Planning a wedding involves lots of little decisions, and it can be difficult to know where to begin. From finding a date and choosing your ceremony space to deciding on the food, flowers and evening celebrations, there’s plenty to think about.
If you’re considering Gray’s Inn for your wedding, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you work through the arrangements. You don’t need to have everything decided straight away. Start with the things that matter most to you, and the rest will begin to fall into place.
Step 1: Choose Your Wedding Date
Before you start making decisions about the details, think about when you’d like to get married. Do you have a particular season in mind? Perhaps you’ve always imagined an outdoor ceremony surrounded by greenery or would prefer the warmth and character of an indoor celebration.
Your preferred date will also help determine which spaces are available and how you might use them. If you’re considering an outdoor ceremony or reception in The Walks, for example, these are available between May and October, weather permitting. The seasonal marquee is available during June and July.
Once you have an idea of your preferred date, get in touch with our wedding team to discuss availability. If you’re flexible, it’s worth asking about alternative dates too.
Step 2: Arrange a Viewing
Now that you have decided on a date, arranging a site visit is a good way to picture how your wedding could look at Gray’s Inn.
Before coming to the venue, you can explore it through our 3D virtual tour, which includes the Hall, The Walks marquee and the Domus spaces. This is a useful starting point, particularly if you’re still comparing venues or haven’t yet had the chance to visit in person.
During your site visit, you’ll be able to see the rooms for yourself, ask questions and talk through how you might use the spaces throughout the day. Our wedding team can help with the practical arrangements, from guest numbers and timings to the finer details of your reception.
Step 3: Decide on Your Ceremony Space
Next, think about where you’d like to exchange your vows. The setting will form an important part of your day, so consider the atmosphere you’re looking for, how many people you’d like to invite and whether you’d prefer an indoor or outdoor ceremony.
Gray’s Inn has three licensed spaces for civil ceremonies:
The Hall: With capacity for up to 180 guests, the Hall is an impressive setting for a larger wedding ceremony, with historic interiors and plenty of room for family and friends.
The Large Pension Room: Suitable for smaller ceremonies, this room accommodates up to 60 guests. Natural light, chandeliers and a marble fireplace give it a character of its own.
The Summer Marquee: If you’d like to marry outdoors, our five acres of private gardens provide space for ceremonies of up to 250 guests in our beautifully dressed marquee throughout June and July. Outside of the summer season, garden ceremonies are available between May and October, weather dependent.
Take some time to think about which setting feels right for you. Once you have decided on a space and signed your contract, you will be assigned a wedding coordinator who will be able to advise you at every stage.
Step 4: Plan Your Reception
After choosing your ceremony space, you can start thinking about how you’d like to celebrate afterwards.
Will you have drinks and canapés before sitting down for a wedding breakfast? Are you planning a larger evening party with dancing, or would you prefer a more relaxed celebration with your guests?
Your guest list will help determine which rooms are suitable, but it’s also worth considering how you want the day to flow. At Gray’s Inn, you can use different rooms for different parts of your wedding, allowing guests to move from one part of the celebration to the next.
For couples booking exclusive hire of the Domus, the spaces can be used in a number of ways. The Hall can accommodate dinner and dancing, the Large Pension Room can be used for drinks, toasts and cake cutting, and the Small Pension Room provides a space for suppliers.
You can discuss the arrangements with our team to work out which spaces best suit your plans.
Step 5: Decide on Your Wedding Menu
Food and drink will be a big part of your reception, so it’s worth thinking about the kind of meal you’d like to share with your guests.
You might picture a traditional seated wedding breakfast, a selection of canapés during your drinks reception or something a little different for the evening. Consider your guests’ dietary requirements too, so these can be discussed when planning the menu.
Gray’s Inn works with catering partner Searcys to provide wedding menus, with options ranging from canapés and bowl food to more substantial dining. Your wedding package also includes a tasting, giving you the opportunity to sample the food and drink options to make decisions about your menu before the day.
Step 6: Make Plans for Flowers, Decorations and Music
With the main arrangements taking shape, you can start thinking about how you’d like your wedding to look and feel.
Flowers, table decorations, lighting and music all contribute to the atmosphere, so think about the details that are important to you. You might already have a particular colour scheme in mind, or perhaps you’ve saved a few ideas for table settings and floral arrangements.
You’re welcome to bring in external decorators and suppliers at Gray’s Inn. As the buildings are listed, there are some restrictions on how certain areas can be decorated, so speak to your wedding coordinator before making firm arrangements.
For your civil ceremony, you can play your own music using a Bluetooth playlist or arrange live music such as an acoustic duo or trio. It’s worth thinking about what you’d like to hear as you walk down the aisle, during the signing of the register and as you leave the ceremony.
Step 7: Enjoy Your Wedding Day
After all the planning, the day itself is finally here. You’ve chosen your spaces, planned your menu and made all those little decisions that will make the celebration your own. Now it’s time to enjoy it.
Our experienced events team will be on hand throughout your wedding day, overseeing the arrangements and making sure everything runs as planned. From coordinating timings to looking after the practical details, we’ll take care of things behind the scenes, so you don’t have to.
You can spend the day celebrating with the people closest to you, enjoying every moment and making memories together.
Start Planning Your Wedding at Gray's Inn
If you’re hoping to get married sooner rather than later, the start of a new year can be a lovely time to celebrate. January and February are well suited to smaller weddings, with the opportunity to bring your closest family and friends together for a ceremony and reception in one of our historic rooms.
Whether you’re planning a winter wedding or looking further ahead, our wedding team can help you explore the spaces available and start putting your plans together.
If you’d like to find out more about getting married at Gray’s Inn, contact us today at 020 7458 7960 or [email protected]. We look forward to helping you plan your perfect day.
Photography credits
Matilda Delves
Liam Collard
Grace Pham
Matt Dodd
Rob James
Luke Bell
Wedding Films London
