The term ‘Asian Wedding Packages’ in the UK covers a wide variety of weddings which follow the style, format and culture of Asian countries’ weddings and their respective religions. This can range from Indian, Nepalese, Bangladeshi and Pakistani weddings to Chinese, Thai and Filipino weddings. Whilst modern-day traditional English weddings often see guest numbers of less than 150, three-course sit-down wedding breakfasts and church/civil ceremonies, Asian weddings tend to welcome guest numbers of more than 300 with authentic cuisine from the bride/groom's heritage and religious ceremonies such as Nikah ceremonies, Vivaha ceremonies or Anand Karajs.

Whilst exploring wedding venues and discovering the ‘Asian Wedding Packages’ on offer, the most common term used will be ‘Dry Hire’, which quite literally describes the dry hire of the venue. This fee will often be the cost for just the venue itself, excluding any catering, beverages, accommodation, staff or additional amenities (e.g. DJ, décor, entertainment). Of course, it differs venue to venue, which is why it’s important to learn what your venue’s Dry Hire or Asian Wedding Packages include before sending out your invites! Oakley Hall’s Dry Hire fees are kept as simple as possible for our couples. The one payment, or ‘Dry Hire fee’, at Oakley Hall includes your venue fee for the large capacity Garden Pavilion, tables & chairs, events Kitchen for your caterers to work from, the Garden Suite for the day and two changing rooms – plus much more! As an independent, family-owned venue, our team can be flexible with our package offerings. So if you’re looking for something different that’s not already included, we can still work with you to design the wedding day of your dreams!

So, let’s get down to all of the details! Dry Hire or Asian Wedding packages vary depending on the venue and its facilities. We like to think that the Dry Hire package at Oakley Hall covers the needs that most of our couples have for their celebrations.

Hire of the Garden Pavilion (from 07:00 on the day of the wedding until 00:00, departing by 01:00). This also includes use of the Garden Pavilion bar, kitchen (for your caterers), private entrance, complimentary car-parking (up to 200 spaces) and private ground floor toilets.
Hire of the Garden Suite (until 17:00, 16:00 in December).
2 x day use changing rooms until 17:00.
350 chivari chairs, up to 20 x round 6ft tables and up to 20 x round 5ft tables.
An assigned Oakley Hall Representative for the day.
Housekeeping as required for function rooms and toilets.
A suite for the couple on the night of the wedding.

If any of our couples have something different in mind, we always welcome new ideas to the table. In the past, additional function rooms and bedrooms have been added to the package.

A realistic budget is an important factor that must be considered when planning your wedding, as it can determine other parts to your day, including the location and guest numbers. According to a number of online sources, the average cost of an Asian Wedding in the UK is approximately £50,000, compared to the approximate average of UK weddings which is just over £20,000. Asian weddings are typically held across more than one day to incorporate a number of religious and cultural events, all of which are typically catered for, professionally decorated and include outfit changes and photography/videography. Meanwhile, traditional British weddings are most often held on one day.

Things to consider when considering your costs for your Asian Wedding:

Guest count – Your catering / beverage options will usually be charged at a price per head. So the higher your guest numbers, the more you will pay for catering / beverages.
Catering costs – Every caterer is different, from the quality of their services/products to the way they function on the day. If keeping within a budget is important for your wedding, we would definitely recommend researching multiple caterers before making a decision.
Décor and theming – In general, the more elaborate your theming is, expect to pay more! Whilst the décor itself isn’t cheap, some suppliers may you charge for the time it takes their staff to put up and take down the décor.
Multi-day events – As previously mentioned, it’s important to consider the length of your celebrations. The more days you choose to host your ceremonies and celebrations, the more money you will be paying towards venue hire, catering, décor and other amenities.
Photography and videography – Some suppliers offer just the one package for your day, whilst others offer a selection which differs in hours covered and photos/hours of video taken. You can view all our recommended suppliers here.

With all of these fluctuating costs to consider, Oakley Hall’s Dry Hire package is a simple, set fee that only varies depending on the month and day of the week.

For many couples, budget is one of the determining factors when planning a wedding. Whether you’re paying for the entirety of the day or your family is also contributing, it’s a good idea to start your wedding planning journey by establishing a budget. Once this has been decided, you can then take a deeper dive into the details.

