Lysebu Hotel

Lysebu sits in Holmenkollen, the forested hillside above Oslo, with views toward Norefjell. A sunny terrace and a rose garden sit beside the house, so the feel is a country retreat on the edge of the capital rather than a city venue.

The kitchen follows the seasons and seeks out small local producers of natural, high quality ingredients, and the hotel keeps one of the finest wine cellars in Norway. The wedding details the hotel publishes cover ceremonies, function rooms and overnight stays. The hotel has 85 guest rooms and is about 30 minutes from central Oslo. Ask the team whether the whole house can be taken over, as that is not listed.

Lysebu offers a choice of ceremony settings. Outdoors there is a traditional spot in front of the old storehouse and, in summer, the rose garden. Indoors, the candlelit wine cellar is the more intimate option. You arrange your own officiant. For the celebration there are five function rooms. Utsikten holds 70 to 108 guests, Kavalersalen 40 to 80, Skogstuen 30 to 60, Weidemannsalen 20 to 35 and the Library up to 16. Service runs until midnight and the in-house patisserie makes the cake. Tables come with linen, glassware and candles, and you bring your own flowers. In winter, guests can arrive by horse and sleigh through a torch-lit courtyard.

Guests are welcome to stay at the hotel. The couple gets the bridal suite or a junior suite depending on the reception room, available from Friday. The two largest function rooms ask for a minimum of ten overnight rooms, so build your guest list with that in mind. Rooms can be held until ten weeks before the event. Check-in is from three in the afternoon, and newlyweds can stay until one o'clock on departure day. Lysebu sits right by the forest, so a morning walk the day after is easy to plan. In summer the terrace hosts aperitifs with soft music. Ask the team about transfers from Oslo airport and about nearby hotels for larger groups.