Butterfly venue

Seems v unlikely you will find somewhere that meets all of those criteria! Off the top of my head you could check the Eden Project, Kew, Larmer Tree Gardens, Longleat. Another thing to think about is whether your guests like butterflies? I really hate being close to big flappy insects...

I'm sure there is a venue like that near London. Have you tried googling "wedding photography conservatory" and other similar things? I saw photographs taken in a venue like that. I'm not sure whether it actually had butterflies though.

The only place I can think of that exactly meets your requirements is Tropical World in Leeds but I don't think that's licensed for weddings.

Glass conservatory/small palm house, plants and butterflies, all that and then think of how hot it is going to be inside. Sorry cant think of a venue like that in the areas you mentioned.

Kew Gardens in South West London do weddings and they have a butterfly house. Not sure if you can get married in it but it's worth a check.

x

Here's a pic of a wedding at Kew

I was just coming back to add what Bruce has said! The tropical houses are uncomfortably hot, if you haven't been, then think swimming pool environment. They need to be hot and damp for the butterflies.

No in a swimming pool you can breath the air but in one where there are butterfly's you cant, it was very hot and stuffy and really hard to breath but you are not going to find a place like that where they do weddings. Best bet is what kharding2014 suggested, Kew gardens.

Do you know all your guests will definitely be okay with it? My best friend has a phobia of moths and butterflies, which we only found out about when my fiance changed his Facebook profile picture to a photo of himself at the Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm with a butterfly on his head. She asked him to change it and said she was really sorry but she'd have to block him if he didn't. I understand as I feel exactly the same about spiders. She keeps it quiet as it embarrasses her.

Yes, there are a lot of people scared of butterflies! We live just a few miles from Tropical World and know people who won't go. My son had a phobia of them when he was about 2-5.

Also, having worked in Tropical World and swimming pools as a photographer, I found that all equipment needs time to acclimatise or else you don't get any photos... just misty colours. You could lose the whole ceremony if your photographer makes that mistake.

I'm not sure a venue like that would be hygienic for food. Many butterflies feed on rotting food. They could then be landing in your table and food.

You'd also have to consider if any of your guests have breathing related health issues such as asthma. Tropical environments are good for some but awful for others. The heat and humidity of a butterfly house can be very uncomfortable too, especially in wedding clothing. Sorry but it doesn't sound a good idea to me.

Thank you all so much for taking the trouble to reply, and for the helpful suggestions of where might be suitable.

Yes I have considered the heat/guests/allergies/hygiene/all the other negative points, none of which are an issue.

I've also been to a wedding like this, in the US, and it was beautiful and without any of the issues mentioned :-)

So, this is what I have my heart set on. If anyone knows of somewhere that might be suitable, I'd be grateful if you could point me in the right direction. :-)

Not everyone can Bruce. I have asthma and really struggle in swimming pools let alone tropical houses. X

OP wishing you the best of luck with this. I'm glad you've considered all the issues raised and that they won't be issues for you or your guests. I've still never heard of such a licensed wedding venue in the uk. Will be interesting to see if one does exist. X

I dont think that you will find this either (sorry)

what about finding a victorian conservatory and then have your theme butterflies and instead of buying flowers for the tables you could rent big show piece plants.

I know 2 venues in leicestershire that would fit the bill perfect and another that possibly could work but not your area I know but if you did it this way then you should be ok.

Lots of negatives there, and whilst you've said you've already thought of them all before, they all still exist.... ? Even if you don't have any guests with asthma, surely half the guests just won't like the hot atmosphere in there? I've been in butterfly houses twice in my life, and came out hot, sticky and sweaty both times. I wouldn't go in one wearing make up and dressed as a wedding guest.

It might be better to look for a venue that has a butterfly house as a separate building.

Have your wedding elsewhere in the grounds, and then you and your OH can go in there for photos, whilst other guests can also go in or stay away, at their own choice.

I wouldn't hold the ceremony or meal in there. But just have it as a lovely 'optional' extra tour.

It does sound delightful, but I personally think I'd only want to go into a tropical greenhouse to have a look at the butterflies just before I was due to go home. Not earlier in the day.

Tbh all the (very valid) negatives are immaterial as the venue you are looking for simply does not exist in the UK. ?

Have you checked any of your local zoos? One of ours has a stunning butterfly house but I'm not sure any are registered. Then again you could make it legal at a registry office before or after?

Williamson park in lancaster might suit you?

the memorial building is licensed for weddings and is just stunning and it has a small butterfly house and bird aviairy which is not too hot for pics. No where near where you wanted it though.

