Couples tying the knot may soon be able to hold their ceremony and reception at Blenheim Palace.

The palace in Woodstock has applied to Oxfordshire County Council for a civil ceremony licence to allow the venue to stage marriage ceremonies as well as receptions.

The palace stages about 40 receptions a year, but wants to cater for the growing number of couples who want to hold their ceremony and reception in the same place.

Alexandra Howden, sales and marketing manager for Blenheim Hospitality, said the stately home offered "unrivalled splendour" for couples, but in six months the palace lost a potential £270,000 of business because it did not have a civil licence.

She said she hoped the palace would gain its licence within weeks, allowing it to hold its first ceremony later this summer.

Ceremonies will be held in the renovated Marlborough Room.

The Orangery, the venue for receptions, is being extended and restored to its original size.