In the first of a series of articles, we will be focusing on the best wedding venues in Skipton and the surrounding areas, sorted into four categories: barn, historical, hotel, and alternative. This article covers the town of Skipton, as well as the nearby settlements of Gargrave, Cononley, Bradley, and Thornton-in-Craven, among others.
The Best Wedding Venues in Skipton
Skipton is a beautiful town known as the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales. Surrounded by idyllic countryside, it offers some amazing backdrops to venues both indoor and outdoor, making it the perfect setting for a romantic and memorable wedding day.
Here are some of the best wedding venues in Skipton.
The Best Barn Wedding Venues in Skipton
The Angel, Hetton
Not your traditional, purpose-built barn venue, The Angel at Hetton is predominantly a pub and restaurant, but has the flexibility to offer wedding receptions as well as full-day wedding events.
The building is newly-renovated inside and out, and is located in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales village of Hetton, with its stunning stone-built houses and peaceful atmosphere.
It’s also not a go-to wedding venue in the area, so is truly a stand-out option for those who want a unique wedding in a venue slightly off-the-beaten-track.
The Best Historical Wedding Venues in Skipton
Broughton Hall
One of the most stunningly beautiful buildings in the area, Broughton Hall boasts expansive grounds and with it, several differing options of places to celebrate.
There’s the estate itself, a 3,000 acre vast swathe of green perfect for outdoor ceremonies in the summer. They also have Utopia, their garden venue, and Eden, their party house, as well as options to get married within the stately home itself.
Whatever your requirements, it’s likely that Broughton Hall can fulfil them – but they only do a limited number of weddings per year, so if it’s your dream venue, you ought to get booked in as soon as you can!
Skipton Castle
Skipton Castle is another magnificent backdrop to the day of your dreams. The Castle almost dates back one thousand years, but has all the modern furnishings in all the right places to ensure your day has a mixture of modern and ancient.
The Castle can only offer facilities for a wedding ceremony – so for your reception you’d need to go somewhere else – but the amazing photo opportunities that the historic grounds offer are certainly worth the extra effort!
If you’re looking for a venue steeped in history where earls, dukes, and lords have married countesses, duchesses and ladies, then look no further.
The Best Hotel Wedding Venues in Skipton
Herriots Hotel, Skipton
A popular local spot for parties and social events, Herriots Hotel is a cosy little venue just on the edge of Skipton town centre that is ideal for smaller weddings.
With some of the finest food in town, you won’t have to worry about bringing outside caterers in, and the staff are well used to dolling up their conference room to look stunning for wedding receptions.
There’s a lovely outdoor patio, too, and the hotel backs onto the Leeds-Liverpool canal, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for photos both inside and outside.
Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton
Also backing onto the Leeds-Liverpool canal in a slightly different area of Skipton, the Rendezvous Hotel offers a similar place to the Herriots above, but is a larger venue with a few more different room options for your big day.
The hotel boasts some stunning and versatile ballrooms that can be used for each part of your big day, as well as public and private outdoor spaces for the those beautiful summer afternoons.
The hotel of course offers high-quality accommodation, and its size means you’re likely to be able to house everyone in the same place – which can take away a lot of stress from your guests about where they’re going to spend the night!
The Coniston Hotel
Located in the small hamlet of Coniston Cold, The Coniston Hotel’s idyllic rural location is a dream for couples looking for that peaceful and picturesque Yorkshire Dales wedding.
With four stunning possible backdrops for your wedding ceremony, the Coniston has something for everyone and isn’t short on views that will take your breath away.
The pièce de resistance is the stunning lake behind the hotel and the sprawling grounds around it, which will leave you with a mountain of gorgeous wedding photos from which you probably can’t pick a favourite!
The Best Alternative Wedding Venues in Skipton
Thornton Hall, Thornton-in-Craven
It’s difficult to know which category to put Thornton Hall in, given that it is such a versatile and multi-faceted venue. In fact, the purpose-built wedding venue at the farm was one of the last additions to a site that has been in development for a few years now.
Thornton Hall encapsulates a country park, animal farm, camping/glamping site, and much more, meaning that if you do end up having your wedding here, there are several options for entertainment and accommodation before, during, and after your big day.
The venue itself is a modern and bright building perfect for summer weddings, and of course boasts staggering views all around for those perfect shots of the big day!
Skipton Golf Club
If you’re looking for somewhere a little different without being too unusual, Skipton Golf Club might fit the bill. For starters, the club is located in one of the most magnificent locations in the area, and so photo opportunities are endless!
With indoor facilities able to hold between 20 and 90 guests, Skipton Golf Club might appeal to those who play a lot of golf themselves – golfing poems, quotes, and metaphors can easily be incorporated into a personalised ceremony with a celebrant.
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
For something completely different, why not get married at one of the two stations along the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, or even on the train itself?
The Bolton Abbey station is licensed for legal marriages, but celebrant-led ceremonies can be held anywhere – and the carriages of these historic steam trains could be a truly unique setting for your big day.
Whichever part of the station or train you choose to marry, it’s the ideal scenario for train lovers, and there’s plenty of scope for train puns throughout the ceremony as well!
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.
