On-site: St. James the Less

A Stunning Country Wedding Venue with a Church

Dates from the 12th Century
Capacity: up to 120

With the charming church of St. James the Less located next door to The Main House and The Coach House Barn, Dorney Court is an ideal wedding venue.

Brides and grooms can immerse themselves in the magic of the estate and relax, with their ceremony, reception and late-night partying are all within close proximity.

St. James the Less is a delightful flint flecked church with Norman origins which retains many historic features such as the Tudor tower, medieval wall paintings and stained glass windows.  The church favours candlelight, creating a magical, romantic atmosphere for your wedding.

The church can seat 80 guests comfortably but is able to increase to 100 guests with an element of cosy seating.  Numbers can increase to 120 with additional seating in the vestry. The Church belongs to the Parish and is not privately owned by the Dorney Estate.

If you have a connection to the Parish to the level of your Grandparents, this will qualify as a sufficient connection for marriage within the parish. If as a couple you don’t have an existing connection within the Parish then a connection will need to be established. This entails visiting a Parish service at least once a month for the 6 months prior to your banns being read. Therefore, you require a minimum of 7 months prior to your wedding day. Alternatively, you are able to dwell in the parish for 15 days and request a special license from the Diocese.

If 1 of the couple is a Non EU member and isn’t a resident of the UK then you will require a minimum of 8 months as a Senior Registrar certificate will be required. Your Banns will be read for 3 Sundays one or two months before your wedding date in order to establish you are legally free to marry. There will be an additional meeting where the Reverend will invite you to a wedding preparation session which they aim to hold 3-4 months before the wedding to help couples consider and discuss their vows and lifelong commitment.

For pricing please contact the church directly. Additional cost may apply for Church Bells, organist and heating. The larger church at Eton Wick can be used instead but it is advised that transport is arranged to and from Dorney Court as parking is difficult in Eton Wick.