Friern Manor Country House Hotel

I am proud of every wedding at Friern Manor. We always aim to uphold our ethos of quality and service regardless of budget; the team go above and beyond to ensure it is the day of your dreams. The success of any wedding is as important to us as it would be to the bridal party, where you are made to feel at ease like guests, rather than hosts and we never forget your invited guests. Ultimately, good quality does not have to be expensive, but executed with a passion.

Wedding planning can seem daunting at the beginning with so many choices to make. Just make one decision at a time and it will all fall into place and be perfect. If you are unsure or need any assistance, we are always available and would be delighted to help.

There are many, but personally I like discreet personalised touches.

One example was a couple that ordered the luxury Friern Manor ice cream cart but provided their own personalised paper napkins for their guests. I thought that this was a nice subtle touch.

Luxury, Professional, Personal, Beautiful & Memorable.

As one would expect from an exquisite historic building within a four-acre established estate, photo opportunities are endless, but for me it is the stylish fusion of the historical manor house along with its ruins like the Potting Shed through to the inspiring folly’s with their modern influence that make the perfect backdrop for wedding photographs. However, my personal favourite time of day for photographs is as dusk falls as I feel it creates some of the best opportunities for professional photographers and those Instagram moments for us amateurs alike. The lush open-air oasis of the lake and its fountains, water features and significant gardens are all lit dramatically by lighting themes that are exceptional. The design emphasises the reflecting lake, substantial trees and the surrounding grounds, thus allowing guests to drink and relax in an informal atmosphere and to capture unique photo opportunities that are as exceptional as Friern Manor itself.

Yes many, primarily due to the venue’s private and safe environment.

Although our Chefs create delicious canapés, I am a fan of the Post Ceremony Appetisers. These are also created for guests during the reception drinks and photographs. They include a selection of delicious light bites.

It must be the Late Night Bites. These are a selection of Bacon Butties and Miniature Fish and Chips which are tastefully presented to the guests and a welcome surprise for those still partying.

The Bacon Butties are made of the finest smoked back and streaky bacon, grilled and served in a rustic roll with individual tomato ketchup or houses of parliament sauce.

The Miniature Fish and Chips are cod in beer batter with French cut chips served in a miniature cone and wrapped in Financial Times newspaper.

There are far too many to list but a brief Google search demonstrates the passion and style of this exceptional venue. When I was approached to take the position of senior wedding co-ordinator I was apprehensive as I considered I had achieved my goal at an alternative venue. However, when I visited I soon realised that Friern Manor was understated, it did not bellow its presence, from the historic building with its chic modern interpretations that are tastefully accomplished without being influenced by trends to the impeccable grounds, it truly is select. But for me, I think the most outstanding impression from behind the scenes was the passion for service and attention to detail, the internal training of staff with the emphases on attentive but not imposing service, quality uniforms and a devotion to the quality of food was a refreshing change in our industry, as our motto says, “Distinctly Different” and Friern Manor unquestionably delivers on that.

I think that there are two that come to mind. Firstly, the ground-breaking change by the act of parliament of the marriages Act 1949, Friern Manor was the first historic building to be sanctioned according to the new law to permit the solmisation of marriage on the estate. Friern Manor hosted the first ever marriage in England & Wales in May 1995. Friern Manor had previously played a historic role and was proud for it to have played this significant role in the unprecedented change of law. More current must be the reduction in our carbon footprint. By engaging with our staff, we passionately believe that they will become ‘catalysts for change’ in this incredibly emotive subject of global warming. With their help and interaction, it is enabling us to develop a conscientious and proactive approach to the environmental and sustainability issues we face, not only as a business, but as a community too. The team at Friern Manor have always taken a consistent and long-term approach, knowing that ultimately, we are custodians who must safeguard the heritage of the estate for future generations so it can be as an important part of the county’s future as it has been of the past.