The wonderful, award-winning team at Heaton House Farm are made up of wedding industry professionals, which through their hands-on experience can offer advice on how to make your day a talking point for your family and friends for years to come!
Whether you are looking for a dramatic feature or just some general hints and tips, then you have come to the right place – Charlotte Condliffe from the Heaton House Farm team fills us in!
Food
Let’s start with by far the most talked about element at every wedding – food, glorious food! There are lots of ways of creating a buzz around your wedding breakfast and to break away from the norm. If you have a theme, why not take it right through to your food?
Here’s an example: you’ve chosen to have a Thai-themed wedding. You chose bright, opulent flowers, an array of colourful parasols for capturing cute photos with your bridesmaids, and you get elephants to be put on top of your wedding cake. Having a traditional English three-course dinner would not fit this vision, so go for a traditional Thai meal instead. A thai green curry, coconut rice, dips with ramekins and lots of delicious tropical fruits, all eaten with chopsticks. Hey presto, you have created the perfect, authentic Thai-themed wedding!
Do you and your partner disagree on what to serve? Then go for both! If you love lasagne and your partner likes nothing more than curry, have the option for your guests to choose between traditional Italian and Indian. You and your guests will love the choice!
How about having some fun with your evening wedding food by offering a selection of tasty kebabs? Or have a pizza bar where guests can choose their toppings? It’s less formal and a great way to make your evening food more exciting!
Lighting
So you’ve found the perfect venue, it’s now time to put your own style into it. Lighting is a simple way of creating an ambiance and transforming a venue.
We love the romance of festoon lighting. Its beautiful vintage look with traditional bulbs and gentle lighting can delicately change an area and create the perfect backdrop for stunning photos.
If drama is more you, then have a flambeaux at the entrance to the venue! It will look spectacular in the evening and offer your guests a taster of the treats they have in store at your wedding.
Nothing beats a fairy light and here, we love them – we have them in abundance! We don’t charge extras for ours as they are here inside and out, all the time. They are pretty to look at and beautiful on photographs.
Sparklers
If you are looking for a way of getting your day and evening guests to mingle, then ask them to join you outside for some sparkler fun! The magic of the darkness, the sounds and smell will take them back to being children and turn them all into kids again.
Get your photographer outside and try spelling words out like ‘LOVE’, your names, or your wedding date; you’ll end up with some great pictures! It will also get your guests away from their table and give them their second wind ready for throwing some shapes on the dance floor!
Entertainment
Whether you like the soft subtle approach or find big and bold is more your style, it is always good to provide some form of entertainment. During the drinks reception, your guests could be serenaded by a string quartet, pianist or even a gospel choir. Or, if you want to make a statement; how about booking a live ice sculptor show or provide surprise singing waiters at your wedding breakfast? You could go all out and bring the fairground to your guests!
Unique ceremony space
Reciting your vows is the most poignant part of your special day; ultimately you enter as two and leave as one. Your guests may have attended a few weddings in their time, so if you like to change things up a bit, try having your ceremony somewhere unexpected.
If the great British weather is on your side, you are one of the lucky few that can marry outside! On a glorious day, there’s nothing better than watching two good friends make heartfelt promises to one another, under the warmth of the sun. You could follow your ceremony with an outdoor drinks reception and even a game of cricket! Your photos will be outstanding and your guests will love it!
For an atmospheric and intimate setting, marrying under the dramatic night sky will be sure to amaze your guests. Imagine your guests looking on at you and your partner standing together under thousands of twinkling stars. It’s magical!
Views
You probably have on your venue checklist: beautiful on the inside, stunning on the outside. Be sure to wow your guest from as early on as the drive to your venue. As they travel further into the picturesque countryside they will wonder where they’re heading, until they come across your hidden gem!
Heaton House is situated in the rolling countryside, on the Cheshire and Staffordshire borders. The charming view across the Cheshire Plain extends for miles, whilst the farm itself has many quaint and farming features offering themselves to photo opportunities. As your guests take in the countless views they will feel for one day as though your party are the only people in the world.
A Christmas wedding
What could make Christmas even more wonderful? A stunning winter wedding! Picture the scene; the countryside dusted in crisp, white snow, your guests stepping into our cosy warm barns to the smell of fresh Christmas trees. The festive cheer and specialness of the occasion filling everyone with happiness.
Now imagine as they walk into your wedding breakfast and look up to a magnificent 18ft Christmas tree, romantically decorated with lots of magical fairy lights. It couldn’t be more perfect!
Accommodation
After a fantastic day of celebrations, it’s time to rest those weary heads. For an all round quality experience for your guests, your accommodation must be as striking as your event. We have recently completed the conversation of an old barn into a luxury bed and breakfast.
Its traditional and contemporary features blend together perfect, each room with its own characteristic, whilst the hearty breakfasts have received rave reviews! TripAdvisor has ranked Heaton House as number one and recognised their green eco efforts by awarding a Silver Level Greenleader.
Enjoy all being together as you reminisce about the shenanigans from your wedding over breakfast. You’ll be sure to part with your guests on a high and leave them with the best memories.
Thanks Charlotte! So there are Heaton House’s eight ways to impress your guests. For more information or advice, visit heatonhousefarm.co.uk, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
