It is quite a good thing when one place, one location, can cater for many different things. There are many spaces in London, many buildings, that cater for one thing in particular. One building might be dedicated wholly to office space, but have a decidedly dry and officious corporate air about them. Another building might be dedicated solely for business parties, as in corporate functions that companies put on for their employees a few times a year. However, there is one place I know of in London that is neither office space, nor just a set of function rooms, and yet it functions as both. And it serves as the best wedding venue!
The place is called HMS President and it actually isn’t a building at all, but a boat. A ship, more correctly. It was built in Scotland in 1918 just at the end of World War I and originally called ‘HMS Saxifrage’. Its purpose was that of a ‘Q’ or ‘Mystery’ ship. What these types of ships do, or did rather, was to hide amidst a convoy of merchant ships and, when or if the convoy was attacked, come out and defend them, being as they were much better equipped (thicker hulls and some fire power, as opposed to none). It served its time and then, after many years, found its way permanently moored on the Victoria Embankment in the City of London.
Having been kitted out with the finest wood paneling, carpets and other decorative furnishings, it can cater for large parties of people for near enough any kind of social function, from office party to wedding venue. London doesn’t have many of these kinds of places, let alone these kinds of places that are actually ships that have served in the British Navy and that are steeped in history. To be honest, if I were getting married, this kind of thing would appeal a lot more than the typical golf club function room (etc.) that is the norm in the suburban town in which I live. It is a very different place to get married, and somewhere that your guests will enjoy and probably not stop talking about, not to mention a place that will be remembered fondly by all.
It is available not just as a beautiful room for functions, but also as office space that can be used for a number of things, including meeting and conference rooms. And all in such an original, quirky setting.