Looking for wicked LGBTQ+ friendly venues in Manchester? You’ve come to the right place! I hope you find this resource useful as a starting point for choosing the perfect location for your special day.
Planning a wedding can be stressful and fast-paced at the best of times without having to worry about the kind of reception you might face when dealing with vendors. Whilst I'm aware that not all LGBTQ+ couples will feel a sense of hesitation or concern over finding an inclusive and respectful venue for their wedding or celebration, I wanted to provide a resource for anyone who does find themselves feeling this way.
Whilst I can't 100% guarantee that LGBTQ+ couples will have a seamless experience at all these venues, I have spoken to each of the venues featured below directly to discuss their LGBTQ+ inclusivity and find out a bit more about their ethos and approach. All the ones I have included have given some great examples of inclusivity that I felt justified their place on this list.
From traditional, to quirky and alternative, to hidden gems you might have never considered, this exciting and creative northern city has an incredible selection of brilliant wedding venues. The list below covers venues both within Manchester City Centre and a little further afield, and should provide some solid options no matter what sort of celebration you want!
Victoria Baths
If you haven't treated yourself to a visit to Manchester's Victoria Baths yet, you really should! Located just outside of the city centre, this incredible space plays host to all manner of events and functions (I've been to a particularly excellent beer festival there in the past, as a matter of fact) and also opens its doors to loved-up couples for weddings as a venue with real character. There are five different spaces available for wedding ceremonies, including three empty swimming pools and the Turkish Baths Rest Room.
I was lucky enough to photograph an incredible wedding here in the summer of 2022, and discovered that in addition to the most incredible architecture and features in the main area, wedding couples and their photographer also have access to a hidden upstairs area which is the very definition of rundown chic; think bare floorboards, peeling wallpaper and absolutely stunning stained glass windows. If you wanna see what I'm talking about, head over and read my rundown of Victoire and Nick's incredible day here!
Ariane, Office Coordinator at the Victoria Baths Trust, said, "We are an LGBTQ+ friendly venue; we have hosted many same-gender weddings over the years and have quite a few booked in for the future. We treat all our wedding couples with the same level of love and respect; all are welcome at VB!"
Just a note - the venue is normally closed during the winter months as the building has no heating! Their season is normally April to November, though some events are permitted outside of this time.
Location:
Hathersage Road
Manchester
M13 0FE
More info:
The Midland Hotel
The Grade II listed Midland Hotel is one of Manchester's most iconic buildings, renowned for its timeless sophistication. It's central location makes it a fantastic choice for those wanting to embrace the excitement of Manchester city centre, whilst it's elegant decor makes it a sumptuous and luxurious venue for any wedding.
In May 2022, one of my fabulous couples chose to stay at The Midland throughout their wedding celebrations, and bride Ellie made full use of the stunning rooms during bridal prep. Head over to the blog to check out their gorgeous Manchester City Centre wedding!
Location:
16 Peter Street
Manchester
M60 2DS
More info:
The Castlefield Rooms
Located slap bang in the centre of Manchester on the same site as the hugely popular Dukes 92 and Alberts Shed, The Castlefield Rooms is an effortlessly cool wedding space that offers the true city wedding experience. Despite being just metres from the hustle and bustle of Deansgate, The Castlefield Rooms is tucked away down a fairly quiet cobbled street overlooking the Bridgewater and Rochdale canals. As with most Manchester city centre venues, this gorgeous spot is absolutely perfect for cool and relaxed couples' portraits, not to mention being in the perfect location for visiting guests from far and near. Unlike most Manchester city centre venues, The Castlefield Rooms offers complementary parking (anyone who knows the parking situation in Manchester knows how much of a rare corker this is!) I'm super excited to be visiting the Castlefield Rooms for the first time in 2024 for the wedding of two gorgeous grooms!
Location:
18-20 Castle Street
Manchester
M3 4LZ
More info:
Victoria Warehouse
This delightfully urban venue started its life in 1925 during the heyday of the Manchester textile industry. In 2009 developers began turning it into the space you see today, with multiple event spaces and a dazzling array of exciting cultural events to tap into. They were granted their civil ceremony licence in 2015 and have five rooms available for couples wanting the celebrate their big day in serious style. Eve, who is in charge of Weddings and Special Events at Victoria Warehouse, told me that they frequently host LGBTQ+ weddings, and that more than 50% of their weddings from January to May next year are same sex couples.
