And so we had two provisional bookings and no perfect venue. We were dejected. Or at the very least I was. When I am dejected I am intolerable. I am monosyllabic and defeatist. In truth I had my heart set on Walton Hall. Billesley Manor just didn't measure up and so the alternative was that we didn't have the right venue at all and should keep looking. Sadly we were both impatient to feel we had sorted the venue and the date - after all there's a lot hinging on it. Thus it was with some trepidation that I asked James if on a hunch he would be prepared to view one more venue on Sunday. I'd spotted it in a weddings magazine and to my delight he was amenable. And so we headed off to Stow-on-the-Wold, after first ringing to see if we could just call in and have an informal look around. The reception was very welcoming.
On arrival things were very promising. The Cotswold stone building was pretty and had lovely pillars either side of the door. The words 'I like the car park' were heard coming from James' mouth - honest!!! We were greeted warmly as we stepped inside and had teas and coffees brought to us. We sat in front of a huge open fire (sadly unlit but we're assured it does work!) and admired the surroundings, including a majestic sweeping staircase (yippee!!!!!). We went on to be shown around by the duty manager, who was charming. While he couldn't answer some of our questions, those he could answer were done so efficiently. He instantly appealed to James by showing us the most important room first - the 24/7 bar - which had a suitable selection of single malts and a humidor. I think at that point James fell in love.
To my delight the whole hotel was surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns - plenty of photo opportunities - and we found a further surprise when there turned out to be a glass sided room in the garden which allowed outdoor space to be used even if we get inclement weather. The other indoor rooms in the main house were fabulous and the restaurant/ conservatory area was light and bright with staggering views over many many miles of Cotswold countryside. The tables were laid with a wonderful precision to detail and I was impressed.
We were then shown the extension, which housed the main function room and some bedrooms. The function room was a very decent size - can seat 120 - and was a lovely shape. It also had ample space for a dance floor (the ceilidh being an integral aspect of the day). Although not the brightest of rooms, we were seeing it on a particularly dingy day, and it had definite potential. Unlike with some other options, the annexe was within easy distance of the original part of the house. The nearby bedrooms were beautifully appointed - spacious, modern and reasonably priced.
The choice of bridal suites was appealing. James and I had a definite favourite, the squarer room with a balcony looking out over the gardens. Again the attention to detail was fabulous with our guide pointing out that the lack of hospitality tray was deliberate and that instead we simply had to lift the phone to have freshly made teas and coffees materialise. It's safe to say we were impressed and by the time we left we couldn't wipe the grin off either of our faces.
We had found... The. One. At least we hoped we had. We just needed one more component - an efficient wedding coordinator. Having submitted an email inquiry and filled in a form during our visit I was assured she would contact us on Monday. I decided that if she got in touch before lunch I would be impressed but I would be happy with any time during the day. To my delight I had an email from her by 10am. And so at lunch time today I made the call. I was greeted by a delightfully bubbly sounding girl and we made our third booking. And I truly believe it is third time lucky. We meet the coordinator in person first thing on Saturday (yet another early start!) and I'm really optimistic.
And so I am delighted to say that the venue is Wyck Hill House Hotel. And the date .... Well unusually we're going for a Friday and it's going to be September this year but the save the dates will follow for those who'll be bagging an invite.
Yippee!!!!!
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