Planning your wedding in Durham

One of the country's most beautiful counties with rolling hills around low-slung mountains. This delightful county is steeped in history and with the main city of Durham, a real beautfy, you couldn't pick a much more charming place to get married! If you're getting married in Durham or are considering it then let our guide below help you with your planning. recommendations, tips and advice from local suppliers and some local, real wedding inspiration.

Where to start?

1 You can't get far without first working out your wedding budget. Try and get a rough idea of what you can afford. Put this number into our handy, free budget calculator to get a guide on how this might be split.

2 Now that you're all set with your budget, it's time to get an idea of the guest numbers. You may need to go back and revisit your budget depending on numbers. Our free guest tracker in the planning tools section will help you store all names and details.

3 Next, it's time to find your dream venue. There's serious choice on offer in Durham. From coastal, beach venues to country houses, there's something for everyone. You may need to book a separate venue for the ceremony.

4 Finding the dream wedding dress can take a while and there's no need to feel rushed. Check out our wedding dress section to browse 1000s of designers and styles. Get an idea for what you like and then see which boutiques near you stock the designs you like.

Durham wedding venues

Wynyard Hall

Wynyard Hall has provided a romantic setting for weddings since the 12th ce...

£110 - £150 per head

Ramside Hall Hotel Golf ...

Durham | 400 capacity

Set in a unique location, surrounded by 350 acres of private grounds, Ramsi...

£4,800 - £15,000 total

We had the most amazing day from start to finish, it exceeded all our expectations. Our wedding day was better than we could have imagined thanks to the amazing staff and facilities in the hotel.
Ramside Hall

Wedding dress stockists

Minna

Beautiful vintage inspired bridal dresses and accessories made from sustain...

£650 - £1,400 per item

Hayley Paige

Hayley Paige wedding dresses embody the fashionable bride with an eclectic ...

£2,000 - £5,000 per item

Naomi Neoh

Naomi Neoh creates elegant and modern bridal gowns, which are often recogni...

£1,995 - £3,000 per head

Kate Beaumont

Kate Beaumont is an independent dress designer, creating luxurious wedding ...

£950 - £2,300 per head

Real weddings in Durham

10 Fantastic Wedding Venues in the North East

First things you need to do when planning a wedding

Free planning tools

5 Now that you've booked your venue it's time to find your other suppliers. We recommend starting with local, Durham-based photographers. They might be a bit pricier than you'd expect but they're well worth it!

6 If food and drink is not in the venue package and this is something you need to source separately then it's worth getting your catering sorted. Plus, you get to enjoy all the tasting. Fortunately, Dorset has plenty of great catering suppliers and there's even more choice in nearby Newcastle.

7 So you know the date of your delightful Durham wedding! It's time to send save the dates to all your guests. If you're sending physical save the dates then check out our fantastic stationery section for some great suppliers and designs.

8 Are you have a band or DJ? 82% of our couples say they are most looking forward to the party part of the wedding. This is often the most memorable part of the wedding for your guests. You may need to look to Newcastle for more choice when it comes to musicians.

Photographers

Jacke's Photography

We are a Partington/Manchester based business offering services in Wedding...

£500 - £1,500 total

Emilie May Photography

Hello! I'm Emilie, the photographer behind Emilie May. I offer beautiful, r...

£1,500 - £1,500 total

Anastasija Malinovska Ph...

I use a combination of contemporary and traditional wedding photography. U...

£800 - £1,300 total

Stu Ganderton Wedding Ph...

Stu Ganderton Photography is one of the South Yorkshire's leading wedding p...

£1,250 - £2,500 total

Every wedding is one of the most important occasions in a couple's life, highlighting their love and happiness, and I truly enjoy being a part of it.
Anastasija Malinovska Photography

Hair & make up artists

Rochelle O'Brien Makeup ...

I am an award winning makeup artist based in the East Midlands and covering...

£200 - £400 per head

Emily Emmett Make up Art...

with over 15 years experience in the industry and extensive reviews from br...

£35 - £100 per head

Icon Brides

Stunning Wedding Hair and Makeup Exclusively Designed For You.

£80 - £250 per head

Bellissimo

Bridal Hair & Makeup with over 20 years experience and more than 1500 happy...

£500 - £1,500 total

9 Durham has an abundance of fantastic local florists. Can you get them to incorporate local flowers into the floral arrangements? It's always fun to include flowers that grow locally.

10 Hair and makeup just for the bride or your bridesmaids too? Get your trial booked in (you'll have to pay for this) so you've got an idea of the whole look on the big day. Hair and makeup artists are usually willing to travel so may worth looking at suppliers in Newcastle too.

11 Cake! Lots of yummy cake makers in Durham and just like the catering before, this is your chance to get stuck in with the tastings. Find a local Devon-based supplier to ensure your cake doesn't have to travel too far on the day.

12 While we've only picked a handful of supplier categories above, we recommend you use our checklist planning tool to make sure you have everything ticked off. Remember, you'll also need to look at attire for the groom, groomsmen and bridesmaids along with Venue styling decor and favours.