Written by Lisa Proffitt | 11th June 2021
Throughout our region and beyond, the market for country houses is booming. Buyers choosing a rural lifestyle have more space than ever before and many of them want to put it to good use by starting a new business and making their property pay its way. English country houses with sweeping lawns and glorious views make idyllic settings for a wedding.
After a year of cancellations, many popular wedding venues are booked up well into 2023, so it’s the perfect time to jump into the market and take advantage of the surge in demand. So, what do you need to know if you’re hoping to turn your home into a profitable wedding venue?
Firstly, you need space: Weddings require around 2,000 sq ft of indoor space, either a section of the main house, a converted barn or stables, or a marquee. You will also need lovely gardens for drinks receptions and photographs and plenty of parking. Around three quarters of all weddings involve a civil ceremony, so venues that can provide the complete package, including facilities for civil weddings, receptions and overnight accommodation for the bridal party do particularly well. Most wedding venues charge between £10,000 and £15,000 for their wedding package so there is good money to be made if you have the right offering.
Grade II listed Great Offley House near Hitchin in Hertfordshire has a two-bedroom cottage and an events barn with its own kitchen, utility room and cloakrooms.
Permissions and licences: You’ll need to get an Approved Premises Wedding Licence for civil wedding ceremonies which is £950 and lasts for three years. There’s also a legal requirement for a Premises Licence for the sale of alcohol and for live or recorded music and entertainment. All are available from the local council. A marquee on the lawn is an essential back up plan for wet weather drinks and mingling and marquees can usually be erected without planning permission for up to 28 days per year. This tends to limit people to five or six events because the 28 days includes the time taken to set up and take down the marquee. The government is currently considering a temporary extension to two months.
Hyde End Hall near Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire has a vast terrace spanning the rear of the house and mature gardens with an ornamental pond and fountain and countryside views.
Marketing: Research the wedding venues in your region and consider what makes your potential venue special. Most people will search for possible locations online so you’ll need a professional website with excellent images. Wedding event planning is one of those rare businesses where repeat bookings are not your bread and butter so alongside word of mouth it’s crucial to be active on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Emphasise the flexibility that your country house wedding provides for the wedding party. You can offer welcome events the day before the wedding, or a brunch the day after. Having sole use of the location for two or three days is worth its weight in gold for many couples.
The Grange, an Edwardian country house in Milton Ernest Bedfordshire, sits in three acres and has 12 bedrooms.
Health and safety. Taking out public liability insurance is crucial and if you’re providing food, product liability insurance to cover you in the event of an outbreak of food poisoning. All outside contractors, from caterers though to DJs, should be pre-approved to confirm they have liability cover and the necessary experience to provide the level and quality of service required.
A final thought: Country homes are expensive to live in and making them wedding-friendly can bring in tens of thousands of pounds every year. But overheads are high too. There are maintenance and cleaning costs and the gardens have to be immaculate. Plus, the business side of things is hard work and weddings typically take place in the evenings and on the weekends in the summer months, so consider if this fits in with your family and lifestyle. If you are still tempted to use your country home as a wedding venue, then the potential rewards are undoubtedly worth all the effort and go a long way to covering the expenses involved in living in such a beautiful property.
At Michael Graham we are specialists in the country house market and if you are considering selling or buying then we would love to hear from you. Our team are always ready to take your call, or you can book an online appraisal or search our properties for sale here now.
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