How to choose your Devon Wedding Venue – Part One

Welcome to our two-part blog to help you in your search for the ultimate Devon wedding venue!

Choosing your venue is arguably the most important decision you’ll make during your wedding planning, and typically, it happens right at the start of the process. You, therefore, need to know you’ve got it right!

Part one of our latest blog looks at venue size, uniqueness and the importance of indoor and outdoor spaces.

Keep a lookout for part two, which will explore availability and timings, restrictions, practicalities and the flow of your day.

SIZE!

When searching for your Devon wedding venue, top of your list should be the size and how many guests the venue can hold.

Whilst it may be tricky during the early stages of planning to have a finalised guest list, make sure at the very least, you consider roughly how many people you’ll be inviting and then only explore venue options that’ll accommodate your numbers. It would be such a shame for you to fall in love with a venue, to only discover its maximum capacity is 50!

At Shilstone, depending on when you are looking to get married, will determine how many friends and family you can invite. For our Spring and Summer Season, we can host 75 to 240 day time guests and for the Winter months, 80 to 100. We are very fortunate to have a healthy capacity at Shilstone…after all, your wedding is a once in a life time event, so understandably, you are going to want to invite plenty of guests to celebrate with you!!!

Photograph Courtesy of Rebecca Maynes Photography

Unique to you…

Your Devon wedding venue is the backdrop to your dream day, therefore, is arguably, the single most important thing to have an impact on the feel and style of your wedding. If you’re seeking a rustic, rural escape then you wouldn’t book a venue that’s an ultra-modern, urban wonder, and vice versa.

Following your engagement, don’t be afraid to take plenty of time in considering the style of wedding you’re looking for and how you want the day to feel as a result of your preferred style. Be sure your chosen Devon wedding venue reflects you as a couple, your personalities and your vibe.

At Shilstone, we offer the perfect blank canvas. If injecting the day full of bright colours, florals and decoration is your ambition, our backdrop, which is a fusion of classic and contemporary style, is amazingly complementary to the unique visions of our couples, If, however, your style is more subtle and natural, the architectural elegance of Shilstone speaks for itself, so there is no need to committ a huge chunk of your budget to decoration.

Photograph Courtesy of Freckle Photography and Floristry by In Bloom Devon

Everything’s covered or DIY?!

Sit down together and think about how much input you want on your Devon wedding. You may be super creative and crazy crafty and see yourselves getting involved with all the decoration, or you may prefer to outsource to various suppliers, and kick back and relax knowing everything’s covered!

There’s no right or wrong approach, but depending on your outlook, make sure your Devon wedding venue either promotes your inner creativeness or is happy and able to work harmoniously with your chosen suppliers!

At Shilstone, it’s very much a fusion of the two! You have the opportunity and are encouraged to personalise the venue, however, we take care of the more practical, and arguably, less exciting elements! All our wedding packages include tables, chairs, crockery, cutlery, glassware, linen and more. We also LOVE working with super talented suppliers and we reach out to them all ahead of the wedding day ensuring we are all set to work together to create the ultimate wedding experience!

Photograph Courtesy of Rik Pennington

The Great Outdoors

Consider what outdoor space is available with your Devon wedding venue and the role it will play in your day. Venues cannot guarantee the weather, so be sure the outdoor space enhances your experience and isn’t totally reliant on it. You may be completely in love with the idea of an outdoor ceremony, so by all means secure yourself a Devon wedding venue that offers this, but, and this is a BIG but, make sure your venue has an equally attractive inside option that won’t be seen as a compromise if the weather doesn’t play ball.

Picking a Devon wedding venue with plenty of outside space also broadens the photographic opportunities. From your newlywed portraits to group shots, make sure there’s a backdrop to match!

Additional outside space may also serve a practical purpose. Perhaps you have a number of children in attendance, therefore, an intimate function room with a small courtyard might not be as appropriate for stretching little legs as an endless lawn at a countryside venue.

Photograph Courtesy of Josh Gooding Photography

Photograph Courtesy of S6 Photography

Indoor Space

Make sure you pick a Devon wedding venue that works well in all weathers! Similarly, to the outside spaces, your Devon wedding venue should be enhanced by the inside space it offers, and a combination of both beautiful indoor and outdoor opportunities should certainly be a priority. If it’s wet and windy you want to be able to celebrate whilst sheltered and warm, and if it’s glorious sunshine, you don’t want to find yourselves stuck inside without available space to soak up some rays!

Consider how the inside space available makes your day feel. Does one large, multi-purpose room have the potential to grow tiresome as the wedding day unfolds, or perhaps become rowdy, therefore, unsuitable for older guests or children who need a quieter space.

Shilstone offers a combination of amazing indoor and outdoor spaces. Our East Garden is a beautifully secluded spot, perfect for a sun-soaked outdoor Ceremony, and whether it’s preference or due to the weather, we have our character-filled Rustic Barn for indoor Ceremonies, complete with LED aisle and complementary spot lighting.

Journeying from East to West, you and your guests will gently venture through various inside and outside spaces as your Shilstone wedding day unfolds. Our award-winning Georgian Manor House and surrounding formal gardens are home to the Drinks and Canape Reception and our Walled Garden houses our very own Mughal Marquee for the Wedding Breakfast.

Photograph Courtesy of Yeti Photography

Keep an eye to our “News” feature as part two of How to Choose Your Devon Wedding Venue is coming soon!!

We hope this article has been both enjoyable and informative. If you require further information, please give one of our dedicated team a call on 01548 830 888 or fill out a contact form here to get the ball rolling for your dream day!

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