Woodland Wedding Venues Near London

Want to get your midsummer nights dream on? Here are some of the best woodland wedding venues within easy reach of London.

Why a woodland wedding?

I mean, why not. It feels like a festival, crossed with being a big kid climbing trees. Woods smell good. Even on the hottest day, you’re under tree cover so your guests will be a little less sweaty and you won’t be squinting in all the photos. You get to make it your own - you can go all out on the decor or, the woodlands are so beautiful, you can do literally nothing and save that budget for your photographer (ahem, me). And there's just something about an outdoor wedding that makes a wedding feel even more laidback, fun and a little magical.

Why A Woodland Wedding Venue near London?

It’s not so likely you’ll be finding a venue with all that undisturbed space on the circle line (not sure why I chose the circle line, maybe because it’s my nemesis), so, these venues are within 2 hours of central London. I've worked out the times from King's Cross...because that was my station to go home on the weekends when I was at university and needed my Mum to do my washing.

Types of Woodland Wedding Ceremonies

handfasting, celebrant-led or legal Wedding Ceremonies

I've done all types of weddings in the woods. Including pagan ceremonies, handfasting, jumping the broom. Often woodland wedings are celebrant-led (and I love a celebrant), or carried out by friends/family. But, some woodland venues are licensed for legal ceremonies and I'll highlight that below.

So, let's get into my exhaustive list of woodland wedding venues near London.

The Dreys, Kent Wedding Photographer

• 1 hr 10 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? No
• Accommodation on site? Yes
• Anything else? Dogs allowed!
• Website: The Dreys

First up, it's The Dreys, in the Kent countryside. It's simply GORGEOUS!

The Dreys not only has a winding path through the woods, that branches off into a woodland ceremony space and then further down, opens into a field complete with some of the most delightful open sided barns and a yurt. I go to a lot of wedding venues and you should have heard the little gasps I did as I saw each beautiful bit.

The Dreys does a great job of feeling rustic and also very luxurious. Think very fancy toilets, paths fit for heels and things perfectly styled so they feel effortless.

The Paper mill, Kent

• 1 hr 30 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes (camping)
• Anything else? Bonfire
• Website: Exclusive Woodland Weddings

It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of being here, but it still sticks with me as one of those amazing woodland wedding venues.

The ceremony space feels almost like an amphitheatre, with seating going uphill, so everyone has a great view of the ceremony. Oh and the ceremony can be a legal one, which is always a big bonus for an outdoor venue.

The barn is kind of everything I want from a barn - a bit ramshackle, gaps where the light comes in and incredibly charming.

You can camp on site and have a combination of wooded areas, the barn and open fields to party in.

Captain Woods Barn, Essex

• 1 hr 15 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? No
• Anything else? Tractor rides!
• Website: Captain Woods Barn

Let's talk about Captain Woods Barn in Essex. I was here on a very wet day…change your shoes in the middle of the day, running around in a raincoat, wet. But it was still glorious.

Your entrance to Captain Woods Barn passes a lovely little lake and then you see the main barn. It’s a half inside/half outside type of barn. Think a combo of wood and corrugated metal. And a wild flower garden. You don’t even see the ceremony space when you arrive. Then you’re guided through the trees and this whole other world appears.

When I was there, the bride and bridesmaids opted for a little drive by in a tractor before disembarking for a proper walk down the aisle. Who doesn’t love a tractor ride? In addition to a tractor arrival, your guests can also take a ride round the grounds during the drinks reception.

This woodland wedding venue ticks quite a few boxes - you get a classic barn wedding with lovely gardens, open space to hang around in, plus the woodland, it's the best of several worlds. It's also dry hire, so the world is your oyster on the food front. Oh and, sorry to keep banging on about toilets, but the toilets are real indoor toilets, not portaloos.

Milling barn, hertfordshire

• 1 hr from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? No
• Accommodation on site? Yes
• Anything else? Good wet weather options, tractor ride to the ceremony space
• Website: Milling Barn

Milling Barn in Hertfordshire is more of a traditional wedding venue than a lot of the others here, so you might not think of it as a woodland wedding venue. But, as of a couple of years ago, they’ve opened up an additional outdoor ceremony space which is nestled in the trees.

