Bursting with charm & the perfect venue for us.
When we began the search for our wedding venue, we knew that we wanted somewhere that was bursting with charm. Typically English, cosy and inviting. Somewhere that you instantly felt comfortable and at home. As soon as we arrived at Bateman’s Barn we knew that it was the perfect venue for us.
The beautiful grounds, amazing barn and courtyard and funky little bar, were just the backdrop we were looking for to celebrate our special day. Although immediately impressed by the setting and the buildings, we were sold upon meeting Nicole.
She was incredibly natural and friendly from the moment we stepped foot in the venue. Her calm, welcoming nature put all our worries aside; not only on that first encounter, but every time we panicked that something was going to go wrong, we would get in touch or meet up with Nicole and she would talk us through solutions or just reassure us. Nicole knew our day inside-out and advised us along every step of the way. We cannot emphasize how important she was in making our day so special.
One of the most enjoyable parts of planning the wedding was creating all of the decorations ourselves. Whether home-made or store bought, Bateman’s Barn is the perfect canvas to dress however you want your wedding to look. The beauty of the grounds and barn accentuated our chosen style and with the whole day to set up we could take our time until it all fell beautifully into place, with little help from Nicole.
Although initially nervous about the ceremony, we need not have worried. Nicole took us through the rehearsal at the end of our set up day and nerves were settled. Everyone involved knew exactly what they were doing, where they were sitting, what speed to walk which meant the ceremony went incredibly smoothly.
Even the timing of the music and the involvement of the children came together under Nicole’s supervision to make it effortless and idyllic. Despite a forecast of rain for the time of the ceremony, Nicole had multiple contingency plans to ensure the whole thing went without a glitch.
The rest of the day was perfect – even though it was raining! The different areas of the venue meant that everyone could explore, meeting people and escape whenever they needed too. Even with the rain, a bell tent out on the grass was a lovely getaway and change of scenery.
Nicole – I always like to be prepared in case we have wet weather at some point during the day, but Lara and Alex had more wet than fine weather and lots of plans for outside fun. Although we can’t bring the firepit inside, we made space for an indoor confetti tunnel and later on, I turned all the lights off in the courtyard so they could also have fun with their sparklers.
The bar was also a frequently visited hideaway; John also had Adnams Dry Hopped lager on tap - the groom’s favourite!
Although doing some initial research of our own, we trusted Nicole’s judgement and went with her recommendations for caterers and entertainment. We could not have been more pleased! The hog roast from Yew Tree Farms was spectacular and thoroughly enjoyed by all our guests. Debbie was amazing when it came to dietary restrictions and such a lovely, reassuring person. Nicole also recommended Justin, the house DJ, who really found the niche soundtrack of the evening that had people dancing all night long!
The day went by like no other. And we could not be more thankful to John and Nicole. They give a truly personal touch, continual guidance and reassurance - not to mention the stories! John’s recount of a certain guest's attempts at getting a ride home with the DJ made for hilarious breakfast conversation! One look at the barn itself and you can see why it’s such a special place to get married.
The perfect venue to beginning the rest of our lives together.
