The Best Wedding Venues in Salcombe
Salcombe is easily one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the UK, making it an incredible place to get married. Because it’s tucked away along the South Devon estuary, wedding venues here are exclusive and highly sought after, each offering a completely different vibe depending on how you want your day to feel. Having photographed weddings across the town’s locations, here is a practical guide to the best wedding venues in Salcombe, based on first-hand experience as a Salcombe wedding photographer working at each one.
Salcombe Harbour Hotel
If you want panoramic estuary views right in the heart of town, the Salcombe Harbour Hotel is tough to beat. It’s a chic, modern boutique hotel with a beautiful outdoor terrace that overlooks the water, making it perfect for a stylish, relaxed atmosphere. The light inside the main spaces is fantastic for photography, and the convenience of having everything from prep to dancing in one central, luxury location keeps the whole day feeling effortless for you and your guests.
Harbour Hotel features 50 bedrooms and suites alongside an award-winning spa, allowing it to comfortably host up to 100 guests for your ceremony and wedding breakfast, extending to 120 people for the evening reception.
See my Harbour Hotel wedding photography here
Port Waterhouse
Located just a short way down the estuary in East Portlemouth, Port Waterhouse offers a brilliant, understated waterside setting. It’s an incredibly versatile space centred around a modern, bright boathouse with direct access to the water. It has a fantastic, laid-back maritime feel that’s perfect for couples looking for a slightly more personal, blank-canvas venue where they can set up the day exactly how they want it.
While there is no overnight accommodation directly on-site, the venue offers private moorings and dedicated parking, with space to comfortably accommodate up to 80 to 100 guests for intimate or mid-sized celebrations.
See my Port Waterhouse wedding photography here
Cliff House
Perched overlooking the harbour, Cliff House is a historic building that combines classic elegance with spectacular, elevated coastal views. The main assembly room features high ceilings and large windows that flood the space with natural light, which is ideal for natural, unposed photography. It has a wonderful sense of space and character, offering a slightly more traditional architectural backdrop while still being just steps away from the water.
As one of the larger capacities in the area, the main assembly room can host up to 150 guests for ceremonies and dining, and while it doesn’t feature on-site bedrooms, its central location places your guests within easy walking distance of the town’s hotels and holiday rentals.
See my Cliff House wedding photography here
South Sands Hotel
Tucked further down the coast right on the beach, the South Sands Hotel offers a classic, upscale beachside wedding experience. It is a boutique hotel with a contemporary, coastal-neutral interior that keeps the focus entirely on the sand and sea just outside the windows. It’s an amazing choice if you want a relaxed, intimate waterfront celebration where guests can step directly out onto the beach for drinks.
The space is best suited for intimate to mid-sized weddings of up to 80 sit-down guests, and it offers 22 boutique bedrooms alongside 5 larger beach suites so a significant portion of your wedding party can stay on-site.
See my South Sands wedding photography here
Planning your Salcombe wedding?
Choosing the right venue sets the entire tone for your day, and Salcombe offers some of the finest coastal backdrops in Devon. If you’re currently planning your wedding here and looking for a relaxed, documentary approach to your photography, head over to my main Salcombe wedding photographer guide to see full galleries, pricing, and how I work.
