Two Northumberland towns named among the most romantic places to get married

From Alnwick’s imposing castle and historic streets to Hexham’s famous abbey and picturesque market town setting, Northumberland has no shortage of beautiful places to celebrate a wedding.

Now, research by Premier Carriage Wedding Cars has recognised both towns for their combination of historic architecture, wedding venues and attractive surroundings.

The study examined nearly 600 eligible small towns across England and Wales, comparing four factors that can influence their appeal as wedding destinations: approved wedding venues, Grade I-listed buildings, historic parks and gardens, and customer ratings.

Alnwick performed particularly well, securing 13th place with an overall score of 62.92 out of 100.

Researchers identified 12 Grade I-listed buildings within three kilometres of the town centre, alongside three approved wedding venues and one registered historic park or garden. Its assessed venues achieved an average customer rating of 4.1 out of five.

Hexham followed in 29th place, scoring 58.28 out of 100.

Although it ranked below Alnwick overall, Hexham achieved a higher average venue rating of 4.3 out of five. The town also recorded two historic parks or gardens, six Grade I-listed buildings and two approved wedding venues within the same distance.

The research focused on towns with populations between 5,000 and 19,999, combining the four indicators into a weighted score. Wedding venue availability contributed the largest share, while historic landmarks, gardens and venue ratings helped determine the final positions.