In conversation: Wedding Venue Swinfen Hall
Article originally published in The Wedding Bubble website
As part of the ‘Inside our bubble‘ series, this month we'd like to introduce you to Swinfen Hall - an idyllic countryside manor house wedding venue set in 100 acres of ornamental gardens and parkland. Swinfen Hall caters for weddings of all sizes - from small, intimate weddings of 15, up to much larger celebrations of 430 in their brand new for 2022, wedding marquee. We caught up with on site coordinator Lucie, and asked her a few questions to find out more.
Tell us a little bit about how Swinfen Hall Hotel came about?
Swinfen Hall was built in 1755 and was originally made for Samuel Swynfen, his wife and their son Henry by the architect Benjamin Wyatt (who one of our ceremony rooms is named after). It remained in the family until the last member died in 1948, when it was left to the city of Lichfield.
The Wiser family purchased the hotel in 1987 and came up with the wonderful idea to create a hotel and wedding venue. After restoring from semi derelict, they created something truly special and Swinfen Hall earned its name amongst the most prestigious hotels and wedding venues in the Midlands.
Following many successful years at the helm, the family retired from ownership and Swinfen was purchased by Lee and Laura Bushell and is now owned by the Bushell investment Group.
Over the past year we have seen some amazing upgrades and modernisation including the acquisition of the picturesque lake and renovations of the boathouse into overnight accommodation and preparation space for wedding mornings. Growing to 140 acres, the estate is now one of the most unique and luxurious places to celebrate the best day of your life.
What do you love most about being a wedding and events venue?
This has to be seeing the love for each and every couple person that celebrates here. For wedding couples … the joy of finding us and realising how amazing their wedding will be here. The fun through the planning journey and really getting to know what is special to them (and I love that it is always something different!). The nervous excitement on the wedding morning and of course the moment they see each other for the first time, when the nerves melt away and they realise that this will truly be the best day of their life ??
For events, Swinfen becomes such a special place to everyone who celebrates here. They love to relive their fond memories and often return time and time again.
What is your favourite memory of a wedding or event held at Hall to date?
There are too many!! From a barn owl ring bearer to a bubble wedding car. A full Harry Potter theme to an incredible silent disco. Cannoli towers, Princess castle cakes with a pink waterfall centre, horse and carriage entrances, famous singers, a Hollywood movie star who got married here, glitter stations, Guard of Honour salutes and so much more. Our favourite thing is that no two weddings or events are ever quite the same and we LOVE it!
Who do I look to for inspiration?
We love to be inspired by so many factors to create the most amazing venue we can offer. Hedsor House is always a great inspiration for us and we love to learn all the latest tips and tricks from their owner Hamish, who also owns Bride book, one of the leading online platforms for planning a wedding. We also took great inspiration from Aynhoe Park which had the best mix of quirky pieces and traditional architecture.
Three top tips for choosing a wedding or events venue?
- Find a team who you know you will make the day perfect.
- Always remember that the venue is the main impression that your guests will have of your day.
- Trust the feeling. There are so many beautiful venues to choose from, but you will always get a special feeling when you step into the one for you.
Lucie, thank you so much for taking the time out to write for us, this has been hugely informative for our couples i'm sure.
You can find out more about Swinfen Hall by visiting their website: www.swinfenhallhotel.co.uk or following them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
If you're planning a wedding and are looking for help with supplier research, budget management, wedding design, or just someone to run the day after all the hard work you have put in yourself, we would love to hear from you! Head on over to our contact page to get in touch. We'd be delighted to meet up for a free, no obligation consultation