A far cry from the gritty industrial city it once was, Glasgow is now a vibrant, thriving metropolis, and one with more than its fair share of beautiful wedding venues at that.
While romanticism might not immediately spring to mind when you think of Glasgow’s streets, this spirited city is hiding more than a few secret spots. Fancy getting hitched in a glass house? No problem. Prefer a rustic barn? Glasgow’s got that too. The beauty of the best wedding venues in Glasgow is that they’re so varied. While there are incredible warehouse-style sites that pay homage to the city’s manufacturing era, there are also wonderful Disney-worthy castles tucked away in the suburbs that make your feel as though you’re a million miles from civilisation. In short, whatever you’re looking for, for your nuptials, Glasgow wedding venues have it.
Below we’ve gathered together some of our favourite wedding venues in Glasgow which aren’t more than 20 minutes from the city centre. What’s quickly apparent when you start to do a little digging is that there are endless options, so this is by no way an exhaustive list. Many of our top picks however are DIY venues which give you a gorgeous blank canvas to add your personality to. This way all your wedding day dreams can be realised through your flowers and props, giving you the fun task of creating the perfect ambiance for your friends and family through the finishing decorative touches.
One of the lovely things about getting married in Scotland is that you can host your ceremony just about anywhere, with outdoor weddings being legal. This means you can choose to celebrate your union in the gardens of your venue or have a completely different ceremony to reception venue rather than having to stick to one indoor spot.
House of an Art Lover
Image: The Gibsons Photography
Found in Bellahouston - slightly south west of the city centre - this gorgeous light-filled wedding venue in Glasgow is the perfect place for creative couples. The house itself was built in the early nineties but feels much older as it was based off designs by renowned local architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh that date back to 1901. Mackintosh’s signature stylised arts and craft vibe is woven throughout the spaces, making beautiful backdrops for photographs at every corner. For your reception there are a range of rooms and layouts to choose from, with our favourite being the Music Room. This space has floor to ceiling windows across one whole side of the room and has a gorgeous neutral palate, ideal for being able to put your own touch on things.
Kibble Palace
Image: In the Name of Love Photography
Found at the heart of Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens, this stunning glasshouse is like a little piece of time gone by and makes an elegant backdrop to any matrimony. Traditional marble statues and tinkling water features are woven in between flower beds that hold plants that are up to 120 years old. Being a glass house, the light in here is incredible, always softly diffused through the domed ceiling and leaves, while the temperature is consistently and reassuringly cosy (not a given when you’re at any old venue in Glasgow thanks to that signature Scottish weather). The capacity for weddings at Kibble Palace is 160 for seated, or 200 for standing. As this is a busy tourist attraction, Kibble Palace is only available after closing, which is from 4.30pm in the winter and from 6.30pm in the summer, so is ideal if you’re thinking of an evening affair with friends and family.
Boclair House
The recently refurbished Boclair House is one for glamorous get-togethers thanks to the ballroom’s sparkly chandeliers and mirrored pillars. There’s a distinct 1920s, almost Gatsby, vibe to the interiors and because the house is a hotel also you can have all your guests stay with you over a couple of days to extend the life of the party. You’ll have a dedicated wedding planner to help you through the initial stages, and packages include room hire, a red-carpet arrival, a three-course dinner, drinks, linen and more. Ceremonies are possible within the gardens or in the ballroom, and for sweet snaps you’re able to have exclusive use of the grounds.
The Engine Works
Image: Fotomaki Photography
A new entry to the Glasgow wedding venue scene, The Engine Works brings with it huge potential for creative couples, as its truly a blank canvas space. With a sensitively restored cavernous centre, this incredible industrial space nods to Glasgow’s past while blending modern contemporary design within its historical shell. You are able to host both the ceremony and reception at The Engine Works, with capacity ranging from 10-250 guests. Spread over three levels there are all sorts of options when it comes to setup, and there’s even a garden space which is unusual for Glasgow wedding venues, giving you the option to have drinks outside if the weather behaves itself.
Mar Hall
For all out grandeur you can’t beat Mar Hall, a five-star hotel with sweeping gardens and waterfront views on the outskirts of Glasgow. While the main house plays host to gorgeously gilded rooms and a clutch of high-end bedrooms, there’s also a pavilion and a marquee in the grounds for extended partying options. There’s a choice to use one or two of the classic panelled rooms in the main house, or if you prefer you can have exclusive use of the hotel to really spoil your guests to a private soiree. The grounds make the perfect place for timeless photos with lawns that stetch down to the River Clyde.
Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel
Image: McLellan Photography
One of Glasgow’s most exclusive hotels, the Blythswood also makes an extravagant venue option for a city-centre wedding. Found just a stone’s through from Buchanan Street this is a spot that is perfect for bringing together friends and family from all over the place as it’s so easy to get to. The interiors are wonderfully classic with a crisp modern edge, seamlessly blending the Georgian history with an updated clean and neutral colour scheme. Weddings at Blythswood Square Hotel have exclusive use of the gardens, which make a wonderful backdrop for your photographs. Menus are crafted on a bespoke basis by the hotel’s Executive Chef, you’ll have a dedicated planner to help get all the details perfect, and you can even use the onsite cinema screening room to keep little guests entertained. Capacity for weddings at the Blythswood hotel is 120 guests.
The Corinthian Club
Image: Jade Osborne Photography
It’s not hard to see why The Corinthian Club is a popular choice for couples choosing to celebrate their love. Sitting proudly on Ingram Street in the heart of Glasgow, this grand building is bedecked in pillars outside, while chandelier-lit interiors come with all sorts setup options depending on your needs. With rooms that can accommodate anything between 16 and 60 guests, there are cosy private dining rooms all the way up to banqueting rooms that offer flexibility for you to make the day perfect for you. Packages here include exclusive use of your chosen space, a three-course meal for your guests, a dedicated wedding coordinator, wine, table centrepieces, linen, stationary and more.
BAad Glasgow
Image: Claire Fleck Photography
This East End venue would suit trendy couples who want a bit of an edgy vibe to their day. The beautiful, vaulted glass ceiling bathes the large space below in natural daylight and creates a bright glow throughout the day. Around the top there’s a balcony that allows you to get a bird’s eye view of your setup and is great for a photo opportunity of your layout below. As the structure itself is so iconic the rest of the décor has been left simple, with white walls and hanging plants around the peripheries. This relative blank canvas aspect means you’re free to do what you want with the finishing touches – going all out on flowers and candles or keeping things simple with a stripped back look.
Oran Mor
Image: John Johnston Photography
If you’re looking for a unique wedding venue in Glasgow the Oran Mor could be perfect for you and your other half. This iconic venue is just across the road from the Botanic Gardens and was Formerly Kelvinside Parish Church. Interiors have been stripped back but retain gorgeous stone arches, a vaulted ceiling and signature stained glass windows. Smaller parties are able to use the gallery above the main space, while bigger weddings might prefer to celebrate in the hall below. Both ceremonies and receptions are possible in the various spaces here, with capacity for up to 400 guests. There are a few different package options, but all include a three-course meal, drinks and venue hire.
WEST on The Green
Image: In the Name of Love Photography
WEST is first and foremost one of Glasgow’s best breweries, but the team here had the genius idea to turn a couple of the back rooms into smart, industrial-style reception suites. One side of The Courtyard – where most weddings are held – is made up of a 15ft wall of glass which looks onto the venue’s state of the art brewery below for a unique twist. Here there’s a private bar as well as a luxury green room for down time or getting ready in. Alternatively, there’s The Hops Room which has dark panelled walls and three sides of window for a wonderful play of dark and light surrounds. You are also able to hire the rooms in conjunction with one another for bigger gatherings. Together the two spaces have a capacity of 184 guests for a meal, and you’re able to host both receptions and ceremonies here. We love that the photo options include getting up close and personal with the unique architecture and brewery elements - like the copper kettles.
The Bothy
Image: John Johnston Photography
Cosy and intimate, The Bothy in Glasgow’s west end is perfect for wee weddings. With capacity for up to 20 guests, this is the ideal micro-wedding venue just off the buzziest street in the area, Ashton Lane. Being a restaurant, food is at the centre of The Bothy’s offering, with menus paying homage to some of Scotland’s best ingredients like venison, haggis and local cheeses. Weddings are typically hosted in The Scullery which is a rustic room with exposed beams, large windows and a central fireplace. There is also the option to have exclusive use of the restaurant for larger groups, and wedding parties are able to use the Bothy’s gardens which are bedecked in fairy lights and come with a stash of blanket.
Cottiers
Image: The Gibsons Photography
Originally Dowanhill Parish Church, Cottiers is now a flexible wedding venue in Glasgow’s west end. After over £5m worth of restoration work the church is now home to one sweeping ceremony and reception room which has a beautiful stained-glass window at one end, and fairy lights strung from galleries above, so that the roof twinkles. Because there’s little natural light that filters through the stained-glass windows, this venue becomes cosy and close in the evening, and makes a lovey winter wedding option. Although, in summer you can use the outdoor space too, which is a nice addition. Couples can decorate the space as they wish, and there’s a wedding co-ordinator on hand to help you through both the planning stages and the big day itself. Cottiers can hold 130 guests for a sit-down dinner, with up to 200 guests for the evening.
