Solara Shores Wedding Venue: A Ravenscar Coast Guide

Solara Shores wedding venue sits on the clifftops above Ravenscar, on the North Yorkshire coast between Scarborough and Whitby. It is one of the newest wedding venues in the county, yet the ground beneath it carries centuries of history. Sweeping views over the North Sea meet rustic barns, wildflower meadows and a secluded clifftop chapel. Here is why I think Solara Shores deserves a place on your shortlist.

Solara Shores Wedding Venue: On the Clifftops of a Town That Never Was

Ravenscar has one of the more unusual histories on the Yorkshire coast. In the Victorian era, developers dreamed of building a grand seaside resort here to rival nearby Scarborough. Roads were laid and a handful of houses went up. However, the walk down to the rocky beach proved too steep for holidaymakers, and the resort was never finished. Locals still call it “the town that never was.” Long before that, the site was home to a Roman signal station, part of a coastal chain built to warn of seaborne raids. So when you marry at Solara Shores, you are standing on ground with well over a thousand years of history behind it.

The venue itself opened in 2026, as the sister property to Grand Villa Heights along the same stretch of coast. Its barns and courtyard were once part of a working farm, and that spirit remains. Expect hay bales, fire pits and grazing sheep in the surrounding fields, alongside a genuinely elegant setting for a wedding day.

At the heart of the venue is the Aurora, a barn with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that frame the coastline beyond. Exchange your vows here, or walk to the Cliff Top Chapel for an outdoor ceremony overlooking miles of unspoilt coastline. Either way, the sea is never far from view.

Wild Grounds and Coastal Walks

Couples and their guests can wander the coastal path before the ceremony, or slip away for portraits among the gorse and heather. It is a setting that photographs beautifully in any weather, from bright coastal sunshine to moody North Sea cloud.

Celebrating Beneath the Rafters

When the sun sets, the celebration moves indoors. Mismatched furniture, wood-fired cooking and a laid-back, festival-style atmosphere set Solara Shores apart from a more traditional country house wedding. The venue offers one of the largest wedding menus in the UK, from a Spanish-style feast to a classic three-course breakfast, alongside 54 bedrooms so your closest guests can stay the night. Overall, it is a venue built for couples who want their wedding day to feel like a coastal escape rather than a formal occasion.

Solara Shores Wedding Venue Facts

Solara Shores is a newly opened bohemian barn venue in Ravenscar on the North Yorkshire coast, with fire pits and Mediterranean style courtyard touches.

Listings show it is licensed for marriages with room for 100 seated at a ceremony or dinner and 200 standing. They also say catering and bar are provided in house.

If you are planning a Solara Shores wedding and would like to talk through photography for your day, I would love to hear from you.

Why Choose Megan Maxwell as Your Wedding Photographer

People should choose me as their Solara Shores wedding photographer because I know how to tell a story. After fifteen years as a television director and writer at the BBC, I bring a documentary approach to wedding photography, with an eye for the moments, relationships and little details that make your day yours.

My approach is predominantly documentary. For most of the day I will be blending into the background, capturing the hugs, the happy tears, the questionable dance moves and all the brilliant, unexpected things happening around you. With the barns and the coast to work with, there is always something happening. I want you to spend your wedding day with your favourite people, not worrying about where the photographer is or what you are supposed to be doing.

I also know how important it is to have photographs of the two of you looking incredible. We will usually take around twenty minutes for a wander together around the fields and the coast, with a little gentle direction when it is helpful. You do not need to know how to pose or feel particularly comfortable in front of a camera. That is my job.

I care about making photographs that are as beautiful as they are meaningful. Images full of life, personality and rich colour that capture not just what your wedding looked like but how it felt to be there.

Ultimately I want you to have a collection of photographs that tells the whole story. The big moments, the little moments, the people you love and all the things you might otherwise have missed. Photographs you will love looking at now and treasure for years to come.

Every collection includes full day coverage with no set hours, travel is included and your previews arrive within 48 hours.

Are you getting married at Solara Shores? Take a look at my portfolio, read more about me or get in touch. You can also message me on WhatsApp.