Month: January 2018

73 Amazing Wedding Venues in the UK

Looking for venue inspiration for your upcoming wedding? Look no further!  Bridebook.co.uk (your go-to wedding venue finder) has compiled a list of the most amazing wedding venues in the UK.

Browse the list below, and click the links to explore them more. You can even message each of these beautiful venues asking for some more info! 

While you’re in wedding venue wonderland, be sure to personalise your wedding venue search with the filters that matter to you.  Set your filters to “Luxury” or “Lovely Grounds” or “Castle” to see some jaw-dropping wedding venues near you, or set your filters to “Rustic and Barn” or “Exclusive Use” for some beautiful and heartwarming options.  The variations are endless!

wedding venues in the uk hedsor house

Barn Wedding Venues

The Keeper and The Dell, a wonderfully secluded, outdoor wedding venue in Norfolk, is a beautiful collective of a traditional canvas marquee located in a pretty woodland dell, an 18th-century Gamekeeper’s barn, camping gardens, firepit and wood cabin. This is one the most amazing wedding venues in the UK!

Caswell House, the Cotswolds, offers a unique ambience with the perfect mix of rustic romance surrounded by breathtaking scenery, stunning barns and exclusive use of the immaculate grounds.

Askam Hall is a country house hotel in Cumbria, brought into the 21st century, with a converted barn featuring rustic oak ceilings and stone walls paired with modern lighting and beautiful glass doors. This is one of our favourite glass house wedding venues. 

Ever After, a unique outdoor wedding venue on the banks of a Dartmoor river, showcases an open-sided oak and stone barn, glass-roofed outdoor rooms, a bespoke marquee, and an 18th-century luxury honeymoon cottage.

River Cottage is a 65-acre organic farm tucked amongst rolling hills on the Dorset and Devon border, offering the beautifully restored Threshing barn, the famous farmhouse, a yurt and walled gardens for use on your special day.

South Farm, the perfect setting for a quintessential English Country Wedding in Hertfordshire, is home to a lovingly restored Grade II listed house, beautiful Tudor barn and lovely summerhouse set in stunning gardens.  Guests will enjoy prize-winning menus utilizing produce grown on-site.

Doxford Barns is a truly unique barn-wedding venue, located in the heart of coastal Northumberland on a private and secluded country estate.  The best part…exclusive use to you and your guests spread over three days!

Packington Moor is set within a 700-acre livestock farm in Staffordshire and includes The Malt Barn and The Oat Barn, farm-to-table wedding meals, a restored honeymoon suite and a nearby Coach House for additional lodging.

Check out the 31 most beautiful barn wedding venues in the UK!

Beaches/Coastal Venues 

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Carbis Bay, a modern British boutique hotel located on the coast in Cornwall, is set within a 125-acre estate with sub-tropical gardens and a private beach.

Tunnels Beaches is a stunningly unique location found on the Devonshire coastline, featuring a hand carved tunnel through a cliff leading to a stone terrace overlooking a hidden private beach. 

Angel House, a Grade I listed Regency Town House in East Sussex, has a stunning seafront location right on Brighton and Hove border overlooking the Angel Peace statue out to sea.

Artists Beach House, with original arts and crafts detailing, is situated just above Tankerton Beach and a short walk from the fashionable fishing town of Whitstable in Kent.  The Whitstable Street, a geophysical phenomenon, located below the property offers a stunning backdrop.

Titchwell Manor, steps from the golden beaches of Norfolk, is a Victorian manor with secluded walled gardens, log fires, spacious contemporary bars and lounges, beautiful dining room and outdoor terrace.

Discover more beach wedding venues in the UK

Castle Wedding Venues

Sudeley Castle & Gardens was once home to Henry VIII’s final wife, Catherine Parr.  Experience the royal treatment in this historic Tudor castle in its’ own Cotswold valley, in Gloucestershire.

Lough Eske Castle is a fairytale five-star refurbished castle-hotel located in Ireland outside of Donegal Town.

Aikwood Tower, a unique Scottish castle five-star wedding venue outside of Edinburgh, is the perfect marriage of ancient and modern.

Fasque Castle, one of the top country house wedding venues in Scotland, has a unique blend of opulence and comfort with a choice of large reception rooms, exclusive use bar, 19 luxurious bedrooms and a high-spec dining kitchen with adjoining terrace.

Amberley Castle is a genuine medieval castle in West Sussex, with stone walls, 12 acres of gardens (with peacocks and alpacas!) and tower views of the nearby village.

See our top picks for castle wedding venues in the UK!

City Wedding Venues

bridebook.co.uk wedding ceremony

The Gainsborough Bath Spa occupies two Grade II listed buildings with distinguished Georgian and Victorian facades originally built in the 1800’s and situated in Bath a World Heritage Site.

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, a luxury wedding venue in a Grade I listed building in the heart of Bath, boasts an all-new Wedding Garden for use on your special day.

Here are 20 city wedding venues we know you’ll love

London Wedding Venues

The Bingham, tucked away by the river in Richmond-upon-Thames, this chic London boutique hotel is a romantic destination with a contemporary and elegant interior.

Brunswick House has become a central London landmark.  Inside its lofty Georgian interior, the panelled rooms are packed with salvaged curiosities, magnificent chimneypieces, brilliant cut glazed entranceways, sparkling chandeliers and beautiful antiques in each room.

The Dolls House, located in London a stone’s throw from Islington Town Hall, makes a spectacular setting for any wedding reception offering a truly unique and glamorous location.  

Fulham Palace, a one-of-a-kind historic London wedding venue, is situated in a beautiful riverside location with sumptuous gardens, a private chapel and multiple versatile and elegant event spaces.

Hotel Café Royal, located in the heart of London, features The Pompadour Ballroom that is ornately gilded and beautifully restored, offering an outdoor terrace with views of Regent Street.

Weddings at QMUL is a brand new venue providing a unique setting for a wedding day like no other! They offer flexible spaces for the perfect wedding in London.

The Lanesborough is moments from Knightsbridge, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park in London.  This hotel’s flawless surroundings are the very definition of a fairytale wedding venue.

Rosewood is in the heart of London just steps from Covent Garden.  Guests arrive through an archway that opens into a grand Edwardian courtyard, offering the perfect start to your memorable day.

The Savoy, a Fairmont-managed five-star hotel, is one of the most celebrated of London landmarks featuring the iconic Lancaster Ballroom and various private entertaining spaces.

St James’s Hotel & Club, a five-star boutique hotel located right in the heart of Mayfair, London, offers the opportunity for you to host an intimate wedding fit for royalty.

The Trading House, a Victorian space with an eclectic feel in the heart of London, features a grand central bar, incredible tapestries and taxidermy, and reimagined retro dishes.

The Zetter Townhouse is a 13-bedroom eclectic Georgian townhouse with an award-winning cocktail lounge, choice of event spaces, and bespoke food and drink menu located on the historic St John’s Square in London.  

Manor, Country House and Orangery Wedding Venues

Manor & Country House Wedding Venues

Hedsor House is a stunning exclusive use Georgian mansion with over 100 acres of private parkland, located in Buckinghamshire just a short distance from London.  Take advantage of the 24-hour stay over party option, your guests will love the nightclub lighting and cocktail bar, a great twist on the traditional décor.

Foxhill Manor, a private manor-house hotel, is one of the Cotswolds’ most amazing wedding venues.  The highlight being The Ballroom, which opens directly onto a terrace and gardens with amazing views of the Vale of Evesham.

Pynes House is an exclusive use, a country house in Devon set on its own 37-acre park.  Steeped in history, it is believed to have inspired Barton Park in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

Gosfield Hall, a stunning Georgian manor house in the glorious Essex countryside, offers grand and ornate reception rooms, Queen Charlotte’s Gallery with a 120-foot long aisle and Marquis of Buckingham’s Ballroom.

Leez Priory’s magnificent Tudor mansion located in Essex is one of the most sought-after wedding venues in the country.

Knowlton Court is a gorgeous country house manor with regal character, surrounded by hundreds of acres of charming parkland, near Canterbury in Kent.

Castle Green Hotel is situated in Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District, surrounded by breathtaking views of rolling countryside, Lakeland fells and the remains of Kendal Castle.

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Lakes District, has its own lake in 100 acres of private grounds with options to hold your wedding in the conservatory or a marquee.

Orangery Wedding Venues

Babington House is a Grade II listed manor house with an 18th century chapel in the heart of Somerset.

The Manor, a beautiful country mansion with vaulted ceilings built in 1235, is set within 12 acres of the exceptional British countryside in Somerset.

Pennard House, set on the last south facing slope of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, is the epitome of dreamy English elegance with a Grade II listed Georgian manor house, extensive landscaped gardens and a converted 18th-century coach house.

Sparkford Hall is a private mansion on 23 acres of beautiful parkland, orchards and gardens in Somerset.   Exclusive use of numerous bespoke event space and accommodation options, including the option to party until dawn in the private basement nightclub!

