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Weddings

About

Brunel's SS Great Britain is an historic wedding venue located in Bristol, England. Officially launched by Prince Albert in 1843, this magnificent ocean liner was called ‘the greatest experiment since the creation’. The ship was fitted with a 1,000-horsepower steam engine and a screw propeller, and she was the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The SS Great Britain remained the longest passenger ship in the world until 1854, and today, you and your guests are invited to be part of the vessel’s rich and storied history. Here, you can enjoy an experience like no other as you embark on the next adventure of your amazing and wonderful love story.

Facilities and Capacity

Brunel's SS Great Britain is situated in Bristol’s Great Western Dockyard, within walking distance of the city’s centre. Public bus, ferry, and train services are also available for your comfort and convenience. The ship is licensed for civil ceremonies. You can say your vows under a lovely glass skylight on the picture-perfect Promenade Deck, which features honey-toned timber panels and beautiful mirrors. You can enjoy a champagne reception on the Promenade Deck or head up to Weather Deck and enjoy stunning views of Bristol. The sumptuous First Class Dining Saloon is an exemplar of the best of early Victorian design. It boasts beautiful marble pillars, Rococo mirrors, and candle lamps. Here, you can enjoy a delicious wedding meal cooked on board with the utmost care and attention and served champagne and a selection of fine wines. The versatile Hayward Saloon has its own bar and dance floor, and it is a perfect spot in which to sing and dance the night away. The Riggers' Yard is an outdoor, rustic-style wedding space located right by the water’s edge. It features floral arches and festoon lighting and offers spectacular views of the harbour.

Services Offered

Brunel's SS Great Britain is available for late afternoon and evening ceremonies and receptions. The Chief Steward and his staff offer a mouth-watering range of menu items, and they will work with you to ensure that your dining needs are satisfied. The on-site coordinator will be on hand throughout the day to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and stewards will be available to provide tours of the ship. The SS Great Britain team wants to help make your wedding dreams come true. They hope your time with them will be filled with moments you’ll remember and cherish forever.

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

Sporting
Historic
Landmark
In the city
Outdoor license

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Changing room for wedding guests
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Reviews for Brunel's SS Great Britain

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to make your big decisions easier.
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
8 reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
G
Graham Sent on 07/12/2018
5 out of 5 rating

A unique venue for a special day

What can we say about yesterday? A fantastic day for Diane and me that was so special because of the unique, special, location. Throughout the service from you and your team has been unbelievably brilliant.

Right from the first time we walked onto the ship back in January we were both convinced that it would be the prefect location for out wedding. It was totally a "spur of the moment" decision. We just went to visit the ship, saw the brochure about weddings and then and there decided, "this is just so right" and as you know we booked for "as soon as possible".

Thanks to you personally for all the help you have given us, and please pass on our thanks to the whole team. We know that there are lots of people involved. However, please give our special thanks to both Bob, and Steve, They both were brilliant on the day - Bob especially.

Attention to detail is so important, and the level of detail was amazing.

All of our guests remarked on the magnificence of the location.

A unique venue for a special day and one that was perfect for the start of our married life.

We were proud to be, in Bob's words, "now part of the history of the SS Great Britain".
C
Chris Sent on 15/09/2016
5 out of 5 rating

impossible to NOT have an awesome wedding

We chose Brunel’s ss Great Britain because we were after a wedding venue that would knock peoples’ socks off. We spent a fair few months looking at all the country homes/barns/hotels that are situated in and around Bristol and we hadn’t come across anything that actually got us excited. Then we came across a website that happened to mention you can get married on the ss Great Britain… so we booked a viewing and had a nice little tour of the ship and our minds were made up! We just thought that the venue was so different (in a good way) that it would be impossible to NOT have an awesome wedding, all the small corridors, the wonderful décor and all of the original trinkets meant that there was no decoration required by us… plus its situated RIGHT on the harbour, which we love.
K
Kathryn Sent on 29/06/2016
5 out of 5 rating

It was beautiful!

All of our friends and family said to us “hands down, it was the best wedding they have ever been to!”
It was BEAUTIFUL! The food was amazing, all the staff were wonderful, there was so much room to explore and set up extra entertainment. It really was a perfect day and I wouldn’t change a thing.
L
Lesley Sent on 29/06/2016
5 out of 5 rating

The small things really do count

What really cemented having such a special day with you was how your staff just accepted my wife and I as ‘normal’ as a same sex couple.
Even your forms don’t assume male and female, and after crossing out Groom to write Bride more times than I care to remember, you realise the small things really do count on the biggest day of your life so far.
J
Jane Sent on 13/06/2011
5 out of 5 rating

Best Day Ever

I Just wanted to say thank you again for the most amazing day ofmy life. Thank you to you all. The venue has to be seen to be believed and the team where incredible professional. I just wish I coudl do it all over again!
D
Donna Sent on 20/05/2010
5 out of 5 rating

The whole package!

As other plans had fallen through (due to ash clouds), the SS Great Britain and its amazing team were the perfect choice! We wanted something a little unusual and we got it and much, much more.
Everything ran so smoothly from the very first contact right through to the big day. There was never a time when we had to worry about anything. An wonderful team gave the highest level of service putting a very stressed couple at complete ease. The ceremony on the promenade deck was full of character and allowed our small party (40) to feel very intimate. The ship as a whole was a perfect venue for us as the whole family; young and old, had a wonderful time exploring. The SS Great Britain gives you everything you could want from a venue, including amazing food and refreshments but the service of the staff really makes it stand out from the rest. Staff were extremely helpful from the off set, guiding us throughout the whole process; before hand- guiding us to what we should be doing when, assisting us with food and drink choices, during the day stealing us away for the opportunity for fabulous photos, giving my new husband and I time together! Our guests had a marvelous time and all have commented on the wonderful venue.
The whole package, (venue, food and especially staff) far surpassed all of our expectations!!!
V
Vicky Sent on 20/05/2010
5 out of 5 rating

Truly memorable with a huge sense of occasion.

Everything was perfect; the staff were fantastically friendly, the food was delicious and the Ship was a beautiful backdrop for all our photos. Would recommend it without hesitation.
N
Nicky Sent on 09/05/2010
5 out of 5 rating

Our wedding on the SS Great Britain was perfect.

We chose to have our wedding on the SS Great Britain on 20th march 2010, as we wanted something a little different. The promenade deck where the ceremony took place is extremely atmospheric and accommodated our 120 guests comfortably. We only spent a short time on the deck due to the weather but it didn't spoil our day in any way. The first class dining saloon is incredibly grand, the tables were beautifully laid and the food outstanding. The staff were all very friendly, professional and courteous, and ensured our day ran smoothly throughout. Our guests had a fabulous time and many have commented on the wonderful venue. We look forward to returning to the SS Great Britain to relive our special day. If only we could do it all over again!
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Great Western Dockyard Gas Ferry Road BS1 6TY Bristol City (Bristol)
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