Late license venues

Unofficially, if you are getting married in a hotel, and your guests are staying at that hotel, they will have a 'residents' bar often that will stay open until the last one leaves.

In addition to that, if the venue is really good, they also take the leftover food from the evening party, such as sandwiches and traybakes to the residents bar for any who get the munchies or were evening party guests only who did not get a chance to eat.

Can't offer specific recommendations for your area, but venues can apply for a temporary late license for the date of your wedding. Our venue does not normally have a late license, but they applied for a specific one for our date. Our venue included that in the hireage fee for the venue, but others charge it separately to the couple. I don't think it's overly expensive though.

Worth keeping in mind if you spot a venue you love that doesn't have a current license, you can always ask if they're willing to apply for one.

I should have probably wrote too that I was from Northern Ireland - and there may be different rules in operation as we are a nation of alcoholics.