Wedding at the manor: how the day unfolds

A wedding in a historic building with its own park has one advantage that never shows in photographs, yet is felt most keenly on the day itself: nobody has to go anywhere. No shuttling between church, restaurant and hotel, no hunting for parking, no waiting for latecomers.

This is how a wedding day unfolds with us.

Morning: getting ready

The couple usually stay in the manor itself, most often in the Romantic Suite, our room with a four-poster bed, a sitting area and a large terrace. For the bride getting ready, that means space, daylight and quiet, with no travelling involved.

Part of the wedding party tends to stay with us too, so the morning gathering happens gradually and without stress.

Late morning: ceremony in the park

The ceremony is usually held in the park beneath mature trees. The setting can be prepared with an arch, white chairs and lanterns, and on a hot summer day you will appreciate that it sits in the shade.

The park covers 35,000 m², so the ceremony is not squeezed between buildings. At the same time the whole grounds are enclosed, which means no stranger and no car will wander into your ceremony.

If the weather does not cooperate, we handle it individually. Tell us your date and we will go through the options.

Afternoon: photographs without travelling

This is where most weddings lose time. The photographer needs a range of backdrops, they are scattered around the area, and the party spends an hour in cars.

With us it is all on one site:

• the colonnade and the manor façade, the classic backdrop for group photographs,
• the lake with its wooden jetty and willows along the shore,
• the lookout tower above the lake, a favourite at sunset,
• the wooden barn and the quieter corners of the park,
• the horses and the farmstead with Rye Island animals, for informal shots.

The shoot therefore does not pull the wedding out of its programme. Guests sit in the park meanwhile, and nobody waits an hour in an empty hall.

Evening: reception in the manor

The reception takes place inside the manor, in rooms hung with paintings by contemporary artists. The weather makes no difference to it.

We cook home cooking from Rye Island. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free dishes are prepared on request, so if someone among your guests has a particular diet it is not a problem. Simply let us know in advance.

Night: guests need not go anywhere

When the reception ends, nobody has to arrange a lift or a taxi. 13 rooms and apartments in seven types are in the building itself, from twin rooms to family suites for up to six people. Parking is free in an enclosed, monitored courtyard.

For families with children it means the little ones can be put to bed and the parents can come back down.

What to think through when planning

The date. Weddings are arranged 6 to 18 months ahead. If you have a date, get in touch right away, because in season popular Saturdays fill quickly.

Guest numbers. Write to us with the number you expect. From that we can advise how to lay out the space and how many rooms to hold.

Accommodation for guests. Consider who will stay overnight. For larger weddings it is worth holding rooms before ordinary bookings take them.

Dietary requirements. Collect them along with the RSVPs, not at the last minute.

A viewing. Come and see the place before you decide. The park and the hall are best walked through in person, because photographs make dimensions hard to judge.

The questions we are asked most often

Can we bring our own photographer, band or decorations? Write to us about who you would like to work with and we will settle the details.

How late can the reception run? We arrange that individually, according to the shape of the wedding. Tell us what you have in mind and we will go through the options.

Can we come and look around? Yes, and we recommend it. The park and the hall are best walked through in person; photographs make the space hard to judge.

What about the children? They have room to play in the park, and the family suites take up to six people, so children can go to bed and their parents can come back down.

What if the number of guests changes? Let us know as early as you can. Accommodation and catering can both be adjusted, but not at the last minute.

The three things couples praise most

Judging by what they ask us during viewings, these are the three:

1. That nobody has to travel. Ceremony, reception and beds in one place save hours and nerves.
2. That the grounds are enclosed. No stranger wanders into the ceremony or the photo shoot.
3. That guests have somewhere to sleep. Nobody has to arrange a lift, and the wedding need not end at midnight.

The season and a ceremony in the park

A ceremony under the trees looks quite different in May and in September, and every season has something going for it.

Spring. The park turns green and the air is pleasantly cool. The weather is at its least predictable, though, so we go through the fallback plan more thoroughly.

Summer. The most sought-after dates. The shade of the mature trees is an advantage guests remark on when the day is hot, though it is better to plan the ceremony for the early evening than for midday.

Autumn. To our minds the loveliest time for photographs. The light is soft, the park has colour, and there are fewer people across the whole region.

Winter. The ceremony then takes place indoors, but winter photographs in a snow-covered park, or in mist over the lake, are something you will not see at an ordinary wedding.

Peak-season dates go first, so if you have a summer Saturday in mind, do get in touch as early as you can.

Next steps

A complete overview of what we offer for weddings, including answers to the most common questions, is on the Weddings page. Photographs of the ceremony and photo-shoot spots are in the gallery.

If your date is already set, write to us and we will come back with the options and arrange a viewing.