Choosing the best Gloucestershire outdoor ceremony venues
Gloucestershire’s diverse rural landscape offers couples an extraordinary canvas for countryside celebrations. From the rolling hills and hidden valleys of the Cotswolds to the fertile riverlands of the Severn Vale, these Gloucestershire outdoor ceremony venues showcase the county’s rich agricultural heritage and natural beauty.
Matara
Matara is a unique fusion venue nestled in 28 acres of peaceful Cotswold countryside near Tetbury. This extraordinary setting blends a Grade II listed Regency house with Japanese-inspired gardens and contemporary circular spaces designed according to sacred geometry principles. With its incredible parkland, could this be the perfect Gloucestershire outdoor ceremony venue?
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The venue offers multiple ceremony settings including the stunning light-filled Cloistered Courtyard with its central water feature, the elegant Regency Drawing Room for more intimate ceremonies, and several licensed outdoor locations. For receptions, the Asian-inspired banqueting hall can accommodate up to 150 guests with floor-to-ceiling windows.
- Outdoor Spaces: Matara’s grounds feature a remarkable blend of formal Regency gardens, tranquil Japanese elements with koi ponds and meditation spaces, and natural woodland areas – all designed to create a journey through different landscape experiences that evolve with the rural seasons.
What Makes Matara’s Countryside Setting Special:
- Hidden Valley Location: Matara sits within a secluded Cotswold valley accessed via winding country lanes, creating a sense of rural discovery and retreat.
- Natural Soundscape: Birdsong replaces traffic noise, while rustling leaves and bubbling water features create a natural soundtrack throughout the grounds. This unspoiled soundscape enhances the sense of countryside immersion and provides a peaceful backdrop for both ceremonies and celebrations.
- Seasonal Landscape Evolution: The grounds transform dramatically with the agricultural seasons, showcasing the changing character of the Cotswold countryside throughout the year. Spring brings wildflower meadows alive with native blooms, summer showcases lush garden growth against golden rural backdrops, autumn creates spectacular woodland colours, and winter reveals the sculptural beauty of bare trees against crisp countryside vistas.
Package and Pricing Options:
- Rural Retreat Packages: Their flexible approach allows couples to create either single-day celebrations or weekend-long experiences immersed in the countryside setting. The venue provides 10 uniquely designed en-suite bedrooms accommodating up to 20 guests, including the spectacular Bridal Suite with its Japanese-influenced design and private garden access.
Review Highlights:
- ”The gorgeous gardens, the fabulous staff, the inspiring eclectic spaces and the delicious food are just a few of the things we loved! The accommodation was fantastic and everyone was impressed when they arrived on the day.” Google
The Barn at Upcote
Upcote Barn is an impressive collection of beautifully restored Cotswold stone farm buildings nestled in a secluded valley near Cheltenham. It’s what we think of when we think of an example of a Gloucestershire outdoor ceremony venue. Head here to see what it looks like to get married outdoors at Upcote.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The venue features several interconnected stone barns including the Main Barn with its grandscale and original exposed beams and the more intimate Grain Store ideal for ceremonies.
- Outdoor Spaces: The barns are surrounded by their own fields and farmland, with the venue’s terraced garden offering panoramic views across the valley to ancient woodland beyond.
What Makes Upcote Barn’s Countryside Setting Special:
- Private Valley Position: The farm sits within its own natural fold in the landscape, with hills rising on three sides to create a sheltered microclimate and exceptional privacy.
- Agricultural Heritage: The venue maintains its authentic farming character with original features and agricultural elements throughout. Traditional farm features like stone troughs, feeding stalls, and grain storage areas have been thoughtfully preserved and repurposed, creating a genuine connection to the land’s working history.
- Package and Pricing Options: Upcote offers venue hire starting from £4,500 for midweek dates to £8,500 for summer weekends, with a generous 48-hour hire period that allows unhurried setup in the rural setting.
