Describe the best wedding that happened at your venue?
There's just too many, couldn't possibly decide...although both myself and our other Wedding Manager got married here so I'd have to mention them as the best days of our lives! I had a "Sports Day" & Fete theme, complete with egg & spoon races, tug of war, space hopper racing, a bucking giant sheep, Popcorn Bar and lots of other crazy food & drinks in the Marquee area of the garden! My colleague, Jo, also married here, choosing to have lots of animals in the garden, Birds or Prey, Hedgehogs and other cute critters!
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Have fun! At the time it may seem like you have table plans coming out of your ears and your 'husband to be' may be nodding rather than answering but once all that planning has gone we promise you'll miss it! Remind yourselves every day why it is that you are doing this and savour every moment, every trip to your venue, every cake sample day and every dress fitting/try on experience!
What’s your favourite personal touch you’ve seen at a wedding?
One wedding we had here spent the 2 years of wedding planning trawling through Charity shops to find the perfect book for each guest to give as a favour - it was very personal and moving as they'd spent so much time searching for something that represented that particular guest!
We have also had a gardening loving couple coming up who have a guest book bench for people to sign that they can then get varnished and put in the garden to use - definitely can't be hidden in the cupboard!
Describe your venue in 5 adjectives.
Unique, Quirky, Enchanting, Thoughtful, Fabulous.
Where’s the best photo spot at your venue?
Oh that's a tough one - We have so many! Our quirky swings in Henry's Folly, our flower covered Lovers Water, The Pond Area at the back of the Enchanted Garden or around the raised beds of The Herb Garden - we love them all! There's also so many close by hot-spots, in the fields, Apley suspension bridge spanning the River Severn or in the Village of Norton where we sit.
Have you had any celebrity guest or wedding at your venue?
Yes, we've had several footballers and International sports stars here as well as singers Toyah Wilcox, Mark Morrison and over the years we've had many stars in our Restaurant, from celebrity Chef Marcus Bean to rock legend Robert Plant!
What’s your favourite canapé?
Ooooh, now that's a tough one, they are all so tasty! If i had to choose a top 3 I'd probably say either Beetroot & Poppy Seed Cheesecake, Red Onion Marmalade OR Asian Duck Sala, Hoi Sin Sauce & Toasted Sesame Seeds OR Rosemary & Goats Cheese Muffin, Basil & Peppercorn Cream Cheese?
What’s your favourite midnight treat?
Wedding Cake!
What is your venue's most unique feature?
Probably the swings in the bedrooms! 7 of the 10 rooms have ornate swings in- which our guests love!
The also rescued a Railway Carriage in lock down and turned that into a bespoke Bridal Carriage, it's super cute - so many people who see it says they'd like to live in it!
What part of your business are you most proud of?
Theres two things really! Firstly Winning the regional Award of Best Town/City Wedding Venue in the Wedding Industry Awards 2018, 2019 & 2020 (we didn't enter in 2021 out of respect for our couples who had to postpone their Weddings due to Covid restrictions). The also joint first would be our Team! Our team is a mixture of ages, personalities and characters! From the housekeeping staff and chefs that have been with us for over a decade (some 30+ years!) the managers, the restaurant and wedding team, we really are one big family who essentially really do care! I think this has made the real difference to why we so successful, because most of our Weddings are booked through word of mouth and we can't ask for anymore than that - we know we're giving our couples fabulous Weddings and it's their praise that gives people the confidence to say yes - this is the home for my Wedding!