Pick from this exclusive selection of excellent Essex wedding venues as Essex Life helps you find a sensational setting for your special day
The Lawn
Hall Road, Rochford
Essex SS4 1PL
01702 203701
www.thelawn.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? Versatile facilities allow The Lawn to cater for all occasions, from a small gathering to a party of up to 350
DREAM COME TRUE… Enjoy the house and gardens at The Lawn as exclusively yours for the whole of your big day, guaranteeing you will feel extra special
The Lawn is an elegant Georgian house, surrounded by landscaped gardens. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, creating a friendly, relaxing atmosphere. The house and gardens are exclusively yours for the day while there is a large car park, where vehicles can be left overnight. The beautiful gardens and house provide the perfect setting for your photographs and there are four separate rooms, each with their own distinctive character, for a civil ceremony by the registrar. Disabled facilities are available too. A glorious new Orangery (seating well over 100), is in keeping with the adjoining listed building, but with the latest facilities, including air-conditioning and state-of-the-art sound and vision. It also opens to 100ft of covered terrace — perfect for reception drinks. All food is freshly-cooked on site by specialist caterers, with an excellent and sensibly-priced choice of menus, from a simple buffet to a banquet.
Down Hall Country House Hotel
Matching Road, Hatfield Heath
Nr Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire CM22 7AS
01279 731441 www.downhall.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? A selection of different wedding reception rooms can cater for parties of different sizes, with the largest room holding 200 guests and the smallest 32
DREAM COME TRUE… The stunning backdrop of this fabulous hotel will really give your day the wow factor
A HISTORIC country house, situated in the breathtaking beauty of Essex countryside, Down Hall provides an exquisite backdrop for your special day, in fact Down Hall is the place where your dreams are turned into perfect reality. Dating back to 1540, Down Hall has a wonderful array of rooms and suites to host the most intimate of ceremonies, luxury wedding breakfasts and stunning receptions with panoramic views over beautiful gardens.
The Essex Barn @ The White Hart, Great Yeldham
Poole Street
Great Yeldham
Essex CO9 4HJ
01787 237250
www.whitehartweddingvenue.co.uk
How many guests? With space for up 200 guests (seated), this venue can accommodate your wedding whether it’s a large event or something more intimate in scale
Dream come true... Why not set the moment that defines your future in these fabulous surroundings of historic Essex?
The Essex Barn is a stunning structure in the grounds of The White Hart at Great Yeldham. Situated on the Essex/Suffolk border, natural English countryside surrounds the venue. The decor is a mixture of old and new — contemporary, yet set within a traditional style barn. The open mezzanine floor creates a romantic setting for your ceremony and the main barn is warm and welcoming for your meal and evening reception. Your wedding breakfast will be cooked and prepared by a double AA Rosette team of chefs, while the serving staff are professional and discreet, giving you reassurance that your wedding breakfast will be one to remember.
The Hangar at Kesgrave Hall
Hall Road, Kesgrave
Ipswich, Suffolk
IP5 2PU
01473 333741
www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall
HOW MANY GUESTS? The Hangar can accommodate between 80 and 300 guests for a sit-down meal, with capacity for up to 600 people for the evening
DREAM COME TRUE… Charming gardens and start-of-the-art function facilities offer the very best of both worlds
Enjoy a perfect and unique wedding in The Hangar at Kesgrave Hall including the newly-landscaped upper garden which will be used exclusively by The Hangar party guests and is the perfect area for Champagne and canapés and, of course, the all-important wedding photographs. Inside you can completely relax in a state-of-the-art venue that has been contemporarily designed and fitted with silk-lined walls, black starlit interiors, a dedicated reception and bar and the very latest audio and lighting technology — including laser lights and a haze machine! The Hangar can accommodate between 80 and 300 guests for a sit-down event, with capacity for up to 600 people for the evening. And that’s not all, Kesgrave Hall also has a wedding licence for 60+ guests.
