Small & Intimate Wedding Venues in Manchester
I’ve done the research so you don’t have to! Here is my guide to the best small and intimate wedding venues in Manchester. If you’re looking for an all inclusive, full day hire wedding venue, or just a memorable place to get ready or have your ceremony, these are my favourite wedding venues for small / intimate / micro weddings / elopements – whatever you’re calling it. I’m going to run you through their character and the wedding packages they offer. Or if you’re looking for someone to plan the day for you, check out my elopement planning service here.
If you’re still undecided on numbers and considering a bigger wedding day, most of these venues offer space for large scale weddings too. Or head to my wedding page to read about my other favourite venues. All of the venues in this list you can have a legal ceremony at, so you don’t have to worry about squeezing in a trip to the registry office. Manchester is such a beautiful and diverse city, and with so many fantastic venues, it’ll work for any type of wedding. If you also happen to be looking for a wedding photographer or planner for your day, get in touch here and I can send you my wedding packages and help you get the ball rolling.
First off and one of my favourite small wedding venues in Manchester, Kingstreet Townhouse is a chic, stylish hotel in Manchester city centre. It’s an old, gothic building that you can sit on top of, a glass of champagne in your hand, and take in the city skyline. They have a bunch of different rooms (starting from a capacity of sixteen people), to suit every size of wedding ceremony. Kingstreet is available for full day venue hire and also has its own catering and planning team – you can get yourself a complete package without having to compromise on the quality. But even if you don’t have your full wedding day here, it’s a great place to stay (did I mention the rooftop pool?), get ready, and have some intimate drinks before or after your ceremony.
Manchester Art Gallery is a really striking, historical building in the middle of town, with massive Roman columns out front. It’s split into two halves – modern and classic – in both its artwork and its appearance. One of the great spaces is the atrium combining the two halves; it’s a glass covered, stone floored courtyard-like space, so you’re looking onto the beautiful exterior wall, without having to deal with the weather. There’s loads of room options, all of which feature huge decorative doorways, walls painted in bold colours, and stunning art. You can choose to hold your ceremony in front of the exceptional paintings of Lowry or Vallette. On top of all the stunning spaces, they have full catering and offer planning. You can book it for the full day or just your small ceremony. This place also has a big sustainability focus, so your money’s going to a good cause.
This venue was the home of one of England’s most influential Victorian writers. As a historical site, hosting your wedding here all funds go towards preserving the building and grounds. The architecture is to die for and it’s surrounded by lush gardens – country manor meets Georgian townhouse. The rich history means it’s full of character. Getting married here is like something out of a Victorian love story. Two options for your wedding ceremony: the study for up to ten guests, or the drawing room for up to thirty six. It’s really well suited for a small, intimate wedding. Decorative, high ceilinged rooms, massive windows, flower gardens, and its own bar. They offer full day venue hire or ceremony only, but there all catering is external and there is no accommodation. I can honestly say this is one of my favourite venues for a small wedding in Manchester. See Laura & Liam’s brilliant day here.
Five Four Studios’ smallest room has a capacity of sixty, but it could easily be decorated to build a cosier, more intimate space that suits a small wedding of twenty five. Wall to wall skylights and white all around means it’s full of light – it’ll really suit you if you like a minimalist style for a wedding venue. It looks like the perfect blank canvas. If a DIY wedding sounds like you, Five Four could be the place. No accommodation, catering or planning available with this one. It does however have a beautiful bar and an outdoor space too. Prices start from £6,600 for full 9am-12am venue hire. This is a great option for couples with a larger budget. Get more info about Five Four Studios here.
A converted warehouse in Manchester city centre means lots of exposed brick, and big windows. With lots of different rooms and venue hire options, Ducie Street is really somewhere that can fit any size of wedding. They have bold, stylish, cosy rooms – all are unique and some are self-contained with a kitchen and everything, so you can really get comfortable. It’s a great place to get ready before your wedding ceremony, even if you don’t have your full day here. They offer full day venue hire and have on site catering too – you can really have the full package here, from dressing to the final song. They’re really flexible with what they offer, so chances are you can find something that fits your plan and budget.
A grade II listed building on Deansgate, next to Spinningfields, right in the heart of Manchester. This small Manchester wedding venue actually used to be the registry office, so it has loads of wedding history. It has two spaces, and hosts wedding parties of up to sixty people. There’s a room with wood panelled walls and decorative ceilings, and a more modern room, all in white. They’re partnered with Gusto, a 1920s style Italian restaurant on the ground floor, so you can have your whole day there if you like.
