Wedding planning from home – How to find and book your dream wedding venue from the comfort of your own home
With the help of zoom and virtual tours, it has never been easier to view your chosen wedding venue from the safety of your home.
The key to finding the right wedding venue is all about ticking off your venue must-haves first. All that’s left after that is for you to fall in love with one!
With wedding insurance almost impossible to obtain during the current pandemic, registry offices closed to new bookings and churches closed temporarily, we are trying to make it easier to book our venue by allowing you to:
Agree a provisional date with us and pay your booking reservation fee once the registrars or church are able to take bookings again
allowing postponement of weddings at no additional charge if your wedding needs to be moved due to the coronavirus to an alternative date.
If the thought of doing all of the wedding planning and decorating yourself has got you breaking out in a sweat, you’ll probably want to find a venue with an in-house wedding coordinator.
Here at Manor Hill House we have a team of experienced coordinators available to help you with every step of the wedding planning process. We can advise you as to which suppliers to book and when, to helping you select your finishing touches, to deciding your choice of food for the day. You will also have dedicated coordinators looking after you on the day itself, from helping you unload your suitcase when you arrive in the morning to straightening your train as you walk down the aisle and helping get your guests seated for dinner.
To get started, list your venue must-haves and have them ready to check off with each venue you look at. Here are the key things you need to consider
1. List your venue must haves
· Venue type – You’ll need to decide on the venue types you’re willing to consider. If you’re absolutely set on just one venue type, this can really focus your search.
· Venue capacity – you’re going to need to make sure your venue has space for everyone so have a think about the rough number of guests you’re going to invite. At Manor Hill, we can accommodate both the small intimate weddings of 30 guests up to 150 day guests, due to our linked reception rooms and bespoke marquee. We can easily open up or close down parts of the property so it feels right for the number of guests present at any time of the day.
· Budget – At Manor Hill we are always pleased to help you work out how to stay within budget, just let us know what it is and we will help you achieve this. We are well aware how going over budget can cause concerns.
· Location – We are located in beautiful West Midlands countryside, off the beaten track which allows for complete privacy but yet close (only 3 miles) to junction 5 of the M5 making us easy for guests who are travelling.
· Ceremony venue – Are you looking for an outdoor ceremony? We can host them both indoors and outdoors and will set up in two locations at no additional cost. As an exclusive use venue we can make the decision on the morning of your wedding depending on the weather, as to where your ceremony will take place.
· Accommodation – If your venue is far from home or you’re inviting guests from afar, accommodation will be crucial. We have 4 guest bedrooms including our honeymoon suite, however we are closely located to 3 major hotels who offer our guests discounted room rates and these are located only a few minutes drive away. We organise taxis on the wedding day to have them returned back to their hotel and even offer the facility of additional guests joining you for breakfast the morning after the wedding.
· Catering –If you’re set on a specific type of cuisine make sure you include this on your list. We pride ourselves on our bespoke catering, our head chef loves to make specialist dishes and actively helps plan your wedding menu for your day with you.
· Beverages – if you fancy bringing in your own booze, a hefty corkage fee could shave a chunk off your wedding budget so watch out for this extra cost. At Manor Hill we offer an incredibly good value drinks package for wedding guests. This takes the stress out of sourcing your own alcohol and is a fraction of the price! If you want to bring in your own wines this can be arranged at a very fair corkage price.
1. List your venue must haves
· Venue type – You’ll need to decide on the venue types you’re willing to consider. If you’re absolutely set on just one venue type, this can really focus your search.
· Venue capacity – you’re going to need to make sure your venue has space for everyone so have a think about the rough number of guests you’re going to invite. At Manor Hill, we can accommodate both the small intimate weddings of 30 guests up to 150 day guests, due to our linked reception rooms and bespoke marquee. We can easily open up or close down parts of the property so it feels right for the number of guests present at any time of the day.
· Budget – At Manor Hill we are always pleased to help you work out how to stay within budget, just let us know what it is and we will help you achieve this. We are well aware how going over budget can cause concerns.
· Location – We are located in beautiful West Midlands countryside, off the beaten track which allows for complete privacy but yet close (only 3 miles) to junction 5 of the M5 making us easy for guests who are travelling.
· Ceremony venue – Are you looking for an outdoor ceremony? We can host them both indoors and outdoors and will set up in two locations at no additional cost. As an exclusive use venue we can make the decision on the morning of your wedding depending on the weather, as to where your ceremony will take place.
· Accommodation – If your venue is far from home or you’re inviting guests from afar, accommodation will be crucial. We have 4 guest bedrooms including our honeymoon suite, however we are closely located to 3 major hotels who offer our guests discounted room rates and these are located only a few minutes drive away. We organise taxis on the wedding day to have them returned back to their hotel and even offer the facility of additional guests joining you for breakfast the morning after the wedding.
· Catering –If you’re set on a specific type of cuisine make sure you include this on your list. We pride ourselves on our bespoke catering, our head chef loves to make specialist dishes and actively helps plan your wedding menu for your day with you.
· Beverages – if you fancy bringing in your own booze, a hefty corkage fee could shave a chunk off your wedding budget so watch out for this extra cost. At Manor Hill we offer an incredibly good value drinks package for wedding guests. This takes the stress out of sourcing your own alcohol and is a fraction of the price! If you want to bring in your own wines this can be arranged at a very fair corkage price.
2. Set up a video meeting for your wedding planning
We may be working from home but it doesn’t mean we are not available to talk with you about your wedding plans. With us all having zoom, you can speak to us easily at a convenient time.
The best part about zoom calls is you have the opportunity to ask all of your wedding questions and get instant answers without writing emails back and forth. We can talk you through how a wedding day would typically run and share photos over the call as well!
Video meetings are also a great opportunity to discuss suppliers, we can send you a copy of our directory of suppliers which is packed full of local wedding professionals all fully qualified to help enhance your wedding day.
3. Set up a virtual tour
A virtual venue tour is a great way to get a feel for a venue and experience the space without actually being there!
Emma, one of the owners of Manor Hill House, lives on site so is able to show you around. Being the business owner, she has a wealth of knowledge regarding weddings and the property, you couldn’t be in more capable hands.
Whilst on a virtual tour with Emma, photos of the spaces can be shared to help visualise the rooms. At the end of the tour, you can discuss your plans in detail and Emma can work out a quote for you which can then be emailed over to you.
If you book a venue tour be sure to pop some fizz in a glass and enjoy the experience to celebrate the start of your wedding planning!
4. Ask to see real weddings
Real weddings are one of our favourite ways to gather wedding planning inspiration and when it comes to deciding on a wedding venue, photos and videos of previous nuptials can be invaluable.
Our website galleries have many photos from previous weddings, along with our Instagram account and Pinterest. If there is a certain style or theme you are looking for let us know! It’s likely we have photos from one of the many weddings we have held.
4. Read Reviews
The best way to find out what it’s like to host a wedding with us is to speak to a couple who have already done it, or at least read their reviews!
We are blessed to have so many incredible reviews from our couples, take a look at these links to see them yourself:
Photographer credits: The Brand Studio // Emma Graystone // Stuart Myers
