Only 25 miles from central London and set within 12 acres of landscaped gardens, Orsett Hall was built in the early 17th century and rebuilt twice in the early 20th century: once by its family owners then again when the hotel which replaced the country house was destroyed by fire in 2007.
The upside of this unfortunate history is a venue with all the traditional charm of an English country house combined with the mod cons of a venue which opened in 2009.
Where Orsett Hall really comes into its own is in the wealth of options available on site. The ceremony itself can be held in the chapel on site which is set up for religious and non-religious wedding ceremonies, as well as civil partnerships, with services conducted under elegant white beams covered in white flowers. If weather permits, a gazebo gives the option for weddings to be held outside.
Before the ceremony itself, there’s an on-site hair salon and full-service spa, while other services include a florist and premium cars to hire – all things which can be discussed with the hotel’s team of wedding planners, who are on hand through every stage of the process to offer a bespoke service or advise couples on which of the various wedding packages might be most appropriate.
Wedding packages start at £5,499 (based on 80 guests) for the Twilight Wedding Package and go up to £7,999 for the Summer Wedding Package. A venue-only wedding package, meanwhile, is available for couples who wish to use their own caterers, with dedicated kitchens available for this on site.
The hotel’s function suites are fully wheelchair accessible and can accommodate as many as 520 seated guests; there are also facilities for couples whose religious or cultural backgrounds or beliefs require more strict control of their wedding arrangements.