The Principal York | Wedding Photography and Unofficial guide

Unofficial "The Principal York" wedding venue guide including photos from a real wedding at the Principal in March.
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Principal York Wedding
The Principal York Wedding

York Principal Hotel

York Principal Hotel (Station Rd, York YO24 1AA) is part of a chain of high-end city centre hotels across Britain. Recently bought out by IHG, the York Principal is now the only one with the “Principal” name.

Principal York is an award-winning hotel which backs on to the train station and has distant views of York Minster. The grand Victorian architecture will give your guests the first impression of elegance which will continue as they enter the hotel.

Bride and groom portrait at the Principal

Location of the Principal

Backing on to the train station, but also having a large onsite car park – this is a perfect York wedding venue for people coming from near and far, and travelling by train or car.

Parking for the wedding couple is free, and your guests are offered a preferential rate of £15.

A perfect base for any of your out of town guests who plan to do some sightseeing while they are in York. After a visit to York Dungeons and a ghost tour, the Principal is only a half-mile walk back from the city centre.

Hotel facilities

The Principal York is also a perfect place to spend the night before your wedding with your bridesmaids – a heated swimming pool, sauna, and jacuzzi are all within the hotel.

ere’s a great review by The Telegraph of the Principal hotel.

York wedding venue

With capacity for up to 250 guests and a dedicated wedding planner the Principal is a perfect wedding venue for a grand wedding. The Oak room is licenced for ceremonies up to 160 people and 100 wedding breakfasts, while the Ebor room is smaller and can seat 30 guests for the wedding breakfast, or up to 50 for the ceremony.

The Principal is one of the few wedding venues in York where non biodegradable confetti is allowed. 

York Principal Hotel gardens for wedding photography

The hotel gardens are beautifully landscaped and are very convenient for wedding photography without the need to venture far. And if the weather is too bad to go outside – the hotel has a wonderful grand staircase flooded with light which is perfect for photos.

The bridal suite is sumptuous and the perfect place to spend your first night as a married couple in luxury. The Minster View suite has views over the hotel gardens out to the Minster and seperate bedroom, bathroom and livingroom.   

This is a link to the hotel’s wedding brochure and here is a link to the wedding packages including prices and options for wedding breakfasts.

If you think the Principal could be the right place for your wedding ceremony and reception, they hold regular open days and wedding fairs.

Wedding photography at the Principal

All the photos above were taken by Happy Otter Photography at a Principal wedding in March 2018

Happy Otter Photography is run by female photographer Emma who is a York wedding photographer specialising in wedding photography for couples who don’t really like to have their photos taken!

FAQs about weddings at The Principal, York

Does The Principal York have parking?

The Principal York has free parking for the wedding couple and discounted parking for all wedding guests for £15.

Does The Principal York have a swimming pool?

There is a heated pool, sauna and jacuzzi within the hotel for guests.

Is The Principal York licenced for weddings?

The Principal York is licenced to hold legal weddings. Registrars from York registry office conduct the ceremonies at the hotel.

Is there anywhere near The Principal York for wedding photos?

The Principal has a beautiful garden which is perfect for wedding photos and has views of the York Minster in the background. If you want to have photos in York centre is 10-15 minutes walk away.

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