If you’re looking for the woodland wedding vibe, but, also, you’re not sure you want to go quite as rustic as the others on the list, this might be the perfect mix for you. You have a combination of Milling Barns modern but still rustic barns to celebrate in, with some lovely fields and woods at your disposal, as well as a more manicured garden by the main building. This is especially good if it does chuck it down and you have to get married inside because there are several gorgeous options that won't feel like a big compromise.

Two Woods Estate, West Sussex

• 1 hr 30 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes
• Anything else? Pet friendly
• Website: Two Woods Estate

Love redwoods? Me too, I love the smell of them, the height of them, I'm definitely going to get a tattoo of one at some point. Then this woodland wedding venue might be for you, you can hold your ceremony in a redwood grove! The absolute dream.

With open space for relaxing and camping, a barn to keep you cosy and the redwoods (have I already mentioned them?), this is a great wedding venue choice.

Their covered terrace allows you to have your wedding breakfast outside without worrying about the rain, you can bring your dog and get legally married in amongst the trees. What more do you want? Me as your photographer? OK, I'll do it...

Woodland Weddings, Lila's Wood, Hertfordshire

• 55 minutes from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? No
• Accommodation on site? Yes (bell tents, to be arranged separately)
• Anything else? Caravan bar!
• Website: Woodland Weddings

I'm a Hertfordshire wedding photographer, so it's lovely to see a proper woodland wedding venue in Hertfordshire!

At Lila's Wood, think an eco-friendly wedding in a clearing in the woods, where the venue encourages you to use your creativity to make your wedding and the space your own. There's a caravan bar (adorable) and you can get fancy bell tents to camp in.

Wilderness Wedding Venue, Kent

• 1 hr 40 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? No - choice of 7 caterers
• Accommodation on site? Yes (glamping on farm)
• Anything else? Choice of licensed ceremony locations on site, pet friendly
• Website: Wilderness Wedding Venue

A boho wedding dream, with your choice of (legal!) ceremony locations and many caterers to pick from. With a whole lot of tipis, woodland and open fields for those golden hour photos, just think of how gorgeous your whole wedding would be here. The little structures like the naked tipi and bar are absolutely gorgeous too and just add to the whole feel.

You can also bring your own dogs and glamping accommodation is available.

The Oak Grove, Kent

• 1 hr 15 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? No
• Accommodation on site? Yes (bell tents, to be arranged separately)
• Anything else? Horsebox toilets
• Website: The Oak Grove

This gorgeous spot has some added bonuses on top of being a beautiful woodland wedding venue. There are horse box toilets (charming), these gorgeous flags over the woodland ceremony space, lovely stretch tents, and you can get married here legally.

Endeavour Woodland Weddings

• 1 hr 30 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes (camping)
• Anything else? Open May to September, two day wedding package option
• Website: Endeavour Woodland Weddings

A beautiful woodland wedding venue near Aylesbury, giving you a blank slate to make your own. You have the option to turn your hire into two days so you can camp the night of the wedding too.

Woodland Hollow Weddings

• 1 hr 20 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? No
• Anything else? Dog friendly (on leads), access for four days to set up
• Website: Woodland Hollow Weddings

Erm...it's a former Christmas tree farm, not sure what else I need to say?! Not much is included here, other than the gorgeous setting, which means you can make it exactly your own. You/suppliers get access for four days to the venue, meaning plenty of time to set up and really make it your woodland wedding venue dream. There are also horse paddocks nearby so you feel truly country.

Weddings in the Wood

• 1 hr 50 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes (indoors)
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes, Shepherds Huts & camping
• Anything else? Plenty of wet weather alternatives, no pets, restricted choice of photographers
• Website: Weddings in the Wood

Did you know that New Forest National Park is less than 2 hours from London? Given I recently visited (and took a lot of photos of ponies) I should have known this. Weddings In The Wood is in New Forest National Park, so you already know it's going to be beautiful.

There's a choice of two woods, barn, hut or lawn for your ceremony, with both shepherds huts and camping accommodation. Your reception can also be in either the barn or marquee.