Washingborough Hall, set within beautiful secluded grounds with mature gardens in Lincolnshire, has its own private entrance to the village church and offers the newly completed Winston Room with an elegant orangery wedding venue style backdrop.

Wilderness Reserve radiates all that is beautiful and unique, offering a stunning Grade II listed Georgian manor house, extensive grounds and fabulous backdrop all sitting in the rural and rustic Suffolk countryside.

Ettington Park Hotel, in Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warwickshire, is a magnificent romantic gothic mansion built from six types of Cotswold stone and housed on a 40-acre estate.

Axnoller is home to three stunning large private houses with a mix of contemporary and antique features, set in 100 acres of rolling countryside in West Dorset.

Bignor Park epitomizes rural elegance in the heart of West Sussex, featuring the Greek Loggia, part of eleven acres of beautiful grounds, formal gardens, sweeping lawns, a temple and zen pond. 

Cowdray House is a spectacular country house in West Sussex, surrounded by historic parkland, including Cowdray Ruins. 

Iscoyd Park, a newly restored award winning Georgian country house in Wales, is surrounded by 18th Century Parkland, stunning gardens and a beautiful church on the estate.

Valentina’s Lost Orangery, an exclusive manor house in Wiltshire, harbours an inspired history and impressive fairytale-like grounds with gardens, a thatched boathouse, and orangery. This is without a doubt one of our favourite orangery wedding venues in the UK.

Thyme, a beautifully restored Southrop Manor Estate on the Oxfordshire Border in the Cotswolds, is the perfect setting for your quintessential English country wedding with a beautiful village church, manor house, and Medieval Tithe barn.

Gidleigh Park Hotel, an exclusive use country house hotel in Dartmoor, boasts fabulous views and a two Michelin Starred chef for a food and wine lovers dream wedding.

Bridwell House & Deer Park is an elegant Georgian house set in 100 acres of breath-taking parkland, featuring the house, a chapel, parkland, old stables and magnificent views across the Culm Valley in Devon.

Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons is situated in the picturesque Oxfordshire village of Great Milton.  It is one of the country’s most cherished manor house hotels with stunning gardens and a two Michelin star rating.

Hipping Hall, a boutique bolthouse, sits between the beautiful English Lake District and the rugged Yorkshire Dales, offering the perfect exclusive wedding venue for your intimate affair.

Inns & Pubs Wedding Venues

bridebook.co.uk the lord crewr arms

The Crown Inn, a 16th century Inn steeped in history and recently renovated into a stylish pub with rooms, is located in the heart of enchanting Old Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

Lord Crewe Arms is an Eleventh-Century Abbot’s Guest House in County Durham with vaulted rooms, flagstone floors, summer gardens, and famous northern hospitality.

Unique Wedding Venues

Bridebook.co.uk the west mill

The Sheene Mill is a magnificent 16th century Grade II listed water mill set on the River Mel in Cambridgeshire, with a view of the old mill pond and landscaped gardens.

The West Mill is a Grade I listed former industrial mill in Derbyshire dating back to the early 1800’s, restored and converted into a beautiful wedding venue. 

Dreamland, located on the Kent seaside, is a completely unique wedding venue, unlike anywhere else in the UK, where an amusement park soaked in history can be the backdrop to your memorable day.

Discover more unique wedding venues in the UK!

Combermere Abbey, a 900-year-old estate in Shropshire, offers exclusive use of the beautiful walled gardens where The Glasshouse, a truly unique fan-shaped building is surrounded by a fruit tree maze.  There is also the impressive Walled Garden Pavilion with an impressive star-lit ceiling. Definetely one of the most beautiful glass house wedding venues in the UK. 

Nutbourne Vineyards, West Sussex, is one of the premier wine producers in the South East.  The grounds include a timber built wine lodge nestled within the vines, an old windmill, 360-degree balcony, outdoor fire-pit, and tractor-drawn carriage for guest arrivals or vineyard tours.

Check out some of the most unusual wedding venues in the UK

In addition to these amazing venues, try entering your location and seeing which venues are nearest to you.  Filter the results by what’s important to you and you’ll be sure to find gems of all sorts for your wedding!  

Beyond venues, the Bridebook.co.uk website and iOS app also have loads of other wedding suppliers including photographers, videographers, caterers, florists, and beauty, hair & make-up, music providers, and much more to help sort out your wedding.  

No idea where to start with your wedding?  Bridebook.co.uk will kickstart your planning by creating a personalised wedding checklist and wedding budget for you, that guides you all along the way.  Keep track of all your wedding guests, wedding tasks, wedding costs and wedding suppliers in one place with Bridebook!

Happy Planning!

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The Ultimate Wedding Budget Breakdown 

Introduction: Your Wedding Legalities

bridebook.co.uk your wedding legalities

Marriage ceremonies can come in so many different and amazing forms. Whether it’s at a temple, mosque, synagogue, church or a registry office, a marriage partnership is one of the oldest traditions in many cultures. It can be difficult knowing exactly which wedding legalities each ceremony requires, both in terms of legal documents and religious proceedings. 

We’re here to help with all those tiny details so that whichever ceremony you choose goes flawlessly. You can even filter our massive venue directory search to only include venues that have a license.

Good, huh?

 

For Civil Ceremonies:

The first step you have to take for a civil ceremony is giving notice. You should give notice at least 28 days before the marriage is due to take place. If you live in a different location to where the ceremony will occur, you are also expected to notify the local register. The notice needs to be given by the couple in person.

For a civil ceremony, you will also want to make sure that the venue where you choose to get married is licensed to register marriages. Most venues that host weddings are properly licensed, but it is worth checking with them just in case! You will want to make sure the person marrying you is also properly authorised and that you have two competent witnesses who will sign the marriage register.

 

For Religious Ceremonies:

 

Church of England ceremonies

All British citizens have the option of getting married in the Church of England, providing the church is local to where they are registered. Otherwise, it needs to be the couple’s chosen place of worship or the bride and groom must be listed on the church’s electoral poll.

Although new same-sex marriage legislation is now in force, it remains the case that it is not legally possible for same-sex couples to marry in the Church of England. Exceptions to these rules can be made if you speak directly to the religious authority presiding in the church, who will be more than happy to help you with any of your queries. 

To get married in a church you must partake in the reading of the banns – basically a public announcement of your upcoming marriage! The banns are read on three consecutive Sundays within three months in the run-up to the wedding (the banns aren’t a requirement in Scotland). The couple should try to attend at least one of the readings and sometimes a number of Sunday services. 

More information can be found here: http://www.yourchurchwedding.org/

 

Roman Catholic ceremonies

For a Roman Catholic ceremony, you will need to bring your baptism and confirmation certificates to the meeting with your priest, at least six months before the ceremony. If one of you is unbaptised, you will need to seek permission from your chosen Church and the priest. You may sometimes be required to attend marriage preparation talks and Mass for six weeks before your wedding day.

 

Jewish and Quaker ceremonies

While you still need to give notice to the register office a minimum of 28 days prior to the ceremony, the officials performing the ceremony will be able to register the marriage for you.

 

All other religious ceremonies

For all other religious ceremonies, we advise you to contact your place of worship for information, as they will be able to advise you if you require a superintendent registrar to be present at your wedding or if the ministers or priests can register the marriage for you. If you do need a superintendent registrar to register your marriage, you should book them as soon as possible, as they will have to be present at your ceremony.  You will be required to give the 28-day notice at your local register office.

 

Additional Details:

Documentation

Once you have given notice (at least 28 days before the wedding), forms will be sent to you for you to fill in. You should include all relevant documentation, like birth certificates, death certificates and divorce certificates for those widowed/divorced, as well as proof of identity and nationality.

 

Time

In England, marriages used to be limited to the times between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., excluding Muslim and Jewish weddings. However, the law has been changed and it is possible to get married at a later time, but we do strongly advise you check with your venue, as some will still have time limitations.

 

Payments

You and your partner will each be required to pay £35 when giving notice. You will need to pay £45 if you have the ceremony at a registry office and more at other venues. The marriage certificate will cost you £4 on the day of the wedding and £10 after.

 

Wedding Insurance

Insurance is a wedding essential you should really not forget about. As soon as you establish a budget, start shopping around for insurance, it can realistically cost you anything between £20-£200. It will cover you in most eventualities, so nothing can deter you from having the best day of your life.

 

Immigration

If you or your partner is subject to immigration laws, there may be other legalities for you to consider and we recommend you seek advice from https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/religious-ceremonies.

 

Useful Contacts for Religious Ceremonies:

Baptist Union: 01235517700; baptist.org.uk

British Humanist Association: 02070793580; humanism.org.uk

Catholic Church: 02079014863; catholicchurch.org.uk

Catholic Marriage Care: 02073711341, marriagecare.org.uk

Church of England: 02078981000, cofe.anglican.org

Church of England Faculty Office: 02072225381; facultyoffice.org.uk

Church of Scotland: 01312255722; churchofscotland.org.uk

General Register Office for England and Wales: 08456037788, direct.gov.uk

General Register Office for Scotland: 01313144447; gro-scotland.gov.uk

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese: 02077234787; thyateira.org.uk

Humanist Society of Scotland: 08708749002; humanism-scotland.org.uk

Jewish Marriage Council: 02082036311, jmc-uk.org

The Methodist Church: 02074865502; methodist.org.uk

The United Reformed Church: 02079162020, urc.org.uk

Happy Planning!

