Category Archives: Wedding Venue

Lighting up the Barn

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Having a barn wedding might be on of the most popular styles of rustic weddings right now but often times you have to take the barn wedding venue and transform it into a beautiful wedding location. One of the best ways to add some wedding glam to your barn wedding location is by adding some dramatic lighting to space.

The proper lighting can help to make a rustic barn feel more intimate, more wedding day ready and of course more fairy tail like. It is not always easy to light a space like a barn so many times it helps to bring in a wedding lighting professional who can help you achieve the look you are going for an help you actually hang the lights.

If you plan on going more the DIY lighting route than you might want to take some advice below and start to create your perfect barn wedding lighting.

It is pretty clear that one of the best and easiest ways to add lighting to a barn wedding space is by adding string lights.

If you have a special place in your heart for the rustic industrial style wedding then large industrial hanging lights create more of a warehouse look all the while adding fun between the modern look with the barn wedding location.

Magical is the best way to sum up a vintage style farm & barn wedding and so is the lighting. With just one chandelier hanging over the ceremony spot and the hundreds of tiny white lights with the addition of the white drapes makes for maybe the perfect barn wedding decor.

Another way to make your lighting amazing is to use large white paper lanterns, cheap and cheerful with dramatic look.

 

Booking your venue in advance

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January and February are typically the busiest times in the wedding industry. With romantic engagements taking place under fairy-lit Christmas Trees, in front for warm, cosy fireplaces, under the illuminated sky filled with fireworks on New Year’s Eve and on the most romantic day of the year in February, you can imagine how busy the best wedding venues get in the spring and summer when it comes to venue viewings and bookings.

After the festive season has come and gone, the first thing that engaged couples (just like you) will be planning to do, is book in to visit a load of wedding venues as soon as possible. Wedding venue viewings are done by appointment only, so to avoid missing availability, we would advise booking in to visit your dream wedding venues early – to guarantee you actually get a viewing, or better still, why not make your appointment to visit them before Christmas, where you may find availability is more flexible?

As mentioned earlier, most engaged couples will wait until the New Year before the start to seriously think about booking their wedding. But, as the rest of the UK starts to focus on the festive season, this could be an incredible opportunity for you to get moving with your wedding plans and potentially book an ideal wedding date before anyone else has a chance. If you plan on getting married during 2019  then there’s no time like the present to visit your shortlist of wedding venues and snap that date up before the New Year. January, February and March are typically known for being extremely busy for wedding venues in terms of taking bookings for the next few years…so to ensure availability, it’s best to view and book ahead of the New Year rush.

Once your wedding venue has been booked, the rest of your plans should fall perfectly into place. So, if you book your wedding date before the New Year, you’ll be able to start your year off with a fantastic focus! Perhaps start the year by sending out your Save the Date cards, or start enquiring about wedding suppliers; like good venues, they will get booked up early too!

 

Funfair themed Weddings

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We’ve picked out five funfair wedding venues to inspire you if you want to treat your guests to something a little different on your wedding day. If you can’t find a wedding venue with a funfair near you, why not look into hiring funfair attractions to add something extra to your reception?

  1. The Garden Room Syon Park

The Garden Room at Syon Park lends itself perfectly to wedding receptions with a fun twist.

This stunning wedding reception venue comes complete with adjacent outside space, set within acres of idyllic parkland. The gardens can be used for welcome drinks, giving your wedding day the wow factor from the very start. The gardens can also be used to host a fun fair to entertain your guests, complete with rides, side stalls and candy floss.

A light and airy reception room comes complete with contemporary furnishings and an understated colour scheme, enabling you to keep it traditional or create a personalised look for your special day.

  1. Preston Court

Preston Court has a lot to offer when it comes to your wedding – there are large gardens with lakes, lawns and a magical island that boasts a regency wrought iron bridge – so you can marry outside in the garden or in front of a magnificent fairground organ, located in the barn.