Houchins
Coggeshall
Colchester
CO6 1RT
01787 210007
www.houchins.co.uk
How Many Guests? Houchins caters for civil ceremonies from 12 to 150 people, and up to 200 for an evening reception
Dream come true... Historic and stylish accommodation is available with an original and modern interpretation of this classic barn
Opening this autumn, Houchins is one of the newest venues to launch in Essex and arguably the most original. With a choice of indoor grandeur or outdoor simplicity, Houchins can cater for all styles of wedding or civil ceremony. The house has been stylishly restored to offer superbly comfortable accommodation to the bridal party, just next door to the magnificently refurbished barn complex. Conveniently located 1 mile east of Coggeshall with direct access to the A120, Houchins is easily accessible and offers everything needed to create the perfect wedding day.
The Coach House
Marks Hall Gardens & Arboretum
Coggeshall
Essex CO6 1TG
01376 565420
www.markshall.org.uk
How many guests? Up to 80 for the ceremony, 120 for a sit-down meal and 200 for an evening reception
Dream come true… Within the fabulous landscape of these stunning gardens and arboretum, you are assured of a delightful setting for your celebration and your photographs
THE Coach House, with its unique features and picture-perfect setting, makes it hard to imagine a more beautiful place for your special day. Make your vows to one another underneath the attractive gazebo in the flower garden for a perfect start to married life. Choose from one of the many backdrops for your photographs, with ornamental lakes and the walled garden being a simply stunning photographic memory. The Coach House is full of charm, ambiance and character, and is an idyllic place to hold your reception.
Prested Hall
Prested Hall
Feering, Colchester
Essex CO5 9EE
01376 573300
www.prested.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? Prested Hall can cater for up to 160 guests
DREAM COME TRUE… As a previous winner of the Boutique Venue of the Year award, Prested Hall is extra special
THIS hidden gem has won many hearts, awards and accolades. A charming small manor house at the end of a tree-lined drive, Prested Hall invites you to relax and enjoy your wedding in a home-from-home atmosphere. The house is yours, with all 16 lovely bedrooms, a choice of elegant reception and ceremony rooms, a pretty gazebo for outdoor ceremonies, and a summer marquee. Prested Hall also has fitness facilities, an Elemis spa and a hair salon for your preparations. There is extra accommodation in the Health Club apartments, plus The Dingle — a private bridal hideaway.
Osea Island
Essex CM9 4SA
01621 788593
www.oseaisland.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? There is accommodation for 130 guests, or more if you are adventurous enough to camp in luxury under the stars.
DREAM COME TRUE… Your own private island for your dream day, does it get more romantic?
What could be more romantic than to be married on your very own private Island? Set in 350 acres of idyllic countryside and surrounded by four miles of private beaches and coastline, Osea Island offers bounteous possibilities for the ultimate bespoke wedding. Luxury marquees and gazebos have been constructed for al fresco ceremonies and receptions amid breath-taking backdrops, while stunning indoor banqueting suites of varying size are also available in The Coastal Houses and Village Barns. Numerous catering options are possible to match your requirements. At full occupancy the island sleeps 130 guests, with luxury camping facilities available for additional accommodation.
Blake Hall
Bobbingworth
Ongar
Essex
CM5 0DG
01277 366687 www.blakehall.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? Up to 150 guests seated or 200 for a buffet.
Dream come true… This family home has become a perfect place to celebrate with family and friends on this most special of occasions.
BLAKE HALL has been home to the Capel Cure family for more than 220 years and the historic setting and peaceful gardens offer the perfect venue for a wedding day to remember. The 17th century barn has been sympathetically restored to provide modern comforts without losing any of its original charm and has seating for up to 150 guests, while the area outside the barn is ideal for reception drinks and to enjoy the romantic sunset. The venue is hired on an exclusive-use basis and is licensed for civil weddings and partnership ceremonies, either inside the barn or under the canopy of the refurbished saddlery. The Old Coach House, and its impressive dressing room, is only a stone’s throw away from the venue, sleeps six and is available for hire the night before your wedding. Meanwhile, The Stable Cottage has been converted into a sumptuous honeymoon cottage for your exclusive use on the night of your wedding, while the old stables have been converted into three stunning bedrooms, all with en suite bathrooms, and a breakfast room for your guests to enjoy.
East Mersea Hall
Church Lane
East Mersea
Colchester
Essex
CO5 8TJ
01206 383499
07842 195221
www.eastmerseahall.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? East Mersea Hall is able to accommodate 120 for a sit down meal and 150 in the evening.
