Testimonials
The Most Amazing Weekend Ever
“Well where do I start with what an absolutely amazing wedding weekend we had at Owlpen Manor. From the moment we arrived to the time we left, we felt so welcome and looked after. We could not recommend it enough as a the perfect wedding venue!
What set Owlpen apart for us was the personal touch. Hugo and Bella were fabulous – having had to delay our wedding by a year, they supported us throughout and stayed in touch making a tortuous delay much more bearable! Over the course of the weekend, the whole team were there at every moment (big shout outs to Hugo, Bella, Theo and Sam). They were in contact with all our suppliers in advance and ensured all knew where to go and the timings for each which took the stress of the day away from us. In terms of catering, we opted for Owlpen’s recommendation – Raoul and Well Seasoned Cotswold Caterers. Again we would not hesitate to recommend Raoul – his food was absolutely superb and he made it fun at the same time. From the Friday evening to the wedding breakfast, to late night snacks – it was all absolutely delicious and so well received by all. The venue and grounds are absolutely stunning and the team made it look incredible for the day of our wedding, with fire pits, hay bails and a fabulous marquee. The on site accommodation is also absolutely wonderful, and there is wild swimming on site – which our guests loved. Thank you to you all for such an amazing wedding weekend! It was so so perfect and Owlpen will always hold a very special place in our hearts.” Alex N, September 2021
Best day EVER!!!
Look, I’m not very eloquent but hear me out.
I’ll take you back to 28/09/2020 newly engaged and excited. I had always wanted a really low key wedding however my (now) husband was keen for something a bit bigger. I had looked around online and nothing was hitting the spot. My mum.. (obviously – she’s a babe), sent me the link to owlpen. We arranged to have a little look around and instantly fell in love with the venue and Bella. Organising things During lockdowns and all that stuff, they were amazing. Now.. fast forward to 21/09/2021. Me, my partner, our kids, family, friends are all having a bbq the night before the wedding, chilling and sorting everything out for the next day on site. Cottages were really cute and well equipped, made it feel like a real little holiday! THE WEDDING DAY.. let me tell you, with Tonya, Bella and Theo there I did not need to worry about a thing! It all went so smoothly and they had our back the whole time! All of our guests had the same thing to say to us “I’ve never been to a more relaxed wedding, it’s so chill” this is down to the venue and staff in my opinion. It all just felt amazing and relaxed, ‘well seasoned catering’ were also incredible. The food was amazing and the staff were next level great! It’s a week later and I want to go back already! Xx Daisy C, September 2021
Even better than we could have wished for
“We held our wedding at Owlpen Manor on 29 August 2021 and we couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful venue or more fantastic people to help us plan our special day.
Owlpen feels like your own private slice of idyllic countryside, where you are able to create your wedding day exactly as you want it. We loved having the whole venue for two nights and having close friends and family staying on the estate in cottages meant we had time to really enjoy the whole weekend, setting the wedding up the day before and spending time with everyone who had travelled to be there with us. Hugo, Bella and Theo were fantastic. They helped us to put together a weekend and wedding day which was even better than we could have imagined. They were so helpful in the run up, making sure what they could accommodate our plans, which we had total free rein on. On the day Bella and Theo went above and beyond to make our day special, with Bella even becoming chauffeur for the bridal party at the last minute! And Theo making sure the reception and party went without a hitch and that everyone felt free to let their hair down.. which they did! We had many compliments on the food, by Raoul from Well Seasoned Caterers, which was delicious and putting the menu together was a thoroughly enjoyable part of the wedding planning. The formal gardens behind the house were a beautiful setting for reception drinks and the newly built Pole Barn was perfect for the wedding breakfast. The Cyder Barn was ideal for the party part of the night, with an expertly run bar in the barn which meant you didn’t have to leave the dance floor, and many people didn’t! We couldn’t recommend Owlpen Manor enough, we can’t wait to go back and celebrate our anniversaries in this special place. Thanks to all of the team who helped us create such a memorable weekend.” Amy M, August 2021
Stunning, unique and personalised venue for happiest day our of lives
My husband and I chose Owlpen Manor for our wedding as not only does it have the backdrop of the beautiful manor house but also accommodation for 40 guests, an utterly gorgeous church, beautiful new barn and stunning gardens all on site and all for the whole weekend. It allowed us to have a very personal wedding weekend with the decorations and touches that we wanted. From the first time we went to view Owlpen, Bella, Hugo and the Team made us feel so welcome, always answered our questions quickly and supported us in having our vision of our big day. This also included postponing our wedding twice due to the Pandemic changing from a 125 person wedding to a 30 person one. Theo the bar manager is also a huge asset to the team. From small touches to making sure we had desert wine glasses to helping us find new suppliers when we moved dates, to helping us with extra tables, we can’t recommend Owlpen highly enough. We even had a bottle of prosecco left for us in the gorgeous Tithe Barn accommodation. We had a truly magnificent, magical weekend in the most beautiful of settings and can’t thank Bella and team enough. Henrietta B, May 2021
Amazing wedding day
Owlpen manor, the Cyder barn, Pole barn and grounds are all beautiful. All of the staff were so helpful and friendly which is such a relief. We will never forget our day, everybody had a great time! Katy D, May 2021
Worth the wait!
