Weddings in the South West - everything you need for your South West wedding

About Weddings in the South West

Sunset over Dartmoor behind Haldon Belvedere (Lawrence Castle)
Sunset over Dartmoor behind Haldon Belvedere (Lawrence Castle)

There are six counties in the area of the UK known as the South-West of England and they are Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall plus Bristol which is a bit of an anomaly as it is both a county and a city at the same time.

The South-West is a part of the British Isles often associated with holidays and so it makes a great scenic destination for couples who want to marry and honeymoon in one location. Not all the south-western counties are coastal but if it is seaside views you are after, then enjoy the majesty and splendour of the South-West Coastal Path which takes in some of the most stunning landscapes of Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall. 630 miles of National Trail runs from Minehead in Somerset around Devon and Cornwall and up to Poole Harbour in Dorset with a huge choice of approved venues for ceremonies and reception destinations dotted along the route.

Inland from the coast, much of the South-West is rural with pretty stone villages and idyllic thatched cottages offering that tranquil, picture postcard backdrop for a country wedding. As a holiday region, there is lots of different types of accommodation available for your wedding guests and plenty of hotels which are registered as approved venues as well as other interesting properties like small manor houses, castles, abbeys, mills and unique riverside and coastal destinations. Tourist hotspots book up early so if you want to get married in the summer then you and your guests will need to plan ahead.

For a town wedding with a grand, civic backdrop, choose one of the many fine and historic cities throughout this region including Salisbury, Bath, Cheltenham, Shaftesbury, Exeter and Truro. There is also a huge selection of smaller, ancient market towns with historic antecedents which can offer a quieter alternative and small town feel with easy access and pretty backdrops for your special day.

From pure remoteness, why not consider one of the two famous moorlands in the South-West, Exmoor and Dartmoor, with dramatic landscapes and a real departure from 21st century culture? There are plenty of unspoilt and remote areas across this entire region with the opportunity to get well off the beaten track.

As a coastal and agricultural region, the South West has many famous foods which can feature at your wedding reception with lots of lovely local produce to tempt your guests, and tick the box on low food miles for couples with an eco-conscience. Choose fudge and clotted cream from Devon and Cornwall, cider from Somerset, Dorset Apple Cake or Lardy Cake from Wiltshire.

The South-West is a region not noted for industrial development or urbanisation like some other parts of the UK, but it is well served for travel connections with two motorways, the M4 and the M5 which link the region to London, Wales and the Midlands. Train services are provided by Great Western Railways and there are several regional airports including Bristol, Exeter, Newquay, Bournemouth and Southampton.

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