Category Archives: Wedding Venue

Staying traditional

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Book a harpist for the ceremony

There’s something beautiful about having a harpist play at your wedding, the sound of a harp emanating through your wedding venue is a truly gorgeous moment. The tinkling of the strings really is the perfect sound to accompany a walk down the aisle and when it comes to tradition, we don’t think there’s much better.

Book a string quartet for the drinks reception

When the vows have been spoken and guests have retired for a few drinks, a string quartet is a wonderful accompaniment to their surroundings. The bride and groom will be having their photos taken with the wedding photographer and such a gap shouldn’t be an awkward situation. With the soothing sounds of a string quartet, this is a lovely opportunity to friends old and new to chat to one another on this special day.

Background jazz with your wedding food

Many guests’ favourite moment of the day with food, drink and of course, the speeches! The bride and groom often walk from table to table during the lunch or dinner and we find that having some background music certainly enhances the atmosphere. Booking a jazz trio is a great choice which is very trendy at the moment.

Book a function band for the evening

Not only does a band get the party started in style, they’re sure to fill your dance floor and ensure many a happy memory as the evening wears on. A band is able to learn a tune that has a sentimental attachment to the newlyweds or more than capable of rattling through the hits, so that  your wedding guests will keep rockin’ all night long.

Book a DJ to finish the evening

A DJ is a great choice, they are able to play virtually any song from the past 70 or 80 years, you’ll be able to seamlessly blend Gangnam Style with Crazy Frog, Agadoo and Ernie, The Fastest Milkman in the West (if you so desire). No matter the genre, our DJs are all hugely experienced and you can relax knowing that your party will still be going long after you head off to the hotel!

 

Indoors or outdoors weddings?

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With summer here – the preview was obviously the weather last week – many start to ponder whether they should have their wedding indoors or outside at their wedding venue. Of course, if you decide to go with the latter option, you might also decide to theme your big day and with that in mind, we’ve put together a few acts that are perfect for a festival themed wedding.

A capella

A capella is classic with songs ranging from classics through to modern hits. Giving off a summer vibe, you’ll will find all your wedding guests fall in love to the dulcet tones of an A Capella group long after the sun sets.

Face Painting

A superb choice if you have children attending your wedding, this is also a fun idea if you have adults who enjoy letting their hair down every once in awhile! From butterflies to tigers and many other designs, our incredible face painters will be able to paint your face in a matter of minutes. Calling to mind summer days in long grass, we love this idea and it’ll certainly liven up your wedding photos!

Circus wedding entertainment.

If you decide to hire some circus entertainment for your festival wedding then it’s probably best to go with a strolling act because it’s a lot more likely that the majority of your guests will be able to see their show. A circus act like Acro-Jugglers are great fun and will certainly enhance the enjoyment of the day, whilst also providing some spectacular moments for Instagram and Facebook. Other circus options include unicyclists and balloon artists (to name just a few).

Photobooth

If you can give us one good reason why you wouldn’t want to have a photobooth at your wedding then we’d like to hear it! They are easily one of the most popular forms of wedding entertainment that are booked for weddings and the best bit is that they can often be customised to suit you! There are so many different types that there is bound to be a booth that best represents the personality of the bride and groom from Tuk Tuk to Camper Van and many more besides!

 

So what if it rains on your wedding…

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You’ve got your entire wedding day planned. The wedding ceremony will be out in the gardens of a stately home, followed by a drinks reception on the lawn. All being well, dinner and dancing will take place in a marquee and everything will be perfect. Unfortunately, the British weather is often unpredictable and as such, it might be an idea to have a ‘wet weather wedding plan’ in place. Here are a few tips!

Book an Acoustic Band

You might be thinking your wedding reception will be fine in a marquee but let’s assume the worst and assume a thunderstorm has rolled in. Neither a DJ or a plugged in band will be able to perform in such circumstances, certainly if there’s a power cut as well so why not ensure that your wedding goes without a hitch by booking wedding entertainment that can definitely play an acoustic set. Acoustic bands will never be problematic if your wedding venue has a sound limiter.

Book a Strolling Act

Following on from booking an acoustic band for your wedding, hiring a strolling act is a no brainer. Completely self-contained, strolling acts can move back inside at a moment’s notice and will be able to perform an identical routine no matter where they are. Magicians, silhouette artists, caricaturists and more are not only a dream to have when bad weather rolls in at a wedding – lightening the mood considerably – but can also make sure that some of the less able guests will be entertained at the back of the room. A truly bright idea!

Liaise with your Venue

Wedding venues are sure to have needed backup plans in the past so it makes sense to ask about their ideas for the future. Darkening clouds, power cuts, what if the marquee is whipped away by a tornado..? Okay, it all seems very unlikely, but venues will almost always have a Plan B so it pays to ask in advance so that nobody is left confused and anxious if storm clouds roll in.

