I have been working at Houchins since its launch in 2014 and absolutely love it and everything about weddings. We have a wonderful team who have many years combined experience and a genuine desire to give every couple their best possible wedding. I live in Suffolk with my husband, three children, three chickens and dog and love country life and marketing weddings. In my spare time I am a keen tennis player and gardener with a little yoga in between!

What drew you to the wedding world?

Weddings are a wonderfully happy event and we are lucky to have a really unique venue.

What do you think makes Houchins unique?

Bride and Groom holding hands at the altar.

Houchins really is heritage made modern. With its Grade 2* listed accommodation for friends and family and the modern barn converted, the day flows perfectly from ceremony to drinks reception and then from dinner to dancing. The Houchins team, though, is what really makes the difference and always gets the awards, accolades and thanks from our couples. They are all devoted to everything wedding and pride themselves on really getting to know each and every couple and making their wedding day the day of their dreams.

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

Party and dancing inside the barn. The ceiling is very high.

We get to know all of our couples really well with a series of meetings to chat through their plans and make sure that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. In between the meetings there are obviously a lot of emails and telephone conversations to answer any questions and work through any worries.

What do you think makes for the perfect wedding?

Bride and Groom hold hands. In the background, there are dozens of stacked piles of hay.

A couple who are truly in love and surrounded by their family and closest friends just exudes happiness and it’s hard to not get wrapped up in it all!

What’s the most memorable wedding you’ve had at Houchins?

Honestly, they are all memorable in different ways but if we had to choose it might be our first woodland wedding, the first intimate wedding in the wood panelled drawing room in the house and one which was Scrabble themed!

Why should a couple book Houchins?

A white tent at night appears surrounded by lights. Purple flowers cover the frame.

I think the venue speaks for itself and if the couple can visualize themselves getting married there and only there then it’s the venue for them. We really believe we are unique in terms of our look and feel and the team are the icing on the cake.

What is your #1 wedding planning tip for couples?

A wooden barn that also looks modern is filled with people.

Use recommended suppliers either by friends or the venue, it really does make a difference!

Check out Bridebook’s wedding suppliers!

What’s the best photo spot at Houchins?

The reception room with white tables set for the dinner.

There’s the hay bales, the borage field, under the willow tree, in front of the house, the list goes on…

What part of your business are you most proud of?

The wonderful team!

How do you feel technology is changing the industry?

An outside ceremony is set with a festive and boho look.

We have a great wedding CRM system which makes sure we give our couples relevant and timely advice and also allows them to send invitations, make table plans, budget, etc.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to couples that are currently struggling amidst the COVID-19 crisis?

the reception room with four long wooden tables where people are seated. The room is covered in tiny lights.

Don’t panic (although that is obviously very hard)! Your wedding will happen and venues are doing their utmost to work with every couple to achieve the best outcome.