London alfresco – wedding venues with fantastic gardens

These romantic London venues with lush garden and courtyard spaces offer an oasis in the heart of the capital where you can take the wedding celebration alfresco. All of them also offer fine internal reception spaces or manicured lawns that offer space for a grand marquee

London wedding venues with glamorous garden or courtyard spaces offer you the opportunity to take your celebration alfresco. We’ve selected 12 of our favourites and, from walled gardens to panoramic views to one-of-a-kind venues with resident wildlife, all are perfect settings for a memorable party.

BMA House

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens on the site of Charles Dickens’ former home, the headquarters of the British Medical Association has a wonderful central courtyard and gardens, creating a perfect secluded oasis in busy Bloomsbury. There are a variety of venue spaces, including a majestic Great Hall with a capacity of 200 for a wedding ceremony. The Snow Room has elegant floor-to-ceiling windows, while the Paget Room has mahogany pillars and twin fireplaces – both rooms offer direct access to the courtyard. Outside spaces are perfect breakout spaces for partygoers and photography, featuring a fountain, a pond and lush greenery. Capacity: Up to 320; bmahouse.org.uk

Chelsea Pensioners

 Home of the Chelsea Pensioners, Royal Hospital is a stone’s throw from the King’s Road but once you enter its amazing gardens – home to the annual Chelsea Flower Show – you seem a world away from London. While the grounds are special, so too are the Wren-designed interiors. You have to have a military connection or be a member of the local parish to hold your celebration in Wren’s Baroque chapel, but the other celebration spaces are perfect for everything from a dinner dance to a smaller gathering. The Great Hall is the largest indoor space with a reception capacity of 400, while Wren’s house can either be used as a private space for pre-wedding preparation or can be hired for an intimate celebration for up to 60. The State Apartments feature Van Dyke paintings, ornate ceilings and river views. Capacity: Up to 400; chelsea-pensioners.co.uk

Chelsea Physic Garden

Chelsea Physic Garden has a long and romantic history and its protective walls and location close to the Thames have created a microclimate that is perfect for both rare botanical plants and fairytale events. Most celebrations take place in the grounds, which offer ample space to erect a marquee and give you access to all outside spaces except glasshouses. Hire of the entire garden also gives you access to the Garden House Gallery and Reception Foyer. Chelsea Physic Garden has an exclusive arrangement with Claremont Marquees, as well as list of approved catering suppliers. The Garden and Main Lawn are available throughout the year – there is also a lower lawn for smaller receptions. While your wedding can’t take place here, there are plenty of wonderful civil and religious choices nearby and this is is a unique space for a memorable party. Capacity: Up to 400; chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

Fulham Palace

This Thames-side venue is former home of the Bishops of London and was, in its earlier days, a rustic retreat from London. The surviving Tudor manor with Georgian additions has seven internal venue spaces and 13-acres of glorious botanical gardens where you can almost forget that you are a short walk from the bustle of Putney Bridge. Alongside rare trees, there is a picturesque walled garden with parterre and ancient glasshouses and two lovely courtyards. An in-house events team can help you organise a creative and very atmospheric celebration using the Palace, garden spaces, or a combination of the two. Capacity: Up to 200; fulhampalace.org

Horniman Museum & Gardens

This eclectic Forest Hill museum created by Victorian tea magnate Frederick Horniman is a magical space offering three venue options in a glorious garden setting. The Victorian conservatory is star of the show, with its high ceilings and wedding-cake ironwork. It can be hired between April and October and you get the bonus of a terraced area and views across the gardens. The contemporary pavilion is available year-round and has a private terrace for alfresco dining. Smaller ceremonies can take place at the restored Bandstand. All weddings at the Horniman are organised through Suzanne James and the focus is on seasonal produce and exceptional presentation. Capacity: Up to 120; horniman.ac.uk

The In & Out

Private venues with outside spaces are a rare commodity in SW1, and this members’ club – once London home of Lady Astor – ticks all the boxes for discreet glamour. The sweeping staircase and period furnishings conjure up a golden age of smart parties and dressing for dinner. Civil ceremonies take place in the King Harald V stateroom, while the Coffee Room is perfect for dining and dancing. The private enclosed Courtyard enables you and your guests to spill outdoors for alfresco drinks, dining or photographs. Weddings and events here are exclusively organised through ITA Venues, which can tailor a bespoke celebration using catering by its partner Ampersand. Capacity: Up to 300; itavenues.co.uk

Kenwood

With spectacular vistas over Hampstead, this English Heritage-managed mansion designed by Robert Adam is a favourite London landmark, known internationally for its fine artworks. Both the house and gardens are stars here – and if yours is a very large party you can have a marquee in the grounds for almost 500 guests. You can opt for dinner and dancing for up to 80 in the Old Kitchen and or celebrations for up to 100 in The Orangery – this also has magnificent views over the grounds. The Music Room and Green Room are included in hire of The Orangery, but are also a good choice for more intimate affairs. Capacity: Up to 480; english-heritage.org.uk

Kew Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is an internationally renowned landmark, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this lush oasis in south west London is the perfect spot for a romantic wedding surrounded by incredible flora and fauna. The Orangery is a beautiful Grade I-listed venue with open-plan layout and huge arched windows overlooking the Gardens. The Nash Conservatory was moved here, stone by stone, from Buckingham Palace and is a dramatic space for a wedding or civil ceremony, as well as being a great space for dancing. More intimate options include Cambridge Cottage, a lovely garden setting for a dinner or reception. Capacity: Up to 200; kew.org

London Wetland Centre

Offering something truly different among London wedding venues, London Wetland Centre is a nature reserve on the Thames just a few minutes from Hammersmith. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust-managed space is a watery haven for birdlife, replete with ponds, wildflower meadow and rain garden. The Observatory offers a panoramic view over the lake and with the London skyline behind it. The Water’s Edge room, which can seat 110 for dinner, has a decked balcony to enable guests to get closer to nature. A third and more intimate venue, the thatched Wetland Living building, has a capacity of 42 for a seated ceremony. A dedicated events team can help to organise your celebration and recommend outside suppliers. Capacity: Up to 200; wwt.org.uk

The Roof Gardens

The Roof Gardens is a fabulous 1930s garden folly high above Kensington High Street. Offering the perfect marriage of indoor and outdoor spaces – and with resident pink flamingos to add magic to the day – it has hosted many legendary parties over the years. While ceremonies take place inside the 6^th floor clubhouse (capacity of 150), the outside spaces can host more than three times as many people and it’s the real draw. The extraordinary mish-mash of styles – from Spanish to Tudor – makes this outdoor space perfect for scene setting, and the wedding planning team are happy to organise everything from balloons to a dove release high above the Kensington shopping mile. The only catch is that there are no evening hires on Friday and Saturday, as these are reserved for the private members’ club. Capacity: Up to 500; virginlimitededition.com/en/the-roof-gardens

Strawberry Hill House

Horace Walpole’s extraordinary 18^th-century Gothic fantasy – created as a plaything with a group of imaginative amateur architects – is worth considering just for its fairytale architecture. It was always designed as a showpiece and its white turreted exterior conceals the most amazing series of rooms, painstakingly restored over recent years by its managing trust. The golden fan-vaulted ceiling and red walls of the Gallery create a picture-perfect setting for a ceremony or celebration and smaller parties can be accommodated in the Round Room. Wedding parties are also welcome to use other rooms in the state apartment. While the Thames views of Walpole’s original garden have been lost, the expansive lawns of this hidden gem add to its magical atmosphere. Capacity: Up to 95; strawberryhillhouse.org.uk