Award-Winning Wedding Venue Scoops Another Accolade

The beautiful and historic venue owned by English Heritage and managed by Gloucester City Council, pipped several other prestigious venues to the post, to be awarded Silver in the Wedding Venue of the Year finals.

The rigorous process saw Blackfriars assessed on everything from ease of booking to staff friendliness, sustainability to social media.

Judges paid credit to the team saying that their dedication ‘to delivering each event is clear’ and that they allow couples to ‘personalise their day’ and cater ‘to both the size of the wedding and budget available’. 

Judges also recognised the uniqueness of the venue saying ‘the wow factor’ is the building itself, ‘its unique history and the flexibility’ of the space. ‘The various additions which have been made to it throughout its history, gives each area a distinctive feel’.

The priory that boasts a private courtyard garden and the oldest most well-preserved medieval library in the country, has won a string of accolades since it was taken on by the council in 2012.

Last year, Blackfriars won a Gold award at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards, was awarded badges of honour by Bridebook and Hitched, and made it to the Finals of the South West Wedding Award, a who’s who of wedding venues.

Founded in 1239 on a site that had once been part of a Norman castle, the priory has undergone extensive restoration and is used for concerts, weddings, exhibitions, festivals, events and even yoga sessions.

Councillor Andy Lewis, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure at Gloucester City Council, said: “Congratulations to the team for all their hard work. I know they go above and beyond to make each and every wedding special. It’s such an achievement to win this award, there's so many outstanding wedding venues in the whole of the South West and to win silver is a real vote of confidence.”