There is a full scale and fully operational Victorian carousel, complete with galloping horses and chariots – lots of fun for your guests and amazing for pictures – and a Victorian showman’s wagon which is used as a dressing room on the day. The fairground organs can be played on the day, and there is a selection of fairground games available too

  1. Marleybrook House

Kent wedding venue Marleybrook House, former home to legendary cabaret star Eartha Kitt, has its own Vintage Fayre! The venue will set it up for you – we recommend keeping it a secret until the day so you can see your guests’ faces when you arrive!

There are retro side stalls including an original 1940s High Striker to test strength and swing boats from 1890. Set up next to hay bales, apple crates and a vintage tractor, it will take you back in time.

  1. Blists Hill Victorian Town

When planning a wedding and you’re looking for a unique wedding venue in the Midlands, the Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire are a good choice. This includes Blists Hill Victorian Town, which is a recreation of a working Victorian town complete with a funfair.

The funfair is set up opposite where most receptions take place and you and your guests can enjoy chair-o-planes, coconut shy, swing boats, and on certain days, a magnificent Victorian carousel featuring galloping horses. Imagine the wedding picture opportunities

  1. The Hop Farm

Home to The Hop Farm Festival, The Hop Farm also has a funfair which you can use at your wedding. It includes the amazing ‘giant jumping pillows’ to bounce away on, as well as an amazing vintage carousel, amongst other things.

The Kent wedding venue is popular for those who want a wedding with a fun, unique twist!

 

Beach wedding hair

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Are you planning a dreamy beach wedding? Once you’ve found the perfect beach wedding dress and booked an amazing seaside wedding venue, you need to start thinking about your hair.

What constitutes beachy wedding hair for you? Braids, texture with waves. A fresh unstructured playful look.

The best thing to do would be to have braids or twists in the hair, or have the hair pulled back fairly tightly. Always embrace the texture and using salt spray to add to it, perhaps have some braids around your face for some pretty detail and then it doesn’t matter so much if the rest of the hair gets a little frizzy as it adds to the look. You can also use a strong hairspray to seal the hair but it can look quite fixed so although it seals away moisture it may not fit for a relaxed look as much.

A loose chignon of some sort to keep the hair away from the face. A look with loose tendrils and texture would be ideal, nothing too fixed and neat. Then if it isn’t too structured the odd hair being blown about will add to the look and it will not look as though anything is out of place.

Hair accessories for a beach wedding would be a flower head crown– Or a few faux flowers dotted through the hair.

Beach weddings can be more relaxed than traditional ones, if its windy then embrace your long hair and let it blow over your face for a romantic look. A good wedding photographer should capture these moments to make you look like a beach gorgeous bride!!

 

Weddings for everyone

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Wedding ceremonies are all about sharing. While the big day ultimately belongs to you, the couple getting hitched, it’s also a special and significant moment for the people who know and love you best. So, how can you involve your guests to make your wedding day into a truly shared experience for everyone? Here are some great wedding ideas.

Ceremonial rituals

For centuries, people have used rituals to help cement their unions. One relatively new wedding ritual is the lighting of the unity candle, where close family members of the betrothed couple light a separate candle each before the ceremony. The newlyweds then take their respective candles and bring them together to light one single flame.

In a twist to include everyone in your new union, you could hold a version of this ceremony in reverse, letting each guest light a candle of their own from your united flame.

Confetti throwing

Showering confetti over the happy couple is another time-honoured wedding ritual. Make sure everyone is prepared for the big moment by handing out confetti dispensers like wands or cannons to all your guests. (This is a job that you can delegate to a trustworthy member of the wedding party)! Alternatively, why not set up a ‘confetti bar’ beforehand, so that everyone can mix and match their own unique concoction?

Music mixtape

Once you’re on the dancefloor, you’ll want everyone to come and join the party. Why not make everyone feel included by playing one song for each guest? (You can ask them to nominate their chosen track when they RSVP to your invitation). The DJ can announce any special dedications or significant songs with comments from the nominator. The mixtape approach will make your reception into a truly communal experience that everyone will appreciate.

Photo opportunities

Posing for wedding photos is the perfect opportunity to get everyone involved while creating some stunning shots! You could set up an aerial shot and get everyone to stand in formation to make a heart shape or a word. Or if you have suitable space, why not lead everyone in a procession around the grounds of your wedding venue? It’ll be a special, shared experience to cherish, and you’ll be able to treasure some ‘action shots’ of all your guests together.

