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If you recently got engaged, congratulations! Wedding planning is an exciting time but there’s also plenty to think about and a lot of big decisions to make. Fortunately, diamond jewellery specialists F.Hinds have done a study into the best UK cities to get married in so if you haven’t chosen your location yet, this article will help you narrow it down and find the perfect place for your wedding.
Finding Your Wedding Suppliers
Many newly engaged couples find the idea of wedding planning quite daunting. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to break it down into more manageable tasks, like deciding on your guest list or securing the suppliers you want. Or focus on the fun stuff like planning the honeymoon.
Every wedding is different but here are some of the main suppliers you’ll need to secure, bearing in mind that many of these will get booked up quickly, sometimes years in advance!
Photographer
You’ll want to make sure you capture all those precious memories of your special day so you can treasure them for years to come. Photographers are one of the suppliers that can get booked up years in advance, particularly if you’re getting married during wedding season, i.e. spring and summer and are looking for a full day of photography.
Wedding Cake
Choosing your wedding cake supplier has to be one of the most fun parts of wedding planning – you may even get to taste free samples as part of your consultation! Knowing what you want in your wedding cake- whether that’s a traditional three-tier cake with royal icing or something a little different, will help you narrow down suppliers.
Catering
Catering can often be one of the biggest wedding costs after venue hire, particularly if you’ll be having a lot of guests so it’s crucial to choose the right supplier for your needs. Don’t forget to think about any special dietary requirements too, such as if any of your guests are vegan or will need food that’s gluten-free or halal. The research by F.Hinds found that Oxford has a choice of 120 wedding caterers, putting it top of the list.
Venue
Getting the right venue is the key to creating your perfect wedding day and this is often the first and biggest decision that couples will make once they’ve decided the type of wedding they want.
Florist
When it comes to florists, Oxford tops the list with 137 to choose from. It’s advisable to book your florist around 6-12 months in advance to make sure you get the one you really want to work with.
Entertainment
Entertainment for you and your guests means you can celebrate your marriage in style, whether that’s with a live band, DJ or something a little more off-the-wall like circus performers or a drag act!
The Top Cities for a UK Wedding
When it comes to choosing a location for your wedding, the study found that Oxford takes the lead. It secured the top spot thanks to its whopping 328 potential wedding venues and the sheer number of wedding suppliers, particularly bridal hair and makeup services, of which it has 257.
Choose Your Season
If you aren’t sure which season to opt for, Oxford wins again. The study factored in average temperatures and rainfall levels across each season and found that Oxford tops the list year-round – with the best combination of temperatures and lower levels of rainfall across all four seasons, meaning you have a statistically better chance of the weather being kind regardless of what season you choose to get married in.
Top Cities by Region
If you need to stay closer to home for your wedding, here are the best cities by region.
North West
The research showed Manchester to be the best North West city to get married in thanks to the number of venues and service providers however be aware that its famous rainy weather knocks Manchester out of the top 5 cities in every season!
Yorkshire
When factoring in the availability of venues, wedding suppliers and weather, Sheffield, Leeds, and Bradford came top for Yorkshire cities to get married in.
East Midlands
For an East Midlands wedding, opt for Leicester or Derby who are joint top for wedding venues, providers and weather across all seasons.
West Midlands
Birmingham tops the charts for those looking to get married in the West Midlands, with the best seasons being Summer or Autumn.
East Anglia
Peterborough comes top for weddings in East Anglia due to having the most wedding suppliers, although Norwich has slightly more wedding venues on offer.
South East
Oxford takes the lead both nationally and in the South East but other cities such as Milton Keynes, Southampton and Brighton are also well served for anyone looking to get married here.
South West
Bristol is the best performing city in the South West with 293 wedding venues in and around the city.
Scotland
For a Scottish wedding, the research found that Glasgow has the most venues and service providers, but thanks to colder temperatures in Scotland and notoriously temperamental weather, it only comes 23rd in the UK overall.