Buy a Number of Umbrellas

Yes, it is rather obvious to have an umbrella in case of wet weather but what we mean by this is that wedding photographs will look a lot better with the same coloured umbrellas for all than a number of mismatched ones over the top of your guests. They don’t have to be particularly expensive, they just have to look good. Feel free to contact your wedding photographer in advance to see what they think might go well with your other wedding plans (venue, bridesmaid dresses, etc.)

You’re getting married to the best person ever! Who cares what’s going on with the weather?

 

Make it unique

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Brides across the country are striving to make their wedding unique. Research shows that this is the main cause of anxiety for 53% of couples in Britain planning a wedding. Almost two thirds of couples said that, although their wedding was the best day of their lives, their day lacked distinctiveness. The areas where bride and groom felt they could have added a more personalised touch was through their wedding decorations and what they served to guests.

Welcome reception

A welcome dinner or drinks reception is a great way to break the ice between your out of town guests before the big day. The local pub is a perfect location for this.

Guest welcome packs

Create guides for your guests who are visiting from out of town. Include tips on local pubs and leave it in their hotel rooms. You can also include a local beer as refreshments for the rooms.

Wedding Venue

Use dried barley or fresh hops to decorate the venue instead of flowers. You can also use them in your bouquet! For a really rustic feel, you could have your wedding reception in a brewery or a barley field. Another idea is to use vintage beer crates for seating or to sign your vows on an oak barrel.

Seating

Instead of traditional escort cards, use personalised beer caps or coasters to tell people where they are sitting. An even better idea would be to use actual bottles so that guests can enjoy a drink whilst they find their seats.

Food

Use beer as a main ingredient in meals, such as beer battered fish or steak and ale pies. You can also pair your dishes and canapés with your favourite beers. This way, your guests are introduced to a new beer match with everything they eat! You can also put a twist on a traditional wedding cake by using beer as a key ingredient. For the best of both worlds serve a chocolate wedding cake made with a stout beer. This decadent treat will definitely be something to be remembered!

Drinks

A beer inspired drinks menu is a really nice touch. Serve beer based cocktails using a brew you created or choose beers that represent special times in your relationship. For instance, a beer from the country where you got engaged or the beer you were drinking the night you met.

Toasts

If your fiancée is not a fan of champagne, serve beer during the wedding speeches. Ditch the bottles and serve beer to your guests in tasteful chalices. There are many elegant beers with signature glassware, such as Leffe which has a cork and foil top.

 

Personal wedding venues

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With so much pressure to make the right decision, how does a bride make up her mind? We asked some newlyweds and brides to be to share how they made their choice to shed a little light on this planning selection. These answers which may inspire you:

  • “We visited our wedding venue on a holiday before we got engaged and we both said, ‘That’s the place we want to get married.’ We got engaged there and now we’re marrying there next September!”

  • “We picked an area where we had our first kiss and it held so many sentimental memories for us too, we just had to get married in a place that meant so much to us”

  • “I picked a place that was not only cost-efficient, but when I went to see it, I knew that it was unique and I had it have it. I love my venue and I absolutely can’t wait to get married there!”

  • “We wanted ceremony and reception in the same location, so we saw a few venues, but nothing said ‘us’ that was a romantic setting until we saw our venue. It’s perfect and I can’t wait to get married there. It’s my happy place, we both love it.”

  • “We must’ve seen over 40 venues. We choose Disney because we fell in love with it! And, well we got some pretty amazing pictures.”

  • “My grandparents’ garden where I had pretty much grown up. It had so many memories and sentimental reasons to have my wedding where I grew up and learned so much.”

 

We hope that some of these ideas have inspired you to find your perfect wedding venue, just make it personal, after all this is a special day which you will want to remember for the right reasons!!

 

Late night wedding venues

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1. Cripps Barn

This rustic old barn made of the gorgeous old Cotswold stone is a real feast for the eyes, perfect for a laid-back top wedding venue. Set in the countryside near Bidbury, it has flag stone floors, an open fireplace and a large South-facing terrace with fire pits and a bonfire in the garden. Their late license means the bar stays open until 1am.

2. Lains Barn

Lains barn is the perfect location for a rural Oxfordshire wedding, with enough space for you to hold both your ceremony and reception in one place. The best thing about this self-contained wedding venue is that the bar is open until 2am so you can really make the most of the wonderful setting.

3. Fulham Palace

Set in the heart of acres of botanical gardens, Fulham Palace is an enchanting historical venue. It is an all encompassing venue, providing you as a couple with both a stunning private chapel, rooms for civil services and plenty of space for your reception too. This lovely venue has a late license of 2am.