Like and share

It’s also good to give your guests somewhere they can all share their respective photos of the day. Wedding apps like WedPics allow your guests to upload all their snaps to one central place, making sure you don’t miss a thing! Alternatively, set up a Facebook event for your wedding day. This will ensure that everyone can communicate and stay in touch after the big day, if they so wish.

 

The Benefits of a Toastmaster

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As anybody who has ever attended a wedding will know, they can be stressful affairs. Celebratory occasions yes, but there are a whole host of timings to abide by from arriving at the wedding venue right through to the final minute of the evening. With this in mind, some prefer to book a toastmaster to worry about the day for them, to make sure everything is just so and ensure that your wedding day really is the best day of your life.

No matter whether a big or a small celebration, a toastmaster can be a fabulous booking at a wedding and that’s simply because they know exactly where and when everything will be happening, all whilst taking a traditional role of calling out proceedings as and when they occur. So what does a toastmaster do at a wedding?

A toastmaster will ensure that the wedding venue is ready, greet guests as they arrive, organise the photographs, direct guests as required, announce the wedding breakfast, orchestrate the moments that nobody wants to miss, introduce the speakers and take on each and every duty that will help everybody else to enjoy this most special of days. For the bride and groom, it will be a stress-free day and ultimately, that is the finest way to enjoy your own wedding!

An experienced toastmaster will sit down with you weeks in advance to make sure that everything is perfect. Even so, things can occasionally run awry on the day and they can therefore step in if things aren’t quite going as planned – allowing more time for wedding photographs, noticing that the food is taking longer to prepare than expected – and will ensure that all being well, nobody will ever notice that the day was very briefly going ‘off-plan’. In a sense, a good toastmaster are the eyes and ears of the bride and groom on a day when they can’t be expected to be everywhere at once!

Many might feel they have no need to book a toastmaster because everything a toastmaster does could be done by an usher or best man already in attendance. This is possible but whereas many of the groomsmen are required to be with the groom ahead of the ceremony, that would leave nobody to greet guests or check on the venue. The ushers and everybody else involved in the day want to have a good time themselves so it wouldn’t be fair on them to take away from the proceedings.

In summation, if you are wanting a wedding that runs to plan and on the hunt for an entertaining master of ceremonies to guide you through proceedings, a toastmaster is an excellent idea, especially considering that you can often book a toastmaster for less than the price of the wedding cake!

 

Valentine’s Day Weddings

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February is the month of romance and passion. In February, many like to blow their salary on expensive tasting menus in top restaurants and embark on lavish weekends away in remote country spa hotels. For those who prefer to be more resourceful with their Valentine’s budget, it’s often a challenge to prove your love in another way.

To help those looking to escape, we have come up with five ways to save money but still impress your other half this February.

Be original

A great way of proving to your partner that you love them is to think outside of the box. Why not choose a Wedding Venue they wouldn’t think of going and surprise them. Even the most expensive cities in the UK have accommodation which is affordable but still offer a good spot to rest your head.

Be spontaneous

One of the best ways to be romantic is to be spontaneous, (if proposing) tell your partner that you are taking them away; you can even tell them where you’re taking them if you’d prefer. The trick is to save all the little trips and adventures for them to find out the weekend goes on. This makes the trip more exciting and unpredictable.

Be tasteful

While being on a budget often rules out pricey experiences, one thing money can’t buy is taste. When choosing activities for your honeymoon getaway pursue cultural experiences such as museums, art galleries, and landmark sites as oppose to gimmick activities that you can do at home like bowling, ice skating and laser quest. It is also worth taking advantage of upmarket restaurants and bars which offer cheaper menus between certain times of the day.

Be true

Finally, when you have finally tied the knot, like taste, no amount of money can buy true love. Ensure you spend plenty of time talking to one another, planning your next adventure and relaxing. Everything else will be an added bonus.

 

A perfect wedding experience

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Planning a wedding can be a stressful time and the last thing you want the night before the big day is a bad night’s sleep as excitement and nerves run high. Hotel Venues usually try to give wedding guests a perfect wedding experience, and ensure everything runs smoothly  – even if it does mean giving up your trousers from time to time!”

