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How to plan the perfect Cotswold Wedding

So many newly engaged couples are attracted by the thought of getting married in the Cotswolds. As an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswolds is a glorious location for a wedding. With its mix of quintessential English villages and rural market towns, brides, grooms and guests alike can admire the rolling hills while the honey-coloured Cotswold stone venues offer the perfect backdrop to a dream day.

Our team are on hand to help you plan the perfect day but here are a few tips to think about in advance.

Selecting your perfect Cotswold venue

As well as the stunning location, the Cotswold wedding experience is all about the venue, its staff and a relaxed atmosphere during the day. Your wedding venue should have character and elegance to offer both rustic charm and modern luxury. Ideally it will be fully accessible and provide an outdoor space that can add another dimension and create great photos for your day. If you aren’t looking for a church wedding, the venue is often licensed for civil ceremonies, which minimises travel on the day.

Stratton House Hotel is able to offer outdoor wedding ceremonies and receptions in the Cotswolds. You can say your vows in our stunning walled garden, which is a truly peaceful and relaxing place amongst the trees and flower beds and then enjoy your wedding breakfast under the pergola.

Budget

Money conversations are always hard. But without knowing what you have to spend, you can’t even begin to start planning. Couples should talk to one another about how much they can afford, what their must haves, nice to haves and probably won’t haves are and come up with a realistic figure. But don’t be put off by the Cotswold price tag, you can enjoy all of the trappings of a Cotswold wedding venue without breaking the bank. We offer bespoke prices as every wedding has different needs. Why not request our wedding brochure for more details?

Choose your catering

With so much wonderful produce on the doorstep, whatever menu you choose, the food for your wedding breakfast should be locally sourced, freshly cooked and delicious – think slow-roasted meats with seasonal vegetables, pan-seared fish or handmade desserts like warm chocolate tarts served with fresh cream.

The first thing to decide is the type of menu you want for your wedding. Will your wedding reception be one of the following?

A formal sit-down meal
A buffet
A lighter-bite menu

Rather than a choice of external caterers, each with a different fee and different costs, Stratton House Hotel has an in-house catering team that can listen to your preferences, match your style and work within your budget. And don’t forget the service: a wedding breakfast can be spoilt by poor service. Our full time friendly, yet professional team are used to going above and beyond to ensure your personalised wedding requests are met in full.

Choose your Wedding theme

Whether it is Bridgerton grandeur, rustic charm or vintage chic there are so many popular themes to choose from. Following a change in the law recently, we also expect to see more outdoor weddings at Stratton House Hotel. Of course, even the fantastic Charla can’t plan the great British weather, even in the summer – so we also recommend putting your Plan B, wet weather alternative, in place. Unless of course you think there is nothing more romantic than having your first dance in the rain. Whatever your theme, the Cotswolds is the perfect backdrop to inspire your creativity.

Choose your suppliers

Ok, you have the location, the wedding venue, the food all in line with your chosen theme but weddings also require a few more individual touches:

Wedding dress
Wedding flowers
Wedding car (taking you to & from the Cotswold church)
Wedding stationery
Wedding photographer

We can recommend a preferred list of suppliers that we can put you in touch with. If you choose this route, you know you are working to your budget and as we have worked with them all before, these preferred suppliers come with an extra layer of endorsement

Optional extras for your Wedding Day

Your wedding day should be perfect but it can be over in a flash. Why not extend the celebrations with an intimate experience or shared meal before the big day?

Pre wedding spas for the bridal party, bridesmaids or mothers and mother-in-laws to be can be popular. Relax and unwind with a choice of treatments from our Spa in the Garden . We can offer special discounted rates and treatments for bridal parties.

We are also an excellent venue for a laid back hen party that expects luxury and pampering.

Cotswold Weddings at Stratton House Hotel and Spa

If you are looking for a stunning setting, with a friendly atmosphere, mouth-watering locally sourced food and exceptional service look no further than our unique wedding venue near Cirencester.

As soon as you arrive you will feel like you’re in your own home away from home.

Stratton House Hotel and Spa is an elegant Country House hotel nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds. Our neutral décor makes us an ideal blank canvas for any theme you choose. We can host intimate weddings for up to 50 people or larger ones for up to 150 guests. Our in house kitchen team will prepare your wedding meal with the utmost care and attention to detail. Using fresh ingredients from our own gardens and local suppliers we can tailor your menu to suit your needs.

We also have a dedicated wedding coordinator, on site who will help make sure your dream day unfolds seamlessly from start to finish.

To start planning your perfect Cotswolds wedding, follow the links below.