Location:
Trafford Wharf Rd,
Manchester
M17 1AB
More info:
Three Little Words
Three Little Words is, in my opinion, one of Manchester's most beautiful cocktail bars. Nestled in the historical arches beneath Manchester Central, the atmosphere is one of sultry sophistication and the cocktail menu is absolutely divine! The Spirit of Manchester Gin Distillery is also on site and visible from the sumptuous bar area.
Three Little Words has only very recently opened up to weddings, providing an opportunity to host your wedding in a pretty exclusive setting that not many other couples have experienced! Chloe, who works within the Reservations team, mentioned rigorous equality training for staff members and a real enthusiasm for hosting LGBTQ+ weddings. Soph and I have even chatted to a very excitable team at the venue about hosting our own wedding here when the time comes!
Location:
10-15 Watson Street
Manchester
M3 4LP
More info:
Ordsall Hall
If you're looking for somewhere steeped in history with beautiful Tudor features, Ordsall Hall might be just the ticket. Located just a hop a way from Manchester City Centre in Salford, the building is open as a visitor attraction and museum and is licensed to host civil weddings on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year.
A member of staff from Ordsall Hall told me, "We are a very proud LGBTQ+ venue and have hosted a range of LGBTQ+ marriages and celebrations over the years.
We are a friendly and diverse LGBTQ+ staff team and we are very active in promoting our venue for all kinds of celebration with great insight, knowledge and sensitivity. We make sure we are listed on a range of LGBTQ+ listings sites such as Pink Weddings and EquallyWed, and we promote at Pride."
Wedding packages at Ordsall Hall start from around £1800.
Location:
322 Ordsall Lane
Salford
M5 3AN
More info:
Royal Exchange Theatre
This elegant Grade II listed building is a hub of cultural activity, located right at the heart of Manchester City Centre. Its beautiful and unique architecture and decor is sure to make for a beautiful wedding, and with a variety of spaces to choose from for your celebration, you can even get married on the theatre stage!
Venue hire starts from £1200 for the morning.
Location:
St Anne's Square
Manchester
M2 7DH
More info:
Manchester Hall
This gorgeous hotel started its life as a Freemason hall, and still boasts a dizzying array of original features from its birth in 1929. These original features are complemented by a modern twist throughout it's 14 (yes, 14!) potential wedding spaces, the largest of which can accommodate up to 500 guests. From libraries and drawing rooms to the fabulous rooftop terrace, Manchester Hall has something for every wedding couple.
Location:
36 Bridge Street
Manchester
M3 3BT
More info:
The Savoy Cinema
This super quirky venue is a little way out of Manchester city centre, situated in the Stockport suburb of Heaton Moor. Jam-packed with character, it's a venue that you and your guests wouldn't forget in a hurry! This family-run venue is relatively new to hosting weddings, suffering a number of cancellations due to You Know What *eyeroll*, but when I spoke to them, a member of their team told me, "As a member of the community myself, I can definitely speak on behalf of our team in that we welcome everyone with open arms and hope anyone would consider us as a venue to celebrate their special day."
Location:
105 Heaton Moor Rd
Heaton Moor
Stockport
SK4 4HY
More info:
HOME
Looking for somewhere modern, artsy and oh-so-cool for your celebrations? Look no further than HOME. Calling itself 'Manchester's centre for contemporary theatre, film, art, music and more', this incredible space houses galleries, a restaurant and even its own bookshop. Between its five cinema spaces (seating 227, 147, 58, 36 & 33), two theatre spaces (seating 450 & 120), a function room that holds up to 99 people with access to an outdoor terrace, there's an exciting range of modern and unique spaces to welcome your guests and celebrate your special day.
HOME's Function Manager Steph said, "Being an arts venue, I feel that we are a go-to place for weddings for the LGBTQ+ community, with the majority of ours being just that.
[Our LGBTQ+ customers] can feel at ease here and have the wedding they want."