Some wedding requests that Hotel members have been asked to do are:

  • The night porter lending his trousers to the best man who left his at home
  • Taking the lead in a wedding band when the original singer lost his voice
  • Helping the best man write and practice his speech
  • Transforming the lobby into a hairdressers for two elderly wedding guests who couldn’t get to the local salon in time
  • Lending wedding rings for the ceremony after the bride and groom left theirs at home
  • Teaching the groom the fox trot in the corridor the night before the big day
  • Becoming the official wedding photographer of the ceremony after the original photographer was stuck in traffic
  • Concealing and escorting a bridal party from the hotel to the venue without any of the family seeing
  • Chauffeuring the couple from ceremony venue to reception venue in a team members Ferrari
  • Making the perfect bouquet for the bride using flowers from a team members own garden after the wrong arrangement was delivered by the florist

If you book reputable Hotel chain for your wedding venue we are sure that any request can be catered for, and will be happy to help (whatever the circumstances!!!)

 

Exclusive wedding venue

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How can you make an exclusive-use wedding venue truly feel like ‘yours’ for the day?

Hiring an exclusive-use wedding venue, such as a private barn, mansion or country house, comes with a plethora of benefits; you’re guaranteed privacy throughout your day, and you’re free to style it to your own taste and theme.

But how can you put your own stamp on a venue that’s ‘yours’ for a whole day?

Welcome signs

Personalised welcome signs to greet your guests will offer an introduction to your theme and what your friends and family can expect to see throughout the day. Simple words, such as “We’re so glad you’re here”, or a full order-of-the-day-style pallet can add a fun twist and be completely unique to your day. You may even be able to place your signs along the country roads leading up to your venue to point guests in the right direction.

Drinks on arrival

If you’re getting married in a church and travelling back to your chosen venue for your reception, it’s always nice to offer a refreshment to your wedding party upon arrival. Similarly, a drink (or two) post-ceremony if you’re getting married at the venue, not forgetting a welcome drink for evening guest. A ‘Pimp Your Prosecco’ stand could be a unique addition to traditional fizz, or consider offering a unique cocktail to get the celebrations started.

Floral features

Does your wedding venue offer a particularly beautiful staircase (inside or out), entrance or photography hot-spot that you can decorate with impressive flowers? Or, how about using a stand-out floral arch or impressive hanging floral display?

Cool canapés

Whether an in-house catering team provides you with all of the food you’ll need for your day, or you’re hiring in external caterers at your exclusive-use wedding venue, choose a selection of canapés to impress your guests and get their pallets excited for the feast to come!

Theme throughout

Most couples opt for a block colour or colour-combination scheme when it comes to a wedding theme, but if you’re looking to wow your guests, perhaps introduce a theme to your wedding that means something to you both; travel, films, musicals, bands, pets, books, landmarks, fairytales and sport teams are just a few ideas to get your mind racing.

Outdoor fun

If you’re chosen venue offers beautiful countryside surroundings, it would be wrong not to take advantage of them, providing the weather is on your side. Think outdoor garden games, fun wedding photography, musical entertainment, such as a string quartet, Irish band, harpist singers, or even something interactive, like a photo booth.

Exquisite food

Your guests will look forward to and remember the food at your wedding, so getting it spot on is important. Couples who want to make their banquet extra special can opt to customise a dish, or upgrade their menu to something even more spectacular for their friends and family to enjoy.

Communication

Planning any party or event requires time and communication to ensure perfection. The more you communicate with your venue and suppliers, the more seamless your day should run. Take time to think about your wedding plans in advance, before rushing into decisions that could cause upset later down the line.

Unforgettable entertainment

Whether you’ve chosen a romantic string quartet to play as you walk down the aisle, a magician for your drinks reception, or a brilliant DJ or band in the evening, your guests will be excited to find out what surprises you have planned in the lead-up to your day. If you choose suppliers that have worked at your venue of choice before, your planning process may be a little bit easier.

