Destination England: Planning Your Wedding from America

There is something so romantic about the idea of getting married in England. Maybe it is the castles, the beautiful stately homes, the rolling countryside or, let’s be honest, the rise of Bridgerton making us all want to host dinner by candlelight in a grand English house. England has so much history and character, and it gives you the chance to create an experience for your guests that feels completely different to anything you could have at home.

Start with the feeling, not the venue

When an American couple comes to us wanting an English destination wedding, we do not immediately send them a list of castles or stately home and ask them to choose one. We really want to know what it is about England that you have fallen in love with? Its probably the history… a castle, a stately home, a relaxed countryside estate or something that feels very traditionally English?

We also need to know roughly how many people will be travelling and the budget you are working with, because those two things will completely shape which venues will actually work. Once we understand what you are picturing, we can start matching you with somewhere that does not just look beautiful, but feels right for the whole experience you want to create.

Make it more than one day

For our American couple Allison and Willie, it was the history and that real English fairytale feeling that led them to Hever Castle, Kent. We planned, designed and styled their wedding from here in the UK while they were based in America, creating something that felt romantic and magical without becoming a themed castle wedding. Their guests had travelled such a long way, so we wanted the experience to begin before the wedding itself. As they were getting married on a Monday, we organised a welcome dinner at a local pub the evening before, complete with a proper English Sunday roast. It was relaxed, warm and gave everyone the chance to come together before the wedding day, which is exactly what a destination wedding should feel like.

The legal bit, without letting it take over

You can legally marry in England as an American, but there are extra visa, residency and notice requirements to work through. Although Americans can generally travel to the UK for visits of up to six months with the correct travel permission, an ETA or ordinary visitor permission do not allow you to give notice or legally marry here. You would usually need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa and follow the notice process in England. You can read the current requirements directly through GOV.UK’s Marriage Visitor visa guidance, rather than relying on a wedding blog for legal advice.

For many of our American couples, we recommend completing the legal marriage at home before or after the trip and then creating a really personal symbolic ceremony here. A professional celebrant can write and lead a ceremony that tells your story, includes your own vows and feels every bit as meaningful as the rest of your wedding. Having a family member officiate is also much more common in America, and if that is important to you, it can absolutely be done. For Allison and Willie, we worked with them to write and structure the ceremony so their family member could lead it confidently, giving them the personal connection they wanted while still making sure everything flowed beautifully.

Your people on the ground in England

Planning a wedding from America means making big decisions from another time zone, often without being able to visit every venue or meet every supplier yourself. That is where we come in. We help you find the right setting, bring together a trusted supplier team and plan the experience from the moment your guests arrive until the celebrations are over.

We make planning from overseas as easy as possible, with flexible meeting times, international payment options and trusted suppliers who are used to working with couples abroad, helping avoid unnecessary fees along the way. We are also your eyes, ears and taste buds on the ground too. From menu, wine and cake tastings (it’s a tough job, we know!) to venue video calls and guided tours, we take the worry out of planning your wedding from afar.

If England feels like the place you want to bring everyone you love together, tell us what you are picturing, how many guests might be joining you and what has made you fall in love with the idea.

You can get in touch with us here.

We would love to help you turn your special day into your own English wedding story.

Love,

Luisa & Ronan xx