Wedding Venue – Your venue’s location within the UK may affect the overall cost of your wedding day. Generally, the closer to London and the home counties you are, the more expensive your venue options will be.
Number of events – Each beautiful cultural celebration is an event itself, normally involving elaborate décor, live entertainment and staffing. So it’s easy to see how the costs accumulate the more events you have!
Catering requirements – Whether you’re looking for regionally traditional cuisine that represents your heritage or want specific cuisine that caters to dietary requirements, your caterer will more than likely have a selection of menus and offerings for you to choose from. Whilst the type of cuisine doesn’t normally dictate the price, the number of offerings you choose and the way it is served to your guests can significantly impact the price. The more offerings you choose, the more expensive your overall cost or price per head will be. Buffet-style feasts are normally the more cost-efficient choice than sit-down meals, as fewer staff are involved with the service.
Décor & entertainment – Grand floral arrangements, traditional dhol drummers, firework displays, luxury dance floor and exquisite Mandap / Nikah set-ups are just a few examples of additional costs that may need to be factored into your wedding. Again, the more elaborate your plans, the more money it will cost. Whilst many of these décor & entertainment elements are non-negotiables for your celebrations, there are ways to reduce the price. Instead of real flowers, why not opt for fake flowers? Or perhaps you can scale down your Mandap / Nikah setup.
Guest experience – Once the main details of the wedding are confirmed, you may want to start thinking about your guests’ experiences around the wedding times, too. Whether this be accommodation for your nearest and dearest, transport between your venues or even welcome gifts for your guests.

Depending on the needs and expectations from each couple, it’s worth weighing up the options of all-inclusive packages vs Dry Hire packages. We’ve listed below the features to each Oakley Hall package to help you distinguish the key differences with the benefits/limitations to both underneath.

Venue hire for the ceremony & reception rooms

Catering & drinks during the day included

Dedicated Wedding Co-ordinator

Oakley Hall team to run your wedding on the day

Chairs & tables

Reception drinks

A bedroom / suite for the night prior and of the wedding day

Flexibility to plan your day (e.g. choose your own caterers)

Additional costs to your venue hire & catering

More wedding planning from the couple’s side

Multiple contacts and businesses to keep track of

Specialised caterers / suppliers for Asian weddings

When planning your dream wedding day, price is one of the most important factors to consider. Without having a budget set prior to your wedding planning, your expectations may be entirely unreasonable or unrealistic!

Planning your wedding as much in advance is always one of our top pieces of advice. Whilst we understand that Asian weddings have shorter lead times than traditional package weddings (statistically between 6 – 12 months on average), the further in advance you plan your special day, the likelihood of inflated cost prices (which tend to increase year on year for venues and suppliers) and the more you can spread your payments out.

Being aware of additional costs is also a good piece of advice to take away. You can budget meticulously throughout your wedding planning journey, but more often than not, there will be a hidden fee, cancellation charge or upgrade fee that you have missed.

Oakley Hall Hotel is undeniably one of Hampshire’s most luxurious and beautiful Asian wedding venues. Whilst our Georgian manor house holds a rich history dating back to the eighteen hundreds, our award-winning wedding spaces and facilities can host up to 350 seated guests with 50 bedrooms & suites onsite– making it ideal for large-scale Asian weddings.

The Garden Pavilion venue hire fee includes a private, professional kitchen which will be available to your caterers on the wedding day, a private bar (which can be open or closed depending on your preferences) and private parking for up to 200 cars. This modern space also includes an LED star-lit ceiling, coloured uplighters and a private Garden Terrace leading straight to our grounds.

Our Wedding & Events team have a combined history of over 40 years, with experience in Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese and Chinese Weddings. Our close working relationships with several Asian wedding caterers and planners, and our flexible packages, make our venue one of the most desirable and sought-after in the county.

From reading all of the information above, we have hopefully provided you with at least a few useful tips to help you plan your wedding. Whether it be carefully considering your guest numbers and working out your budget flexibility or exploring various catering options, the more open you are to your day, the more your budget will fluctuate.

At Oakley Hall, we understand every Asian wedding is a unique celebration of love, family and tradition. Enquire today to explore our bespoke Asian wedding packages and discover how we can bring your vision to life.

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Asian Wedding Packages

Understanding Asian Wedding Packages – A Complete Guide

What is Dry Hire and Asian Wedding Package?

What’s typically included in an Asian Wedding Package?

The Average Cost of Hosting an Asian Wedding in the UK

Factors that affect the cost of an Asian wedding

All-inclusive vs customisable Asian Wedding Packages

All-inclusive ‘Oakley’ Wedding Package

Dry Hire Wedding Packages

Benefits / Drawbacks

Benefits / Drawbacks

How to budget for an Asian wedding

How Oakley Hall caters to Asian weddings

Choosing the right Asian Wedding Package for you