 

If you enjoyed that article, here a few we suggest: 

Tips To The Groom: Writing Your Wedding Speech

8 Things To Do Now That You’re Engaged 

The Easiest and Smartest Way to Send Your Save the Dates

 

Bridal Makeup by Bobbi Brown

Bridebook was lucky enough to have Bobbi Brown herself spill all her wedding beauty secrets…she reveals all below:

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The gorgeous and inspirational Bobbi Brown herself

No matter your age, bridal makeup should be special. On your wedding day, you should look like yourself at your most beautiful. However, it’s not a time to try a look that is very trendy or radically different from your usual style. Wedding makeup should be long lasting, look amazing in photographs, and be timeless.

When you look at your wedding pictures ten years from now, you should still love the way you looked.

bridebook.co.uk bobbi brown shimmer brick
The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Block, perfect for giving your cheeks some colour for your wedding day.

Bridal makeup needs to have enough colour to compensate for the whiteness of the dress. Remember, there’s a big difference between everyday clothes and a wedding dress, so there should be difference in your makeup, too.

Start by making sure your skin looks even and smooth, and then add colour to your cheeks and lips to give them a glow. Finish with eye makeup that defines your eyes but doesn’t look overdone. To avoid feeling rushed, allow 45 minutes to an hour for makeup application on the wedding day.

Bridebook.co.uk-Bobbi Brown Concealer
Bobbi Brown’s concealer to cover dark circles under your eyes.

A few wedding beauty tips:

  • Emphasise your eyes by brightening any darkness under them with corrector and concealer. 
  • Set concealer and foundation with a sheer loose powder. Powder applied with a powder puff assures amazing wearability and reduces unwanted shine – a must-have look for pictures. 
  • Neutral, brown, and pale lip colours can look washed out in photographs, so choose a lipstick that’s one or two shades brighter than what you normally wear. If you usually wear a neutral hue, it should be worn as a base, with a pink or rose colour on top. If you typically wear dark lipstick, use that as the base, and apply a brighter pink on top to give the colour a lift. Pinks, roses and plums are all great, classic choices for brides.
  • Define your eyes by applying colour in the crease, but avoid using a shade that’s too dense or dark, as it can detract from the eyes themselves. 
  • Use a water-resistant liner that can withstand tears! If you prefer to line with shadow, make it last longer by applying it with a slightly damp eyeliner brush.
  • After applying all your makeup, finish with a highlighter shade on the brow bone to make the eyes pop. Rub your finger in a light matte shade, and pat lightly on the outer corner of the brow bone.
Bridebook.co.uk-Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color
Bobbi Brown’s Luxe Lip Colour, Pinks, roses and plums are all great classic lip colours for brides

And of course, make sure to take care of yourself on the inside too – eat well in the weeks leading up to your wedding, and try to exercise a few times a week. Drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated and refreshed, and take a relaxing bath the night before.

Most of all, be present! Slow down and appreciate what’s around you rather than rushing to get from start to finish.

Bridebook.co.uk-Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks
Bobbi Brown’s Foundation Sticks

Happy Planning!

Ready to book your make – up artist for your big day? Have a read of our useful article ‘15 Questions To Ask Your Make-Up Artist‘ 

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Hidden Wedding Costs Every Couple Needs To Know About

Hidden wedding costs can sneak up on even the most diligent of couples. It’s easy to forget to check whether a supplier’s service charge is included, for example… Only to find out a week before your wedding that you need to cough up an extra few hundred pounds! Nightmare.

So what should you look out for? Well, luckily for you, we’ve asked our experts and got the inside scoop. Read on to find out the hidden wedding costs you’d never think the budget for. We promise your wallet will thank you!

Psst! If you want to make even bigger savings, Bridebook is home to the most powerful wedding budget planner available. Simply enter your total wedding funds and in just one click, you’ll have your personalised wedding budget breakdown. Wave goodbye to spreadsheets and penny-pinching!

bridebook.co.uk hidden wedding costs uk

1. If you’re getting married in a church and want an organist, bellringer or choir, check if it’s included. It rarely is, meaning you’ll need to budget extra for the add-on.

2. Watch out for where you’re getting married when estimating costs! An off-site civil ceremony tends to cost more than a ceremony at a registry office.

3. Remember that you’ll rarely pay the base rate for your wedding dress. Wedding dress prices often don’t include the cost of any potential alterations – and you’ll usually need around three fittings to get it just right!

4. Don’t forget any delivery costs that come as extra. Many suppliers, from florists and cakemakers to hair and makeup artists, will charge a premium when delivering from a certain distance.

Bridebook.co.uk wedding stationary tips and prices

5. It’s a sneaky one, but check whether or not envelopes are included in the price of your wedding stationery. Can you believe they sometimes aren’t?!

Want even more wedding tips, tricks and inspiration? Check out our Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

6. Another stationery-related one for you: consider the cost of stamps – especially if you have family abroad! Depending on the weight of your invitations and how far they’ll have to travel, stamps can rack up fast.

Bridebook.co.uk wedding catering hidden costs

7. Feeling peckish? Plan in advance what you and your wedding party will snack on while you’re getting ready on the big day, even if it’s just some homemade sandwiches. Remember, you’ll probably be nervous. You might also have had a little something to drink… And we all know how easy it is to spend a small fortune on takeout when hunger strikes!

8. While reusing flowers from your ceremony at your reception can be a quick way to save a few bucks, you’ll need to check beforehand if you’re travelling between venues that it’s actually as cost-effective as you think. Your florist may well charge a fee for the extra work they’ll do to relocate displays between different locations.

9. If you’re filming your wedding, some musicians may charge a fee to have their performance filmed. Ask in advance so you’re not surprised on the day!

10. Don’t forget to tip! Make sure your wedding venue (or caterer) includes any compulsory service charges in their bill from the start. It can be an unpleasant (and costly!) surprise to have another 12.5% added to your bill at the last minute.

11. Something many couples forget is that their wedding team (think your photographer, videographer, entertainer, band or DJ, etc.) – may well be expecting to be fed. They won’t necessarily expect the same meal you’re serving your guests – although this can be an easy way to kill two birds with one stone – but do check their contracts, as some will stipulate hot meals be provided. Whether it’s part of their contract or not, we’d always advise that best practice is to make sure your suppliers are provided for.

12. Definitely don’t forget about corkage fees. This is a charge many venues will add onto alcohol bought elsewhere – and it can add up fast. This means that even if you found alcohol for sale at bargain prices, it might no longer be cheaper than buying from the venue once you consider how much the venue will charge you to serve it.

13. If you’re having a marquee at your wedding, make sure to take out insurance to cover any potential damage. It’s not worth the risk of going without!

14. One detail it’s easy to forget – but impossible to avoid – is transport! How are you getting to your ceremony, from there to your reception, and finally back to your accommodation? Whether you need a car, a tractor or a horse, factor the cost of that wedding transport in.

15. We know, we know – we sound like a broken record. But don’t forget about VAT! Check whether or not it’s included and read the small print to avoid any surprises.

16. Your main focus might be on your wedding day but it’s important to budget for any post-wedding spending, as these costs can be significant. For example, you might need to dry clean clothing, buy thank you notes for your guests, and so on.

While we can’t guarantee that covers absolutely everything, those are the top things we’d look out for – and even they could save you hundreds of pounds! One final tip is to make sure you note everything down in one place and make sure the terms of all your arrangements are crystal clear to both parties. That way, you’re on top of everything – and you won’t need to worry about any unexpected surprises!

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How To Write Your Wedding Speech (Grooms’ Edition)

As a groom, your wedding speech can be one of the most important parts of your wedding day. It’s your big chance to tell everyone how wonderful the love of your life is – but don’t freak out! We’ve put together this handy guide that will take you through writing, preparing and delivering a killer groom wedding speech.

Of course, an individual speech might not be for you– and in that case, why not give a joint speech with your partner? It takes the pressure off and is a great way to kick off your marriage as a real unit. Otherwise, read on for our top tips on writing the groom’s wedding speech.

How To Get Started With Your Groom’s Speech

1. Ask For Help

If you’re not sure where to start with your wedding speech – well, you’re in the right place! But there’s nothing better than talking to people who’ve already done it. What are your married friends glad they did and what do they wish they’d done differently? If you still have a few weddings to attend before your own, pay close attention to the speeches too.

2. Brainstorm

There are a few things you’ll definitely cover in your speech so start off with a brainstorm. What do you definitely want to mention? Who do you absolutely need to thank and what stories are you certain you want to tell?

