Blenheim Palace; A Special Wedding Destination

So what does make Blenheim Palace a special wedding destination I hear you ask..? Well funnily enough I have some answers for you. Discover why the Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site makes such a special, memorable and unique venue for a wedding celebration and civil ceremony!

Happy Friday reading my friends… The fact geeks and true romantics amongst you will be very happy.

• 300 years of history and counting Blenheim Palace is a privately-owned home and Estate with a hugely diverse history that is still being written. The Dukes of Marlborough have lived here since 1705 and today the Palace is home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and their family. The Estate is a working one and is part of a long, living and lasting heritage.

• Sir Winston Churchill (who was born in the Palace) once said “My greatest achievement was to persuade my wife to marry me” and he achieved this in The Temple of Diana in the formal gardens here. Churchill proposed to his beloved Clementine as they took shelter from a downpour in summer 1908. The spot is now a romantic must-visit for couples and a popular wedding photo location.

• ‘The Finest View in England’ Blenheim Palace is surrounded by over 2000 acres of Parkland, and is one of the largest and most impressive projects by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, the famous English landscape gardener. The parkland is unrivalled and in 1874 Lord Randolph Churchill (Sir Winston’s father) named the one part of the Park as having “The finest view in England”.

• UNESCO World Heritage Site There are only a few places across the world given the right to call themselves a World Heritage Site, and Blenheim Palace is one of them. Being awarded its status in 1987, the Blenheim Palace Estate is ‘recognized as being of outstanding international importance and therefore as deserving special protection’, meaning you won’t find a more beautiful or cared-for setting for your big day.

• A Palace Like No Other Blenheim Palace is the only non-royal and non-episcopal building in the UK to hold the title of ‘Palace’, earning its own unique sense of regality.

• A Treasure Trove Inside Blenheim Palace houses the largest antiques collection in Europe. Guests of events can take private tours and discover for themselves the beauty and history around every corner, and treasures include ornate tapestries, paintings, furniture, china and sculpture.

• The Venue Goes to Great Lengths! The Long Library, one of Blenheim Palace’s most impressive spaces is thought to be the second longest room in any private house in the UK. The room stretches to over 180ft and at the far end stand the magnificent Willis Organ – the largest pipe organ in private ownership in Europe.

• As Seen on the Big Screen As well as a venue for weddings & events, Blenheim Palace is also a popular filming location. Elements of the Palace building, the formal gardens and parkland have featured in a huge number of films and TV shows. Blenheim Palace has welcomed the likes of Spectre (007), Cinderella and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

• Star Quality This spectacular venue has seen its fair share of celebrity weddings; popstars Marvin & Rochelle Humes, Footballer John Terry and film star Sylvester Stallone have all been married at Blenheim Palace.

• Always More to Discover As part of a commitment to sharing as much of Blenheim Palace’s beauty and history as possible, the Events Team open new areas and offer new experiences as often as they can. Just last year two rooms were opened for intimate ceremonies, and the Croquet Lawn – a gorgeous outdoor space next to the ornate Italian Garden – was made available for use for private events for the first time.

If that’s given you a reason or two to check out Blenheim Palace then you’ll find them right here.

Lots of love…