Platform
If you’re a Glasgow local and grew up in the city, chances are you’ve experienced Platform as The Arches nightclub back in your youth. Well, things have moved on and what was once a mecca for late-night raves has now become an atmospheric wedding venue in Glasgow’s city centre. For those with lots of family and friends Platform is a great option thanks to a capacity of 250 (or more if you want to use multiple spaces). Most weddings take place in rooms 5 & 6, which are old railway arches with vaulted brick ceilings and walls. This industrial vibe provides a perfect blank canvas for you to put your own spin on things. The on-site wedding coordinators will help with everything from mood lighting and prop hire through to working out your perfect menu with the venue’s chefs.
Harelaw Farm
Image: Jo+Liam
For something decidedly more rural than most of Glasgow’s best wedding venues, Harelaw Farm offers countryside charm just a 20-minute drive from Central Station. Weddings are hosted in the farm’s 18 century barns which have been sensitively restored to feature exposed stonework and beautiful wooden beams. With lots of different setup choices you can have your celebration your way here, with the option to have up to 250 guests. The helpful team are on hand to guide you through the run up to your day and will work with you to develop your perfect menu and running order. For pictures you’re welcome to use the varied spaces across the property, which of course includes beautiful countryside views across the Ayrshire landscape.
Sloans
Sloans is a well-kept secret just of Argyle Street in the heart of Glasgow and offers a city centre wedding venue for those in the know. The space is found above the infamous Argyle Arcade (where many Glasgow couples may have found their wedding rings) and features a gilded barrel-vaulted ballroom as well as a clutch of smaller spaces for more intimate gatherings. This characterful option can host parties of between 20-150 and packages are created on a bespoke basis for every couple. You’ll have private access to the previously mentioned Argyle Arcade, with its historical facades, for pictures and there’s even an outdoor courtyard to host drinks in should you wish. Menus here are flexible, giving you the choice of anything from a three-course feast through to Sloans’ famous mac ‘n’ cheese!
Sherbrooke Castle
Image: Kelly Wedding Photography
Despite its location just a stone’s throw from Glasgow’s trendy southside, Sherbrooke Castle feels like a countryside escape. Set in its own extensive grounds, the Baronial hotel is fronted in rich red sandstone and makes an impressive wedding venue for those looking for the wow factor. Just one wedding per day is hosted here, so your nuptials will feel secluded and special. The various banqueting suites can accommodate parties up to 200 and you can keep friends and family close by with 18 rooms onsite. The well-manicured gardens make the perfect place for canapes and drinks or for getting those all-important newlywed pictures done.
Malmaison Glasgow
Busy couples might be drawn to the ease of a hotel wedding which offers a package option that takes care of all the little details so you don’t have to. Malmaison in Glasgow gives couples all this while managing to make sure each celebration feels unique. All packages include welcome drinks, wine, room hire, linen, stationary, candles and your choice of the Scottish-leaning menus. Children are also catered for by way of a dedicated menu. If you’d rather avoid the formality of a full sit-down dinner then you can choose from all sorts of alternatives, like an afternoon tea or a buffet setup. The Malmaison in Glasgow can accommodate parties from 12 – 80 people.
Pollokshields Burgh Hall
Image: The Gibsons Photography
This pretty Victorian red sandstone hall finds its home in Maxwell Park, on Glasgow’s southside. At over a hundred years old the building has wonderful historical charm with a fresh twist. The walls are partially panelled in dark wood, while the upper sections of the room are painted crisp white, which extend into the barrel-vaulted ceiling. Beautiful arched windows flood the space in natural light, while fairy lights can be strung above for a romantic glow come the evening. Both ceremonies and receptions can be hosted here and there are even two on-site suites for the happy couple and a pair of others.
Crossbasket Castle
Image: Claudia Rose Carter
This classic country house sits on the outskirts of the city in its own private grounds and offers flexibility in its reception spaces, as well as holding a license to host ceremonies. There’s a purpose-built hall at the back of the building which is perfect for nuptials, while the main ballroom has a vaulted ceiling with gorgeous dark wood beams and windows all down one side. If the weather plays ball there’s also the option to celebrate your union outside in the castle’s manicured gardens, with water features and clipped topiary trees painting the ideal romantic backdrop for photographs. The onsite restaurant will cater for your party, which was formerly headed up by renowned French chef Albert Roux, and is now overseen by his son Michel Roux Jr.
Trades Hall
Image: Fotomaki Photography
With a sweeping staircase, a downstairs reception area and two large event spaces upstairs, Trades Hall is a unique and flexible wedding venue in Glasgow. The city-centre location means it’s easy to travel to and from and the traditional wood panelled walls upstairs will give your day a touch of grandeur without it being too stuffy. The team here is always on hand to help you plan your day and will work with you to make sure all the little details are handled perfectly.
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