When it comes to sustainability, we have made some real green initiatives over the years as we strive to be an eco-friendly wedding venue, without compromising on style and taste (some you won’t even notice the difference!).
The chandeliers hung across our venues use LED bulbs, that not only create more energy efficient light, but a warm romantic glow that fills the entire room while you say your “I do’s” and/or host your wedding breakfast. The selected bulbs are long lasting and more durable, in comparison to alternatives, naturally creating less waste.
Where possible our menus are sourced from local suppliers, effortlessly reducing our carbon footprint, including meat, poultry, dairy products, bread, fruit, and vegetables. The extensive list allows the in-house chefs to lovingly prepare most dishes using locally sourced produce, from canapés to roast dinners, down to the garnish used in drinks.
Reusable, branded glass bottles are placed on the wedding breakfast tables, filled with our in-house still and sparkling water, reducing the use of plastic for every wedding held. An impact that may seem small, but quickly adds up with the number of weddings hosted each year. Waste from the events is split and collected as general waste, recyclable waste, and food waste, meaning the amount sent to landfill is as minimal as possible.
The grounds across our venue are home to an array of plants and wildlife, and well maintained by a team of gardeners. Any fallen trees are cut into logs and stored to use in the open fires around the venues, or broken down into chippings, giving them a new use. The flowers beds are then scattered with wood chip, not only for an attractive soil cover (these are luxury wedding venues after all), but to provide a natural form of insulation, help conserve moisture and support growth. Not to mention, a rewilding scheme is already in place at Cain Manor, and discussions are underway for the scheme to branch to Notley Abbey. This scheme utilises the acres of land at Cain, and eventually either side of the long driveway at Notley, as a nature-based solution to the increasing environmental problems.
Harper has worked with several suppliers, and overtime built a selected list of suppliers that we call our ‘Harper Partners’. Partner, Shropshire Petals grows a variety of sustainable flowers to create natural, biodegradable petal confetti for the picture-perfect confetti shot, either as you walk back up the aisle, or out onto the patio surrounded by your loved ones. Other partners, such as Sonning Flowers, are working hard to develop their green credentials with recyclable wrapping and composting flower waste. The trusted Partners list also includes Wedding Photographers, Musicians and singers, and venue stylists, to name a few. Recommending tried and tested local suppliers not only helps independent local businesses but cuts the need for suppliers to travel to the venue from afar, allowing couples to make eco-friendly decisions for their wedding, without compromising on quality.
Our bespoke online wedding planning software has been designed in-house to document every detail of your wedding day. The Planner includes our messaging platform, the running order of your day, bedroom allocations, food and drink selections, décor extras, and a guest list with an interactive seating plan. You can hold all the large, and finer, details of your wedding day in one place (right down to the way you want your napkins styled). So, not only are you in safe hands, but you have peace of mind that your planning is paperless!