If you’re looking for a wedding venue that’s both intimate and breathtaking, 20 Stories could be the one. In a private room, with as few as eighteen guests, get married overlooking Manchester. Their rooms have a lot of greenery, but they’re otherwise free for your personalisation. There’s no accommodation here, but you do get the room for the whole day and the bar is right there waiting for you. Take in the view as you treat yourself to a fine dinning wedding breakfast experience. It’s pretty fancy.
Manchester Hall is a massive, decadent Freemasons hall in spinningfields, just next to the Rochdale Canal. The rooms are filled with arched ceilings, roman columns and huge chandeliers – it’s definitely a luxurious venue. Best of all, they have a stunning new rooftop terrace that’s perfect for taking pictures and raising a toast, looking over Manchester’s eclectic architectural landscape. There are fourteen different room options available, hosting between ten and five hundred guests. Full day venue hire is available and they have their own catering and accommodation. It’s a great place to take in the old and new of Manchester’s city centre. Have a look at Sandra and Venkat’s day at Manchester Hall.
If you’re a bookworm like me this one is honestly a dream. A nineteenth century decadent chamber, with bookshelves right up to the domed ceiling. But as grand as it is, the dark wooden shelves and vintage furniture do keep it cosy. Defintely an intimate wedding venue. It’s a really unique space. The Portico Library is a charity with a big focus on diversity in history and literature – they do fantastic work with education and decolonisation. It’s available for your ceremony and drinks reception only, and hosts up to thirty guests.
HOME is an art gallery, theatre, cinema, bar and restaurant at the bottom of Deansgate. They’re an arts charity and an environmentally friendly organisation (they even have their one bees on the roof), so a good one to support. It has a modern, brutalist style, with exposed concrete and wood panelling, making it a great venue to add your own flare to. Half of the building is covered in floor to ceiling windows so it’s beautiful when the sun hits it. Their smallest space offers up to twenty five guests and their biggest up to ninety nine, with a couple of options in-between. They have on-site catering available in all spaces. A full day on Saturday costs around £1000.
11. Manchester Registry Office
And finally for my small wedding venues in Manchester list, Manchester Registry Office. I’m going to be honest here, it’s not the prettiest venue on the list, but it’s really affordable to get married here. Starting at £225 for a standard wedding ceremony. This gives you a great opportunity to prioritise your budget on a stunning room to get ready in and a gorgeous wedding dinner. Plus, the Registry Office puts you next to some beautiful spots to take pictures around town before and after your ceremony, like Central Library and Manchester Art Gallery. And because it’s ceremony only, you can dedicate more time to exploring the beautiful city centre. See Beth and Matt’s gorgeous day here and get some inspo.
Why have couple pictures in Manchester?
Why limit yourself to one venue when there are so many incredible spots to explore for free? One of the best things about these small wedding venues is they’re all right in the city centre, meaning you and your partner can have some intimate moments together and get some unforgettable pictures around Manchester.
Manchester is a vibrant and eclectic city, with its perfect mix of new and old. From the graffitied side streets to grand gothic towers, there’s something here for everyone.
Where to have couple pictures in Manchester?
If colour and culture is your thing then you don’t want to miss exploring the Northern Quarter. A labyrinth of striking street art and quirky bars, intimate restaurants and cool shop fronts – it definitely has some character. And while you’re there, climb up to the top of the car park (stay with me) for a gorgeous view of the sunset over a cityscape of old and new mashed together. We all love pictures at golden hour, right?
Just round the corner, Ancoats – an old industrial estate, come apartment complex, with converted Victorian warehouses, cobbled courtyards, and a little marina. If you want to go even older, head to St. Peter’s Square, where there’s gorgeous, sandstone archways to stroll through and cute little trees poking out of the pavement. In the corner of the square is the stunning Manchester Central Library – a colossal, perfectly round building with huge Roman columns and stained glass windows at its entrance.
If you want a bit of a different backdrop, wander down by the canal and stand on the grass underneath and dangling branches of willow trees (yes, Manchester does have greenery too). And since you’re by the water, you have to pop over to Canal St. – cute looking pubs, cobbled streets, fairy lights and lots pride flags – what more could you want? Manchester has got to be the place to elope.
If you’re looking for a photographer to capture and help you plan your small and intimate wedding in Manchester (or anywhere really!) Get in touch and I will send you my wedding packages.
Lauren Elliott Photography
Small and intimate wedding venues in Manchester