How To Write Your Groom’s Speech

There’s no right or wrong way to give a groom’s speech – so do what you want! But if you need some help, here’s a simple structure to use as a starting point:

1. Say thank you

If you’re part of a couple made up of a bride and groom, it’s likely you’ll be the second speech of the evening as it’s tradition for the groom’s speech to follow the father of the bride’s. In this case, you may want to start by thanking him for his kind words – and, of course, raising his wonderful daughter! 

Psst! If there is a father of the bride who needs some ideas for his speech, check out our top tips for him here.

Otherwise, you’ll either want to start off by thanking the person who spoke before you – whether that’s your partner themselves or one of their parents – or by thanking your guests. At this point, you might also want to mention any absent friends, including those who’ve passed away.

Next, thank your best man (or woman) and ushers. (Top tip: now’s a good time to jump in and mock yourself before your best man has a chance to!) And make sure to give a few moments to your partner’s half of the wedding party too, whether that’s another set of groomsmen or the bridal party.

2. Give Your Family Some Love

Now it’s time to give your families some love. Thank your family for their support and thank your partner’s family for bringing up such a wonderful person! Shout out any relatives who’ve been a particular help in the wedding planning process. Now’s also a good time to mention any funny anecdotes about meeting your new in-laws…

3. Talk About Your Partner

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for: speaking about the love of your life. Now’s your time to tell everyone what makes them the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Why did you fall in love? What are you excited for about your life together?

4. Thank Everyone Again

Close your speech with one last thanks to your guests and wedding party… Then sit back and prepare yourself for the best (wo)man’s speech!

Preparing the Groom’s Speech

1. Cut It Down

The best speeches are short and sweet – so even if you want to thank every person and tell every story, be ruthless. Keep it to the must-haves.

2. Get A Second Opinion

Practise your speech with a close friend and get their thoughts. But don’t practise too much – leave yourself room to relax into it.

Delivering the Groom’s Speech

1. Work Out The Running Order

If your partner is also giving a speech, have a quick chat with them about who will go first. Never make assumptions!

2. Do A Soundcheck

Make sure to test the mics beforehand. If you don’t have time on the day, ask one of your groomsmen to step up.

3. Get It On Camera

If you don’t have a videographer, make sure someone films your speech (as well as everyone else’s). You don’t want to forget this moment!

4. Relax

The key to delivering a killer speech? Relax, have fun with it and enjoy the moment. As long as you speak from the heart, any speech you give will be absolutely perfect.

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How Much Does a Wedding Venue Cost? The Average 2024 Revealed

When it comes to planning your wedding, there will be plenty of important choices to make – ranging from the enormous to the teeny tiny. Many of these choices will be optional, but one of the biggest will be making sure you choose the right venue. After all, it’s where you and your guests will spend the entire day and can’t be changed once the big day arrives.

As you work out your wedding budget, you’ll need to make sure you dedicate enough toward your ideal venue. Whether it’s a hotel, a golf course, a vineyard, a village hall, or anywhere else you want to marry that special someone, you’ll need to budget accordingly. 

Below, we’re going to take a look at the average cost of a wedding venue, what’s included in that cost, and any unexpected fees you should look out for.

How much does the average wedding venue cost?

Photo © Dorfold Hall | See their Bridebook profile

With the average total cost of a wedding in the UK rising to £20,775, over a third of that cost is likely to go towards the venue. In 2024, the average cost of a wedding venue is around £8,000-£10,000 (£9,877 to be exact). Of course, this figure can vary dramatically depending on different factors, including the type of venue and where in the country the venue is located.

For example, our 2024 UK Wedding Report found that couples in London pay an average of £14,357 for their venue, compared to Wales where the average is £7,641. However, that’s not to say that one is better than the other – it’s all a matter of taste, what’s right for you, and how far you and your guests want to travel.

It’s also important to remember that you won’t necessarily have to travel great distances to find a venue that works for your budget. For instance, venue prices at London Shenley Club, found in beautiful Hertfordshire, start from as low as £550.

How can the cost of a wedding venue vary?

Costs taken from our 2024 UK Wedding Report, based on data gathered from ~6,000 married and engaged couples, representing an average for venue types across the UK

There’s a range of wedding venues available across the UK, so whatever your budget you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something to your taste:

  • Affordable – £3,000 – £5,000
  • Moderate – £5,000 – £10,000
  • Luxury – £10,000 – £15,000
  • Super luxury – £15,000+

How does the type of venue affect the cost?

Costs taken from our 2024 UK Wedding Report, based on data gathered from ~6,000 married and engaged couples, representing an average for venue types across the UK

The type of wedding venue you choose affects the price, with certain types of venue costing significantly more than others on average. According to our 2024 UK Wedding Report, couples are more likely to spend the most on venues for weddings at castles, stately homes and country houses, and the least on registry offices, places of worship and restaurants.

Here’s a breakdown of the average cost depending on the venue type, based on data gathered from almost 4,000 couples married and engaged in 2024:

  • Castle – £12,454
  • Stately home – £10,716
  • Country house – £9,700
  • Golf course – £8,792
  • Event venue – £7,422
  • Hotel – £7,324
  • Barn – £6,897
  • Outdoor – £6,800
  • City venue – £6,717
  • Restaurant – £5,526
  • Place of worship – £5,480
  • Registry office – £1,342

What does the cost of a wedding venue include?

Photo © Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa | See their Bridebook profile

The cost of the venue will include rental of the space itself, however, it can also include additions and the use of certain facilities, such as:

  • Tables and chairs
  • Linens, such as tablecloths, napkins and chair covers
  • Lighting and sound
  • Wine and bubbles for the tables
  • Bar services
  • Catering
  • Coordination and setup

Exactly what’s included in the cost of the venue is something that you’ll need to confirm with the venue. For example, some venues won’t have catering facilities and will require you to arrange your own vendors. For more information check out our post featuring questions to ask your wedding venue.

Why are wedding venues so expensive?

Photo © Brookfield Barn | See their Bridebook profile

Mark Dawson, the former owner and operator of Brookfield Barn and expert on all things venue-related, explains why wedding venues are often so expensive:

“Couples benefit from being “one-time customers” that venues are trying to attract and therefore price is a key lever. The venue market has become extremely competitive with diminishing margins. So many features at the top of couples’ lists come with high maintenance costs. For example, listed and historic buildings, extensive grounds. Remember you are paying such that the venue is maintained in a way to be at its best on your big day – and every other couple has the same expectation.”

“Exclusivity on your day means you are the sole revenue stream for the venue. So when faced with budget challenges, take time to prioritise what is most important. Is it exclusivity on the day for your wedding, is it the historic setting, is it the extensive grounds, is it having it for multiple days to set up and clear up, is it having lots of staff support from the venue for planning it all – they all drive the price point that the venue needs to continue to operate.”

What factors can affect the cost of a wedding venue?

Photo © Beamish Hall | See their Bridebook profile

We’ve already highlighted how the type and location can affect the cost of a venue, but there are plenty of factors that can contribute towards how much you might pay for your dream venue.

Size

Naturally, the higher the number of guests you’d like to invite, the larger the venue will need to be. Of course, it makes sense that a venue with a 30-person capacity will usually be more affordable than one that can accommodate several hundred.

Region

Where you are in the UK plays a huge part in how much you’ll pay for a venue. For instance, couples in London will pay around 50% more than the national average.

Dates

As you might imagine, venue prices vary depending on the season. When it comes to choosing a wedding date, spring, summer, and even autumn dates are more popular than winter. As a result, you’ll likely find that it’s more affordable to secure a date in January or February than it is in July or August.

Similarly, Fridays and the weekend – particularly Saturday – are more expensive than weekdays, as well as specific dates like Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve.

It may be possible to grab a bargain if you’re open to a last-minute booking during off-peak times or based on a cancellation – though this risks you missing out by catching vendors and guests off-guard. Here at Bridebook, we offer late availability deals at many of our partner venues – just filter by ‘Special Offers’ when searching for a wedding venue.

Packages

The majority of wedding venues will have packages that can include anything from a glass of bubbly for the guests on arrival to a free stay for the newlyweds on the night. If you definitely don’t want one of these, you can ask your chosen venue if they can exclude some items to give you a lower price.

Catering

According to our 2024 UK Wedding Report, two thirds of couples choose venues that include catering in their offering. However, couples also spend almost £4,000 more on average for venues that include catering, making venues that don’t include catering the cheaper option when considering just the venue alone.

Costs taken from our 2024 UK Wedding Report, based on data gathered from ~6,000 married and engaged couples, representing an average for venue types across the UK
  • Average wedding venue cost without catering – £6,084
  • Average wedding venue cost with catering – £9,877

Exclusive use

Exclusive use of the wedding venue means that you and your guests will be the only ones on the premises during your special day, so you don’t need to worry about anybody accidentally stumbling in and helping themselves to the buffet. Normally, venues that offer exclusivity will charge slightly more, but it’s definitely worth it.

What are some unexpected costs or fees at a venue?

Photo © Hedingham Castle | See their Bridebook profile

When speaking with the venue, you should clarify early on what is and isn’t covered, otherwise you may find yourselves being hit with one or two (or six or seven!) surprise costs that can cause your budget to spiral.

