Westminster Abbey Weddings: Your Complete Guide
Did you know Princess Kate (Kate Middleton), Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Sarah Ferguson and many other members of the British monarchy got married at Westminster Abbey?
Here's all you need to know about weddings at Westminster Abbey and whether you can follow Princess Kate, Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth II and walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey too.
Where did Kate Middleton get married if not at St Paul's Cathedral?
Princess Kate (Kate Middleton) and Prince William chose to get married at Westminster Abbey, just up the road from St Paul's Cathedral, on the 29th April 2011, because Westminster Abbey is a smaller, more intimate venue than St Paul's which gave their wedding a more private, family feel although it was broadcast to the world!
We know that's always important to Prince William and Princess Kate (Kate Middleton) - that they are people first. They wanted their wedding to feel personal rather than an overwhelming, national event - although it was, of course! Prince William and Princess Kate's wedding was watched by around 1 billion people around the world and around 36.7 million people in the UK.
Prince William and Princess Kate also thought Westminister Abbey was a prettier building and still had the history because it's actually played host to 16 royal weddings, including: Queen Elizabeth II in 1947 (this was before she was queen), Princess Anne in 1973 and Sarah Ferguson in 1986 and many more stretching back 100s of years.
What is Westminster Abbey famous for?
Like St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey is deeply intertwined with the British royal family who have always been tied to the British church because it was believed royalty were chosen by God. Since Henry VIII broke with the Catholic church in 1543, the British monarch has been the head of the Church of England.
Westminster Abbey is actually a royal church. It was first built by Edward the Confessor, the last proper Anglo Saxon King of England in the 1040s as a promise to the pope, then updated to what we see now by Henry III in 1245. Westminster Abbey remains a royal church and reports directly to the British monarch for governance.
Today, Westminster Abbey is just up the road from Buckingham Palace making it ideal for royal weddings but when it was built, Westminster Abbey was even closer because the royal palace of the time was the old Westminster Palace which is where the Houses of Parliament sits now (hence the Houses of Parliament's other name of Westminster Palace).
Always close to the British monarch's palace, 16 royal weddings have taken place at Westminster Palace as well as the funerals of 17 British kings and queens who are buried there, including Queen Elizabeth I, Edward the Confessor and Henry III. Many other famous Brits like Charles Dickens are also buried at Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey's most distinct role is as the place where every British king or queen is crowned at their coronation. Since 1066, every coronation has been held at Westminster Abbey.
Abbey vs Cathedral
How do a cathedral and abbey differ? A cathedral is a national church and seat of the bishop whereas an abbey is a place of work and residence, traditionally inhabited by monks and nuns. Of the two, a cathedral is the grandest and a national symbol of pride and identity.
Today, Westminster Abbey remains a working site and residence with many different organisations on its site.
Which is more famous, Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral
Both Westminister Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral are busy, local churches as well as national icons however we rarely hear about Westminster Abbey in the UK. St Paul's Cathedral on the other hand is constantly used for national events and is one of the most famous buildings in the country.
No nuns or monks live at Westminster now, they were forced out in 1540 when Henry VIII broke with the Catholic church. It's been an active local church since 1559 but did start out as a Benedictine Monastery in 960AD until 1540.
Where in London is Westminster Abbey located?
Westminster Abbey is located in Westminster at Dean’s Yard, close to the River Thames, opposite the houses of Parliament and Big Ben. This area is the beating heart of the UK with Buckingham Palace and Downing Street close by.as well as lots of other attractions and great transport links.
Can you get married at Westminster Abbey?
No, similar to St Paul's Cathedral, because it is a royal church and busy site, you can only get married at Westminster Abbey if you are British royalty or you, your partner or someone in your family has received a specific royal honour from the British king or queen called The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, awarded to top civil servants and high-ranking members of the British military for outstanding service.
The Most Honourable Order of The Bath
The Most Honourable Order of The Bath is intrinsically linked to Westminster Abbey, specifically The Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey.
Recipients become dames, knights or companions of the order and can: hold family weddings, baptisms and memorials at Westminster Abbey. They also have specially allocated seats in Westminster Abbey’s Henry VII Chapel and attend an 4-yearly ceremony of Thanksgiving for members at Westminster Abbey. The bath reference in the order’s title is though to be linked to purification – a cleansing of one’s soul when they become a Christian.
Other Options:
However there are other beautiful options close by or even a couple of other royal churches where you can marry. There's also wedding reception spaces at Westminster Abbey, let's run through these other options.
Beautiful Westminster Churches and Wedding Venues close to Westminster Abbey
There is another church on the site, 12th century St Margarets’ church which is next door to Westminster Abbey by Chapter House. However, the entire site is a working site, including two schools, and residence with close proximity to the Houses of Parliament so weddings at St Margarets are even hard for the congregation to acquire.
Instead, here's some better options.
Did you know you can get married at The Houses of Parliament across the road, which has both ceremony and reception spaces? The esteemed Searcys, who also have historic close ties to the royal family, also has beautiful, historic Westminster wedding venues close by and Searcys do both wedding planning and catering. Searcys venues close by include: Surveyors House, Church House, Cavendish Square, The Royal Institution and 116 Pall Mall. Central Hall, Westminster is also close by. More about Searcys
There are also many beautiful churches close to Westminster Abbey including: St James’ in Piccadilly, Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Covent Garden, All Saints Church in Marylebone and St John’s in Waterloo.
Other Royal Churches Where You Can Get Married
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank and Prince Charles and Camilla all got married at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle (although Prince Charles and Camilla officially got married at Windsor Town Hall before the blessing at St George's).
The Royal Chapel of All Saints
Understandably, as St George’s Chapel is on Windsor castle's grounds it's not available for public weddings. However, the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park, close to Windsor Castle, where Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020 on occasion has had a public wedding, in exceptional circumstances. Officially it's for the royal family or staff but message St George's Chapel for more on: chapteroffice@stgeorges-windsor.org or call 01753 848888.
Canongate Kirk
And if you're willing to travel, Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, the church where Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall got married in 2011, is fully available for public weddings. Canongate Kirk is a royal church on Edinburgh's royal mile, just a little bit up from Holyrood Palace and topped by Edinburgh Castle at the top of the royal mile. It's a brilliant, historic location with lots to do and see. More about Canongate Kirk
Wedding Receptions at Westminster Abbey
And back at Westminster Abbey, like at St Paul's Cathedral, you can hold your wedding reception at Westminster Abbey. Westminster Abbey has 6 very atmospheric and unique spaces you can use for a wedding reception.
-The Cellarium: is a medieval undercroft (blow ground level) complete with archways, vaulted ceiling and columns where you can have a seated reception.
- The Cellarium Terrace: is a more contemporary space for a seated reception with an outdoor area and views over Westminster Abbey.
- The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries: is a wood-beamed space with stained glass windows, ideal.for drinks receptions.
College Garden and The Cloisters: For warm weather College Garden and the 13th century Cloisters are outdoor spaces with beautiful.views across Westminster Abbey. More about wedding receptions at Westminster Abbey
Wondering about weddings at St Paul's Cathedral? Learn more about weddings at St Paul's Cathedral
For all your wedding stationery to announce this stunning event, check out our brilliant collection of beautiful luxury wedding invitations, on the day stationery, save the dates and more – all fully customisable and available as matching sets. Go
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