DEER PARK COUNTRY HOUSE | DEVON WEDDING VENUE
Next up in my Supplier Spotlight blog is…Wedding Venues!
The first step that any Bride and Groom have to nail, is their choice of wedding venue, as before booking anything else, even your wedding photographer, you have to find that all important location.
I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to work at some amazing venues over the last 15 years, and have met some wonderful people I can now call my friends.
The Deer Park Country House has to be one of my favourite venues of all times, so here is Sophie, their Wedding Manager telling you a little more about the place I fondly call “my second home”.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS:
For an unforgettable wedding, party, corporate day or retreat with your team, the Deer Park Country House provides the perfect backdrop. 80 acres of timeless spaces filled with inspiring imaginative touches. Pared down or turned up, every occasion is a sensory experience.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE WORLD OF WEDDINGS?
I am from a HUGE family and have loved weddings for as long as I can remember. After completing A Levels, I decided to study floristry full time, which was wonderful as it gave me the opportunity to explore my imagination and deliver some dream events.
I later moved on to become a visual merchandiser where I worked with some of the best stores on the high-street. As a visual merchandiser I coordinated the display exhibits and décor of the retail stores I oversaw. It was great to be given themes and then evoking that concept visually through design techniques.
As my love for design continued, I later landed my dream job at the Deer Park Country House as the Weddings Manager. (Sophie; pictured on the right).
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR VENUE VIBE?
Deer Park Country House is a celebration of experience and adventure contrasting the impeccable with the informal. The sense of communion with nature - low-impact and high pleasure. All the components of a great destination.
WHAT AREA OF THE COUNTRY DO YOU COVER?
HOW MUCH SHOULD BRIDES/GROOMS BUDGET FOR THEIR
WEDDING VENUE?
Breaking down your wedding budget can be one of the most trickiest (yet most important) wedding planning tasks. Decide if you are having a grand / extravagant wedding or want to plan something a little more low key and intimate. At the Deer Park our venue hire charge varies dependant on date / season, therefore providing something for everyone.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD BRIDES/GROOMS BOOK THEIR WEDDING VENUE?
However long do you need to plan… If you are great decision makers and have the time to plan your wedding, you could create your perfect day in as simple as eight weeks. For those that require more time I would recommend anything from six months to two years.
WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION YOU GET ASKED....
AND THE ANSWER?!
Will you be there on my wedding day?
Of course - we wouldn’t miss it! Here at the Deer Park we love to see all our plans unfold and deliver the perfect day.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL REQUEST YOU HAVE RECEIVED?
Can I bring my pet budgie?
Yes, the budgie came, had a great party and left.
WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR 2020/2021?
Vegetarianism and veganism, sustainability, dried flowers and the statement veil.
IF YOU COULD WORK ON ANYONES WEDDING WHOSE WOULD IT BE?
If someone could hold him down, Leonardo Dicaprio! Leonardo is incredible, we love his films and his passion for climate change – can you imagine how lavish yet sustainable his wedding would be!?
WHAT IS THE BEST MONTH TO GET MARRIED OUTSIDE?
June – sunshine and bloom! Statistically the driest summer month in Devon and such a beautiful month of colour. Summer weddings at the Deer Park are divine!
FREE BAR, OR NOT FREE BAR? AND HOW DO YOU CONTROL IT?
Once you’ve moved closer to your wedding day, let your budget decide. If you are kind enough to give your guests a free bar make sure you have rules and limitations.
WHAT SHOULD THE PRIORITIES BE, BUDGET WISE, FOR A COUPLE,
IN YOUR OPINION?
Decide what is most important to you before you arranged your wedding budget. Personally, I would opt for a small wedding with just my close family and friends to allow me to have a wedding budget to find my perfect venue, dress, flowers and band.
WEEKEND OR WEEKDAY WEDDING? AND WHY?
It depends who you want at your wedding…. If you are having a large wedding we would suggest a Friday, Saturday or Sunday to guarantee everyone’s availability. If you are having a smaller wedding, you could opt for a mid-week wedding if you know everyone can commit to your chosen date. Mid-week weddings will make your wedding budget go further and if the majority of your friends and family as self-employed is a no brainer!
WHAT SHOULD COUPLES LOOK FOR IN A WEDDING VENUE?
You need a wedding venue which you love and trust – make sure your chosen venue is flexible and open to new ideas.
SHOULD A COUPLE BOOK A WEDDING PLANNER? AND WHY?
Do you have the time to plan your own wedding? If the answer is no, seek the help of a professional. If you know what you want go solo and plan your own wedding day. Sometimes I think Deer Park couples would benefit more from a wedding stylist than a wedding planner.
BEST WEDDING PLANNERS YOU KNOW? AND WHY?
Katrina Otter has such a wonderful eye for design – we adore reading her blogs.
HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST COUPLES FIND THE BEST
WEDDING SUPPLIERS?
The best advice we can provide is listen to your venue – trust us, we have seen it all!
WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST A COUPLE LOOK FOR IN A
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
Friendly, professional, approachable and most importantly CREATIVE. We strongly suggest to always check out any potential wedding photographers’s Instagram account as this will give you a good preview of their style.
DOES RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY MEAN GOOD LUCK?
Yes – here at the Deer Park, we are pretty superstitious. For us, the perfect day would be sunshine following by a light drizzle in the evening.
WHY DO PEOPLE THROW CONFETTI, AND SHOULD YOU?
We love natural confetti here at the Deer Park Country House – confetti is a celebration with colour!
CONTACT DETAILS
Sophie Brooke | Weddings Manager
Deer Park Country House
01404 41266 | hello@deerpark.co.uk
*To see more gorgeous weddings from my time as a Deer Park Country House Wedding Photographer, and some thoughts from clients who I have photographed there, hop over to my YouTube channel.
