28th February 2023
For couples who want a wedding venue that exudes sophistication, elegance, and romance, a manor house is a perfect choice. With its stunning architecture, sprawling gardens, and rich history, a manor house wedding creates a unique and unforgettable setting for your special day.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to plan your dream manor house wedding.
The first step in planning your manor house wedding is to find the perfect venue. When selecting a manor house venue, there are a few key factors to consider:
Location: Choose a location that is convenient for you and your guests. Consider the travel time, accessibility, and accommodation options. When scouting a venue, it’s also best to see if they have any provisions for cultural ceremonies and where they would suggest a mandap / nikkah ceremony or its equivalent.
Capacity: Make sure the venue can accommodate your guest list comfortably. It’s also essential to ensure that the venue meets your requirements for both the ceremony and reception. Manor houses are notoriously known for not having enough capacity for South Asian weddings, so consider one which has an add on marquee, or can even get one put in. Even if the venue itself won’t host all of your guests, definitely consider what’s in and around the area.
Style: Look for a manor house that reflects your vision and style. Whether you prefer classic elegance, rustic charm, or modern luxury, choose a venue that complements your wedding theme and you as a couple!
The manor house’s architecture, gardens, and history offer a wealth of inspiration for your wedding theme. Here are some popular themes that work well for manor house weddings:
Classic Elegance: A classic elegance theme is perfect for a manor house wedding. This theme emphasises timeless beauty and sophistication, with a neutral colour palette, luxurious details, and formal attire. Often the lighter hues, pampus grass, or baby’s breath is perfect for this theme.
Garden Romance: The manor house’s gardens provide a stunning backdrop for a garden romance theme. This theme emphasises natural beauty, with a soft colour palette, floral arrangements (we suggest the pinks, purples or baby blues!), and whimsical details.
Vintage Charm: If you’re a fan of vintage style, a manor house wedding offers the perfect opportunity to incorporate vintage charm into your special day. This theme emphasises antique details, vintage props, and nostalgic elements. Anything rustic and wood-based is perfect for this.
Once you’ve chosen your venue and theme, it’s time to plan the ceremony and reception. Here are some tips for designing your wedding spaces to make the most of the manor house’s unique features:
Ceremony: The manor house’s gardens provide stunning options for your ceremony. Choose a location that complements your theme and offers the right atmosphere for your vows. Especially if you are having a summer wedding in the UK, it’s a beautiful touch to have the ceremony within nature, and then move to a marquee or indoor location.
Reception: The manor house’s ballroom, dining hall, or courtyard are perfect options for your reception. Consider the layout, lighting, and decor to create a warm and inviting ambiance.
A manor house wedding offers endless opportunities to create a memorable experience for you and your guests. Here are some ideas to consider:
Live music: Consider hiring a live band or musician to perform during your ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception.
Vintage transportation: Arrive at your wedding in style with a vintage car or horse-drawn carriage.
Champagne tower: Create a champagne tower to celebrate your first toast as a married couple.
Interactive food stations: Add a touch of creativity and fun to your reception with interactive food stations, such as a DIY dessert bar or an ice cream rolls cart.
On the topic of food, catering is an essential aspect of any wedding, and a manor house wedding offers the opportunity to create a unique and memorable menu.
Consider incorporating seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients into your menu, and work with your caterer to create dishes that complement your theme and venue.
Capturing the beauty and magic of your manor house wedding is essential, so make sure to choose a photographer and videographer who understand your vision and style.
Consider taking advantage of the manor house grounds and sweet little getaway spots (ask about these on your site visit!)
Specifically for your ceremony, figure out when sunset it and where is the perfect place to sneak away to for a few minutes to capture some great shots.
Popular manor house venues tend to book up quickly, especially during peak wedding season. Make sure to start your search and book your venue as early as possible to secure your preferred date.
While a manor house wedding provides a stunning outdoor setting, it’s always best to have a contingency plan in case of unexpected weather (we do live in the UK, after all!). Make sure to have an indoor backup location in case of rain or other adverse weather conditions.
The manor house’s architecture, history, and unique features provide endless opportunities for creative decor and design.
Embrace the manor house’s features, such as the grand staircase, ornate ceilings, or antique furniture, to add a touch of vintage charm to your wedding.
Try not to cover it’s beauty with too much heavy decor, which hides the natural beauty of the venue.
If your manor house venue is in a remote location, consider arranging transportation for your guests to and from the venue. This will help ensure that everyone arrives safely and on time.
In addition to this, be mindful of the time it will take for your suppliers to travel to your venue. They will likely charge you extra for increased travel, so be sure to budget accordingly for this.
A manor house wedding often calls for formal or semi-formal attire, so make sure to include your dress code on your invitations. Encourage your guests to dress in accordance with your wedding theme and venue.
Also, let them know if there is an outfit change from traditional to western between the ceremony and reception. If your guests are staying far, account for any of the transport or timing implications.
The manor house’s gardens or chapel may require special seating arrangements for your ceremony. Work with your venue coordinator or wedding planner to design a seating plan that maximises space and ensures that all guests have a clear view of the ceremony!
Wedding favours are a great way to thank your guests for sharing your special day. Consider choosing favours that reflect your wedding city, theme or venue, such as miniature personalised wine bottles in a vineyard.
Check out some of our top wedding favour finds for South Asian weddings here.
Planning a manor house wedding can be a complex and time-consuming process, so consider hiring a wedding planner to help you navigate the process.
A wedding planner can help you with everything from supplier selection to day-of coordination, allowing you to enjoy your special day stress-free.
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