Some potential hidden fees to be mindful of include:

  • Taxes
  • Gratuities
  • Security deposit to cover loss and damages
  • Cleaning fees
  • Insurance
  • Overtime fees
  • Corkage fees

How much does it cost to decorate a wedding venue?

Photo © Parley Manor | See their Bridebook profile

Once you’ve chosen your venue and signed on the dotted line, there may be additional costs to bear in mind to make sure it’s decorated to perfectly match your tastes. Decoration hire, such as unique lighting and features, may not be included in the cost and is another cost to factor into your budget.

Have you discovered your dream venue? 

Are you planning your wedding and umming and ahhing over the perfect venue Bridebook’s wedding planning tools provide you with everything you need to find your venues, caterers, photographers, music and more!

And if you’re looking for ways to save money on your wedding venue, we’ve got plenty of money-saving tips to help you stay firmly within your budget.

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Happy Planning!

5 ways to fail or nail SEO in 2018

 

If you’ve set up a wedding website for your wedding business, you’re in the SEO game.

And with the search landscape guaranteed to become more competitive throughout 2018 you need to make sure that you aren’t ruining your chances of ever ranking well; regardless of how much time and effort you want to spend on developing your website ranking right now.

 

Ensuring that brides and grooms can actually find you is pretty darn important and being able to rank highly without having to pay for the privilege is an art. However it’s a logical and systematic art form that is actually pretty easy to nail – if you know the basics.

Here are some simple things you can do – or not do – to improve your chances of becoming a major player in the SEO sphere and to reduce your chances of sabotaging your wedding business (eek)…

1. Choose your keywords wisely

There’s a place for broad keyword phrases but your main focus in 2018 has to be local keywords.

Broad keywords are classed as general words or phrases, such as “weddings” or “wedding venue”, and they’re highly competitive. Yes, it’s good to include these generic phrases in body content but you should set your primary keyword phrase for each page as something specific and where possible, local.

 

An example of local keywords could be: “wedding venue Ware, Hertfordshire”. This local term should be set as your H1 or H2 (depending on how your website is tiered). These are the first and second headings on the page you’re choosing to edit and they will signal to crawlers what your page is about and the specific keywords that relate to your topic.

People are more search savvy than ever before and they’ll type highly specific requests into Google and other search engines. Think about it; when do you ever search for the phrase “restaurants”. You’d have a job sifting through your options unless you searched for “restaurants near me” or “restaurants in Soho, London”.

Head to this previous Bridebook article for tips on developing a local SEO strategy.

 

2. Meta data matters

Meta data is the ‘language of search engines’ and it’s what Google-bots will read to find out what your pages and posts are about.

Meta data is essentially just keyword phrases and words describing the contents of each page on your website, and each page should have its own unique title tags, meta tags and page description.

 

Your images rank alongside your content so you also have to make sure that you include Alt tags so that images are fully optimised.

If you’re using a content management system like WordPress, you’ll have access to this information and will be able to formulate and input your own tags and descriptions. However if you’ve created your website via a developer using a custom built CMS, you’ll need to contact them to request unique meta data on each of your website pages.

 

3. Anchor text ensures that internal links don’t drift from the core topic

One of the easiest ways to improve your SEO is to use anchor text wisely.

 

Links to other pages on your website or external pages should be optimised so that Google knows why they’re being referred to another source. Inconsistencies in subject matter and links that don’t flow between relatable topics signal to Google that there’s dodgy link business happening on your website.

For example, we might choose to send our readers to a related SEO post, so I’d include an anchor text link in this phrase: find out more about the latest SEO techniques for wedding pro’s in an earlier Bridebook post.

We’ve told Google and our readers what the page is about before we’ve sent anyone anywhere.

Top tip: broken links harm SEO efforts. Regularly check all site links to make sure you’re not harming your website ranking over something so easily solvable.

 

4. Don’t run before your website is crawled

In order for Google to rank your website in the search engines or update your ranking after you make improvements, Google bots need to “crawl” your website. In simple terms, they need to find and scan your content before they can index it (or add it into search) so that it can be discovered by potential clients.

 

To ensure that your website is regularly crawled, check that you’ve created a sitemap and that your sitemap is submitted to Google Webmaster Tools.

By default, every WordPress post and page is indexed so once again, you’ll only have to request the above are completed manually if you’re not using WordPress CMS.

 

5. Keep up the (good) content

So you already know the importance of website content. Not just any content but regular, informative, keyword rich and user friendly content.

It’s getting competitive out there in the big wide world of wedding websites but you can still make a big impact on your sector by leading the way with rich content.

Boring, badly written content is picked up by Google bots and they can detect spelling mistakes, bad grammar and poor syntax which is bad news for your website and will harm rankings.

 

Approach wedding website SEO improvements with determination (but patience) this year

SEO is a long term (in fact, lifelong) strategy and you won’t experience instant results; even if you made every possible positive change today.

 

Sure, you’ll see some results quickly but others may take months or even years – quite simply because we’re all dependent on search engines and the process of crawling, indexing and ranking.

 

Are you interested in finding out more about the advanced SEO predictions of 2018?

Whether you’re an SEO expert, are brand new to the search engine game or would rate yourself somewhere in the middle, you should know that Moz is a fantastic reference site.

And Moz co-founder Rand Fishkin has a new year tradition which is to predict SEO trends for the coming year. And he’s more often than not correct (or at least not entirely wrong) with his predictions which is no mean feat in the unpredictable landscape that is search engine optimisation.

We’re going to leave the more enthusiastic SEO-ers with 9 Predictions for SEO in 2018.

Enjoy!

 

Looking for more wedding industry supplier stories and couple insights? Head to the Bridebook Business Hub, the home of wedding industry knowledge. 

/article/bridebook-business-article-hub

The Best Wedding Photos of 2017

 

No one loves weddings as much as we do. We can promise you that.

And it’s not just because of the white dress or the flowers or the cake – although we do love cake-, but because of the magic. The wedding magic that can electrify the shyest of guests into dancing queen mode and make the toughest of grooms shed more than just a tear or two at the altar. Let’s face it, it’s that magic that makes weddings as special as they are.

And who is there to witness it all? The photographers!

This year, we challenged hundreds of Bridebook’s best wedding photographers to one simple task: Send us your most unique, outrageous, tender and funny wedding photos from your 2017 weddings and share those special moments for all to enjoy!

So without further ado, here are some of the very best wedding photos of 2017, and the ones we thought had that extra special something!

Click the link to each artist’s Bridebook profile if you would like to see more from them, or book them for your own special day!

 

Before the storm…

1.

bridebook.co.uk bridesmaids before the wedding
Photo © Simon Grosset / Q-Photography | More from Simon

2.

bridebook.co.uk breatfeeding before wedding
Photo © Jonny Draper | More from Jonny

3.

bridebook.co.uk putting on the dress
Photo © Paul Read Photography | More from Paul

4.

bridebook.co.uk don't get champagne on the bride
Photo © Daniel Marshall / DM Photography | More from Daniel

5.

bridebook.co.uk someone lost a shoe
Photo © Phil Barrett | More from Phil

6.

bridebook.co.uk babies and peddies before the wedding
Photo © Vine House Studios | More from Vine House Studios

7.

bridebook.co.uk groomsmen get ready before wedding
Photo © Andrew Morgan Photography | More from Andrew

 

Ceremony time… 

8.

bridebook.co.uk crying groom
Photo © Rob Burress / Shootinghip | More from Rob

9.

bridebook.co.uk the ceremony
Photo © Patrick Leverton Photography | More from Patrick

10.

bridebook.co.uk reading tintin at the ceremony
Photo © Lyndsey Goddard | More from Lyndsey

11.

bridebook.co.uk little girl at wedding
Photo © Drew Findlay Photography | More from Drew

 

aaaand we’re married! 

12.
bridebook.co.uk funny bride with veil over her face
Photo © Emma & Rich | More from Emma & Rich

13.

bridebook.co.uk happy brides
Photo © Clare Tam-Im Photography | More from Clare

14.

bridebook.co.uk happy couple leaving ceremony
Photo © Darren Powell / Everybody Smile Photography | More from Darren

15.

bridebook.co.uk couple on a row boat
Photo © Lars May | More from Lars

16.

Photo © Nik Bryant Photography | More from Nik

17.

bridebook.co.uk bride and groom and their kids
Photo © Richard & Christine / kazooieloki | More from kazooieloki

 

Party time!