Dream Come True… Perfect for a very personal touch
and the charming St Edmunds Church is literally a stone
throw away
EAST MERSEA HALL is a unique wedding venue and family home which is surrounded by breathtaking gardens and a lake. 2014 is a very special year for the hall as it celebrates its fifth year as a wedding venue and the owners look forward to welcoming couples with their families and friends for a ‘day to remember’. The hall encompasses everything for a wedding day, whether you want a civil ceremony, church wedding or just a wedding reception – the choice is yours. East Mersea Hall is exclusively yours for your wedding day and the experienced events and catering team are on-hand to offer advice and support from the initial meeting until the last dance. A very personal service is provided to each and every couple because East Mersea Hall is a home as well as a business, so expect a very warm welcome when you visit.
Spains Hall
Finchingfield
Braintree
Essex
CM7 4NJ
01371 811596
www.spainshall.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? Up to 120 seated in the hall and up to 130 seated in The Stables.
ICING ON THE CAKE…For a setting full of history and romance, this fabulous Essex estate certainly ticks all the boxes.
Spains Hall, situated just 20 minutes from Stansted Airport and 45 minutes from London, has been a country estate for nearly 1,000 years and has been home to the Ruggles-Brise family for 250 years. The estate comprises 2,000 acres, the magnificent 15th century Spains Hall, the Stables complex, various farm buildings and holiday cottages, all of which have been sympathetically restored in recent times to provide first-class facilities. A member of the team is available seven days a week from 9am to 5pm so you can ring any time to arrange to come in and find out more about staging your special day at Spains Hall.
Le Talbooth
Gun Hill
Dedham
Colchester
CO7 6HW
01206 323150
www.milsomhotels.com
How many guests? From 12 to 180
Dream come true... Simply great service, great food and great location
This is where wedding dreams are made. Le Talbooth is a beautiful, timber-framed building in a unique setting beside the River Stour which as you can imagine is great for wedding photographs. There are several choices available for the wedding breakfast from the small intimate Weavers Room to the River Room where you can spill out onto the terrace beside the river. For larger parties the marquee on the upper terrace makes an excellent venue.
And that’s not all; just a minute away is Maison Talbooth, a luxury hotel overlooking the Dedham Vale. The hotel has a civil wedding license for up to 50 guests. Maison Talbooth also lends itself to house parties, allowing brides, family and friends to take over the whole hotel for a night or two. The event team are with you every step of the way, from the first meeting through to the actual day. And with more than 60 years of experience to call on, the team can just get on with what they do best, allowing you to relax and enjoy your wedding day.
The Roslin Beach Hotel
Thorpe Esplanade
Thorpe Bay
Essex
SS1 3BG
01702 586375
www.roslinhotel.com
HOW MANY GUESTS? Enjoy being beside the seaside with up to 150 guests.
Dream Come True… There is just something magical about being by the sea and with the Roslin you can add this extra touch of magic to your wedding day.
WITH outstanding levels of hospitality and stylish surroundings, The Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend is the perfect venue for your civil ceremony, wedding breakfast and reception. The hotel’s private function suite boasts exceptional natural light and spectacular sea and coastal views – together with a comprehensive array of lighting, audio equipment and formal and casual dining options. The privately-owned, boutique-style hotel can cater for parties from 20 to 150 guests and can provide a fabulous honeymoon suite together with guest accommodation for all. A dedicated event co-ordinator will ensure your big day arrives with absolutely everything you’ve specified in place, on time and stress-free.
Square 1 Restaurant
Outside Catering & Venue
Great Dunmow
Essex
CM6 1AB
www.square1restaurant.co.uk
www.square1cafe.co.uk
HOW MANY GUESTS? That is the beauty of it all, Square 1 can cater for whatever you need.
ICING ON THE CAKE… Enjoy a made to measure service as you get exactly the level of help you are looking for.
WHETHER it’s at home or a venue of your choice, Square 1’s chef and wedding planner will design a bespoke menu to cater for your wedding at a price to suit your budget. The helpful team can also assist with the set up, waiting staff, crockery hire, bar, tableware and much more. The restaurant is available for hire too and there is also the option of hiring Square 1’s own marquee, set in the beautiful Debden countryside.
