CEREMONIES AT BATEMAN'S BARN

Tucked away amidst a grove of ancient trees, within the embrace of a medieval moat, Bateman’s Barn is a most peaceful, relaxed and memorable location to share your marriage vows.

Our beautiful medieval barn and 'Grace', our amazing little summerhouse-style garden room and outdoor wedding space, are both licensed for wedding ceremonies and civil partnerships. Choose to hold your ceremony inside under the barn's historic beams or outside by Grace's side. You can even pick your own outdoor spot such as the secret garden, sunny terrace or shady grove of ancient trees, and simply saunter across to Grace or the barn for the official register-signing at the end.

Everyone is always most welcome at Bateman’s Barn South Elmham, so do also feel free to organise your own celebrant or humanist to conduct the ceremony or blessing, if you prefer.

Plenty of choice

When you book your wedding at Bateman’s Barn, you have the freedom to choose the celebrations and / or ceremony combination which works for you. Our main summertime wedding package - where the venue is exclusively yours for three whole days - has proved ever-popular over the years, but we recognise that you might prefer to hold your ceremony somewhere else special to you.

We also understand that perhaps you've always had just a marriage ceremony in mind - or maybe that decision has been made for you, due to a situation out of your control?

Our scalable weddings approach at Bateman's Barn is 'all together different'. You can get married here on our historic island at any time of the year, scaling your ceremony arrangements up or down as appropriate at the time.

Celebration-wise, if your wedding's in the summer, you can make scalable plans for the day - or choose to save them for later for all to enjoy.

Book a non-summer ceremony and you can add some celebration time to look forward to in a warmer, 'freer' future. And whenever you tie the knot or have your party with us, you can be sure that there’ll be no need rush with those oh-so-important deliveries and decorations.

Preparations at your own pace

Take time to finalise things just the way you want them. Add all those elegant or quirky little touches which will make the atmosphere so unique and very you. You’re more than welcome to have a rehearsal of the ceremony on the day before too, if you like and we’ll be more than happy to run through the proceedings with you, so everyone taking part knows what they are doing.

Or why not book our simply elegant bedrooms in our historic home, South Elmham Hall, and stay over? There couldn’t be a calmer place for those last minute special preparations on the morning of the great day than this secluded island.  And when the moment for making your grand entrance comes, your aisle on your isle is only a few steps away across the courtyard.

Music to your ears

On the day, registrars conducting the ceremony always come along early to spend time orchestrating everything. They’ll make sure that all the key players are ready, including any guests invited to do readings and the appointed witnesses. As they arrive, guests are generally invited to relax on the terrace with a drink from our converted stables bar.

At Bateman’s Barn, it’s our aim to ensure that your wedding is as stress-free and relaxing as possible from start to finish. So it’s all part of our service to advise, assist and support you on any aspect of the ceremony, including arranging your chosen music to be right on cue.

Whether you dream of floating down the aisle to the timeless airs and graces of a string quartet, arriving to the rousing sound of a Scottish piper, the theme tune from Star Wars or perhaps just a poignant pre-recorded pop favourite, we will be on hand to help.

Now everything's signed, sealed, delivered…

Well, if you feel the urge ‘jump the broom’ or even strut your stuff up and down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s jubilant refrain (‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m yours!’), that’s absolutely fine of course. We love what you love, and that you love, and you won’t be our first couples to celebrate that way!

After the ceremony, drinks on the terrace are a popular choice, whilst the newly-weds and guests enjoy our personal gardens, farm and medieval ruins for the photographs. Whether you have a celebratory cocktail, fine wine, glass of fizz or tea and coffee in mind, we can help you select what you would like to be served and there’s always the option to have the bar open for a refreshing pint of real ale and local beer too.

Fancy taking a look at our storyboard galleries of lasting memories »