As a gay wedding photographer in Cornwall, I know people often have quite a few questions about same sex weddings so I thought it would be useful to put together a guide to Cornwall’s best gay wedding venues.
I’ve also included useful information about same sex weddings in the UK plus a complete directory of LGBTQ wedding venues in Cornwall so you’ll have all the information you need.
As one of the most celebrated destinations in the UK, Cornwall is an exciting, unique place to get married. For gay weddings, elopements and intimate weddings there are lots of choices with something for everyone.
Many of the top wedding venues in Cornwall welcome LGBTQ couples. Meanwhile, Cornwall’s magnificent landscapes provide dazzling wedding backdrops and sublime locations for elopements and intimate weddings.
From cliff-top elopements to woodland weddings, coastal ceremonies, festival weddings, luxury barns, castles, stately homes and more, you’re guaranteed to find a dream setting for a wedding here in Cornwall.
In fact, if you’re toying with the idea of a destination Gay wedding, Cornwall can cater for you too. Here in the UK’s warmest region, you can enjoy stunning beaches (some of the best in the UK), jaw-dropping vistas, picturesque landscapes, watersports, unique regions, lush vineyards, glorious fresh local food, endless things to do and spectacular wedding venues which offer something different.
Best of all, you’ll be able to have as many friends and family at your wedding as you truly want whilst avoiding the extra expense a destination wedding involves.
So whether you want a beach wedding, an elopement, a show-stopper, a religious wedding, a contemporary barn wedding, a woodland ceremony or something else, here’s:
- the main things to know about gay weddings in the UK,
- top Cornwall wedding venues for same sex weddings,
- and a full list of all the gay wedding venues in Cornwall.
Gay Wedding Venues in Cornwall
6 Essential Things To Know About Gay Weddings In The UK
- Location: Gay weddings in the UK can take place in any type of wedding venue. You need to decide where you want to get married before you give notice that you wish to marry because the wedding venue is listed in the notice.
- Type of Wedding: To ensure it is legal, your wedding ceremony will be classed as a civil ceremony. However civil ceremonies are not restricted to registry offices. Civil ceremonies can be held in any licensed wedding venue as well as registry offices.
- Religious Ceremonies: St Laudus Church in Mabe is a pretty stone church by the water. Situated close to Falmouth, the 15th-century church sits in green rural surroundings and is a popular place to get married. St Laudus is an LGBTQ-friendly church which accepts couples who are not regular church-goers so if you want a religious ceremony St Laudus may be of interest.
- Symbolic Weddings: If you have something more unique in mind, you may find a symbolic wedding a better fit for your special day. A symbolic wedding is a completely personalised wedding you shape yourself with the help of a celebrant. They are less commonly known as humanist wedding ceremonies.
Celebrants conduct symbolic weddings but are not legally able to marry couples. Instead, you’ll need to have a civil ceremony a few days before your symbolic wedding (like you would for a destination wedding).
Symbolic weddings can include elements of traditional weddings, such as exchanging vows, however, they also incorporate contemporary rituals.
Candle-lighting, hand-tying, oathing stones, sand-mixing and balloon releases, are just some of the many ways, couples choose to make a symbolic ceremony personal and meaningful.
- Civil Partnerships: If you are already in a civil partnership you will need to convert your civil partnership to a marriage at a registry office. Some couples do this right before their wedding ceremony whilst others complete the switch in advance of their wedding day.
39 of my favourite images from Same Sex Weddings In Cornwall
Best Same Sex Wedding Venues in Cornwall
Top wedding venues for gay weddings in Cornwall include:
1.The Green Cornwall, Liskeard: An incredible range of green spaces has made The Green a top barn wedding venue for gay couples. Located on the perimeter of Bodmin Moor, The Green is surrounded by everything from lavender fields to woodland, orchards and more. Multiple indoor and outdoor spaces plus accommodation for up to 42 make The Green perfect for an unforgettable wedding in the countryside. More
2. The Carbis Bay Hotel, St Ives: Positioned directly on the beach, the Carbis Bay Hotel is the first choice for a hotel wedding for lots of gay couples. Indoor and outdoor spaces as well as the beach directly below make this spa hotel a fantastic choice. More
3. The Eden Project, Par: Wed amongst citrus and olive groves, vines and sunflowers at The Eden Project. The tropical garden wedding venue’s iconic rainforest domes are famous worldwide. If you want a unique Cornwall location for your gay wedding, The Eden Project is guaranteed to keep everyone talking about your wedding for years to come.
