The popularity of couples tying the knot in a hotel has soared in current times and this has been influenced by a variety of factors. Ultimately, couples who are planning their big day will want the process to be as straight forward as possible, but it isn’t uncommon to end up feeling swamped beneath caterers, florists, décor firms and rental companies. Hotel weddings provide an almost all-inclusive approach to planning the big day, with unique package deals, in-house wedding specialists and the opportunity to add your own individual touches. Learn more about the rising trend of hotel weddings, with winners of the 2019 Cumbria Tourism ‘Wedding Venue of The Year’ award, Cragwood Country House Hotel.
Couples have more choice than ever before when it comes to selecting their wedding venue. Picking a place to tie the knot can be daunting, as you’ll want your big day to be memorable for all of the right reasons. Many couples are looking for a venue that ticks all of the boxes, and as a result the hotel industry is thriving in terms of providing the perfect backdrop for wedding ceremonies and evening receptions. Lake district wedding venues are a popular choice for couples that want to combine the convenience of a hotel wedding with breath taking scenery, and Cragwood Country House Hotel are testament to this with their title of ‘Wedding Venue of The Year’, secured at the 2019 Cumbria Tourism awards.
Let’s join Cragwood Country House Hotel and take a look at what makes hotel weddings a popular choice amongst newlyweds-to-be.
All together under one roof
Hotels are advantageous as they can offer every necessary part of the big day all in one location, and this is an extremely appealing quality for those organising a wedding. Hotel weddings enable couples to invite family and friends from further afield, without having to worry about providing somewhere for them to stay — it’s common for families to book rooms well in advance to ensure that all of the necessary reservations sorted. Your nearest and dearest can really make themselves at home with a hotel wedding, and they’ll also be able to celebrate with you the morning after — as long as you have recovered from the night before! For these reasons, hotel weddings can feel like close-knit occasions and the convenient nature of having everyone in one place means one less stress for both the organisers and the attendees.
Hotel weddings also provide a kind of wedding ‘headquarters’ as you can hold every element of your special day in the venue. From walking down the aisle, to rehearsal dinners, wedding suites and a delicious brunch the following morning, every aspect of your wedding is covered in a hotel. This is a key reason as to why hotel weddings have become so popular in recent years: when your wedding finally arrives, you can rest assured that all you’ll need to focus on is enjoying every second of the day! Joe Cobbb, Executive Commercial Manager at Cragwood Country House said ‘’Our space at Cragwood really captures all the best elements of the hotel wedding, and at every wedding we take pride in knowing that our venue has brought people together’’.
Onsite wedding coordinators and packages
No one starts planning a wedding thinking it’s going to be a quick and easy process. However, many hotels now offer a dedicated range of wedding packages, or even their own wedding planner service with experienced team members to help guide you through the process. The sheer number of things that you’ll need to remember ahead of the big day can feel overwhelming, and so having a wedding planner on hand can help you to feel relaxed and reassured from the early stages to the final lead up. Most hotels tend to offer a selection of comprehensive wedding packages, providing a tailored service to help couples make their dream wedding a reality. Hotels can provide a wealth of wedding services in collaboration with nearby businesses and suppliers, from catering to décor choices, flowers and beauty services. You’ll be able to follow the process at each stage and having an in-house point of contact can reassure couples in terms of knowing where to direct any queries or requirements.
Catering is a key concern for couples when it comes to wedding planning and ensuring that you have well-fed guests is an important consideration. Hotels boast menu’s that go beyond the standard choices, and you’ll be able to have plenty of input into deciding what will be served up. Hotel caterers will be experienced members of the hospitality industry and knowing that your wedding menu choices are in trusted, expert hands can take a lot of stress away — meaning you can focus on the more important things! These services tend to come as part of wedding packages, and they can include everything from canapes to wine and light refreshments as well as the main meals. There’s flexibility for couples to choose which extras they want, and Cragwood even offers bespoke designed wedding cakes. Getting the catering right at your wedding is vital, and this is why hotels have succeeded in providing a service that is difficult to rival by other venues.
