How to Plan a Destination-Style Wedding in the UK?

Weddings are one of the most exciting days of a couple’s life. There’s nothing more heartwarming than saying your ‘I dos’ in front of all of your loved ones within a picture-perfect setting or venue. And to some, what could make this day even more special? Planning a one-of-a-kind destination wedding, of course!

But with planning a destination wedding comes a few hard decisions. The most significant being the location. Are you thinking of a neighbouring country that could be accessed by car from home, or a country that will require travel to the other side of the world? Either option will need to be planned with travel costs, logistics and accessibility for your loved ones in mind.

If you’re keen to plan a destination wedding but don’t know where to start, we’ve detailed below why Oakley Hall makes the perfect venue for your destination wedding and the key things to think about throughout your wedding planning journey!

Our team would love to promise you sunshine and warm weather for your wedding day – but unfortunately, that is something that we are unable to guarantee in England! But what we can promise is a picturesque Georgian manor home wedding venue set in the quintessential Hampshire countryside. Although it’s not the same as a villa in Greece or a hotel in Spain, our one-of-a-kind wedding venue will take you away from day-to-day life. The moment you arrive at Oakley Hall, you will be transported away from busy work schedules and noisy towns into the tranquil Hampshire countryside, where the only sounds you will hear are the occasional tractor in the distance and the tweeting of birds.

Our venue is available to book for your wedding throughout the year, whether you want a space for a wedding ceremony and evening wedding celebrations or the whole property to yourselves. Our Exclusive Use packages are perfect for couples who want complete privacy without compromising on style, luxury and quality. And with the added benefit of 315 acres of estate gardens & woodlands surrounding our wedding venue, your special day can be left undisturbed by any other guests, events or even onlookers!

As with every couple, every wedding is different. Each and every wedding will have different requirements from the wedding venue. We’ve detailed below the most popular priorities that we see from couples who are planning a destination wedding in the UK.

On-site Accommodation
Understandably, if couples are asking for family members and friends to travel abroad, they want to ensure that overnight accommodation is convenient and easily accessible.

Multiple Event Spaces
For those who are celebrating their wedding over multiple days or with several different events, they want to have a broad selection of event spaces. Whether this be for relaxed brunches, welcome drinks, the ceremony itself, a party in the evening or a refreshing breakfast the following morning, having multiple event spaces gives couples the option to host their celebrations in a selection of spaces.

Outdoor Areas (Woodland, Forest, Views)
Whilst England doesn’t have a great track record of consistent, beautiful weather, it is certainly known for having picturesque countryside unlike no other! So, it’s no wonder that it’s important for couples to have access to outdoor dining areas to socialise with their guests and beautiful grounds to enjoy the views during their celebrations.

Dining Spaces & Bars
Before, after and in between the celebrations, it’s important for guests to be able to relax & unwind. Having a wedding venue that offers a comfortable area to grab a drink in between each event is a great way for your guests to take a breather and regain some energy for the remaining day ahead.

For multiple-day celebrations, onsite dining spaces are incredibly beneficial so you can have get-togethers with close family members and friends the night before or sociable breakfasts the morning after. This saves everybody the hassle of thinking about transport to other locations!

Parking & Guest Logistics
If guests are expected to travel from another country, it’s worth couples considering the journey that their loved ones will be taking and how they can make it easier for them. Transportation from the airport, flight times and parking at the venue are all important factors to think about when considering booking a wedding in England.

Countryside venues in England are less likely to be located near an airport, so public transport, taxis or vehicle rental will need to be considered. Parking availability and charges vary entirely depending on the venue itself and its location. City venues will have less parking available and may even charge per vehicle. Countryside venues will have more space and most likely offer complimentary parking.

If you’re travelling all the way from another country to celebrate your wedding, why not turn the special occasion into a full weekend celebration? For most weddings, the ceremony and evening party tend to take place on the same day, so we often see couples adding an event on the day before and the day after to give them more time with their family members and friends. It also gives guests the opportunity to socialise amongst themselves, whether this be catching up with long-distance friends or spending time with family.

If you’re looking for a venue that offers a full weekend celebration for your wedding, firstly, think about what you want to host in addition to the wedding day itself. A welcome dinner the night before the wedding, a relaxed breakfast for your guests the morning of or a brunch the day after the big party. Once these details have been decided, you can then ensure your venue has the space! Some venues don’t have restaurants on-site or multiple spaces that can be utilised for the various events you may choose to arrange.

