Kristen and James got married at Barley Wood House, a DIY venue with both outdoor and indoor spaces in Bristol with countryside views.
Full of little touches that showed what they’re both about, they had two ‘best persons’ rather than best man/woman, a speech by the bride in addition to the groom, a handfasting, musical friends who did the music during the ceremony and well..you get the idea.
Kristen and James got married at Barley Wood House, a DIY venue with both outdoor and indoor spaces in Bristol with countryside views.
Full of little touches that showed what they’re both about, they had two ‘best persons’ rather than best man/woman, a speech by the bride in addition to the groom, a handfasting, musical friends who did the music during the ceremony and well..you get the idea.
I admit it. I’m obsessed with Barley Wood. This 18th-century country house nestled on 11 acres is a dream venue, with a mix of landscaped gardens, woodland, and parkland**.**
They promise, “your wedding, your way and your home for the day.” Sounds lovely. It is. I’m not the only one who thinks so, it’s got a solid 4.8 five star reviews from fifty-seven Google reviews.
They’ve been running since 2015 as part of YMCA social enterprise project, which means all the money they raise goes back into helping young people get back on track
Where is it?
Barley Wood country house is in North Somerset. North-east of the village of Wrington. It’s 13 miles from central Bristol, and if you’re honeymooning I have good news for you, Bristol airport is 3 miles away.
Enjoy looking through the photos, there are some details about Barley Wood House after the gallery.
The history part (skip this if history isn’t your thing)
Heard of the Bristol pound? A currency unique to Bristol and In 2012, it carried the image of a champion of social reform, female education and the abolition of slavery. Her name is Hannah More. Someone built Barleywood in 1801 for her and she lived there with her 4 unmarried sisters and her place of rest is close by at Wrington. Hannah More moved to Bristol in 1828 and the house was sold to William Henry Harford, which his son, another William, inherited.
In 1897 they sold it to Henry Herbert Wills, director of the Imperial Tobacco Company, (The company pioneered the use of cigarette cards within their packaging), which is now the world’s fourth-largest international cigarette company.
The gardens at Barleywood are valued, as Thomas H Mawson designed them. Mawson did a great deal of writing and emphasised the importance of gardens to the general well-being of humankind. Nice, eh?
Still with me?
Let’s skip forward a bit, as it was owned by some accountancy group until the YMCA took over. They own and manage it meaning all the monies raised go back into creating a transformational force in the lives of young people.
I could stop there as that says it all but there’s plenty. One huge plus is that it’s in Bristol but not in the centre, Bristol centre is the worst for parking. Stresses me right out when I’m shooting a wedding there.
Their outdoor ceremony space
With views out across the Yeo valley, seating for 100, relaxing sounds from an ornate water feature blended with chirps and tweets of birds, it offers something others cannot, views of the Mendips while saying your vows out in nature.
My hunch is that they’re the future of marriage ceremonies.
The UK’s weather roulette means that tying the knot indoors might be more practical, so it’s great that what they offer as indoor ceremony space is beautiful, too.
The indoor ceremony space
Their indoor ceremony room gets flooded with warm summer or clear winter light through its large bay windows. And someone with good taste decorated the space in a way that allows you to put your personality on it with ease.
It looks good as is. Your personal touch is a bonus.
The perfect space to host your wedding feast
They limit the House to 100 guests at any one time. however, if you are expecting greater numbers than this there is more than adequate space for a marquee in the garden for 200.
Part of the magic of camping, or a festival, is being outdoors, and it’s especially magical when that nature is easy on the eye. The views out across the hills, the romantic Italian gardens, mature trees, and manicured hedges create a calm that adds to a relaxed and happy vibe to the weddings there.
Price range: £3,500 – £7,300 That’s for venue hire for the weekend. The upper price includes the use of all the rooms and everything else is on top.
You can hire the entire house and garden for two nights. 18 lucky people will stay in nine rooms, the bridal suite, 3 king-sized rooms and 5 double. And believe me when I say that they are very nice too. The Bridal Suite is a large luxurious room with original features and a beautifully fitted en-suite. This room boasts stunning views over the Yeo Valley
Address: Barley Wood, Long Lane, Wrington, BS40 5SA
Licensed for civil ceremonies.
>Nine guest bedrooms. For a total of 18 lucky people to stay over with you.
Lower Stock Farm B&B – only 1.9 miles away.
Holiday Inn Bristol Airport – 2 miles.
Winford Manor – 3.5 miles.
Cadbury House – 3.9 miles.
As you can see there’s plenty to choose from to make Barley Wood House an attractive choice for a wedding as everything is close by.Barley Wood says that “You can choose everything at Barley Wood. We have a large collection of the very best local suppliers who are on hand to offer expert advice and help you create the most special of days.” I’d agree with that from speaking with those who choose it.
One thing of note is that they don’t offer package deals. If you don’t mind the extra work (or fun depending on how you look at it) then the options you have access to are unparalleled. It really is a blank canvas, you could any type of food for your wedding breakfast, and decorate it in any way that tickles your fancy. You can see their recommended suppliers here
It’s a weekend that’ll be completely you with 20 of your nearest and dearest there with you for the whole weekend.
Hard to beat in my opinion.
