In the first of a series of articles, we will be focusing on the best wedding venues in Ilkley and the surrounding areas, sorted into four categories: barn, historical, hotel, and alternative. This article covers the town of Ilkley, as well as the villages of Addingham, Burley-in-Wharfedale, and Bolton Abbey.
The Best Wedding Venues in Ilkley
Ilkley is a beautiful town located in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, and it offers a range of gorgeous wedding venues to suit every style and budget. The town is surrounded by beautiful countryside, with stunning views and picturesque landscapes, making it the perfect setting for a romantic and memorable wedding day.
Here are some of the best wedding venues in Ilkley.
The Best Barn Wedding Venues in Ilkley
The Priest’s House, Barden
The Priest’s House, situated next to the ruins of Barden Tower north of Bolton Abbey, is a truly unique wedding venue that you can only find in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
The views around the grounds of the venue are simply stunning, while the interior blends traditional with modern, allowing couples to have the feeling of marrying in a church without necessarily the religious focus that would normally come with it.
The buildings date back to the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used as a hunting lodge, and the Priest’s House itself was converted into a wedding venue back in 2016.
The Tithe Barn, Bolton Abbey
The Tithe Barn in Bolton Abbey is a barn wedding venue at its finest. With an integral kitchen and sound system and space for up to 300 guests, it’s truly the pinnacle of modern wedding venues.
Situated on the Bolton Abbey estate, the rear garden of the venue offers stunning views over the ruins of the abbey itself, while the atmospheric interior is ideal for the relative sincerity of the ceremony as well as the elation of the party thereafter.
The proximity of the venue to the abbey also means the couple can venture out to the ruins and across the river for some stunning wedding-day shots while the guests are enjoying themselves back at the venue.
The Best Historical Wedding Venues in Ilkley
Ilkley Manor House, Ilkley
For something a little more intimate, Ilkley Manor House offers a small but quirky venue in the heart of Ilkley, close to the river and the park, and is definitely one of the contenders for the best wedding venues in Ilkley.
The venue doubles as a museum most of the time, but that just means that weddings here will be more unique than most, given the small amount of availability in their calendar each year.
The beautiful architecture both inside and out dates back all the way to the 14th century, and the house was originally built on top of a Roman Fort using many of the materials that were found at the site.
Denton Hall, Ilkley
If you’re looking for some grandeur, Denton Hall is the place to be. With its staggeringly beautiful spiral staircase and huge, sprawling grounds, it’s the go-to venue for those happy to splash the cash on the biggest day of their lives.
Although the staircase is the place to be for that ‘money shot’, the rest of the venue is stylish, traditional, and has plenty of room for plenty of guests.
Unfortunately for any aspiring couples, the Hall has recently changed hands, and will be closing its doors at the end of the 2022 season. What will happen to the hall and the estate remains to be seen.
The King’s Hall & Winter Gardens, Ilkley
Perhaps better known for its position as the leading arts and theatre venue in the Ilkley area, the impressive King’s Hall also has a room adjacent to the theatre that doubles as a beautiful wedding ceremony venue.
With options to adjourn to the theatre space for photos, the space is perfect for avid theatre-goers, while the Winter Gardens themselves offer two levels of interior beauty for you and your guests to enjoy.
The venue looks incredible both day and night, inside and outside, and is well worth considering if you’re looking for the best wedding venues in Ilkley.
The Best Hotel Wedding Venues in Ilkley
The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey
If you want to get married in the beautiful settings of the Bolton Abbey grounds but The Tithe Barn (above) doesn’t float your boat, you could always try the Devonshire Arms, one of the most upmarket hotels in the area.
The Devonshire brings with it all the benefits of a hotel wedding: fantastic accommodation, a first-class spa, and in-house catering that is simply to die for.
As a wedding venue, it also stands out, with stylish interior design and some staggering exterior views to boot – as well as access to Bolton Abbey itself a short walk (or wedding car-ride!) away.
The Craiglands Hotel, Ilkley
Another high-quality, top-class hotel in the area is the Craiglands in Ilkley. Perched on a hill on the road towards the Cow and Calf Rocks, it ticks all the boxes for the perfect hotel wedding.
The exterior of the building conforms to the style you’ll find across much of Ilkley, while the several interior reception rooms offer excellent flexibility in terms of size and design.
Add to all of that a brand new spa complex and beautiful accommodation rooms, and you’ve got one of the best wedding venues in Ilkley.
The Best Alternative Wedding Venues in Ilkley
The Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley
If you’re looking for something a little different (and the weather is good!), the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor offers one of the most unique settings you can imagine in this part of West Yorkshire.
If the rocks themselves don’t provide a dramatic enough backdrop to your photos, the view from the top of the moor itself is quite something to behold, and if you’re feeling adventurous you can climb up the rocks for an even better panorama.
With upcoming law changes set to allow non-registrars to legally marry couples in a destination of their choice, the outdoor wedding will start becoming more and more popular in the next few years.
Darwin Gardens, Ilkley
Opened at the turn of the millennium, the Darwin Gardens, situated towards Ilkley Moor in the south of the town, provide a peaceful and tranquil place for you to perform your nuptials.
The gardens contain a picturesque ‘maze’ of stone blocks and some rock monuments that represent different eras of Ilkley’s history, which could provide a distinctive backdrop to your big day.
It is a public space so you might not have a great deal of privacy, but there are plenty of spots off the beaten path which would work well for an intimate ceremony.
The Fleece, Addingham
For something a little more cosy (and indoor!), you can’t go far wrong with The Fleece in Addingham, one of the most resilient pubs in the small Yorkshire village.
Since being a victim of arson in 2015, the pub has been completely revamped and now offers a gorgeous barn-like atmosphere for up to 60 day guests and 120 evening guests.
With its own entrance and bar you can have complete privacy from the main pub as well as the use of the beautiful terrace.
Once you’ve found your venue, you might need someone to conduct your ceremony. At Mark Your Occasion, we’re committed to ensuring that your wedding ceremony is tailored specifically to YOU as a couple, and that no two ceremonies are the same. Get in touch now by clicking here, call us on 07928829773, or email us at markyouroccasion@gmail.com.
