Some of London’s most interesting wedding reception venues are places couples choose specifically for the celebration after their ceremony. A restaurant might be the right setting for dinner after a town hall wedding. A historic hall can make the reception feel like the main event, while a hotel with several interconnected rooms allows each part of the day to have its own atmosphere.
When looking at wedding reception venues in London, think about where guests will gather, where they will eat and what happens after dinner. Those three moments do not always work best in the same room.
Here are eight quite different wedding reception venues, drawing on our London visits and further venue research.
The Ned, City of London
Best for: A reception that changes rooms | Typical full seated wedding: around 140 guests
The Ned offers a different rhythm from a single-room reception. Drinks can take place in the Drawing Room or on its sixth-floor terraces before guests move to the Tapestry Room for dinner. The Saloon can then become the setting for the evening party.
Its appeal is not simply the number of rooms, but the fact that they belong together. You can give guests a change of scene without organising another journey across London. Ask whether the rooms will be hired exclusively.
Drapers’ Hall, City of London
Best for: A reception after a ceremony elsewhere | Livery Hall banquet: up to 276 guests
Drapers’ Hall is worth knowing about if you want the wedding reception to feel like the main event. The Livery Hall has an elaborate ceiling and space for a formal dinner, with smaller rooms and outdoor areas providing somewhere for guests to gather beforehand.
The venue does not license civil marriage ceremonies on site, so couples normally marry elsewhere and arrive for the celebration. For some, that is an advantage: the afternoon and evening can be designed entirely around drinks, dining and dancing.
Sketch, Mayfair
Best for: A restaurant-led celebration | The Gallery: around 100 seated
Sketch is an option for couples who would rather make dinner the centre of the wedding than recreate a traditional ballroom reception. The Gallery provides the larger restaurant setting, while the Lecture Room & Library offers a smaller, more formal dining experience.
Its artistic interiors change over time, so the room you book may look different from the photographs you see today. Sketch did not hold a civil ceremony licence when we visited. For a couple marrying elsewhere, however, the absence of a traditional ceremony space need not be a drawback.
Kew Gardens, Richmond
Best for: A botanical setting for dinner | Orangery: up to 200 for a round-table dinner with dancing
Kew is often thought of first as a ceremony venue, but it also works for couples planning to marry elsewhere and host an evening reception in the gardens. The Orangery has a lighter, more architectural feel; the Temperate House provides an entirely different glasshouse experience when it is available.
The practical consideration is time. Access to individual spaces is organised around the gardens’ public opening hours, so the reception format and supplier setup should be discussed before confirming a date.
Banqueting House, Whitehall
Best for: A monumental dinner setting | Main Hall: up to 300 for dinner and dancing
If the reception is the occasion you most want guests to remember, the Main Hall makes a compelling case. Dinner takes place beneath the Rubens ceiling, with the Undercroft available for drinks or another part of the evening.
The distinction here is between a beautiful empty room and a finished wedding. Catering, lighting and furniture need careful planning, with conservation requirements shaping what suppliers can do in the building.
Corinthia London, Whitehall Place
Best for: A hotel reception with natural daylight | Ballroom: approximately 150 for dinner and dancing
Corinthia has a dedicated entrance to its main event rooms, without asking every guest to pass through the hotel lobby. The Ballroom and Courtroom are both above ground and have windows, a surprisingly unique detail among London’s large hotel event spaces.
The Courtroom can accommodate a drinks reception or an intimate ceremony before dinner in the Ballroom. For a larger ceremony, the Ballroom can be used first, with guests moving into the Courtroom while the space is rearranged.
The Hurlingham Club, Fulham
Best for: A garden drinks reception followed by dinner | Broomhouse Suite: around 280 with dancing
There is a sociable quality to a reception at The Hurlingham Club. The Broomhouse Suite leads directly onto the terrace and towards the Sunken Garden, giving couples a natural progression from outdoor drinks into dinner.
The setting can work well for a larger guest list without relying on a hotel ballroom. Catering is handled by the club, so it is important to establish early whether the food you have in mind can be accommodated within its menus.
Raffles London at The OWO, Whitehall
Best for: A large, late-running hotel celebration | Dinner and dancing: around 400 guests
At Raffles, the Whitehall Ballroom has the space and production facilities for a large celebration, while the Lawrence foyer provides a separate area for arrival drinks. Smaller adjoining rooms can be assigned to performers, family or suppliers rather than leaving those needs to be resolved on the day.
For couples planning a substantial stage or an ambitious design, ask for a dinner-and-dance floor plan. It will tell you more than the ballroom’s maximum capacity without a dance floor.
What to ask a reception venue
A standing capacity is not the same as a dinner-and-dance capacity. Check that the drinks reception can hold everyone, whether there is space for musicians and a dance floor, and how long guests can stay. If the ceremony takes place elsewhere, also consider the arrival time and transport between venues.
Still deciding where in the city to celebrate? Our guide to wedding locations in London compares the different areas and types of setting. For a hotel-only shortlist, see eight of the best London hotel wedding venues. If the ceremony could also take place in a palace or historic hall, see our guide to historic and royal wedding venues in London. For a wider shortlist, see our guide to luxury wedding venues in London.
Capacities depend on room layout and should be reconfirmed for the proposed celebration.