Whether you’re newly engaged or have been thinking about booking a wedding venue for some time now, you’ve no doubt done some venue research. As you’ll now realise, there are several unique styles of wedding venue out there, all offering couples a different experience when it comes to their actual wedding day.

Our collection of country house wedding venues are all available on an exclusive hire basis and we have been offering complete exclusivity for over 15 years. Read on to find out why we love offering our exclusive use wedding venues to you, and you alone, on your wedding day…

Exclusive use guarantees you your privacy for the duration of your wedding day. You’ll generally receive sole exclusivity of a wedding venue, the grounds, the staff and anything else that you require, for a full 24 hours. It means that you can be sure that you’re not going to bump into or see anyone on the day that isn’t a guest, or a member of staff, at your wedding.

Some exclusive wedding venues will differ in terms of what they will provide within their exclusivity package. Hiring a blank canvas wedding venue could mean that you need to bring in every wedding supplier yourself; from the tables, chairs, linen, catering team and more. Where as other wedding venues, including all four Harper wedding venues, will provide everything for you – unless you have specific requirements.

•    Choose to get ready at the wedding venue before heading off to get married in a church, before returning to the venue as a married couple.
•    Hire suppliers in to decorate the wedding venue to your own taste.
•    Your quote will include everything from venue hire to food & drink, bedrooms, service, VAT and more, so that there should be no hidden extras.
•    You won’t have the fear of strangers gate-crashing your wedding reception.
•    If your chosen exclusive use wedding venue offers accommodation, then you won’t need to travel anywhere at the end of the night.
•    Everything can be held in one place, so no need to worry about guests having to drive around after the ceremony if you choose to get married at the venue.
•    Depending on the style of wedding venue, staff may be included in your exclusive use hire, meaning that you won’t need to worry about a thing on the day.
•    Enjoy the use of the venue and grounds for a private wedding photography session without the fear of anyone loitering in the background.

You may find that hiring an exclusive use wedding venue may cost a fraction more than a hotel wedding or a non-exclusive hire wedding venue; but think about the benefits that we’ve just explained above. If you decide early on in your wedding planning that you’re both set on hiring an exclusive use wedding venue, but your budget doesn’t quite stretch, consider extending your wedding date in order to save for longer, or, get married sooner and perhaps benefit from a last-minute offer. Most wedding venues will only require a deposit to secure your chosen wedding date in the first instance and the rest of the money is generally paid in installments before the big day (depending on how soon your wedding date falls).

The location of your wedding venue, regardless of whether you choose to hire exclusively or not, is essential. Think about your family and friends in terms of travelling to your wedding venue. And, think about them again when your wedding comes to an end and they have to travel home (if they’re not staying close by).  Plus, if you’re getting married in a local church you’ll need to consider transport and the logistics of getting your guests to and from the venue after the ceremony.

Hiring a wedding venue with accommodation on-site will be a big relief when your actual wedding day comes to an end. In the past, couples used to head straight off on their honeymoon from the venue – therefore not necessarily needing the requirement for accommodation. However, these days newlyweds like to extend their wedding celebration and head off on their honeymoon either the following week, or in the future if they need more time to save up. A wedding venue with on-site accommodation will enable you to prepare for your big day in the bridal suite before hand and tumble into bed once you’ve bid farewell to your wedding guests. You may also be able to enjoy breakfast together with your overnight guests the following morning if your exclusive use wedding venue includes it, like we do here at Harper Wedding Venues.

Some couples know from the start that they only want to get married or hold their wedding reception at an exclusive use wedding venue, where as others may not realise it until they’ve been on a venue visit.  We strongly recommend that if you are considering hiring an exclusive use wedding venue that you book in a viewing to go and see a few different styles. On your venue visit the staff will explain how the venue works in terms of a time table for the day, and what the venue can offer you when it comes to service, catering and your overall exclusive hire for 24 hours.

At Harper Weddings, we believe that hiring an exclusive use wedding venue not only gives couples complete peace of mind on their wedding day, but that the venue becomes their own home for the day, therefore, offering a calm, relaxed and more enjoyable environment in which to host the most exciting day of your life.