I’ve always loved Hestercombe Gardens. When I moved back to Somerset from Bristol, one of the first things I did was to renew my Hestercombe membership. (I mean I unpacked a bit first obviously, and did important things like plumb in the washing machine, I didn’t rush out immediately to Hestercombe, that would be silly.)
I love the constrast at Hestercombe between the wildness of the landscape gardens and the structure of the formal gardens. I love visiting at different times of the year and seeing how the gardens change; the leaves turning red and brown, frost on the grass, the wisteria in the spring time – it’s all very beautiful.
It’s no surprise then that Hestercombe made it onto our list of potential wedding venues. Choosing somewhere to get married, as we are discovering, isn’t easy. We wanted a wedding venue in Somerset, as I don’t want to be travelling miles on my wedding day, and we wanted somewhere that was tranquil and quiet, without feeling remote. We’re keen to get married somewhere that has a personal connection and of course, money is a consideration too. Hestercombe ticks a lot of these boxes.
One of the things that appeals most about a wedding at Hestercombe is the flexibility of the space. You pay one overall venue hire fee, which varies according to the time of year and day of the week, and this includes the hire of the Orangery, the Temple, the Victorian Terrace, Bampfylde Hall, the courtyard and Hestercombe House itself. You can then pick and choose where you want to have each part of your wedding.
Take the ceremony – the Orangery can hold up to 90 for a ceremony, and if the weather is good it would be amazing to spill out from there onto the lawn for drinks. If you wanted something a little wilder, you could go up to the temple in the landscape garden. There is room here for around 80 guests – 12 to 14 inside the temple and the rest gathered around outside. If you’ve got a larger party, the hall in Hestercombe House, with its grand sweeping staircase, can seat up to 150.
I could go on for ages about how beautiful Hestercombe is, but I think the pictures speak for themselves.
Have you ever been to a wedding at Hestercombe?
Credit – Dabek Photography
Inside the Orangery
Credit – Mike Gawthorn
Credit – Jamie Dodd
Credit – Evolve Photography
Credit – Noel Deasington
Hidden gem Brympton dEvercy looks superb, from its ballroom to its temple and the fact that 40 guests can stay overnight. Nice blog, too, with styling points blog.brymptonhouse.co.
That place looks stunning. Those windows!!
I only went for the first time last weekend but it’s amazing there! Can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it before, would love to get married there x