Elmore Court is one of those wedding venues that has it all. It is the kind of venue that as a wedding photographer, you stumble upon very rarely.
Best Wedding Venue In Gloucestershire?
When it comes to wedding venues in Gloucestershire and finding the perfect one for your big day, I’d recommend that before you start searching and reading through the many thousand wedding blogs that exist, you consider asking yourselves a few questions…
Will you walk away the morning after your wedding day, with hearts feeling full (and perhaps with a slightly thick head)? Will you have the best time with your family and friends? Do you trust that the staff will be incredible, and will go above and beyond to make sure you and your guests are made to feel totally loved? What does the food look like, is it Instagrammable?? Is there somewhere quiet any older guests can go to relax? Does it look amazing?
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Elmore Court Reviews
Elmore Court has proudly stands near the south bank of the River Severn in Gloucestershire and has been in the Guise family for over 750 years. It is an eclectic mix of old English manor house, with a modern, purpose-built party hub. There is an overwhelming sense of home from the minute you walk through the gates; the house and the team make it feel like a home-from-home.
Anselm Guise is the current owner, and to say that he knows how to throw a party, would be a complete understatement. A co-founder of the electronic dance music festival, Glade, he earned a reputation for being one of the UK’s more hedonistic heirs. This, combined with the fact that the Elmore Court was historically a party pad, means that entertaining and partying, runs through the blood of Elmore.
Elmore Court is licensed to hold Civil Ceremonies in the House, outside on the Front Porch and also in The Gillyflower (the sustainably built party room, but more on that shortly!). Generally speaking however, wedding ceremonies will take place in the Main Hall, with the afternoon and evening festivities, continuing in The Gillyflower – it’s essentially two venues in one!
The name given to The Gillyflower, is itself is a bridge from Elmore’s past to its future. Historically, the rent paid for the land was set at one clove of a gillyflower per year. Arguably it has taken an open mind such as Anselm’s to ring in the changes at Elmore Court.
The gem behind the splendour of Elmore Court is RIBA award-winning ecologically sound, and entirely soundproof party venue known as The Gillyflower. It has been carved from wood on the estate and sculpted from the earth.
Cutting edge LED lighting, a stunning “Lightshower” designed by Bruce Monro, and a Funktion One sound system are all included in your hire of The Gillyflower, as is a wireless PA system. Couples are also free to use the venue’s cake stand and knife, and display easel (don’t underestimate the inclusion of these little things – they can make a big difference when you get planning!). The awesome Kadai fire bowl in The Gillyflower meadow will also be lit in the evening to keep guests warm as the sun goes down.
Elmore Court only offers hire on an exclusive basis, which means you get the entire house, gardens and of course The Gillyflower to yourselves, throughout the course of your stay. Weddings run Thursday through to Sunday, February to December.
Exclusive use of Elmore Court, The Gillyflower and the gardens starts from midday on the day of your arrival, and runs through until 10.30am on the day of your departure. Access to the beautiful Coach House from 4pm the day before allows you to wake up on site, ready to being the all important preparatons for your big day.
The Coach House is yours until 12.30pm on the day of your wedding at which time, you transfer over to one of the bedrooms in the Main House. All 16 bedrooms in the Main House are included in the venue hire for the night of your wedding.
Couples are assigned a personal wedding co-ordinator to assist from the initial stages through to the big day itself, and they will also have access to their own exclusive webpage.
All tables and chairs, as well as all cutlery, glassware and a fully stocked and staffed bar are provided as standard. So many cocktails…..so many!!
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A fantastic in-house team of chefs have put together some cracking menus, but they’re also happy to work with you to create a bespoke menu that you’d like on your wedding day. Where possible, they try to use locally sourced ingredients to help support local businesses. They also grow produce on the estate, and let’s face it, you can’t get more local than that!
The Famous Elmore Court Bloom-More Wedding Fair
In February, I met lots of you at one of Elmore Court’s, super-dooper, renowned wedding fairs. It’s not any old wedding fair in the UK, it’s more of a large party. It’s not just an opportunity to meet some fantastic preferred vendors, it’s an opportunity to really feel the energy of the whole venue and to meet the staff, which hands down are what makes Elmore Court what it is today – the best wedding venue in Gloucestershire.
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When I wasn’t catching up with all of you lovely people and speaking to you about the plans for your special day, I was walking around (as usual) with a camera in hand, capturing the magic of the day. The result? The short video, just below…
As a wedding photographer in the Cotswolds, it’s safe to say that I have visited a lot of nice wedding venues in Gloucestershire, but I can categorically say, that this is my favourite of the area… maybe even the UK .
Gary is a preferred supplier at Elmore Court, check out his availability here.