Review Highlights:
- ”The venue itself is so beautiful and well looked after with some brilliant spots for photos. Our guests still haven’t stopped telling us how amazing the venue was. Thank you again for making our wedding day so special.” Google
Owlpen Manor
Owlpen Manor is a romantic Tudor manor house secreted away in a hidden Cotswold valley near Stroud. This extraordinary Grade I listed building sits within an ancient rural landscape that feels untouched by modern development, offering one of the most authentic historical countryside settings in the region.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: For intimate gatherings, the Manor’s Great Hall offers a genuinely medieval setting with walls adorned with centuries-old tapestries that tell the story of rural English life. These historical spaces connect seamlessly to the surrounding countryside through ancient doorways and windows specifically designed to frame rural vistas.
- Outdoor Spaces: The grounds extend into wild woodland and open countryside, with paths leading to hidden viewpoints that showcase the unspoiled rural landscape in all directions.
What Makes Owlpen Manor’s Countryside Setting Special:
- Package and Pricing Options: The estate includes nine utterly unique self-catering cottages scattered throughout the grounds, sleeping up to 40 guests in buildings that include converted farm structures and the extraordinary Grist Mill with its working waterwheel.
- Ancient Woodland Setting: The estate includes significant areas of ancient woodland that have existed for centuries, with some trees dating back over 400 years.
- Historic Agricultural Landscape: Sheep graze on hillside pastures maintaining the open character of the higher ground, while historic field patterns defined by ancient hedgerows remain unchanged since Tudor times, creating a living agricultural context for the manor and its buildings.
Frampton Wool Barn
Frampton Wool Barn is a magnificent medieval tithe barn located within the historic Frampton Court Estate in rural Gloucestershire. This architectural treasure offers couples an authentic agricultural building of exceptional scale and craftsmanship, set within traditional parkland.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The vast cathedral-like interior features remarkably preserved medieval timber framing with soaring roof beams that reach over 40 feet high. The spacious interior can accommodate up to 150 guests comfortably, with various configuration options that maintain the barn’s agricultural character.
- Outdoor Spaces: The barn sits within the carefully maintained Frampton Court Estate, with formal English gardens flowing into pastoral parkland that showcases traditional countryside management. Ancient specimen trees provide natural canopies for outdoor gatherings.
What Makes Frampton Wool Barn’s Countryside Setting Special:
- Historic Estate Integration: The barn forms part of a complete historic rural estate that maintains traditional land management practices across extensive grounds.
- Waterside Setting: The estate features significant water elements that create a distinctive countryside character different from typical barn venues.
- Rural Heritage Packages: The estate provides accommodation options in historic buildings for up to 18 guests, allowing key wedding party members to stay within the rural setting. Their flexible approach allows couples to select their own suppliers without restrictive lists.
Kingscote Barn
Kingscote Barn is a beautifully restored Cotswold stone barn nestled in its own secluded valley near Tetbury. This exclusive-use venue sits within 400 acres of private organic farmland offering panoramic rural views and complete countryside immersion despite its convenient location.
Main Offerings for Weddings:
- Ceremony and Reception Spaces: The meticulously restored 17th-century barn features exposed beams and Cotswold stone walls that showcase traditional agricultural architecture, while floor-to-ceiling windows provide constant connection to the countryside beyond.
- Outdoor Spaces: The barn sits within a private valley with no public access, where rolling hills create a natural amphitheater around the venue and frame far-reaching views across undeveloped countryside.
What Makes Kingscote Barn’s Countryside Setting Special:
- Pricing & Packages: Kingscote offers venue hire starting from £5,500 for midweek dates to £10,500 for summer weekends, including exclusive use of the barn and surrounding valley throughout the celebration. Their comprehensive approach includes dedicated coordination and support staff who understand the unique considerations of countryside celebrations.
- Organic Farm Connection: The venue sits within a working organic farm that maintains the surrounding landscape through sustainable agriculture practices. This eco-conscious approach results in exceptional biodiversity, with wildlife flourishing in the chemical-free environment.
- Dark Sky Location: The venue’s rural isolation creates an exceptional nighttime experience rarely found in more accessible locations.
Review Highlights:
- ”The venue itself is beautiful, including all of the surrounding views of the Cotswolds. The onside accommodation was important to us as guests were travelling from all over, the pods and huts looked gorgeous and we loved the tree house bridal suite!” Google