Wow factor

If you were throwing a party at home, you may want to end the night with a memorable moment. Therefore, if your exclusive use wedding venue allows it, why not opt for a fireworks display or, head off on your honeymoon in a fancy sports car the following morning?

 

Wedding Barns

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It’s safe to say we wouldn’t blame any couple for wanting the rustic charm and nature inspired architecture that this style of venue offers in abundance! But as unique as every couple is, barn venues aren’t all the same either. Some offer additional outdoor spaces for entertaining or larger wedding parties, idyllic countryside backdrops and romantic reception rooms in need of minimal decoration.

Let historic tales and unique characteristics tell the story of each venues’ heritage and development within their surrounding organic landscape. Designed to evoke romance, fall in love with quirky outbuildings, festival yurts and miles and miles of coastal country views…

Boconnoc | 18th Century Stable Yard Barn

The 18th-century Stable Yard at Boconnoc is a wonderfully romantic setting with four fabulous barns, a courtyard and breathtaking views across the Boconnoc parkland. Say your vows in the rustic Coach House while the sun pours through the open oak doors. Your wedding breakfast can be an elegant affair in the beautiful Soane Room or a casual feast with trestle tables and hay bales in the courtyard. Dance the night away in the festoon lit courtyard. And when it is time for bed, there are three luxurious cottages just a few steps away.

The Tythe Barn | Original Lambing Farm

An award-winning wedding venue and stylish wedding setting, The Tythe Barn stages many events, but says that weddings are their ‘thing’. The 14th-century barn exudes style with its combination of original features and quality interior styling. As it was the old lambing barn on the family farm, the team have been passionate about the refurbishment of the barn and attention to detail has been vital. Now, The Tythe Barn provides the most amazing setting, fortunately joined by a professional team of chefs as their in-house caterers. They are also confident that, having hosted a few, they know how to put on a good wedding.

With the option to get married inside or out and two further adjoining barns, The Tythe Barn offers huge flexibility. Plus, there’s a wonderfully restored barn dedicated solely for the bride and her bridesmaids to get ready in and much more…

Blackwell Grange | Cotswolds Barn And Walled Garden

From its tranquil Cotswolds location, to the elegant, contemporary interior design and exceptional attention to detail, Blackwell Grange is a special place to say “I do”. The spaces are diverse and characterful. From the original Thatch Barn, where your ceremony will take place and across the Apple Tree Lawn to the contemporary Orchard Barn, the venue for your wedding breakfast and celebration. There are lots of stunning photo opportunities everywhere you turn. As your wedding day draws to a close, you can spend the night in the Hayloft Honeymoon Cottage, overlooking the Walled Herb Garden.

Gaynes Park | Woodland Country Estate

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Gaynes Park is a stylish and contemporary wedding venue in Essex, set in the grounds of a historic country estate which has been in the Chisenhale-Marsh family for generations. The picturesque venue is surrounded by British countryside, made up of farmland and woodland. Given its secluded and tranquil setting, it is hard to believe that this superb country wedding venue is at the end of the busy Central Line. It is only minutes from the M25 and M11 at Epping, an ideal location and easily accessible for all of your family and friends.

Notley Abbey | Impressive Rural Abbey and Garden Barn

Notley Abbey is a magnificent country house wedding venue with a truly magical past. Once the home of Laurence Olivier and Gone with the Wind actress Vivien Leigh, this impressive Abbey, on the border of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, can be your dream home for 24 hours. A one-of-a-kind, tree-lined driveway leads you to a historic, fairytale wedding venue. Notley Abbey features romantic reception areas, an intimate ceremony hall, glorious grounds and gardens (with the opportunity to host an outdoor wedding). It also offers nine beautifully appointed guest suites and an utterly stunning rustic barn for up to 190 guests.

Eden Barn | Valley Stone Barn

Nestled below the stunning North Pennines Area of Natural Beauty is where you’ll encounter Eden Barn. An exclusive and intimate wedding venue that will immerse your guests in Cumbria’s enchanting Upper Eden Valley. The traditional Westmorland stone barn seats 126 guests for a sit-down meal and 200 for an evening reception. Eden Barn is a family run business who believe that weddings should be fun, relaxed and totally personal to you.