18.
bridebook.co.uk wedding party
Photo © Bhavna Barratt | More from Bhavna

19.

bridebook.co.uk bride and grandma
Photo © Clive Blair Photography | More from Clive

20.

bridebook.co.uk laughing guests
Photo © John Hope Photography | More from John

21.

bridebook.co.uk bride drinking
Photo © Michael Wells Photography | More from Michael

22.

bridebook.co.uk bride and bridesmaids down the slide
Photo © Richard & Christine / kazooieloki | More from kazooieloki

23.

bridebook.co.uk groomsmen throw groom in the air
Photo © Dave Watts Photography | More from Dave

24.

bridebook.co.uk family with mustache
Photo © John Steel Photography | More from John 

25.

bridebook.co.uk star wars wedding
Photo © Dan Baillie Photography | More from Dan

26.

bridebook.co.uk wedding games
Photo © Will Barber / Love Heart Photography | More from Will

27.

bridebook.co.uk throwing the bouquet
Photo © Alexa Poppe Wedding Photography | More from Alexa

28.

bridebook.co.uk girls drinking at the bar
Photo © Paul Liddement  | More from Paul

29.

bridebook.co.uk lady dancing with the lads
Photo © Emma & Rich | More from Emma & Rich

30.

bridebook.co.uk bride flies over guests
Photo © Soven Amatya | More from Soven

31.

bridebook.co.uk ladies at the wedding
Photo © Pete & Sara / Pixies in the Cella | More from Pixies in the Cellar

32.

bridebook.co.uk sleeping at the wedding
Photo © Soven Amatya | More from Soven

33.

bridebook.co.uk little girl sleeping at the party
Photo © Graham Charles Photography | More from Graham

 

Newlywed photos that melted our BB hearts… 

34.

bridebook.co.uk groom picks up bride
Photo © Gavin Conlan Photography | More from Gavin

35.

bridebook.co.uk dancing in picadilly circus
Photo © Helen Sarah Pictures | More from Helen Sarah Pictures

36.

bridebook.co.uk bride and groom in the toilet
Photo © Andy Li Photography | More from Andy 

37.

bridebook.co.uk brides drive away from party
Photo © Sarah Hoyle Photography | More from Sarah

38.

bridebook.co.uk happy bride and groom
Photo © The Hendrys | More from The Hendrys

39.

bridebook.co.uk couple and the pigs
Photo © Tom Calton Photo & Film Ltd | More from Tom

40.

bridebook.co.uk beautiful bride and groom
Photo © Simon Heron / Southampton Wedding Photography | More from Simon

41.

bridebook.co.uk calm after the storm
Photo © Will Barber / Love Heart Photography | More from Will

And, finally…

Here’s to another year of magic-filled weddings!

(and stress-free wedding planning) 

42.

bridebook.co.uk the coolest bride
Photo © Carine Bea Photography | More from Carine

Love, Bridebook.

Planning your wedding? Sign-up to Bridebook today!

Are you are a UK wedding photographer? Get listed on Bridebook for free here! 

Still looking for your wedding venue? We have the biggest database in the UK and it’s as easy to use as Airbnb. Find your dream venue here! 

Looking for more incredible wedding content? Follow our award-winning Instagram account! 

Hot wedding trend 2018 – let the purple reign

We’d like to introduce all UK wedding suppliers to ultra violet purple – your Pantone colour of the year.

 

Last year’s colour theme of the year was Greenery and we definitely saw a surge in brides and grooms opting for green decor and garland style floral installations.

The Pantone colour of the year is always a strong indicator of wedding trends to come so expect to find couples requesting fifty shades of purple this year!

We think it’s the most beautiful colour for weddings – adding a calm sophistication and often regal touch to any tableware, flowers or decor, and there are a lot of ways to incorporate accents of this colour in a wedding theme or to go all out and let the purple reign.

Now is the time to start thinking about designs, decorations and photographs that incorporate ultra violet purple to ensure that you position your wedding business as relevant and on trend in time for peak wedding season.

Here are a few ideas to inspire you to incorporate this 2018 wedding trend in your wedding supplier collection…

 

Purple wedding flowers

Perhaps your clients will want to really embrace the ultra violet vibes…

 

Or perhaps they’d prefer to mix ultra violet with more subtle lavender tones…

 

Will the newly engaged couples you work with opt for strong purples and deep velvet ribbons…

 

Or splash the brightest purples across garlands and amongst greenery for a bold look that builds on last years hot trend…

 

Keep it simple for couples who don’t want to spend a fortune on purple centrepieces…

 

 

And why not recommend that couples use lavender as a cost effective way to add a bohemian edge (and a beautiful scent) to a purple wedding theme. They’ll appreciate your advice and will trust you more for it.

 

 

Purple wedding cake

Design beautiful wedding cakes that combine deep purple with a marbled effect – another hot trend of 2018…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/AUxEgaLTZSLTYAYkvfRhtHJERqW7apjH1nNE02MLOTS8eqjlVU7-u8k/

 

For more traditional wedding cakes add a textured mauve layer…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/300052393913944633/

 

Or opt for a naked wedding cake and use purple fruits and flowers to decorate. Simple yet effective…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/55591376624187653/

 

Swot up on these types of dessert table delights. The “help yourself” dessert table is set to replace traditional wedding breakfast desserts in 2018…

 

Purple wedding decorations

Feature photographs of an elegant, purple themed wedding breakfast table on your wedding website to capture the hearts and minds of trendy 2018 couples…

 

Include purple paper lanterns in your product portfolio for couples wanting accents of colour rather than swathes of it…

 

Or be very clever and show couples how effective purple lighting can look alongside sophisticated whites and crystal table decorations…

 

We just love these lavender mason jars…

 

Purple wedding stationery

Showcase bright and elegant wedding invitations on your website that incorporate purples but remain traditional in style…

 

Show 2018 couples that you also cater to contemporary stationery themes with this bold, dramatic and stylish purple invitation…

 

And add beautiful botanical wedding invitations to your purple collection – always a crowd pleaser…

 

Ultra violet purple and gold – the edit

Purple and gold look so great together. We wouldn’t be surprised if Harry and Meghan opt for a similar dramatic yet expensive-looking theme.

For a truly regal look add elaborate gold metals to your wedding collection…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/AelJe2icBWc7A8v3Q-XfuKFDyeU6mNu7NUQZT7XcQefI5WnXbWhvOB0/

 

Gold cutlery is hot stuff and we’ve seen a rise in requests for it over the past year or so. With the arrival of purple as a key colour of 2018, expect a surge in requests for gold tableware and purple glassware and chargers – this style of table setting is going to be hot property…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/318911217354416861/

 

Or prepare for couples to flip the colour scheme around and opt for purple tablecloths and gold chargers. We love this look for a winter wedding whereas the above could work all year round.

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/338121884516529722/

 

This beautiful wedding cake uses just a touch of purple with the subtle focus being the gold leaf detail and drops of liquid gold…

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/522910206719079412/

 

It’s time to stock up on colourful ideas for your wedding business

 

We have it on good authority that ultra violet purple will be making an appearance on engaged couples Pinterest boards any day now – and it should certainly be splashed across yours too if you want to be seen as a hot and relevant wedding supplier this year.

 

We guarantee that your competitors will be considering when to place their first order of purple flowers now, as well as researching where best to source ultra violet purple table decorations like napkins, plates, tablecloths, glassware and chargers. And we’ll soon see the leading stationery companies showcasing purple themed wedding invites.

 

Get ahead of the game and start investing in ultra violet wedding decorations and ideas now to luxe up your portfolio and win the hearts (and bookings) of couples this year.


Looking for more wedding industry trends and couple insights? Head to the Bridebook Business Hub, the home of wedding industry knowledge. 

/article/bridebook-business-article-hub

How to become a winning wedding supplier in 2018

 

All those things you promised yourself you’d do differently last year can finally be put into practice and you could make 2018 your best year of weddings yet.

 

That is, as long as you’re prepared to make positive changes now.

Here are 3 things that the most successful wedding suppliers of 2018 will be doing right now and throughout 2018. If you want to have a winning year too, you’d best get started…

 

1. Be stringent with time management and communications

Think back to how busy you were during peak wedding season 2017. Wouldn’t it be incredible if you could be equally as busy this year but without the added stress of feeling like there simply aren’t enough hours in the day?

 

Streamline your communications now and you’ll soon notice how much more efficiently you’re managing your time, and how much more you’re able to get done. We strongly recommend that you write down a basic communication plan and stick to it as closely as you can. It could look something like this:

 

  • Enquiry: respond via email within 24 hours (tip – prepare a template and include personalisation fields)
  • Follow up email / phone call: if you haven’t heard back since the initial enquiry, schedule a follow up email and / or phone call 5-7 days later.
  • First meeting: organise a first meeting to discuss ideas and secure the booking. At this meeting, inform your clients of how you prefer to work in terms of ongoing communication between now and their wedding day. Perhaps you could share a Google document with the couple and ask them to input all of their ideas and requests there, and let them know that you’ll be free to discuss all ideas exactly 12, 10 or 8 months before their wedding day – whichever schedule works for both you as the wedding supplier and for the couple in question.
  • Ongoing communication: set your second meeting (whether face to face, skype or phone call) and schedule a final pre-wedding meeting with the couple so that they feel comfortable knowing that you’re in control of things. This also helps you better manage your time.

 

 

Prepare for ad hoc email communications and phone calls but try to keep all communications direct and concise – it’s simply a better use of everyone’s time.

