Syon Park is closed to the public during your wedding which makes it feel exceptionally private.

My top tip for a Syon Park wedding: The only type of confetti that is allowed in the Inner Courtyard is dried lavender, which can easily end up inside your dress and start to become itchy as the day goes on. Why not ask your guests to blow bubbles instead? If you want a wall of bubbles, I highly recommend entrusting one of your bridesmaids or ushers with a bubble cannon. We did this at our wedding and it will look incredible in photos! Just make sure to test the bubbles on your dress’s fabric type ahead of time, to make sure they don’t stain.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE

Cost for a Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony in the Little Banqueting House and reception in The Garden Room: from £9,600
Cost for a Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony in The Garden Room and reception in The Great Hall: from £24,000

Hampton Court Palace is another stunning venue in Southwest London and it’s been a privilege to be on their approved suppliers list since 2020. There is only one Hampton Court Palace, and I can’t think of any other wedding venue that has this much history attached to it. It’s absolutely beautiful and provides a variety of locations which you can use for your wedding day, all at different price points. The most affordable option is to have your ceremony in the Little Banqueting House (which is a work of art in itself!) followed by a reception in The Garden Room. At the other end of the spectrum is a ceremony in The Garden Room followed by a reception in King Henry VIII’s jaw-dropping Great Hall.

When it comes to the getting ready part of the day, a few brides I’ve worked with have hired out the Georgian House, a beautiful 18th century building which sits on the grounds. Most couples, though, decide to get ready at The Mitre or the King’s Arms, both within a 5 to 10 minute walk of the venue. I once had a bride who took a private boat from The Mitre to her ceremony in the Little Banqueting House - so fun!

There is no ‘standard’ Hampton Court Palace wedding structure and almost all of the spaces can be incorporated to create your dream wedding schedule. It is also quite common for couples to get married in a nearby church and take a bus (or a boat) to Hampton Court Palace for the rest of the day. Regardless of which spaces you choose, you will have access to the Palace, the gardens and the many gorgeous staircases for couple photos. Do keep in mind that the palace stays open during weddings, so although the immediate area around the Little Banqueting House and Garden Room is private, you will run into some members of the public as we go and take couple portraits. This has never been a problem though.

My top tip for a Hampton Court Palace wedding: HCP is a beautiful, but very large venue. Keep this in mind when planning your timings for the day, particularly if your guests will be walking from the Little Banqueting House to The Garden Room. The benefit to this is that taking couple portraits during this time is perfect, because no one will notice that you’re gone.

Kew Gardens

Cost for a Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony and reception at Cambridge Cottage: from £5,400
Cost for a Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony in the Nash Conservatory and reception in The Orangery: from £16,200
Cost for a Saturday wedding in 2027 with ceremony in the Nash Conservatory and reception in The Temperate House: from £28,200

Where Syon Park is grand and Hampton Court Palace is regal, Kew stands out as London’s botanical gem. All three venues are beautiful, but in very different ways. If enchanting landscapes appeal to you more than palatial conservatories and halls, Kew Gardens might be the perfect venue for you. Yes, this is London’s largest botanical garden, but don’t be fooled - The Nash Conservatory, The Orangery and its many glasshouses mean it retains a clear, architectural charm.

For a few years now gardening has been one of my main hobbies (still waiting for my David Austin loyalty card!), so I am absolutely thrilled whenever I have the opportunity to photograph a wedding at Kew. Many of the couples I have photographed at Kew Gardens have a similar interest in either nature or sustainability, which is always really nice. Depending on which season of the year you choose for your wedding, the plants will look vastly different, so do keep this in mind. Still, the glasshouses mean that even in the winter you can easily find a beautiful, green backdrop.

My top tip for a Kew Gardens wedding: Come up with three to five locations you’d like to visit during couple portraits. Depending on the time of day and the location of your ceremony, the staff at Kew Gardens will suggest which order to do them in. They normally provide a buggy to take us between locations, meaning you spend less time walking and more time with your guests. Do keep in mind the distances and the members of the public though - for example, if you are having your wedding at Kew’s Cambridge Cottage a buggy ride to the Temperate House can take a good few minutes.

RIVERSIDE ELEGANCE

Bingham riverhouse

Bingham Riverhouse pricing is unavailable online

For the riverside elegance category, I’m swapping architectural masterpieces for chic and considered venues which are smaller in size and feel more modern and contemporary. The first on the list is Bingham Riverhouse, a fusion of a boutique hotel with gorgeous, lush views over the river and a fantastic, in-house food offering. In the summer, the garden captures the sun perfectly as it sets over the Thames. When you’re here, it almost feels as if you’re in a friend’s garden.

Most couples that I have photographed at the Bingham decide to get ready on site, although different and often larger, suite-style rooms are available just a 3-minute drive away at the Richmond Hill Hotel, Petersham Hotel or Harbour Hotel. Most ceremonies that I’ve photographed at Bingham take place on their lush lawn which manages to maintain an intimate feel even with 60 guests. Where so many outdoor wedding venues have these slightly unappealing pergolas and awnings, the ceremonies at Bingham happen fully in the open. The nearby tree creates the perfect shade, even in a sunny day. If bad weather is forecast there is no reason to panic, as they are able to host your ceremony indoors as well.

After having your drinks and canapes on the lawn all your guests will be ushered inside for the wedding breakfast and speeches. You’ll head back outside to enjoy the lawn while the room is turned around for the first dance. If you catch good weather in the summer, the light is absolutely stunning at this time (see above).

My top tip for a Bingham Riverhouse wedding: Because of how the garden is laid out, sparklers look absolutely fantastic here.

Intimately Classic

York House Registry Office, Orleans House Gallery