Steeped in history and situated in the centre of the World Heritage site of Bath, Bath's Historic Venues are integral to the UNESCO status of the city. The Assembly Rooms (temporarily closed), and Roman Baths and Pump Room, are award-winning wedding venues, both with fantastic stories to tell – could your wedding become a part of their history?
1. Tread ancient paths
Hold your wedding at the Roman Baths and Pump Room and tread the original 2,000-year-old paving that surrounds the Great Bath. Overlooked by the impressive Bath Abbey, your guests will be wowed by the intimacy of this venue and the steaming hot baths which yield around 1,200,000 litres of water daily, warmed by the earth's core.
2. Dance the night away in The Pump Room
After exchanging your vows at the Roman Baths, in either a Sunrise or Sunset ceremony, you can continue celebrating with dinner and dancing in the adjoining Pump Room, Reception Hall, or Terrace overlooking the Baths. The elegant Pump Room was famously visited by Jane Austen where she observed fashions and society of the day - mentioning the venue in her novel Northanger Abbey. The magnificent Reception Hall, ideal for dinner and dancing, was once boarding houses and Mary Shelley is said to have penned her novel Frankenstein there, 200 years ago in 1818.
3. Escape the elements
Steering clear of open-air venues? We don't blame you – the great British weather is unreliable at best – but all of Bath's Historic Venues have shelter from the elements. The Roman Baths is surrounded by a Victorian Terrace above, so even if there is a downpour, you and your guests will be safe and dry under the soffits. In fact, the colder the weather, the better the atmosphere - when it is cold, thick steam rises from the Baths and mingled with the lit torches, is wonderfully atmospheric.
4. Be a part of history
Originally completed in 1795, The Pump Room was constructed to accommodate the fashionable crowds (including Jane Austen) who came to take the restorative waters. Once the focal point of Georgian society, the venue remains at the social heart of the city. Featuring Corinthian columns, a glittering chandelier and the historic long case Tompion clock, the Pump Room is still a social hub - perfect for a wedding breakfast following a Sunrise ceremony, or a dream wedding party.
5. Wed in elegant surrounds
The Assembly Rooms (temporarily closed) has had a lively history, including visits from Dickens and Gainsborough. When completed in 1771, they were described as 'the most noble and elegant of any in the kingdom' – guests would gather in the rooms in the evening for balls, concerts and other social functions and the Rooms continue to be used in this way today.
6. Follow in the footsteps of Hollywood stars
Scenes from the film The Duchess, featuring Keira Knightly and Ralph Fiennes, were filmed in 2008 in the Tea Room, one of the four interconnecting rooms which make up the Assembly Rooms (temporarily closed).
7. Marvel at the stunning chandeliers
Always a wow factor in wedding photos, the Assembly Rooms (temporarily closed) house the finest set of eighteenth-century chandeliers in the world. Crafted from Whitefriars crystal, the American Government were interested in purchasing them for the White House in 1950, but were thankfully refused.
Head to Bath's Historic Venues to start planning your dream wedding in Bath.
Related
Comments
Comments are disabled for this post.