 

2. Be clear on your goals

What do you hope to achieve in 2018, both personally and professionally? It’s important to consider what a better wedding business and a better life means to you, and to think about how these elements tie together.

If you’re challenging yourself to generate more revenue and more bookings but are also determined to secure a better work-life balance this year, you’ll have to consider building a bigger team to free up your time. Is this financially feasible?

Carefully consider your objectives for this year and document three clear goals for you to work towards and remind yourself of regularly. Checking in monthly will provide reflection; enabling you to see how you’re progressing and helping you stay on track.

 

 

Tip: you’re much more likely to do something if you write it down so even if you work alone, note down your goals and display them in your office so they’re clear for you to see!

 

3. Build your online presence

It is getting more and more difficult to get noticed online but it’s absolutely essential that you try and that you’re consistently dedicating a fair proportion of your time to doing so.

Consistently produce and upload fresh, new, high quality content and stay abreast of new developments in SEO. If you’ve already got a great website and are present on social channels and online wedding planning tools like Bridebook, consider working with a local SEO consultant or digital marketing specialist to boost your presence and further build authority in search results.

 

 

Local pros can be found on Linked In and on specialist freelance sites like UpWork, but be careful to ask for examples of work and demonstrable experience before engaging a freelancer as specialist sites don’t always mean specialist services!

We’ll be sharing our top SEO tips right here, at Bridebook Business Hub, throughout the year so if you’re keen to have a go at becoming an online marketing pro yourself, stay tuned for hot new tips and tricks.

 

It’s time to change the game

To make a positive long-term impact on your business it’s essential that you focus on making small changes today. These super achievable game changing tips will make your life easier and your business better. Start today and become this year’s winning wedding supplier.

 

Looking for more wedding industry trends and couple insights? Head to the Bridebook Business Hub, the home of wedding industry knowledge. 

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Supplier Stories: The Key to the Granary Estates’ ‘New Wedding Venue’ Success

Welcome to this week’s Supplier Story! ‘Supplier Stories’ is an original Bridebook Business article series, where we go behind-the-scenes and into the wedding world through those that know it best – the experienced and talented venues and suppliers across the UK.

So whether this is your first story or 10th, enjoy as we look into the industry as a whole, and celebrate a true story in itself! Who says couples have all the fun?

The Granary Estates’ Supplier Story:

 

This week we shine the spotlight on Lynne, Marketing Co-ordinator at The Granary Estates. This beautiful venue comprises two rustic barns joined together by a modern glass walkway. The Granary Girls manage to attract couples from all over the world to celebrate their special day in this equally special setting. The Granary Barns opened in April 2013 and this dynamic young team are taking these stunning barns from strength to strength – read on to find out how!

So without further ado, Lynne over to you!

 

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

 Hello! We are the GG’s (aka The Granary Girls) and we are the team behind the award-winning Granary Estates! The Estates consists of two venues located on the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire border; The Granary Barns and The Polo Club Dullingham. With its classic flint walls and original timber beams throughout, our 18th century Granary Barn is the perfect setting for a relaxed and intimate wedding day. The Polo club in Dullingham offers space, flexibility and versatility for those looking for a blank canvas. We operate all year round, sharing our love and passion for all things wedding!

 

2. Share the story of Granary Estates?

 The Granary Estates opened its doors in April 2013 and has continued to grow ever since! We have just completed our fifth summer wedding season, seeing our newlyweds travel from as far as Australia and America this year.

Mr. Taylor, owner of The Granary Estates, grew up on the farm and had the idea to renovate the barns after attending a family wedding on the site. By implementing a stunning glass walkway, we were able to link both the smaller Flint Barn and the main Granary Barn, creating an exclusive venue space with bundles of natural light and flexibility whilst maintaining the barns natural charm and character.

 

 

3. What’s your favourite part of the venue?

 We love every part of the barns but if we had to choose, there’s something very special about The Flint Barn. The untouched, original timber beams give the barn an intimate and warm atmosphere as guests arrive at the venue. The flint walls add a rustic charm and are the perfect backdrop for the many civil ceremonies that take place here.

 

 4. What drew you to the wedding world?

 Working in weddings and events we understand how important it is to make sure our couples are stress free and able to enjoy themselves on the lead up to and on their big day. A persons wedding day is one of the most important and special days of their lives and we are honoured to be able to be a part of that. Being in the wedding industry, we enjoy working with people and find great job satisfaction in helping others to achieve their ultimate goal, whether it be through helping them to source a photographer to helping pin the button hole on to the groom’s lapel at the last minute!

 

 5. What do you see as the biggest challenge in the wedding industry currently?

 Nobody can escape just how fast technology and the online industries are growing. It’s quite a hard topic to pin down, but we feel that as much as Pinterest is a fantastic platform to explore with its various ideas, planning and inspiration, this can sometimes work as a negative for some brides/grooms when planning their wedding. We feel that having these aspirational ideas from the beginning can sometimes put pressure on newly engaged couples to create the ‘perfect’ wedding. We love to encourage creativity and those all-important personal touches here at The Granary Estates and will always try to help and guide our couples if they are struggling with certain decorations or styling options. We ultimately want their wedding day to reflect them as a couple as this is what makes a wedding unique to them.

 

 

 6. What wedding venue trends are you seeing in the industry?

 In the past few years we have noticed an increase in historical and industrial venues; those venues that can offer space and versatility to couples who want to create a wedding totally unique to them. The tradition of the bride’s family paying for the wedding is slowly fading out and in its place, we see far more couples paying for the wedding on their own. We can therefore understand how couples are preferring to have the flexibility to pick and choose certain elements of the day, being far more knowledgeable with budgets and how they can make the day work better for them. We believe this is why venues with built in character and interesting aesthetics have become more desirable as in a lot of cases there is more freedom with regards to decoration and on the flip side, less need for additional styling of so desired.

 

 7. What is the biggest challenge you face on the wedding day itself?

 Our main goal on every wedding day is to ensure that our soon-to-be-wed couple are happy, relaxed and are enjoying every minute. Every wedding is as important as the last and as a luxury venue, we ensure our high standards are met with great communication throughout the planning process within our team and external suppliers. There are no dress rehearsals on a wedding day and we have just one chance to get it right! We go in to every wedding day fully prepared and excited to watch them celebrate one of the best days of their lives!

 

 8. How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

 There has been a massive change in how we market and advertise in the industry over the past 3 years. As social media platforms, blogging and online interaction show no signs of slowing down, we as a business have had to adapt and embrace these changes. Couples are now able to plan their weddings from anywhere in the world, on any device which has totally changed the wedding and creative industries.  We like to use our social media to inspire and interact with our followers, making their experience fun, creative and helpful.

 

9. What has been your biggest time saver this year?

 As our company continues to grow, we have been able to expand our Events Team and welcomed Victoria in July this year. Victoria has been invaluable in helping to provide additional support to our Events Team in both practical and administrative duties and has also quickly become an integral role in the running of weddings and events at the barns.

 

10. How do reviews affect the industry?

 The first thing we all do when booking a holiday or checking out a new restaurant is to read personal reviews about the place in question and this is the same for your wedding venue! Reviews are a fantastic way to share experiences and give personal insights in to what others could expect. We love to hear from our past couples sharing their thoughts and memories from their big day.

 

 11. How do you get to know your couples before the big day?

 We begin building relationships with our couples from the very first phone call, email or initial meeting. After the first contact with them, we always encourage our couples to come and have a look around the venue which gives us an opportunity to meet and discuss their big day in more detail. We always endeavour to find out more about what makes them unique, how they met and what their aspirations are for the big day. We are always available to talk to and to give advice where needed to ensure our couples are happy and making the right decisions for them.

 

 

12. What do you think makes The Granary Estates unique?

 Without blowing our own trumpet, we feel it is our team which gives the Estates its uniqueness.

We are a young, dynamic and friendly team here at The Granary Estates and have a fantastic working relationship with all of our suppliers and industry colleagues. As a team, we are dedicated to our various job roles and are passionate about what we do. We always strive to continue to grow and develop individually and with the business so we can share our knowledge and expertise with our brides and grooms.

 

13. What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

 Friends, family and fun! By now you have planned everything, managed to get all of your friends and family to the venue and created the day of your dreams – now you need to enjoy it! It’s important to be able to relax and enjoy the day you have dreamt of and nothing makes for a better wedding than happy newlyweds, good food, chilled drinks and a busy dancefloor!

 

14. What’s your favourite wedding memory?

 A favourite memory that stands out from this year has to be when a couple shared the news that they were expecting not one, not two but three babies!! We were let in on the secret as the groom planned to share the news in his speech and we were thrilled to see everyone’s reaction in the barns! Jaws hit the table, tears were shed and glasses were raised, turning the day in to a quadruple celebration – a great moment to have been part of!

 

15. What do you love about Bridebook?

 We find Bridebook is extremely easy to use, with clear navigation tools and a clean, minimal design all backed up by a supportive team. Having images located at the very top of our listing is fantastic as photographs are the best way to have an immediate impact and to display the venue. The response we receive from our Bridebook page is great with daily enquiries and a strong online presence in our region.