Location:
2 Tony Wilson Place
Manchester
M15 4FN
More info:
Hope Mill Theatre
Hope Mill Theatre is an LGBTQ+ owned hub of creativity situated within a stunning Grade II listed industrial mill. The first wedding ever hosted at the venue was that of owners Joe and Will, and a large number of their wedding couples are now LGBTQ+. The space can host up to 200 guests, and the team can work to create a totally bespoke wedding according to your needs. Nestled in the heart of industrial Manchester, you can also guarantee some wicked photographs here!
Location:
2 Tony Wilson Place
Manchester
M15 4FN
More info:
The Portico Library
Steeped in history, this Manchester institution has stood at the heart of the city since the early 1800s. Home to over 25,000 books and archives spanning over 450 years, this is the ultimate wedding venue for any literature lover! The stunning architecture makes for an exquisite wedding backdrop, and those who choose to get married here get to enjoy private use of the venue with their friends and family.
Location:
57 Mosley St
Manchester
M2 3HY
More info:
Manchester Art Gallery
If you love the idea of getting married surrounded by amazing artwork, the gorgeous Manchester Art Gallery could be your dream venue. As you would expect from a gallery, there is a range of spaces to choose from within the venue; enjoy an atmospheric ceremony amongst works by Lowry and Valette in Gallery 16 before celebrating with drinks in the romantic Pre-Raphaelite Galleries, followed by dinner and dancing in the glass Atrium, Galleries or the Gallery Café.
Location:
Mosley St
Manchester
M2 3JL
More info:
Whitworth Locke
Whitworth Locke is a beautiful space situated right next to the Gay Village. With a combination of striking industrial features, glass roofing and uber-modern decor, this venue is a brilliantly unique choice for any wedding. The main event space is the versatile Storehouse, where the majority of the day tends to be held, with an adjoining Conservatory Bar making the perfect spot for post-ceremony drinks. Having stayed here myself, I can also vouch for the incredible on-site accommodation and fabulous service!
Their lovely Sales Manager Hayley told me, "We are an extremely welcoming venue and a safe space for whoever wishes to get married here. We also hosted an event for Manchester Pride this year, where we played host to their family friendly event which was fantastic."
Location:
74 Princess St
Manchester
M1 6JD
More info:
The Fountain House
The Fountain House is a slick bar and restaurant housed within the iconic Memorial Hall on Manchester's Albert Square. Known for its delicious gastro food, wine and craft beer selection, this venue provides a charming pub atmosphere across three floors. When it comes to weddings, The Fountain House can host up to 180 people in its private banquet hall. A member of their team told me, "We are very much LGTBQ+ inclusive especially given a large amount of our staff are members of the community, myself included. We have had the honour of planning and hosting several LGTBQ+ weddings."
Location:
The Memorial Hall Albert Square
Manchester
M2 5PF
More info:
Alphabet Brewing Co.
One for the effortlessly cool amongst you, Alphabet Brewing is tucked away on one of Manchester City Centre's industrial side streets. Just a stone's throw away from Piccadilly, this super unusual venue is stuffed full of urban features and graffiti, making for a seriously awesome atmosphere - and incredible wedding photos!
The super lovely member of staff I spoke to at Alphabet Brewing said, "As a member of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I can safely say that we are very much an inclusive venue; in fact, we pride (excuse the pun) ourselves on it!"
Location:
99 North Western Street
Manchester
M12 6JL
More info:
Elizabeth Gaskell's House
Situated just outside the hustle and bustle of Manchester City Centre, this beautiful house used to be the home of Manchester’s most famous Victorian writer, Elizabeth Gaskell. Having been beautifully restored whilst still retaining all of its spectacular period charm, this venue makes an exquisite place to hold a wedding. Ceremonies are held in the Study or Drawing Room, both of which are full of Victorian furniture and furnishings, followed by drinks in the Dining Room and the wedding breakfast in the original Servants Hall and former Kitchen. With exclusive use for up to 35 guests, this could be the perfect place for any intimate wedding celebration.
Location:
84 Plymouth Grove
Manchester
M13 9LW
More info:
This blog is based solely on my personal research and aims to be a useful resource for LGBTQ+ couples. I am not a research specialist/expert and I am in no way affiliated with any of these venues. Should you find you have a negative experience at any of these venues based on your sexuality, please do let me know ASAP so I can remove them!