I love it there.

http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces/williamson-park/wedding-ceremonies-ashton-memorial/

Are you actually looking to get married in the butterfly house? They are uncomfortably hot, and the butterflies fly about everywhere, would be hard to see and talk to each other! There's one in Stratford-upon-Avon but I doubt they'd do weddings.

A couple of years ago any butterfly post would get a sledging.......times change....

They do exist Foo....although mainly not in the areas the OP wants...

There is a newish Butterfly centre venue near St Albans that is likely to do weddings sooner rather than later.....

As my previous post suggests, there are some polar opposite views on butterflies at weddings....

Peter

That was if you wanted to lock them in a box and try and do a release 5 hours later ?

Again, thank you so much for those of you that have tried to be helpful. I really appreciate your ideas and suggestions - particularly the one about a Victorian Conservatory :-)

As for the negative comments... there will be about 10 of us in total - all immediate family. All have a thing for butterflies as they signify a close family member who has sadly passed, and we have done plenty of butterfly releases, all certified by the relevant authorities (if done properly, they actually boost local populations in areas where they are in decline). None of the guests are allergic/asthmatic/frightened/phobic/too hot/worried about hygiene/the principle of the idea, and there is no photographer.

I didn't ask for anyone's feedback on the idea, I asked if anyone knew of somewhere suitable. If you don't, then please don't comment on the negative aspects of it - I am not stupid enough to have not thought this through properly. I would therefore respectfully ask that unless you have something helpful to add (like knowing where I can find a venue, or a sensible suggestion for an alternative), then don't post a reply because you are clogging my inbox up with irrelevant comments that are of no use to me.

Again, thanks to those of you who have tried to help. I really do appreciate it.

I'm not sure if any butterfly houses will allow a ceremony in because it's a lot of commotion having guests around the butterflies, if you're looking for a conservatory check out Kew Gardens or if you want a pretty garden like indoor space have a look at the Barbican conservatory. Kind of south of Bucks! In Cornwall why not the Eden Project? They have THE most beautiful weddings there, just to die for.

P.S why would you have this beautiful setting and not have a photographer?! Lots of photographers would love to shoot for you I bet!

Hold your horses there love, "clogging my inbox up with irrelevant comments that are of no use to me". Really?

A lot of people took the time yesterday to TRY TO HELP you by highlighting things that you may not have thought of, such as the heat, asthma, butterfly phobias etc. If you request help, and people take the time to put their thinking caps on, mull over your situation, and give advice (highlighting either the beauty of a lovely butterfly house and/or the difficulties it might cause for guests) then perhaps try to show a little gratitude rather than dismiss their advice as useless.

It is not everyone else's fault that you didn't provide key information. If you had said at the outset that you only have a party of 10, who are all familiar with butterfly houses and are keen to gather in one, sweat it out and have their hair frizz up, then we would have had more information to work with. It sounds like a beautiful idea that you and your 10 guests have, and one that is important to you all. Fine. I really hope you find the perfect venue and can bring in the symbolism for your lost one that is the key element for you.

However, commenting on the negative aspects of a butterfly house was not - - - at the time - - - irrelevant. It was helpful. We all get carried away with our weddings and planning things that sound awesome, like taking 100 people to Barbados for a beach wedding, until the rest of the Hitchers chip in with a "woooaaaah there, have you thought about the cost, have you thought about how people will get time off work?". Those who highlight negative aspects of ideas, are not BEING negative in themselves. They are still being helpful, getting you to think things through properly.

Anyway, rant over. I hope you are polite enough to come back on here and recant your 'clogging up my inbox' comment, and replace it with some thanks for those who were being helpful, but weren't given all the information they needed to work with.

And I am very sorry for clogging up your inbox again (I'm not really, that was a lie).

Not in your area but this is one that I had in mind, im sure that you can find something like it in your area and if you can fill it with more plants could you do one of your butterfly release inside it and then open the doors and windows and let them out ? (did you say what time of year you are getting married )and this size one could also be used for the 50 people reception too.

Well said CDB. Must admit if OP had given all that info first, we would have saved our time too!

Dillymint - if you don't want your mailbox clogging up, then you can alter your settings so you only see the replies when you log on to Hitched and go to your thread.

Mount Edgecumbe Country House in Cornwall (near Torpoint/Downderry) has an Orangery which is glazed like a conservatory, and they definitely do weddings there. I'm not sure if they do the ceremony in it, but they do the ceremony in the main house and then you can go down to the orangery for the reception. https://www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk/