17 Best Wedding Venues in Essex

Essex has an abundant mixture of wedding venues, ranging from beautiful Barns to historic Halls and Manor houses built many hundreds of years ago.

Even if you have lived in Essex for all your life, this guide will help you find some of the County’s best Wedding Venues as they are usually found in remote parts of the countryside.

This is a list that I personally recommend as the best wedding venues in Essex, all of which I have photographed at.

Gaynes Park

This venue is top of my list for many reasons, it has the most beautiful gardens and surroundings, as well as amazing food and is co-ordinated on the wedding day by very helpful and experienced staff. Weddings can be held in several different locations at the venue, including indoors or outdoors, and there is also accommodation on site. I have been a recommended photographer at Gaynes Park for many years and have photographed weddings in every month and in every kind of weather, so I know the venue very well and all the best places to take photos throughout the calendar year.

Location: Gaynes Park, Banks Lane, Coopersale, Epping, Essex CM16 7RJ
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Website: https://gaynespark.co.uk/

Braxted Park

Braxted park is a luxury venue, that has been a residence since 1680, and is currently a family owned estate.  It features a very impressive long driveway up to the main house, two large lakes and its own golf club.

The grounds are around 500 acres, and there are many excellent locations for photography. In fact,  on a wedding day the venue supplies a large golf buggy to transport you around the venue (with the suppliers).

Ceremonies can take place indoors in the Orangery, or outside on the lawn.

This is one of the larger venues in Essex, and can accommodate 350 wedding guests, and has the largest dancefloor.  There are several contemporary guest rooms, plus the venue is located close to Chelmsford and Colchester for guests to stay.

Location: Braxted Park Estate, Great Braxted, Essex, CM8 3EN

Website: https://www.braxtedpark.co.uk/

Gosfield Hall

Gosfield Hall was built in 1545 making its history part of the England’s Elizabethan and Tudor period, however it currently displays the décor from its Georgian period.

This is another large venue in terms of the grounds and surroundings, and holds up to 116 guests for a wedding ceremony during the day, and up to 250 guests for the evening. There are also rooms for 67 guests.

The venue is known for having a ‘blue door’, and you can see the true colour of the door in my photo below, as they don’t contain any filters.

Location: Hall Drive, Gosfield, Halstead CO9 1SF

Website: https://www.gosfield-hall.co.uk/

Hylands House

Hylands House is a large Georgian House, surrounded by 500 acres of land. The venue has both indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces which hold up to 100 guests, plus there is also an additional pavilion which holds up to 300 guests.

The outdoor grounds are open to the public, but the venue still feels exclusive. I have taken many photos at the venue using all the grounds and in particular they have amazing Wisteria which flowers in May.

The site is huge, and was home to the V-Festival up to 2017, and it now home to Creamfields South.

Location: Hylands Park, London Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8WQ

Website: https://hylandsestateweddings.co.uk/

Blake Hall

Blake Hall is a country house dating from the 17th Century with 60 acres of surrounding land. The wedding venue is located with the grounds utilising two large modernised barns and the gardens.

Weddings can be held for up to 150 guests during the daytime, with ceremonies being held both indoors and outdoors. The party space is large and can hold 200 guests in the evening.

The layout of the venue allows for getting ready to take place in a cottage next to the barns, and the outdoor gardens are perfect for newlywed photos.

Location: Blake Hall, Bobbingworth, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0DG

Website: https://www.blakehall.co.uk/

Crondon Park

Crondon Park is a wedding venue within a golf club, however you won’t notice this as the club is located behind the venue grounds. Weddings are held indoors or outdoors, and the reception space is called the ‘Baronial Barn’ which dates to circa 1606, and can hold 148 guests. There is a very nice cottage next to the venue for getting ready and everything at the venue is nice and compact so guests are never far from the couple getting married.

Location: Crondon Park, Stock Road, Stock, Essex, CM4 9DP

Website:  https://www.crondonpark.com/

Leez Priory

Leez Priory is a large Tudor mansion house originally built circa 1546. The interior has been faithfully styled and is very much in keeping with the exterior façade.

Weddings take place in various rooms inside, even up the original tower, or they can be held outdoors in the expansive courtyard.

I have been fortunate to photograph here many times in all the ceremony locations. The gardens are huge and there is also a walled lake area, where you often find geese and ducks.

Location: Hartford End, Great Leighs, Chelmsford, CM3 1JP

Website: https://www.leez-priory.co.uk/

Creeksea Place Manor

Creeksea Place Manor house was built in 1569 and is currently a family-owned business.

Although the house is used for some of the wedding ceremony and pre-wedding drinks, the majority of a wedding celebration takes place in the gardens or within the marquee.

Outdoor ceremonies can take place under a large marble pavilion within the gardens, which give all the guest a great view of the ceremony.

Location: Creeksea Place, Ferry Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8PJ

Website:  https://www.creekseaplace.co.uk/

Mulberry House

Mulberry House is a Georgian house, with 23 acres of surrounding grounds. Ceremonies take place both indoors and outdoors, and as the venue is also a Hotel, there are 23 guest rooms. The ceremony spaces hold 130 guests, and the evening reception area can hold up to 200 guests, so the venue is one of larger spaces in Essex. The gardens are large, an include a lake with a bridge, plus there is plenty of wildlife wandering around.

Location: Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, Essex, CM5 9NL

Website: https://mulberry-house.com/

The Fennes

The Fennes wedding venue is a Georgian House, situated within 100 acres of the Fennes Estate.

The venue has one of the largest capacities for wedding guests in Essex, seated for a ceremony up to 300, and up to 500 for the reception. These are hosted in large air-conditioned marquees which are towards the rear of the house.

With there being 13 guest rooms, the nearest town for accommodation would be Braintree, which is only a 10-minute drive.

The grounds have a small lake with a bridge over it, plus plenty of outdoor space for guests to mingle.

Location: Fennes Road, Bocking, Braintree, Essex, CM7 5PL

Website: https://www.fennes.co.uk/

Parklands, Quendon Hall,

Quendon Hall is a large 17th Century mansion house set within its country estate.

Ceremonies which take place within the house have a capacity of 140, but there is also a marquee to the rear and a licensed outdoor pavilion which can also hold ceremonies. The marquee is large and can hold up to 450 guests for a wedding reception.

The estate has a small honeymoon cottage situated down the drive from the main house, which itself has 7 guest rooms.

The surrounding land often has herds of deer wandering around, although they are fenced off from the public for safety.

Location: Parklands, Quendon Hall, Quendon, Essex, CB11 3XN

Website: https://www.quendonhall.co.uk/

Maidens Barn

Maidens Barn is a venue that I first photographed at in 2011, when the current owner was hosting the wedding day. Today this role has been passed on to Alex and his team, who are extremely friendly and knowledgeable for all things wedding related. The venue is a converted barn, which has been faithfully modernised and yet keeps its rustic feel. I have seen many changes to the layout and venue over the years and its great to see how much the family keep upgrading their lovely venue. The newlywed couple can stay at the honeymoon cottage, which is around the back of the venue and there are a further 14 guest rooms on-site.

I have photographed many times as Maidens Barn, and there are so many possibilities for great images.

Website: https://www.weddingbarnessex.co.uk

Location: Maidens Barn, Green Street, High Easter, Chelmsford Essex CM3 1HU

Tuffon Hall

Tuffon Hall is a 16th century barn situated within a Vineyard in North Essex, which also sells award winning wines. The venue itself is a very large converted Barn, and next door to it the old Farmhouse is accommodation for 12 guests.

When at the venue, the vineyard is just a short stroll away from the buildings and there are some great photo opportunities within the rows of vines as well as on the fields towards the back where the sun sets.

Location: Tuffon Hall Vineyard, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, Essex, CO9 3LL

Website:  https://tuffonhall.co.uk/

Hutton Hall

Hutton Hall is one of the closest wedding venues to where I live, in Brentwood, Essex. The hall is a Grade II listed Georgian manor house and is surrounded by 8 acres of gardens.

There is a large marque to the rear of the house, which caters for 120 guests.

The setting of the venue and the gardens create a very relaxed atmosphere, and the staff are also very friendly and welcoming.

Location: Hutton Village, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 1RX

Website: https://www.huttonhall.co.uk/

Colville Hall

Colville Hall sits within a working farm, and was built in 1537 when it replaced the existing medieval house. The buildings themselves are some of the most authentically restored that I have seen at wedding venues, and have great character to their shapes and structures. The venue caters for 150 guests during the day, and there is accommodation for around 20 people.

Location: Colville Hall, Chelmsford Road, White Roding, Essex, CM6 1RQ

Website: https://www.colvillehallwedding.co.uk/

Stockbrook Manor

Stockbrook manor is a country club, that is both a wedding venue and a golf club.

The venue itself is large, and has a huge ballroom reception room for 250 seated guests and up to 300 for the evening party.

There are several different rooms inside for wedding ceremonies, as well as an outdoor pavilion for summer weddings outdoors.

The getting ready accommodation a 9 bedroom house, which is a short drive away from the main house. There is also plenty of outdoor space around the venue, and it is possible to arrive by helicopter.

Location: Stock Brook Country Club, Queens Park Avenue, Stock, Nr Billericay, Essex, CM12 0SP

Website: https://stockbrook.com/

Baddow Park

Baddow Park is a Victorian country house, which has been beautifully transformed into a charming rustic wedding venue.

Ceremonies can be held both indoors or outdoors, and this would be for intimate weddings for between 50 and 80 guests.

However, the venue is surrounded by large fields and arrival by helicopter is possible.

Location: West Hanningfield Road, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7SY

Website: https://baddowpark.co.uk/