It’s set to be a historic year for weddings, with many who put wedding plans on hold for the past two years keen to make their nuptials extra special.
Some of the UK’s most beautiful venues are in demand and there are reports of 2022 bringing record numbers of wedding enquiries to some of the country’s museums and art galleries.
We all know that making your wedding day unique is a must for most couples - but what do you need to consider when choosing a venue with its own history?
Event specialist for National Museums Liverpool - Rebecca O’Neill - shares her wedding planning tips to choosing your perfect venue.
Be influenced by culture
Factor in the stunning décor and consider whether you can use surrounding artwork or exhibits as part of your room styling or photography backdrop. You could also take influence from the history of the building or its collections to create a bespoke food menu or theme for the day. Be considerate to the special nature of the setting though, as you may need to adapt some aspects of the day to fit with a venue’s events etiquette.
Find an A-lister location
You could be walking in the footsteps of history makers. Pick somewhere striking and you may also find that the building itself has taken a starring role in the past. The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool city centre, for example, recently shot to fame in the newly released The Batman movie – which has added a touch of modern history to a venue that dates back to the 1800s and is the national gallery of the North. Other historic wedding venues in the region have featured in TV shows like Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who – and you’ll find that venues across the UK have doubled as famous filming backdrops too.
Feel like a star for the day
Don’t forget that your wedding day is about you, so don’t be worried about making yourselves the stars of the show. Make sure you use the beauty of the architecture to capture treasured pictures of you and your partner. Don’t worry if being centre stage isn’t in your nature though, as the grandeur of historic spaces can help you feel less fazed by the attention!
Take your guests on tour
Your venue may have a host of interesting stories to tell, so consider sending your wedding guests on a guided tour, while you have your wedding photos taken. If you’ve chosen an art gallery or museum, there will be plenty to keep your family and friends entertained – and make it a wedding they won’t forget.
Be adventurous
Never be afraid of being adventurous with your wedding plans. If you’ve picked a museum as your venue there could be lots of unique options available to you – a photoshoot with the dinosaurs, speeches in front of an aquarium, or a first kiss next to your favourite artwork. There are loads of ways to make your own special moment in history.
Rebecca O’Neill is a wedding event specialist at National Museums Liverpool. National Museums Liverpool (NML) runs seven venues, and its collections are among the most important and varied in Europe. For more information, visit: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/weddings.
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