Planning a Dry Hire Wedding: Your Complete Guide

The number one plus point for a dry hire wedding in its simplest terms is flexibility. Choosing dry hire means you can select each supplier to tailor-make your dream day; you are not bound to a venue’s pre set vendors meaning you can design your own bespoke celebration to reflect your tastes and your style as a couple. After all, a wedding should reflect you both and your unique love story and this is the perfect way to do that.

We are privileged to host weddings most days of the year and can honestly say no two are the same! Building your own day with a dry hire venue means you are cherry-picking all your favourite elements and creating a celebration that is truly unique to you, what could be more special?

Apart from booking early to secure your date and allow ample saving time, there are other ways you can make your money go further. When thinking about décor, you could consider sourcing pre-loved pieces (also great for sustainability), creating your own décor elements or opt for silk or faux flowers over fresh. Perhaps you’d like to incorporate your wedding cake as your dessert, or hire a content creator in place of a videographer.

At number one is probably your caterer; they will form an integral part of your day by managing timings, seating plans and dietary requirements right through to event management. The food and drink at a wedding are always a key element of the day and you want to know you and your guests will have great service, delicious food and a day to remember. We would also recommend a planner/co-ordinator to manage all those moving parts. They form a bridge between you and your suppliers, smoothly spotting and resolving any issues and flexing your timeline where needed so that the day goes without a hitch.

Check contracts thoroughly and ask lots of questions (what options are there for ceremony location? Are there any restrictions? Can we bring in our own drinks?) Ensuring you have all the info you need will make your planning slick and avoid any surprises down the line, allowing you to relax and enjoy the process.

There has been a strong rise in multi day celebrations! More and more couples are combining celebrations or simply savouring the chance to have loved ones gathered together for longer. Host a wedding rehearsal dinner, a post-wedding brunch, split your traditional events and ceremonies across the two days and enjoy having exclusive access across our estate for two nights – this way, when nobody wants to say goodbye at the end of the night, they don’t have to!