It’s important that you make your venue aware of your plans and ideas before signing the dotted line, as they will have to consider other factors from their side – including staffing availability, operations and room layouts.

As you will have already read, accommodation is a big factor to think about when arranging an overseas wedding. You’re already asking your loved ones to travel to another country, so it’s an added bonus if your venue has accommodation onsite so you and your guests can head to bed without the thought of even more travel and transport costs.

Oakley Hall has 50 beautiful bedrooms onsite, including a quaint three-bedroom Garden Cottage. Within this selection, we offer 37 Deluxe Bedrooms, 6 Executive Bedrooms (both of which are located in the Main House and Courtyard), 2 Courtyard Suites, 2 Four Poster Suites and the Garden Cottage. The property was originally built in 1795, so each bedroom is unique in style and layout. The Executive Bedrooms and Four Poster Suites are popular for couples to use the morning of the wedding, for changing outfits, hair and make-up. Oakley Hall is also home to the Whitchurch Suite, which is our dedicated wedding preparation space, offering make-up & hair chairs, light-up vanity mirrors, a dressing area and comfy lounge space.

For couples who are looking to book multiple bedrooms on the night of their wedding for friends and family members, Oakley Hall has an enhanced discount offer if a minimum number of bedrooms are included within the wedding contract. Depending on the number of bedrooms which are contracted, couples could look to save up to 30% off accommodation (which they can then choose to pay either themselves or ask guests to pay them back).

To so many couples, the food and drinks served throughout their wedding celebrations are important. Whether it be delicate dishes that will wow your guests or hearty plates that reflect you and your partner’s personalities, you will have to think about what’s significant to you. If you’re travelling from abroad, you may want a menu that tastes like home! For couples who have something specific in mind, we would always recommend discussing this with your venue before signing on the dotted line. Most venues are flexible with their offerings and can create bespoke menus, but there are some which have less flexibility.

In between your wedding celebrations, you and your guests will want somewhere to dine; from dinners the night before to breakfasts the morning after. If this is something that you’re after, you will need to consider where you and your guests can dine. Depending on the type of venue that you choose to book, fully functioning hotels will likely have restaurants that are open for the majority of the day, whereas other wedding venues may not offer any dining outside of the wedding day itself. If your wedding venue doesn’t have the option for additional dining, you will have to find other restaurants and additional transport if required. At Oakley Hall, we have the Glasshouse Restaurant!

Hampshire is undeniably one of the most beautiful counties in England and offers easy access from main airports and major cities – making it an ideal location for your destination wedding.

Whether you’re travelling by car down the M3, the train from Waterloo or flying overhead into Southampton airport, it’s hard to miss the welcome of green, wide open scenery. Hampshire offers such a vast selection of countryside views, including rural farmland & fields, dramatic coastlines & beaches and magical woodlands. You can’t help but feel like you’ve escaped the busy lifestyle and entered a tranquil biome.

Oakley Hall is located deep in the North Hampshire countryside, just a 10-minute drive from the bustling town of Basingstoke. Whilst our venue is tucked away into a beautifully serene countryside setting, it’s easy to access regardless of direction and transportation. For guests travelling from London, we are less than a 60-minute drive down the motorway and less than a 60-minute direct train journey from London Waterloo. For guests travelling by ferry, Portsmouth ferry port is an hour by car.

Oakley Hall Hotel sets the most quintessential setting for your destination-style wedding. With original Georgian architecture and interior designs and a long winding driveway, it’s the perfect Bridgerton-style wedding venue.

The grounds of Oakley Hall offer more than meets the eye. Initially, you may only see the surrounding fields growing various crops throughout the year, but the further you explore, you will discover more magical woodlands, immaculate lawns and breathtaking scenery! Our grounds set the perfect picture for your destination wedding. Forget about rolling hills in Italy and vineyards in France, the serene countryside that surrounds Oakley Hall Hotel is vibrant, magical and exactly what you picture when hearing ‘picturesque British countryside’!

In terms of practicality for your wedding itself, Oakley Hall is accommodated with more than enough bedrooms & suites for your loved ones, multiple event spaces to host your unique celebrations and the award-winning onsite Glasshouse Restaurant for meals or drinks in-between events. With over 40 years of combined experience in the wedding industry, our professional and friendly team can work with you to ensure that your wedding runs as smoothly as possible, whether it be just for the one day or over multiple days. We have worked with couples who have travelled near and far, including Italy, India, America and Dubai. Our team also hold experience in planning Asian Weddings and work with a number of reputable caterers who can also assist your wedding planning journey.