Top Wedding Location Trends for 2015

Go Bold or Go Home

With whimsical, shabby chic weddings becoming a little hackneyed and overdone, couples are increasingly seeking big, dramatic backdrops for their weddings in 2016 and beyond.  For this wedding location trend, think mountains, lakes, and forest settings. With that in mind, sometimes a stunning natural environment does the hard work for you, and brings an enviable simplicity: fussy accessories and twee table settings become unnecessary if you’re tying the knot in a castle on the shores of a Scottish highland Loch. If this sounds appealing, Aldourie Castle’s stunning aspect and romantic setting would be perfect for this type of wedding. It’s the only habitable castle on the shores of Loch Ness, and with turrets, towers, stunning panoramas and open fires roaring in the grates, your wedding is guaranteed to be totally unforgettable.

Intimate Mediterranean Settings

Destination weddings to exotic locations have been big news for a long time, but if you take the sunny location and remove the overpriced “exotic” tag, what you’re left with is an intimate, low-key wedding in an extremely desirable setting- and no long-haul flight. To help you achieve this sunny wedding dream, Sa Llupia villa in Mallorca has views of the Mediterranean, its own private pool with jets, and easy access to the Michelin starred restaurant, tennis courts, and spa facilities of the hotel next door! Located in a glamorous hillside coastal village, the property is all freshly painted shutters, exposed beams, and verdant countryside: dream your nuptial dreams beneath the villa’s warm terracotta roof, and drink your morning coffee on the sun terrace.

Heart of England

For some, there’s no better wedding than one in a generously sized, rambling, traditional property in the heart of the English countryside. This trend has become incredibly popular in the wake of the runaway success of nostalgic TV shows such as Downton Abbey, and this kind of affair harks back to a bygone age of aristocracy, making an impossibly grand impression that just couldn’t happen anywhere else. For this type of wedding, a charming country pile is the key ingredient, and Ellenborough Park, near the Cotswold town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, has this charm in spades. From modern luxuries such as a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi to stunning period details such as massive fireplaces and ornately manicured grounds, this Grade II listed residence has been lovingly and tactfully restored, making it a truly spectacular wedding venue.

Ellenborough Park Cheltenham the Stately Home to rent in England
 

Dorset Romance

English country weddings have lost none of their appeal in recent years, so If a castle on the UNESCO protected Jurassic coast sounds like a romantic setting for a wedding, then Pennsylvania Castle in Portland, Dorset, is unbeatable. Set deep in Thomas Hardy country, the Castle’s drawing room and stunning Orangery both lead, via French doors, to a beautiful large sun terrace with incredible sea views. The extensive grounds include a winding pathway to the sea edge, as well as Japanese, Tropical, and Italian gardens and a Japanese tea house. Bay windows on the ground floor of the Castle look out onto the sea, while the indoor pool welcomes swimmers in the winter. With enough space to accommodate 100 diners comfortably, and its own helipad, Pennsylvania Castle is ideal for couples looking to the English Romance wedding trend without skimping on guest numbers or luxury.