Best wedding venues in Portsmouth
Cool wedding
venues in Portsmouth
An Insiders guide (what you need to know).
Looking for a
Portsmouth
wedding venue?
I’ve got you covered.
As someone who’s lived in Portsmouth his whole life, it’s easy to see why so many couples choose to make this beautiful island the location of their wedding day.
With sea views from almost anywhere and a wealth of different styles; from historic castles to boutique hotels and independant restaurants, they’re really is something for weddings of all styles and budgets.
Over 10+ years as a Portsmouth wedding photographer, I’ve worked at pretty much every venue on this island and now I’m sharing that knowledge with you on this page.
I’ll help you find your perfect Portsmouth wedding venue and once that’s locked in, be sure to get in touch so we can chat about your photographs.
Anyway, enough chat and let’s get on with the list…
My top Portsmouth wedding venues:
The Queens Hotel
✅ Multiple spaces to cater for weddings of all sizes.
✅ Perfectly situated on Southsea seafront.
✅ Plenty of rooms for overnight guests.
Situated proudly on the Clarence end of Southsea seafront, this venue is an iconic Portsmouth landmark and a stunning hotel in it’s own right.
An Edwardian building built in 1861, it’s recently gone under a multi-million pound renovation to restore it to it’s former glory.
The impressive Elizabeth room is beautifully light and can hold up to 150 day guests comfortably. If you’re looking for something a little more intimate, then the basement Windsor Suite would be ideal.
If you’re wanting fancy London hotel vibes on the South Coast and walkable to the sea for sunset photos, this place is where you need to be looking.
Here’s a link to Chris & Kristina’s summer wedding here to give you a taste of just how beautiful this venue can be.
The Square Tower
✅ Historic venue with rooftop terrace.
✅ Ideal for smaller guest numbers.
✅ Idyllic seaside location in Portsmouth
Right in the heart of Old Portsmouth, The Square Tower is exactly as you’d expect;
A four sided tower built in 1494 and situated on Southsea seaside, at the entrance to Portsmouth harbour.
With hire options from 2 hours to full-day, it’s a super flexible venue which many use for just their ceremony, before heading to a cool restaurant for dinner, or equally you can host the whole day here.
With no kitchen on-site, this venue gives you the freedom to pick a caterer of your choice or tap up one of Southsea’s finest independants to drop in with dinner.
From it’s private roof terrace for your drinks reception to it’s prime sunset location across the harbour. If you’re looking for a really cool, historic venue to host your wedding day then you won’t get much older (or quirky) than the Square Tower.
Check out my blog from Daisy & Paul’s wedding day to see how it goes down.
Southsea Castle
✅ Castle venue with roof terrace and seaviews
✅ Authentic historic building
✅ Idyllic seafront location in Portsmouth
Southsea Castle is located on the waterfront in central Southsea is an actual castle!
Built in 1544 by Henry VII, it’s a stunning building and is said to be where Henry VIII watched his beloved ship, The Mary Rose sink into Portsmouth Harbour.
You’ll exchange vows in the main castle building, before heading out onto the terrace for your drinks reception and stunning sea views. The castle also has a vast cobbled courtyard which houses the marquee where you’ll have dinner and your reception.
The main keep can facilitate 56 guests for your ceremony; so if you’re having a more modest guestlist, but still want a stunning backdrop then Southsea Castle could be the perfect place for you.
The Spinnaker Tower
✅ Unique location with incredible views
✅ Located in Gunwharf Quays
✅ Space for up to 200 guests
Based in the modern shopping & dining complex of Gunwharf Quays, this impressive piece of architecture is also a fully licenced wedding venue with options for ceremonies and receptions on site.
The main viewing deck is 100m above sea level, which offers incredible panoramic views of the Solent and an incredible backdrop for you to exchange your vows.
Alongside the elevated viewing decks, there is also a bar & restaurant area at ground level which will play host to your wedding breakfast and evening reception.
If you’re looking for a modern and unique venue for your wedding, then click the link below and book a viewing with the team.
Are you planning a smaller, relaxed wedding?
Something a little less traditional??
If the idea of having a big venue and a structured wedding day isn’t filling you with joy, then this might be the section you’ll want to read…
Portsmouth Registry Office is one of the more aesthetic offices on the South Coast, housed in a beautiful old building with dedicated gardens to the side for your family group photos.
Once you’ve exchanged vows here, you’ll already be in the heart of Southsea to head over to one of the many cool restaurants, bars and cafés to carry on your celebrations in style.
I’ll pop a few suggestions below of some of the places I know that have options for smaller, more intimate wedding receptions.
I’ll also add the link to Portsmouth Registry Office below so you can contact them about your wedding ceremony.
Southsea Beach Café
✅ Bistro Café at the waters edge.
✅ Retractable roof - perfect for summer.
✅ Option for exclusive hire
Situated on the promenade, Southsea Beach Café has become a real hotspot amongst locals and is known for it’s incredible breakfast & lunch offerings with amazing sea views.
With huge windows and a retractable roof, I’ve been part of so many incredible evenings here - watching the sun set across the solent whilst enjoy a cocktail and the seaside ambience of this amazing waterfront venue.
With a range of options from sit down meals to evening buffet food, they’re incredibly flexible in bringing the reception you want to life.
So, if you’re wanting the privacy of exclusive hire, but a much more relaxed vibe than a hotel or venue, this is definitely the venue you want to book.
Boathouse No: 4
Boathouse No: 04 is a really cool looking industrial venue, built inside one of the huge working boathouses in Portsmouth’s famous historic dockyard.
Whilst they don’t have a licence for wedding ceremonies, it’s less than 10 minutes drive from the Registry Office and offers a truly unique setting for your reception with great panoramic views across the busy harbour.
Being inside the actual dockyard, this also opens up great potential for some really cool couple portraits and offers something a little different for your guests too.
Gunwharf is also within walking distance, with all the transsport and accomodation you’ll need for guests travelling down to celebrate with you.
If you’re looking for a really cool warehouse/industrial setting for your wedding day, this place is worth a look and might be the perfect place for you.
✅ Situated in the historic Dockyard
✅ Cool Industrial vibes
✅ Super near to Gunwharf Quays for accomodation etc.
Are you looking further afield for your dream venue?
What’s next
now you’ve
sorted the venue?
Let’s talk photography.
With all the info I’ve shared above, I’m sure that’s proved more than useful when it comes to picking the Portsmouth wedding venue for your wedding day.
So now that you’ve set the date and got a place for it all to happen,
let’s make photography the next thing on the list.
Since 2015 I’ve been capturing weddings all over the South in my signature laid-back style and would love to do the same for you.
Check out my pricing page for the packages I offer, or click below to drop me a message and chat about what you’ve got planned.