 

A huge thank you to Lynne for sharing her Supplier Story. See the rustic Granary Estates in their Bridebook profile.

 

Want to feature in your own Supplier Story? Get in touch with Beth at [email protected].

26 Best Asian Wedding Venues in London

If you are looking for an Asian wedding venue in London, you’ve come to the right place! 

Wedding planning is a very exciting time, but with so many amazing wedding venues out there how do you know how to choose the right one? A brilliant place to start (if we do say so ourselves) is Bridebook’s wedding venue search – it’s the biggest in the UK.

There, you can search all of our venues and filter the results to meet your wedding needs.  You can set your capacity, and tick other requirements such as “Asian” or “Exclusive Use” to help find the venues that are right for you! We’ve compiled some of our top picks available through the directory below, because we’re lovely like that.

bridebook.co.uk wedding venue search filter
Bridebook.co.uk asian wedding venues london

5 Star Venues 

For the most discerning bride and groom, you can’t go wrong with this selection of top-notch wedding venues.

1. Hilton Park Lane, capacity 250 

Located in the heart of one of London’s most flourishing areas, this Hilton Park Lane is the perfect Asian wedding venue for city lovers. 

2. Andaz London Liverpool Street Hotel, capacity 300

This 5-star luxury hotel wedding venue, with both modern and classic Victorian interiors, promises to take your breath away.

3. Sheraton Park Tower, capacity 80 

Celebrate your wedding day with confidence, as the team at Sheraton Park Tower take care of all your needs! This beautiful Asian wedding venue in London is located in the heart of the city, perfect for you and your guests. 

4. The Grosvenor Hotel, capacity 150

This remarkable Grade II Victorian hotel is famous for its glamour and beauty, and it’s a truly perfect wedding venue for your Asian wedding. 

5. The Dorchester, capacity 500

If you want to throw a luxurious wedding, The Dorchester is a great choice! Located on Park Lane, this venue will wow your guests with its elegance and luxe! 

Bridebook.co.uk asian wedding venues

Unusual Venues

If you’re looking to wow your guests with something different then these wedding venues are for you.  

6. Natural History Museum, capacity 1200

What best way to throw a memorable wedding than to host yours at the Natural History Museum? Knows for its amazing atmosphere, this is one of our favourites on the list!

7. The Landmark London, capacity 750 

The Landmark in an absolutely gorgeous wedding venue. With high ceilings and banquet rooms boasting with natural light, this could be the one and only place for you to tie the knot.

8. Eltham Lodge at Royal Blackheath Golf club, capacity 200 

110 acres of landscaped golf course and wedding team like no other, this could be the perfect backdrop to your wedding album. 

9. London Eye, capacity 71

Enjoy the best views of the city in this unique wedding setting! The London eye will certainly take your breath away. 

Venue/ Hall

 These two venues offer great event spaces for large weddings. 

10. Grand Connaught Rooms, capacity 1000

If you’re throwing a grand scale celebration, this wedding venue can cater to it. Located right next to Convent Garden, your London wedding awaits!

11. Porchester Hall, capacity 630

Classic art deco design, and understated elegance make this one of London’s most sought-after wedding venues.

Bridebook.co.uk asian wedding venues

Marquee (outdoor wedding)

A blank canvas for you to create the wedding of your dreams. 

12. Addington Palace, capacity 800

Impeccably decorated, and with enough space to host a large wedding, Addington Palace is an idyllic wedding venue in London.

13. Oakley Court, capacity 150

This gorgeous country house hotel will leave your guests with the unforgettable memory of the greastest party they even attended.

14. De Vere Devonport House, capacity 100

The perfect escape from London is only a stone’s throw away. De Vere Devonport House is one of favourite wedding venues in the UK, and we’re sure you and your guests will love it! 

Golf Clubs

You don’t have to be a golf lover to host your wedding at one of these two gorgeous venues. 

15. C and L Country Club, capacity 500

Your dream wedding should be put together by a dream team. C and L Country Club specialise in hospitality and decorations, so you can rest assured you and your guests will be happy. 

16. Woolston Manor Golf and Country Club, capacity 500  

Featuring a lake and 200 acres of lovely grounds, this wedding venue can most certainly host the wedding of your dreams!

Near the Airport

Convenient for your wedding guests travelling far and wide. 

17. Sofitel Terminal 5, capacity 900

If you have family travelling from a long way, why not host your wedding at Sofitel Terminal 5? It’s luxurious and it’s grand, so your wedding party will surely be a memorable one. 

18. Sheraton Hilton Hotel, capacity 1400 

This splendid building with modern interiors is an ideal setting for your big London wedding.

19. Park Inn by Raddison, capacity 700

A red carpet reception with a beautiful Bridal suite. The Park Inn by Raddison is a great setting to throw an epic wedding party. 

20. Marriott, capacity 480

Get your guests from the plane to the party by hosting your wedding at the Heathrow Marriott Hotel! Elegant and spacious, your party will be one for the books!

Bridebook.co.uk asian wedding venues

Country Houses  

Get married in style at one of these beautiful wedding venues just outside London.

21. Newland Manor, capacity 140 

Situated in Buckighamshire’s stunning countryside, this is the perfect wedding venue for couples looking for elegance and romance. 

22. Woburn Abbey, capacity 300 

The Georgian town of Bedfordshire, where Woburn Abbey is located, only a stone’s throw away from London, is the perfect backdrop for your wedding day. 

Race Courses

Provide a beautiful backdrop for your wedding day. 

23. Ascot Race Course, capacity 3000

Enjoy the magnificent views over the recourses in the alternative wedding venue! Your family and friends will love spending the day at Ascot.

24. Windsor Race Course, capacity 300 

Set on the Island surrounded by the river Thames, this is truly a magical place to tie the knot and celebrate your love.

Purpose built wedding venues

Dedicated wedding venues equipped with everything you’ll need. 

25. Cavendish Banqueting Suite, capacity 400 

For small or big parties, the Cavendish Banqueting site is a perfect place for your Asian Wedding Venue! 

26. Laguna Banqueting Suite, capacity 300

One the UK’s finest Asian cuisine specialists… Need we say more? The Laguna the perfect for your celebration!

Bridebook.co.uk asian wedding venues

Looking for some more venues?

Have a browse at some of the best wedding venues in London.

Are you planning your wedding?

Get it done the simple way with our award-winning tool! 

Found this article helpful? Check out these:

25 Asian Wedding Venues in The UK!

21 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue

73 Must-See Wedding Venues in The UK 

Wedding Prices: Venue

Hidden Wedding Costs Every Couple Should Know About

Introduction: Your Wedding Guest List

Bridebook.co.uk BRide and groom laughing with guests

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and your guests are an integral part of what makes the day so special. Selecting your guests is such a fun process – when else do you get a day filled with all your favourite people!? Don’t get overwhelmed by all the people you want or all the people you feel you have to invite… we’re going to help you nail your guest list, which you can then keep track of with our handy Guest List tool. You’re welcome!

Venue

Where do you want to get married? If your event is a lavish affair in a massive venue, then go crazy on numbers. If you only want your nearest and dearest at a smaller venue, then that will give you an indication of how many people you can invite. Your budget will also play a big role in the decision making process, but tricks like opting to hold a buffet or a cocktail party instead of a sit down meal will give your budget room for manoeuvre (yay!).

Divide the guest list

Set aside a cosy evening to sit down with your loved one and write down everyone you might want to invite: family, friends and optional guests. The optional guests will probably include work colleagues, distant relatives, or the potential plus ones of family or friends. The best way to decide on the optional guests is to ask yourself: would I be offended if I wasn’t invited to their wedding? If the answer is yes, then it’s best you include them on the guest list!  Bonus: if you suddenly need to cut down on the guest list, you will know which group to start with! And if some of your friends and family can’t come, you can start inviting some of those optional extras.

Families

Consider how many guests you are allocating to each of the families. When previously the bride’s family paid for everything, they got the upper hand in deciding whom to invite. Now, some couples pay for their own weddings, or both families contribute, so think about how to have this conversation with your parents. Similarly, families may be expecting to bring their children along to your wedding and if this isn’t something you want, think about letting them know in advance, so that they can organise babysitters.

Timings

Play around with your timings. You could invite immediate family and friends to the ceremony and reception and then invite a load more for the food and dancing – or the other way round. Or you could invite more people after the wedding breakfast for cocktails and grooving. Play with the timings and numbers to suit you and your budget! Remember, that on average, 20% of your invited guests may decline, allowing you more room for manoeuvre. However, don’t hold out for this exact number to decline! In fact, it is always worth asking your caterer the cost of last minute changes, just in case someone turns up or drops out!

Don’t forget the bride and groom

Final point: Once you’ve made the perfect guest list, don’t forget to put your own names on the list, you would be surprised how many couples don’t do that and are amazed to find the caterer short of two plates!

 

Happy planning!