Wedding Venue Review: Layer Marney Tower

May 4, 2017 Eleth Mageehan

An historic wedding venue on the Blackwater Estuary

Layer Marney Tower is a stunning Tudor gatehouse set in picturesque gardens, just outside of Colchester. Built in 1520, this historic venue blends rich history with modern wedding amenities, creating a unique and charming atmosphere. Despite its grand scale, the venue maintains an intimate feel, making it perfect for any size wedding party. In this article, we'll share our perspective as professional photographers on what makes Layer Marney Tower a fantastic choice for your special day.

Where you say I Do

Layer Marney Tower offers a couple of options for your wedding ceremony. Our top pick is the on-site church, where the natural light creates bright, clean photos, a rarity for traditional English churches! There is enough room for us to move around and capture this sacred moment from multiple angles, resulting in a beautiful variety of images for your wedding gallery. It is also very unusual to have a church just walking distance from the reception venue.

Alternatively, you can hold your ceremony inside the main buildings. While these spaces are smaller and darker, they still provide a charming and intimate setting for your vows.

The Grounds

Set in the heart of rural Essex, Layer Marney Tower offers plenty of photo opportunities throughout its picturesque site. The gardens, spread over various levels, provide magnificent surroundings ideal for your portraits, in every direction you turn. The grand driveway to the front of the building is just as worthy as the bridge over the pond.

For your guests, the outside areas are perfect for enjoying reception drinks and playing lawn games in the sun. Drinks outside the towers truly look fit for royalty!

A unique feature Layer Marney offers is a car ride after your ceremony, giving you both a chance to enjoy a private moment together. This is a lovely addition to your day, but be sure to include it in your timeline. Keep in mind that it does reduce the time available for portraits, so we recommend having fewer group photos to avoid feeling rushed.

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Dancing the night away

The long gallery is an impressive setting for your wedding breakfast, boasting natural beams and an astounding fireplace that adds to the ambiance. It is filled with light (I know I go on about it, but it really is important for your photos) and overlooks the stunning gardens. As your guests ascend the grand stairway to the room, they'll feel like honored guests at a royal banquet.

For your evening party, you have the option of continuing the festivities in the long gallery - can you imagine having your first dance in such a grand room!? Alternatively, you can move the celebrations to the adjacent barn, which is HUGE and perfect for hosting a large disco or accommodating a live band for evening entertainment. Plus, it saves the band from carrying their equipment up the stairs!

A thumbs up from us!

This venue is definitely one that we would whole heartedly recommend. Being fully licensed for holding wedding ceremonies as well as stunning receptions, this venue will not disappoint. The site is full of history and character – it presents an excellent opportunity to get married somewhere that you and your guests will agree is unforgettable. Layer Marney Tower offers something unique for every type of wedding and is definitely worth checking out.

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