Wedding venue inspiration - Barns

Sheene Mill, Cambridgeshire

Perched on the banks of the River Mel, Sheene Mill has been a landmark of the Cambridgeshire countryside for more than 400 years. With immaculate landscaped gardens and a beautiful wedding pavilion set on the riverbed, it's a fairytale setting that's hard to beat. Originally a flour mill, the traditional 16th-century building boasts a wealth of original features including open fireplaces and exposed beams. Licensed for ceremonies for up to 110 guests, you can tie the knot inside or out and take your pick from a choice of romantic backdrops. The heated outdoor pavilion can be fitted with a canopy so you can marry al fresco whatever the weather. The Banqueting Hall can cater for up to 120 loved ones for the wedding breakfast or the Garden Conservatory, with views across the lake, provides a setting for more intimate celebrations.

Hales Hall & The Great Barn, Norfolk

If a historic barn with a vaulted thatched roof and exposed timbers are part of your ideal wedding story; read on! Hales Hall has all this and more, the magnificent Medieval estate is set in the heart of the Norfolk countryside surrounded by breathtaking formal gardens and wild meadows providing a magical setting for your whole celebration. You can marry in The Great Barn joined by up to 180 seated guests for the ceremony and wedding breakfast. The largest surviving brick-built barn of its kind in the country, it can host 300 or more for the evening reception. The upstairs Gallery provides a lovely cosy space; great as a chill-out area, complete with comfy sofas, fairylights and additional seating. It can also be used for intimate ceremonies or for the legal bit before or after an al fresco service on the front lawn. The grounds provide a wealth of fabulous photo opportunities, complete with a moated area and fountain, topiary and floral avenue. Friends and family can relax on the sun-kissed terrace, there's a pergola and outdoor seating and the lush lawns are ideal for drinks and garden games post-vows.

Alpheton Hall Barns, Suffolk

Alpheton Hall Barns offers the perfect mix of ancient and vintage farm buildings; perfect for a rustic chic theme. Think Medieval honey-coloured oak beams, lime plaster walls, big barn doors and corrugated tin roofs, with all the comforts of modern heating, as well as high-tech lighting and sound systems. Bursting with character, the black featherboarded barns are surrounded by fields, next to Alpheton Church. There are plenty of outdoor areas for fabulous photos, drinks receptions, entertainment and al fresco catering for the evening. The Wedding Garden has its own brick terrace and space for garden games and there's a courtyard complete with a wood-fired pizza oven.

Dove Barn, Suffolk

Dove Barn is ideal if you're on the hunt for a blank canvas to call your own. Divided into two large spaces, one for the ceremony and wedding breakfast and the other for drinks and dancing, this classic Suffolk barn offers a versatile relaxed space that lends itself to a host of different styles and themes. Tucked away in a quiet corner of south Suffolk, just outside the village of Boxford, it's set in the grounds of the elegant Castlings Hall, providing a picture-perfect backdrop for those all-important photos. You can say 'I do' in the Ceremony Barn and celebrate afterwards with a wedding breakfast for up to 110 guests. With beautiful exposed oak beams and a minstrels' gallery overlooking the main room, the informal terrace at the back is ideal for the drinks reception when the weather's fine or hanging out later in the evening. The wedding meadow beyond is an idyllic spot for a children's play area or bar and from February 2022 it will be used for chilled celebrant-led ceremonies.

Bruisyard Country Estate, Saxmundham, Suffolk

Enjoy the best of both worlds at this picturesque wedding venue. Set in beautiful countryside, it's close to the Suffolk coast too with lovely beaches and seaside towns just a short drive away. At the heart of the Bruisyard Country Estate is the stunning 17th-century barn with floor-to-ceiling double doors allowing the natural light to flood in. Spacious, with wooden beams criss-crossing the high ceiling, some of the original brickwork can still be seen. The magnificent hall is steeped in history, with parts dating back over 700 years including the 14th-century remains of a nunnery. Surrounded by lush lawns and flowerbeds, there's a tranquil lake behind the hall; a favourite spot for romantic just-wed shots. With wildflower meadows, rolling green fields and wooded areas beyond, there's a wealth of album-worthy photo opportunities.