4. Chilston Park Hotel

Dating back to the 17th Century, Chilston park is the ultimate in countryside luxury. Surrounded by 23 acres of private grounds and lakes and with luxurious furnishings, open-fires and candlelight, it makes for a truly romantic backdrop to your day. Their late license is until 1am.

5. The Refinery

Tucked away from the bustling Euston Road, this urban-luxe venue overlooks the peaceful Regent’s Place. With no venue fees and purely a minimum spend, the fact this venue has a late license until 1.30am is the cherry on top.

 

Late License Venues

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When it comes to celebrating one of the best days of your life with all your favourite people around you, the very last thing you want is for it to end early! This is why couples and their family and friends (who are fully prepared to party all night) feel it’s a real priority to choose a wedding venue that has a late license.

1. Roman Baths and Pump Room

Oh beautiful, beautiful Bath – not only are you one of THE most gorgeous places in Britain but you also know how to party. This lovely Wedding venue situated at the heart of the World Heritage Site can be enjoyed by you and all your guests until 1am.

2. New Craven Hall

If you’re after a more industrial feel to your wedding, New Craven Hall in Leeds is the one for you. With gorgeous interiors of exposed brick, large metal beams teamed with warm lighting and luxurious soft furnishings – it does a lot of the decorating legwork for you. Not only that, but you can enjoy the venue and it’s lovely bar until 2am Sunday to Thursday and 3am Friday to Saturday.

3. Searcy’s St Pancras

If you fancy something really alternative but still quintessentially British, why not get married in the spellbinding St Pancras station? Searcy’s enables you to hold both your ceremony and reception all in one place in one of London’s most iconic buildings with a late bar until 1am. If that isn’t late enough, you can always apply for a later license.

4. The Rosendale

For an elegant but understated wedding, The Rosendale in leafy West Dulwich is a great venue for cosy, British charm. With a late license until 1am this local makes for a wonderfully warm place to gather all your family and friends on your big day.

5. The Singer Tavern

Set in the heart of the city of London, this stylish pub and cocktail bar has a light and airy feel. With an industrial, American diner look, this venue makes for a great backdrop to your wedding reception. The basement cocktail bar gives you enough room for dancing and drinking, which is made even better by the fact this venue has a late license until 4AM! If everyone manages to last until that time, we will be very impressed.

Organise your seating plan

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If you’re having 50 guests at a buffet, you may or may not want to give people specific seating assignments. But if you’re having 100 guests or more and serving a seated meal at your Wedding venue, you’ll want to make sure everyone’s got a specific place to sit. Why? For one, people like to know where they’re sitting — and that you took the time to choose where and whom they should sit with. It’s also helpful if you’re serving several different entree choices, because the caterer and wait staff can figure out beforehand how many chicken, filet and veggie dishes a given table gets, because they (you) know who’s sitting there.

Head Up the Head Table

A traditional head table is not round but long and straight,when planning a wedding it’s generally set up along a wall, facing all the other reception tables. It may even have two tiers if your wedding party is large. Usually the bride and groom sit in the middle (where everyone can see them), with the maid of honour next to the groom, the best man next to the bride, and then boy/girl out from there. Flower girls or ring bearers usually sit at the tables where their parents are sitting, much to the relief of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Decide to sit this way, or plan a sweetheart table for a little one-on-one time

Create a Paper Trail

If you’re feeling more low-tech, draw circles (for tables) on a big sheet of paper and write names inside them (make sure you know how many people can comfortably be seated at each one). Or you could write every guest’s name on a sticky note and place it accordingly.

Switch Things Up

But you don’t have to do it that way. All the bridesmaids can sit on the bride’s side, and all the groomsmen on the groom’s. Or maybe you’re not into being on display, or you don’t want your wedding party to feel isolated from other guests. Let your wedding party sit at a round reception table or two with each other and/or with their dates/significant others, and have the head table be a sweetheart table for the two of you.Another option: You two sit with your parents and let that be the head table, with the wedding party at their own tables.

Place Your Parents

Traditionally, your parents and your parents to be sit at the same table, along with grandparents, siblings not in the wedding party, but for one reason or another you might want to let each set of parents host their own table of close family and/or friends. This could mean up to four parents’ tables, depending on your situation — or have the divorced parent who raised you (or your partner) and his/her spouse/date sit at the table with still-married parents.

Remember, the parent-seating question is a flexible one. Set it up in whatever way best suits everybody. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to talk to the parents in question about it before you make your final decision.

Play Matchmaker

Again, all your University or school friends will be so pleased to sit at a table together. This especially works out well if you and your beloved went to the same school and have the same friends. It also gives them all an opportunity to catch up with each other, because they may not have seen each other for a while. But again — reception tables offer a great opportunity to mix and match your friends and your partners — who knows who’ll hit it off? Consider seating friends who don’t know each other (yet), but who you think will get along exceptionally well, at the same table — and the rest is history. It can’t hurt!

