The Wedding Venues Hosting Alternative Events This Autumn and Winter
With many weddings on hold, wedding venues have been looking at alternative ways to welcome couples through their doors - from pop-up dining to weekend getaways! Read on to find out all about the exciting events on offer over the next few months.
The wedding industry has been hit hard this year with 71% of couples postponing their nuptials and 90% of those couples planning to push back to 2021. The challenging circumstances have left many wedding venues wondering how to make up for the shortfall.
As a creative and ideas-driven industry, it’s no surprise that many wedding venues have come up with some unique ways to continue to welcome couples through their doors and generate some income in 2020.
From dining within a purpose-built igloo (yes, really) to luxury stays and photoshoots to commemorate original wedding dates, each and every venue on the list below has gone out of their way to provide an amazing new service for couples, their families and anyone else who wishes to experience them!
So, if you fancy showing your favourite venue some support – or just fancy treating yourself to an extra special winter break – scroll through the below and get booking!
READ MORE:
- 75 Unusual Wedding Venues: The Best Unique Venues Across the UK
- How Many People Can Attend a Wedding? The Latest Coronavirus Rules for Weddings Explained
- Top Wedding Planners Share Their Dos & Don'ts of Planning a Wedding During COVID-19
1. Brinsop Court Manor House and Barn – Herefordshire
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s the lure of the staycation. Never before have we seen so many of our friends and family members packing their car boots and heading to lands not so far away. For a beautifully romantic getaway, why not book in for a short break at Herefordshire’s Brinsop Court?
The 12th century manor house is the perfect place to spend your original wedding date – or any other date for that matter – and with bed and breakfast as well as self-catering accommodation, there’s something for everyone here. Highlights for us include: hot tub suites, L’Occitane toiletries, sumptuous king size beds and 250 acres of unspoilt woodland ready and waiting to be explored!
2. Thicket Priory – Yorkshire
Soak up the ruggedly beautiful Yorkshire surroundings with a stay at Thicket Priory in November or December. The new venue is ready and waiting to welcome couples for a Winter Escape including a two-night stay, super on arrival, a seven-course Saturday night Foodie Feast and a full Yorkshire breakfast!
During the Saturday, you can stay at Thicket and enjoy Yorkshire Tapas and a meander around the grounds, or drive into historic York for some Christmas shopping!
READ MORE: 13 Amazing Small Wedding Venues in Yorkshire
3. Burley Manor – Hampshire
Fancy dining under the stars while cocooned inside a cosy clear dome packed with faux fur, wool cushions and snuggly blankets? You can experience all of this at Burley Manor this winter.
Executive Head Chef, Ben Johnson, will be swapping wedding breakfasts for Mediterranean and festive feasts, all delivered to your personal dome with a capacity of six. Enjoy a bottle of sommelier recommended wine with your meal as you watch the sun go down and the festoon lights twinkle.
4. Upwaltham Barns – West Sussex
Gorgeous barn wedding venue Upwaltham Barns has teamed up with their caterers Nibbles2Nosh to set up a pop-up Saturday Supper Club and Sunday Lunch offering throughout November.
You can expect delicious autumnal dishes and a warm welcome at this country idyll in the middle of the South Downs. We'd totally work up our appetites with a bracing pre-lunch walk before tucking in at this gem!
READ MORE: 20 of the Best Rustic Wedding Venues
5. Iscoyd Park – Wrexham
Feeling festive and fancy getting creative? Iscoyd Park is opening its doors for Christmas wreath and deck the table workshops this November and December. You can combine your workshop with afternoon tea or turn it into a weekend getaway with dinner and bed and breakfast!
You’ll enjoy a glass of Iscoyd’s own champagne in the library before setting to work on your Christmas creation and then freshening up in your luxury room and heading down to dinner or feasting on a delicious afternoon tea!
6. Cain Manor, Notley Abbey and Botleys Mansion – Across the UK
Bijou venues Notley Abbey, Cain Manor and Botleys Mansion invite all of their postponed couples to use their chosen venue as a backdrop for their engagement wedding photographs and/or hair and makeup trials.
The Bijou team hope that this will allow photographers a rare chance to familiarise themselves with the venue during a quiet period and allow couples to get used to being in front of the camera – possibly even getting some suitable snaps to include on postponed wedding invitations!
Couples will be given access to the luxury bridal suite for preparations as well as the interior and grounds of the venue. As an extra treat, couples will be gifted a hamper including sweet treats and cakes, sandwiches, cheese and biscuits to keep them going on the day. If you’re a Bijou couple, get in touch with your wedding coordinator to book your slot.
7. Leez Priory - Essex
Magnificent Essex wedding venue Leez Priory is opening its doors for a range of winter dining experiences and stays. Created with past and present couples in mind, Leez Priory invite you to join them for a dinner date starting at just £46 per person.
The venue is also open for Saturday night dinners and Sunday lunches. If you fancy making a weekend of it, you can book a one-night mini break complete with three-course meal - don't mind if we do!
8. Gosfield Hall - Essex
Situated in the stunning Essex countryside, Gosfield Hall is now offering couples and their families the chance to come and stay. One-night mini breaks include a three-course Saturday night meal and breakfast the following morning, plus you have the option to extend your stay and enjoy Sunday lunch at Gosfield.
Stays start from £100 per person, but if you don't quite have the budget, you can always join the team at Gosfield for Saturday night dinner or Sunday lunch.
9. St. Audries Park - Somerset
The magnificent St. Audries Park in Somerset is offering one and two night stays this winter. One-night stays start at £100 per person and include a three-course meal along with breakfast the following morning. Two-night stays start at £200 per person and include dinner and bed and breakfast plus plenty of time to enjoy the nearby Quantock hills and Somerset coast.
Sunday lunches, dinner dates and Saturday night dinners are also on offer at St. Audries this winter and we reckon they're the perfect way to commemorate your original wedding date if you've had to postpone.
10. Clearwell Castle - Gloucestershire
Ever dreamt of spending the night in a castle? You can thanks to Clearwell Castle's winter offering. The Gloucestershire gem is giving couples the chance to stay for one or two nights, with one-night getaways starting at just £100 per person.
Locals can also enjoy Sunday lunches or a dinner date on a night of their choosing - sounds good to us!
11. Holmewood Hall - Cambridgeshire
Head to one of Cambridgeshire's most stunning country houses this winter and indulge in a one night stay at Holmewood Hall. With four-poster beds, sumptuous décor and plenty of swoon-worthy original features, you're guaranteed a romantic experience.
If you'd like to pop in and visit Holmewood Hall without the stay, might we suggest booking a Sunday lunch or Saturday evening dinner? It's a great way to celebrate your original wedding date if you've had to postpone or celebrate your anniversary if you're a previous Holmewood Hall couple!
We think visiting a venue is a great way to experience it before booking, it's also a good idea to check out the 10 best wedding venues in the UK.