4. Lower Barns: For a really intimate wedding or an elopement, Lower Barns in Saint Austell is the cosiest setting. From The Wed Shed to The Shack, The Lounge and the beach close by, the venue has a variety of small indoor and outdoor spaces perfect for a pared-back, deeply personal wedding.
5. Pendennis Castle: Perched on a hill by the water’s edge in Falmouth, Pendennis Castle is a dreamy setting. Sitting on the Falmouth coast, the tranquil setting was once a fort of Henry VIII. The pretty castle has unique spaces for both the wedding and reception.
For a more in-depth blog, have a look at my top 10 wedding venues in Cornwall, each one will offer Same sex weddings in Cornwall
Paul was our wedding photographer and he was absolutely fantastic! He is responsive, personable and incredibly professional. He gets to know you and is encouraging with the greatest of integrity, we are very pleased with the photos, he captured every amazing moment with beauty! Thank you! Highly recommend
Steve & Alex
Best Locations For Gay Elopements in Cornwall
Best Locations For Gay Elopements in Cornwall
For spectacular elopements in Cornwall, it’s more a question of where should I start! Cornwall’s clifftops, beaches, woodlands, historic castles and moors are just about as romantic as you can get.
With the roar of towering waves crashing against the clifftops behind you and nothing but you both, your celebrant and endless green landscape, scattered here and there with wildflowers and rare Cornish birds, to accompany you make Cornwall the most epic location for an elopement wedding.
For a coastal setting that’s less rugged, there’s a wide range of bays, coves and beaches to choose from. These stretches of coastline are world-famous locations, featured in films, television programmes, poetry and iconic literature.
From Newquay to Beacon Crag, Polhawn Fort, Fistral Beach and the Scilly Isles, each setting is completely different. More about beach weddings in Cornwall
Choose somewhere like Kynance Cove and you get the best of both – secluded coves backed by caves situated beneath enormous cliffs. More
Gay Wedding Photography in Cornwall
As a top Cornwall wedding photographer local to the area, I have photographed same sex weddings and elopements at all of the wedding venues on the best of list plus lots of those on the directory below.
One of the best things about gay wedding photography in Cornwall is that you’re pretty much always near the coast or a beautiful waterway.
I always sneak couples out to get some super-quick shots along the coast or by the river. Pair that with the incredible landscapes every venue offers and you get amazing wedding photography in Cornwall that’s really special. Here are some great examples of weddings and elopements in Cornwall
Full List of Same Sex Wedding Venues in Cornwall
Carbis Bay Hotel
Casawes Barton
Cornish Tipi Weddings
Gwel Anmor Resort
Heartlands
Hotel Tresanton
Lower Barns
Oceanside Lifestyle Hotel
Pendennis Castle
Penryn Town Hall
Polhawn Fort
Port Veer Manor Hotel
St Austell Golf Club
St Laudus Church, Mabe
St Mellion Estate
The Green Cornwall
The Orangery Mount Edgcumbe
Trevibban Mill Vineyard
The Eden Project
Tremeheere Sculpture Gardens
Local to the area, I’m a highly experienced Same Sex Weddings in Cornwall many times. Whether it’s a gay wedding in Cornwall or a Lesbian wedding, call me on: 07854 172143 or send a message and let’s talk about what you have in mind for your wedding.
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If you would like to enquire about a Same Sex Weddings in Cornwall and the services I offer please feel free to get in touch. Tell me as many details as possible, I love hearing all about what people have planned for their big day, and also the finer details… how you met and a bit about you both.
Please feel free to contact me on 07854172143 or if you prefer you can contact me by email at info@paulkeppel.co.uk or by using the form below. I aim to respond within 24 hours however if you haven’t heard back from me please check your spam folders as sometimes emails drop into there.
