Bedford school
Photo: Olivia Judah Photography
Photo: Suzy Wimbourne PhotographyPhoto: Jinjabird PhotographyPhoto: Jinjabird Photography
Photo: Jinjabird Photography
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Create your perfect wedding at Bedford School. From your ceremony to drinks and canapés on the lawn to your wedding breakfast and reception, Bedford School offers a superb choice of historic and contemporary settings for your big day. Your whole wedding day can unfold on the school estate, or just your ceremony or reception; it’s up to you. With every wedding tailored to individual requirements, we can create your perfect day and memories that will last a lifetime. Create 3
Photo: Jinjabird Photography
Photo: Jinjabird Photography
Photo: Cat Lane WeddingsPhoto: Cat Lane WeddingsPhoto: Jinjabird Photography
Your ceremony package includes: ˚ Dedicated wedding co-ordinator ˚ Recital Hall or Great Hall chairs Facilities for playing music Access to the venue to set up the day before the ceremony (timing dependent on the date) Duty manager present throughout your event Stunning grounds for photographs ˚ Bridal room (Great Hall only) Ample free parking Optional extras: ˚ Banqueting chairs or covers ˚ Coloured uplighters ˚ Drapes ˚ Grand piano ˚ Gazebo or garden furniture for drinks reception Should you wish to be married at Bedford School, you must make your own registrar arrangements. Bedford Register Office The Old Town Hall, St Paul’s Square, Bedford, MK40 1SJ T: 01234 267422 E: civilregistration@bedford.gov.uk
Your Ceremony Bedford School is licensed to hold civil ceremonies and partnerships in two venues.
The Music Recital Hall The award-winning, contemporary Music Recital Hall offers a stylish setting for your ceremony. With floor to ceiling windows, it offers stunning views over the school estate and 19th century chapel.
Venue: Capacity: The Music Recital Hall 110 seated The Great Hall 500 seated
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The Great Hall The Great Hall, housed in the main school building, offers an impressive, atmospheric venue for larger ceremonies.
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Your Ceremony 5
Photo: Nadine Foster Photography Photo: Jinjabird Photography Photo: Milkbottle Photography
Photo: Suzy Wimbourne Photography
Chapel Weddings The beautiful Grade II listed chapel, with its intricately carved pews, stunning altar and decorative ceiling, provides a traditional and truly memorable setting for weddings. For legal reasons a Wedding Ceremony in our Chapel is only available to members of the Bedford School community and Old Bedfordians. It is also a legal requirement to obtain a Special Marriage Licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury in order to get married in the school Chapel. The school’s Chaplain can be contacted through the school for more information and guidance for those considering getting married at Bedford School.
E: enterprises@bedfordschool.org.uk 01234 362204 Chapel wedding package includes: in the school Chapel (given by the school’s Chaplain subject to availability) manager present throughout your event grounds for photographs parking school Chapel Chapel
˚ Duty
˚ Ample free
˚ Stunning
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˚ Service
450
Optional extra: ˚ Organist Venue: Capacity: The
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Photo: Cat Lane Weddings Photo: Cat Lane Weddings
Photo: Cat Lane WeddingsPhoto: Milkbottle Photography
Photo: Grace & The Heart
Photo: Olivia Judah Photography Photo: Cat Lane Weddings
˚ Stunning
˚ Facilities
˚ Drapes ˚ Grand
˚ Great
˚ 5ft
˚ Ample
Your Reception After photos around the grounds and drinks on the lawn or in the foyer, head up the sweeping double staircase to the magnificent Great Hall in the heart of the school. This beautiful hall, with its four large stone arched windows that flood the room with light, offers a wonderful view across the school grounds.
˚ Microphone
˚ Gazebo or
Venue: Capacity: Great Hall 220 for banqueting reception package includes: wedding co-ordinator Hall chairs round tables (long tables available for the top table) for playing background music for speeches to the venue to set up the day before the reception (timing dependent on the date) Manager present throughout your event grounds for photographs room close to the Great Hall free parking chairs uplighters piano garden furniture for drinks reception
Your reception 9
˚ Access
˚ Duty
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or covers ˚ Coloured
Optional extras: ˚ Banqueting
˚ Bridal
˚ Dedicated
Photo: Cat Lane Weddings
Photo: Grace & The Heart Photo: Cat Lane Weddings
Your wedding co-ordinator will be delighted to guide you through all the food and drinks available for wedding breakfasts and evening buffets. Once you have made your menu selection, we are happy to offer you a tasting a month or two before your wedding.
