Weddings & Parties – The Old Library

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YOUR CEREMONY,
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WEDDING VENUE

"Get married in one of Birmingham’s most unique venues. With its soaring vaulted ceilings, breath-taking original windows and its blend of functional, open plan space and Victorian Gothic elegance, it is easy to see why The Old Library is a much-loved venue for weddings."

Since being faithfully restored from The Old Library’s origins as one of Birmingham’s first free libraries in 1866, this historic setting has played host to many happy and unique wedding days. Wedding guests will be left mesmerised by the architecturally stunning building, which is flooded with natural daylight and exudes a romantic atmosphere.

Our unique and historic venue can easily accommodate up to 130 guests for a ceremony and sit-down reception, and there is further space for creating a dancefloor whilst accommodating up to 250 guests for an evening reception.

The Old Library is nestled amongst the bustling and diverse community of Digbeth, providing a variety of unique backdrops for those all-important wedding photos.

Our dedicated chefs have created a series of delicious menus your guests will devour, and the bar team have created a drinks menu to match. The Library Bar is a large area separated from the main space by three grand arch ways.

This hidden gem can easily cater to a particular theme that has been envisaged for a wedding day and our experienced events team are on hand to ensure your wedding day reflects your vision.

CEREMONY

Your ceremony takes place in the main room in front of our iconic original Victorian windows. Here, we can cater for up to 130 guests for a civil, humanist or celebrant ceremony. This beautiful, light and airy room is perfect for saying those all important vows, witnessed by your nearest and dearest. We also offer the option of ceremony only.

DRINKS RECEPTION

Your drinks reception takes place in either the Nomad, a funky, relaxed space full of quirky furniture, or the Dome, a modern, airy art space with a beautiful glass dome ceiling. You will be directed here straight after your ceremony, or when you arrive for your reception if you are getting married elsewhere.

RECEPTION

Your reception takes place in the main room underneath our high vaulted ceilings. Whether you want a traditional three-course meal or a more relaxed street food option, our menus offer something for everyone. After your meal it will take less than 30 minutes for our team to transform the room so you have enough space to dance the night away. We also offer the option of reception only.

Asian Weddings & Celebrations

Our venue is perfect for intimate celebrations with all of your closest family and friends. For a sit down ceremony or reception, such as a Nikah or Mandap ceremony, our maximum capacity is 130. For a pre-wedding celebration without a seated meal, such as a Mehndi or Sangeet, our maximum capacity is 250.

We offer three packages – each one suitable for a different part of your celebration. A daytime package, evening package & full day package. Our friendly and dedicated team will be able to assist you from your initial enquiry right through to your event day. We work with some amazing suppliers that we can recommend to make your day as perfect as it can be.

Parties & Dry Hire

Parties

From a birthday party for 60 people, a university ball for 120 people or an arts market for 200 people, our versatile venue will be perfect for your event.
All events are unique so tell us about yours and we will go from there!

We offer a 10% discount on room hire for student and charity events.

ROOM HIRE

We offer a range of different room hire options, from day time hire to evening hire to full day hire – the possibilities are endless! Our room hire includes a set amount of hire hours, tables, chairs, black tablecloths, an event coordinator, a Bluetooth PA system for background music, a microphone and WiFi. Pricing varies by the day of week and the amount of hours hired, our minimum hire is 4 hours.

“We used the Old Library for an anniversary party recently. The venue is absolutely beautiful, we had the ceiling decorated by shiny people and then did our own table decorations. When the lights were on in the evening the room looked stunning and we had so many compliments on how beautiful the venue is. We found the communication with all staff very smooth and they were quick to respond when contacted. Special mentions to Rebecca who helped us organise everything, Laura who helped us when we were decorating the venue, and Emily who was there on the evening of the party and made sure everything was running smoothly! Would definitely recommend 😊. Thank you old library! Nick & Petra xxx”

“We held a celebration at the Old Library for my daughter and new son-in-law. The Old Library team were great from the first contact. When our DJ dropped out they gave us helpful recommendations which meant we found a replacement quickly. Shiny People did a great job on the décor, the Old Crown did wonderful Negroni and mimosa cocktails for the welcome drinks. The food from Rico Libre was great and served very efficiently and smoothly. It was a fabulous evening with a dance floor that didn’t empty all night. Thank you to the team for their helpful suggestions that meant the room layout worked to help the flow of people through the venue. Everyone commented on the lovely setting, the smooth running of the event and the friendly staff. I would definitely recommend the Old Library as a venue for both business and social events.”

“We had my 30th birthday party at The Old Library, and it was absolutely wonderful. The venue is stunning and full of charm, our guests couldn’t stop raving about how beautiful it was. Everything ran smoothly, and the staff were fantastic, helpful, professional, and kind. It was such a fun and memorable night. I highly recommend this venue for any special occasion!”

“Wonderful venue and team! They really helped bring my event to life and keep me calm on the day. They really know their venue and how to get the best out of it. Staff on the night were all super helpful and I got nothing but positive feedback from my event attendees.”

“Amazing!!! The room is so beautiful and with the help of both Jess & Rebecca organising so much for us it really came together well. The food that was sourced for us was lovely and worked perfectly with our audience. I want to thank everyone involved as we would definitely use the space again.”

“Great venue for events with a central location.”

“Top class support and assistance right up to the date of the event. Staff went above and beyond to make the night successful.”

“Building is quite deceiving from the outside. When you walk inside it is pretty big and the layout is lovely.”

“On September 9th, 2023, Heaven’s Delights hosted our first Cupcake Brunch with Live Entertainment at The Old Library. The venue’s flexibility allowed us to transform it into a captivating space, perfectly tailored to our desired theme and decorations. A heartfelt appreciation goes to Laura, who proved to be an exceptional event manager, surpassing all expectations. I owe her all the cupcakes in the world! Without a doubt, we will be returning to the Old Library for future events, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking an unforgettable experience.”

“A wonderful memories created as a result of professional staff who helped to facilitate them. Well done Laura and Rebecca…People are STILL talking about the occasion.”

“Such an amazing venue and what a team behind the scenes!”

“Nice venue food was great, nothing too much trouble for staff.”

“The venue is beautiful and has huge windows which allows for lots of light in. The street it is on is full of cool and quirky places with lots of wonderful artwork.”

“This venue is beautiful and more spacious than the pictures show. It has character, is elegant and has a lot of potential as it is like a blank slate for you to work on. The large windows allow a vast amount of natural light into the room so it is bright and gives it a resplendent state. The Old Library is looked after very well so you can expect to find it in a clean and without odour. Its a little hidden away, but this has its benefits as you do not get many unwanted guests trying to get in.”

“Fabulous, versatile space. Brilliant for those who want a space they can create and style accordingly.”

“Had a great time in this venue staff very polite and great service.”

“I used the venue recently for a styled wedding shoot. The staff were amazing! Friendly and helpful!! The place was spotless and we were able to get some great pictures due to the stunning light and electronically controlled blinds that helped the photographer use all the natural light available. A great piece of Victorian architecture that is well kept and wonderfully preserved. Would recommend for any occasion. Bright light even on a dark day!!”