Tame Tensions

There may also be situations in which certain family members just do not get along. Maybe they haven’t spoken in years. Maybe the last time they saw each other there was a drunken catfight. Understandably, you want to keep them as far apart as possible. Think about these kinds of relationships (or lack thereof) before you even start making your chart, so you can take them into consideration in the first place and begin by seating Auntie Sue at table three and Aunt Vera across the room at table 15. Trust us — they’ll appreciate it.

Keep children entertained at your wedding

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Paper Chase

Download colouring pages, word searches, crosswords, spot the difference from the internet, make sure you give out with crayons or coloured pencils to avoid mess to clothes and tableware.

Silent Scavenger Hunt

Create a tick sheet of things to listen out for or observe during the wedding – what colour are the bridesmaids’ dresses, wedding flowers, what songs were sung, did the best man remember the rings, how many were wearing hats.

Book Corner

Have a range of books to cover differing ages of children at weddings. Put on tables or set up in a corner with bean bags – great for sleepy ones later in the evening too.

Box of Tricks

Create boxes of simple toys such as bubbles, board games (travel ones are cheaper and smaller), jigsaws, and play dough – hassle free distractions for children without the need for too much adult help.

Children Only Room

Create a child-only space with TVs/DVD players, games consoles, books and board games. Children at weddings also love dressing up, craft activities/painting, sand trays and play dough.

VIP

Create tasks for children involved in the wedding to earn VIP badges – roles can range from marshalling guests to the right place to holding their wedding bouquet up the right way for younger bridesmaids.

Outdoor Games

Organise walks around the grounds or do nature searches using small bags to collect what is found. Also provide simple sports equipment such as balls, Frisbees, or cricket sets.

Entertainer

Wedding entertainers for children are a more expensive option when planning your wedding to go smoothly. Although they’ll keep little ones busy, you will need to provide another room for the performance. Be aware, though, that unlike a crèche, parents will still be responsible for supervision of their children.

Babysitters

Babysitters work well if the wedding venue is being held in a hotel. The babysitters can look after individual children or families in their hotel rooms bringing some basic equipment and also putting the children to bed.

Mobile Crèche

The most expensive option but it really is the ultimate answer, and many opt to share the costs with parents. A team will bring all equipment; will be responsible for your children and their entertainment for the whole wedding and even into the night with a sleepover.

 

Winter Wedding

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So you’ve decided to tie the knot in winter, congratulations! Whether you’ve chosen it because it’s a fantastically festive time or so you can spend sensibly on wedding suppliers, you likely still have a few concerns.

Snow, chilly temperatures and red noses are all possible, so here’s your three-step winter wedding survival guide for an effortless and beautiful big day.

For you

  • Remember to purchase faux-fur wraps for you (and don’t forget your bridesmaids!) to keep the chill off. You’ll probably be outdoors at least for the photographs, and these fashionable wraps will make sure you’re cosy enough to enjoy them!

  • Tissues and makeup top ups will be your handbag essentials. Red noses and rosy cheeks might be commonplace in the colder weather, but you don’t want them colouring all your wedding photos. Reapply makeup regularly over any redder spots to keep your complexion picture perfect. These winter hair and beauty tips will be your best friend.

  • The colder weather, more muted colours and darker days will all benefit from a bit of brightening up. Choose sparkly embellishments on your dress and accessories to reflect the light and add some wintery charm.

  • On a more practical note, make sure you’ve got colour co-ordinated brollies and wellies on hand. If it’s wet or it snows, you’ll be perfectly prepared to stun in your photos still without getting soggy feet!

    For your guests

  • We all know and love the flip flop basket at weddings for comfy feet, but for winter weddings we recommend adding a blanket basket, too. Add a chalkboard sign encouraging guests to help themselves to make sure everyone stays suitably toasty.

  • Your wedding food can also help by offering winter warmer canapés and drinks. Think hot canapés like miniature fish and chips or steak and chip skewers as well as hot chocolate, mulled wine and s’mores galore.

    For your reception decor

  • Red, white and green, ice cool blues, glittering golds and ivory – whatever winter wedding styling you choose, decide whether you want warming tones or to celebrate the season’s iciness. Stick to one idea throughout for a cohesive reception style.

  • The days draw in quickly in the winter, so you’ll have more hours of darkness than a summertime wedding. This makes lighting an essential part of the winter wedding survival guide. Even if you’ll be embracing the atmospheric glow, ensure there are plenty of candles, fairy lights or alternative lighting available. This is also a great time of year to include fireworks or sparklers at your wedding because you won’t have to wait so long into the evening to do so.