Hertfordshires Top Ten Wedding Venues

Hertfordshire without doubt has some of the best venues in the country to hold your wedding.  If you are interested in wedding venues in Essex, we have just put a guide together on the best wedding venues in Essex. In this post you will hear about the Size (accommodation) of the venue, Professional photography point (great places for photos), Acreage (sizes of the hotel grounds).

1. Fanhams Hall

Fanhams Hall hotel is located in Ware, Hertfordshire.  It’s a Jacobean Mansion house and one of the facts about Fanhams is the fact that Lord Brocket’s wife Lady Brocket resided here until her death in 1949. It was Lady Brocket’s interest in horticulture that influenced the employment of Japanese gardeners to create the Hall’s formal gardens. Her ornamental lakes and choice of trees (such as Japanese maples) can still be seen in the present-day formal grounds.

An exceptional combination where old tradition meets the 21st century, Fanhams Hall is a Jacobean Manor House with 77 bedrooms.  ‘ been converted into a dedicated training and meeting venue that is designed to be different. The hotel’s Hertfordshire location is just a short distance from all the major routes into London, Stansted, M1, M25 or simply the A10 just around the corner.

In my opinion as a pro photographer every angle at Fanhams is a winner. Theres so many beautiful areas that lend themselves to photographs and with Fanhams Hall the sun is always in the right position.

It was only last Sunday 12th April that I was there for a family meal. Debbie Guy the GM was there personally greeting people. The food for a Sunday Lunch was absolutely first class and amazing, afterwards we sat out in the Sun on the Terrace and walked around the grounds.  That is what Fanhams Hall is in one word (Amazing) in every way.  I’ve seen it from both sides as a Pro Photographer and also as a customer.  This is why in my opinion Fanhams Hall is hertfordshire’s most beautiful wedding venue.

Size – 77 Bedrooms

Professional photography point – Courtyard,  Long Gallery , Great Hall,  Oak Room, Library, drawing Room, red and green bridges, japanese gardens, croquet lawn. Many outstanding locations in the grounds.

Acreage – 27

Fanhams Hall Website

2. The Birch

The Birch combines the elegance and grandeur of a Georgian mansion-house with modern conferencing facilities.  The Mansion House and  The Ridings Barn are beautiful venues set in 55 acres of Hertfordshire’s best countryside.

The original house was surrounded by a moat. A new house was built between 1564 and 1585 to the order of Lord Burghley, senior councillor of Elizabeth I. Burghley’s intention in building the mansion was partly to demonstrate his increasingly dominant status at the Royal Court, and also to provide a palace fine enough to accommodate the Queen on her visits. The formal gardens of the house were modelled after the Château de Fontainebleau in France. The Queen visited eight times between 1572 and 1596.  James I visited the house in 1603.

In 1607 James I exchanged Theobald’s for Hatfield Palace. Theobald’s Palace quickly became a favourite country seat of the King James I of England (James VI of Scotland), who eventually died within its walls on March 27, 1625. With the execution in 1649 of James I’s son, Charles I, Theobald’s was listed amongst other royal properties for disposal by the Commonwealth. This was achieved speedily and by the end of 1650, the house was largely demolished, but it was rebuilt after the Restoration and came to be in possession of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle.

In 1910 the estate was inherited by Admiral The Hon Sir Hedworth Meux,  He changed his surname as a condition of inheritance. After his death in 1929, the house was a hotel for some years. During World War II, the house was used by the Royal Artillery and then by the Metropolitan Police as a riding school. In 1955 it became a secondary school and after 1969, an adult education centre.

Size – 140 Bedrooms

Professional photography point – Mansion House, Italian Gardens, back terrace, tree house, back terrace and Ridings courtyard.

Acreage – 55

The Birch Website