A wedding, how you want it
Hotel wedding spaces can be as versatile as you want them to be, and many venues offer multiple choices to ensure that you pick the right space for your big day. If you are set on keeping your big day a low-key event, then you’ll be able to pick a space that complements this — or alternatively, if you want to enjoy your big day with absolutely all of your loved ones, then hotel weddings provide optimum space to where there’ll be plenty of room for your celebrations. While we can’t really guarantee the weather in the UK, most venues can now provide outdoor ceremonies so if you’re lucky enough to say ‘I do’ on a sunny day then you can set up the aisle and seats for onlookers outside. Many couples are taking inspiration from celebrities like Kim Kardashian, creating unique flower arrangements and using bespoke wedding arches to add the finishing touches to their big day. Floral arrangements have really taken off ever since the likes of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wed in May 2018, and even if your ceremony stays indoors, many hotels will be more than happy to accommodate for these extra touches. In a hotel wedding venue, you’ll most likely be allowed to determine the arrangement of your ceremony, and smaller weddings look set to take on a more rounded style — placing your guests seats in a circle surrounding the newlyweds can make your ceremony feel more intimate.
If your venue wants to make the most out of the growing hotel wedding trend, then it is important to offer customers a unique experience, with thoughtfully planned inclusive extras. Cragwood provides a selection of different packages, covering a variety of requirements and each option includes a variety of additional treats for the couple and their guests, from delectable canapes to a three-course wedding breakfast, and evening refreshments.
Hotel weddings can embrace the colour scheme you’ve got in mind for the ceremony, and 2019 looks set to be dominated by coral hues overtaking the classic wedding favourite, blush pink. This year, festival inspired interiors are poised and ready to take over the summer wedding scene, following on from the ceremonious return of Glastonbury in July. Bring an acoustic band or guitar player to create a bohemian inspired ambience or consult your hotel for advice on entertainment options.
Memories you can always treasure
Undoubtedly, you’ll want to get your wedding photographs just right, and the best hotels will offer a unique, locational feature or landscaped gardens as a stunning backdrop. Many wedding venues in Cumbria benefit from the breath-taking natural landscapes of the Lake District, making for some awe-inspiring wedding pictures. If your venue wants to sit amongst the best of the bunch, then you’ll need to be able to offer them something that they won’t forget in a hurry — and pictures are key to achieving this. Capturing your big day on camera is made more significant if you are surrounded by picturesque, natural scenery and Cragwood boasts a view of the shores of Lake Windermere, and Joe Cobb highlighted the benefits of choosing a venue which can provide you with photographs to treasure forever: ‘’At Cragwood, we’re extremely fortunate to enjoy such stunning views of Lake Windermere, and the backdrop adds a truly surreal feeling to the photographs taken on the day.‘’
Just like any widely anticipated event, it’s likely that time will fly by on your wedding day as the celebrations get into full swing. Your hotel wedding venue will certainly be able to suggest a reputable photographer, and nowadays some establishments have connections to local photography businesses to help couples tick another item off their wedding ‘to-do’ list. Joe Cobb said ‘’At Cragwood, we know how important it is to get your wedding pictures just right, you’ll want to be able to look back and treasure your special moments.’’
More and more weddings are taking place in hotels, for the unrivalled setting, attentive organisation and comprehensive packages to ensure that ceremonies go off without a hitch. Benefit from the convenience of having all of your guests in the same place, and the comfort of a simply stunning hotel venue. To top it off, choose a venue nestled in the countryside and you’ll be able to look back at pictures from your special day in years to come.
We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Cragwood Country House Hotel. For more tips and advice, please pay a visit to our lifestyle page.
Sources:
https://www.marthastewartweddings.com/649366/new-wedding-trends-2019