I've actually never been here and when doing some research I noticed that there are restrictions on who can photograph weddings here - so maybe that's why? I'm sure it's a lovely venue, but, if you're going for it, get some clarification on what their restrictions are so you don't sign up for anything that's going to leave you disappointed in the long-run.

Wise Wedding Venue

• 1 hr 20 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Camping
• Anything else? Toilets included, pet friendly
• Website: Wise Wedding Venue

There are a lot of woodland wedding venues in Kent, but, do the rest have handmade treehouses and a sofa hanging from a tree? Probably not. This quirky woodland wedding venue will bring you up close with nature, while having romantically illuminated paths through the woods, and your marquee and fancy wedding toilets included. You can also watch the frogs hopping about in the lakes or set yourself up by the campfire.

Wellington Wood, Norfolk

• 1 hr 50 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes (several types)
• Anything else? Stay from Thursday - plenty of time to get ready, dog friendly
• Website: Wellington Wood

I was kind of surprised this Norfolk woodland wedding venue was falling within my "2 hours from London" boundary, but it just slipped in and I'm so glad it did because it's beautiful! There's not just woodland, but lovely wildflower meadows.

You ceremony takes place in either The Larch, a woodland area or the gorgeous Meadow Circle, a Naked Tipi, or the Woodland Circle - your only problem will be choosing which one!

Wellington Wood also has three giant hat tipi that come with the venue - I love a tipi wedding - and I've heard time and time again that they're pricey, so having them included is amazing.

You'll also have cottage accommodation from Thursday to Sunday, plus shepherd huts for guests, bell tents and a camping area, so plenty of space to have everyone stay.

Not only is Wellington Wood pet friendly, it has a dedicated dog play area to keep your pooches just as happy as you are.

Longton Wood, Kent

• 1 hr 15 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? Yes
• Accommodation on site? Yes (glamping)
• Anything else? Three day hire (make it a whole wedding weekend)
• Website: Longton Wood

Self-described as a "blank canvas" you can really make this your very own woodland wedding dream. You get hire from Friday to Sunday, meaning you have plenty of time to set up and breakdown, as well as being able to stay for two nights if you like.

This place obviously has stunning bones, including some little features, like a log sofa, "the doors" in the woods, a tree swing and, of course, beautiful tall trees in their woodland, as well as clearings to set up your tipi/marquee/whatever you want.

Upthorpe Wood, Suffolk

• 1 hr 50 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? Yes
• Dry Hire? Yes (apart from bar)
• Accommodation on site? Yes (honeymoon cabin)
• Anything else? Woodland bar
• Website: Upthorpe Wood

It's just gorgeous! There are two barns, a honeymoon suite, plenty of shelter for bad weather, a gorgeous woodland setting for ceremony, a woodland bar and you can even have your meal outside amongst the trees.

Upthorpe Wood markets itself as for, "cool couples" - I don't think of myself as "cool" but I can see the appeal and once all your friends are there, no one's going to be making sure you're the ultimate hipster.

The Green Escape Woodland Weddings, Surrey

• 1 hr 15 mins from central London
• Licensed for legal ceremonies? No
• Dry Hire? No
• Accommodation on site? Yes (glamping, shepherds huts)
• Anything else? Electricity free, wet weather indoor ceremony option, no pets, zip wire
• Website: The Green Escape

Have your unlicensed ceremony in a circle of trees like you're in another world. Or, if rain hits there's also an indoor ceremony spot with a log burner to warm you up. Time it right and you might just get to frolic in the bluebell woods too.

The most interesting thing about The Green Escape is that it might be the most authentically woodland wedding venue, there's no electricity, as they put it on their website, "completely off grid, so no electricity or wifi, just twinkling fairy lights and solar lanterns," for a real sense that you and your loved ones are the only people in the world. With a zip wire, pizza oven and woodland path to access it, this is a venue for people who like to camp and be outdoors.

There's glamping in shepherds huts for up to 22 people, which is a lot compared to some of the other woodland wedding venues here.

Looking for a woodland wedding photographer near London?

I'm your girl! I'll come with wellies, suncream and the willingness to climb a tree for you. Contact me over here and let's talk woodland weddings and all the practicalities I know about after 13 years photographing weddings.