SPOTLIGHT ON

Spotlight on... WEDDING VENUES IN OXFORDSHIRE & AROUND

THE TYTHE BARN, LAUNTON

This family-run venue enjoys a picturesque rural location. Set on a working farm in the Oxfordshire countryside, it offers exclusive use and flexibility for indoor and outdoor celebrations.

The barn oozes character and style with its Cotswold stone walls and a canopy of rustic oak beams in a space designed to host up to 200 guests. The atmospheric lighting creates a romantic ambience and it can be transformed to suit any theme.

Ceremonies take place in the 14th-century barn, followed by the wedding breakfast, or outside in the wisteria-clad pergola accessed via a ‘wedding aisle’ in the manicured gardens. There are garden games to be enjoyed here and outdoor wood burners for use during the summer evenings. From May 2022, the farmhouse located next to the barn will be available as luxury guest accommodation. It’s offered exclusively to couples who book the venue for their wedding and is available for a minimum two-night stay.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01869 321442, www.thetythebarn.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheTytheBarn www.instagram.com/thetythebarn

WE LOVE... that the wedding suite is a shepherd’s hut available to the couple for their wedding night.

https://vimeo.com/435106325

MINSTER MILL, MINSTER LOVELL

Having enjoyed a recent refurbishment of the bedrooms and public spaces, this impressive hotel, restaurant and bar enjoys a sleek Skandi style with the rooms and suites featuring mid-century furniture teamed with contemporary fittings, luxury bathrooms and statement lighting.

The Cotswold stone buildings are flanked by 65 acres of idyllic grounds with manicured gardens, wildflower meadows and woodland. Fishing, walking, croquet and tennis are some of the activities available.

Outdoor ceremonies for up to 100 guests can take place in the Garden Temple framed by weeping willows and roses. On cooler days, The Malthouse, a private barn that overlooks the river, wildflower meadows and rose garden, can hold up to 80 guests and the Cotswold stone barn can accommodate up to 60 loved ones. The wedding breakfast is served in The Malthouse and includes half a bottle of wine per person and a glass of champagne to toast as part of the Minster Mill Package. Guests can enjoy music and drinks until midnight with the option of an evening buffet. For larger weddings of up to 190 guests, a marquee can be placed in the riverside gardens.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01993 774441, www.minstermill.co.uk www.facebook.com/MinsterMill

WE LOVE... the superb catering created using fresh local ingredients and the outstanding service that Minster Mill offers.

MERCURE THAME LAMBERT HOTEL, NR THAME

This stylish setting located at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offers a warm, relaxed atmosphere with traditional fireplaces and comfortable furnishings. At the centre of the property lies a stunning original coaching inn dating back to mid-Victorian times. The bedrooms are all conveniently located near the Kite restaurant and bar and surround the stunning courtyard that’s ideal for weddings. Ceremonies can take place here and there’s also a patio area perfect for al fresco drinks and dining.

Indoor ceremonies take place in the Oxford Suite, recently refurbished and decorated with neutral tones, for up to 100 guests, followed by the wedding breakfast for up to 120 loved ones seated.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01844 351 496, www.lambertarms.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheLambertHotel

COGGES MANOR FARM, WITNEY

This stunning wedding venue offers more than 1000 years of history and is an integral part of the local area, plus a popular filming location. It’s home to two 18th-century barns providing a wonderful wedding setting and a blank canvas for couples to personalise their day.

The pretty outdoor spaces offer a manicured walled garden for drinks and canapés and the manor lawn can host outdoor games, a barbecue and food vans. There’s a firepit for toasting marshmallows all set against a beautiful rural backdrop ideal for photographs that the farm animals love to be included in!

Ceremonies take place in a choice of two Cotswold stone barns adjacent to one another. The Wheat Barn – the more spacious of the two – can seat up to 250 guests. Barley Barn – the smaller, adjacent one - can seat up to 100 guests for a ceremony. There’s also St Mary’s Cogges Witney parish church located next door.

The wedding breakfast and reception can be held in one (or both) of the barns and spill outside on to the lawn. The Wheat Barn can seat up to 200 guests banqueting-style or host up to 130 loved ones at round tables. The Barley Barn offers another option with a dancefloor and bar and can even provide a quiet space for young children. The walled, grass area and canopy are also available for exclusive use.

Wedding parties are welcome to enjoy the entire site after 5 pm, which extends to 17 acres.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01993 772 602, www.cogges.org.uk www.facebook.com/Cogges www.instagram.com/cogges

WE LOVE... the beautiful backdrop of wisteria and the orchard, both ideal for big-day photographs.

BADGEMORE PARK, HENLEY-ON-THAMES

Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this leisure and lifestyle destination offers a stunning photographic backdrop for weddings. Nestled within 120 acres of parkland in a countryside setting, it boasts breathtaking views, an 18-hole golf course and a secluded Walled Garden home to eight private bedrooms.

Ceremonies take place in the newly refurbished 19th-century Coach House for up to 90 guests that leads out on to the pretty courtyard, an ideal spot for post-ceremony drinks, and features an elevated area called The Fairway where up to 130 guests can enjoy the wedding breakfast set against panoramic views of the estate. Guests are then invited back down to the Coach House, and the secluded Walled Garden is the perfect spot to enjoy al fresco drinks and garden games.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01491 637 302, www.badgemorepark.com www.facebook.com/BadgemorePark www.instagram.com/badgemorepark