Celebrate your first meal together as a married couple with our delicious food and drink, all prepared in-house by our experienced, professional chefs. Our chefs are passionate about their food, so not only are our ingredients ethically sourced but our menus also include the best of British seasonal fruit and vegetables available. Our chefs are also happy to cater for any special dietary requirements.
Food and drink 11
All of our dining packages include full service, crockery, glassware and white linen. Other colours of linen can be arranged on request.
Food and Drink
Photo:
Cat Lane Weddings
The balance must be paid in full eight weeks before the date of your wedding, with any minor adjustments to numbers made a minimum of two weeks beforehand. Your refundable venue deposit will be returned within 14 days of your wedding, providing the school is satisfied that no damage has occurred. your wedding
Booking
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To arrange a visit, please adepositformwe14preferredbooking,Ifarrangeandenterprises@bedfordschool.org.ukcontactourweddingco-ordinatorwillapersonaltourofourfacilities.youwouldliketomakeaprovisionalwearehappytoholdyourdatewithoutobligationfordays.Toconfirmyourbooking,thenneedacompletedbookingalongwithanon-refundable25%oftheexpectedcosts,andsmallrefundablevenuedeposit.
Civil ceremonies must be booked and paid for with the local registry office, which you can currently do one year ahead of your wedding date. We are happy to take bookings further in advance of this, but cannot offer a refund if the Registrar is unavailable on your preferred date. However, in this unlikely situation we would be happy to move your booking to the nearest available date. The same applies to Chapel weddings wherein you are responsible for obtaining the Special Marriage Licence.
Booking your Wedding
Yes, all our wedding venues are wheelchair accessible and there is a lift to the Great Hall which is on the first floor. Are we able to decorate the venues ourselves? Yes, subject to agreed times. Decorations are permitted as long as they are tied or wrapped and nothing is stuck or pinned to walls or furniture.
When do we have access to the venue? It depends on the date, but we will always do our best to allow you ample access the day before your wedding, then from 10am on the day itself.
Unfortunately, for logistical reasons, we are unable to facilitate both a ceremony and reception in the Great Hall on the same day. If you are holding your reception with us and would like your ceremony here too, it would need to take place in the Music Recital Hall.
Do you have disabled access?
Real candles are not permitted in any school buildings, with the exception of altar candles in the Chapel. Can we have a marquee in the grounds? We do not allow marquees on the estate. However, you may hire a small gazebo for reception drinks on the lawn.
Can we choose our own evening entertainment?
Can we hold both our civil ceremony and reception in the Great Hall?
Frequently asked questions 14
Yes, you may contract any band or DJ you wish as long as their equipment complies with our standards of safety testing and they have public liability insurance. There is no noise limiter, but the music volume must be kept to a tolerable level, to be determined at the discretion of the Duty Manager. What time does our reception need to finish? Bars must call last orders at 11.30pm and music needs to end by midnight. Guests must vacate the premises by quarter past midnight and all suppliers by 1.00am.
Can we supply our own drinks? Yes, but there are limitations. Please ask us for more information Can we hire our own catering company? No, all food must be provided by our in-house catering team. Are fireworks allowed on the estate? We do not permit fireworks, nor the release of lanterns or balloons for environmental reasons. Are candles permitted on the estate?
Do you supply a cake stand and knife? These must be provided by you or your cake supplier. Can our guests leave their cars overnight? Yes, but they must be collected between pre-agreed hours the following day. The school takes no responsibility for any vehicles or property left on the school estate.
Next Steps To find out more about weddings at Bedford School or to arrange a visit, please call our wedding co-ordinator on 01234 362204 or email enterprises@bedfordschool.org.uk
Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK40 2TU +44 (0)1234 362204 bedfordschool.org.uk/weddings Bedford School is part of The Harpur Trust