We booked our original wedding date back in 2018 after falling in love with Owlpen after our viewing. The fact that we could use the venue for the whole weekend was a big positive for us as many of our guests had to travel from across the country.
Unfortunately we had to postpone our wedding last year due to Covid and Bella and Hugo were so supportive. They constantly kept us updated on the guidance and what this meant for our wedding day. Without their support, the lead up to our wedding would have been much more stressful, given all the uncertainty with the restrictions for weddings. They worked with us to make our wedding day perfect despite the Covid restrictions in place. All our guests commented on how wonderful the venue and accommodation was and how helpful and friendly all the staff were on the day. We’re so glad that we had Owlpen for our venue and would definitely recommend to any couples looking for a beautiful, secluded Cotswold venue. Abby S, May 2021
“We got married in Owlpen this weekend and it could not have been more magical. The entire area is like an enchanted forest and we were all so in love with the place we were all reluctant to leave. The staff are fantastic, very friendly and helpful. I loved the fact that they were dancing away with us at the end of the night it all really added to warm and relaxed wedding that we wanted. I really can’t rate the food, accommodation and service enough. Owlpen we love you :0)” CM Holland, July 2021
“The most incredible place to have a wedding. Intimate, welcoming, gorgeous, attentive and idylic venue. Everyone made our day so special from the wonderful room, with it’s lit fire, drinks in the garden and an incredible spread of cakes and sandwiches made by Well Seasoned Caterers. Thank you so much to Lady Mander and Bella for a truly magical day.” Emma A, August 2021
“We wanted to say a huge thank you for giving us the most wonderful wedding we could have imagined! Everyone had a fantastic time and it was such a beautiful day – we were bowled over by your generosity, the great staff and by how stunning everything looked.” Helen F, July 2021
“Thank you so much to Owlpen for the perfect wedding! Bella, Hugo, and everyone were so friendly and helpful from start to finish, and did everything they possibly could to make our wedding the day that we wanted. The building and the setting are stunning – everyone commented on it – and staying in the beautiful holiday cottages on site made it such an experience! We’ll miss coming down, but we’ll definitely come back! Thanks again! Jen & Andy xxxx” Jen W. June 2017
“We had a beautiful, wonderful and perfect day. Thanks so much to you and Hugo and everyone at Owlpen for making it so.” Marcus, July 2017
“We cannot thank all of the team at Owlpen Manor and Woodruff’s team enough. Raoul, Bella, Hugo and Lady Mander you have helped make our special day so wonderful, full to absolutely bursting with glorious memories. We could not have chosen a more perfect setting for us, our children and our family and friends, everyone commented how wonderful it was. A thousand thank yous!” Lisa H, July 2017
“Thank you for making our day truly magical and amazing. Your family home is wonderful and the prefect setting for anyone’s wedding. We both truly enjoyed our weekend with you as well as all our guests. Thank you very much for all your hard work and all the effort you all put into making our weekend what it was. We will be recommending you to anyone looking for a country, rural and magical wedding.” Ruth B, November 2017
“I don’t know where to start or what to say…… It’s like a dream…!. X everything was what we wanted….. and more. You really are the nicest people we have ever met…… just beautiful. Xxxx thank you so much Bella & Hugo xx thank you. X” Jade D, July 2018
“The venue was perfect: beautiful, intimate, unusual, fun … exactly the setting that we were looking for. Thank you for all your assistance in the buildup – what could have been have been a stressful process was … well, still a little bit stressful, but so much less than it could have been. It really is a special package that you offer, and we’re delighted to have found it. We’re both struggling to imagine a better venue, and I’m certain that we’ll return at some point in the future. Do feel free to put any of this praise on your website, and we have some photographs that you’re welcome to have a look at.” Andi T, November 2017
“Andrea and Nathaniel had the best day ever and the service / food was impeccable, we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Thanks guys for all your hard work!” Cathi, May 2018
“Magical venue for our wedding. Owlpen has so much character unlike these wedding factories that we visited during our hunt, so we fell in love with it immediately. Thanks to the team for all your hard work on the day, the whole experience was amazing!” Laura B, November 2017
“We had a fantastic weekend! Thank you to the team for making it so special for us. Everything was absolutely perfect and the weather behaved as well! Our guests were so impressed with Owlpen – it was an absolute privilege to have such a beautiful place to ourselves for the entire weekend.” Laura K, August 2018
“Owlpen Manor Estate is a charming place which we instantly fell in love. We’ve had the most incredible wedding weekend there. Our guests commented how beautiful and unique the venue was. We can’t thank Bella, Hugo and Raoul with his team enough for their help, kindness and support.” Zuzi & Ross
“Myself & my husband recently had our wedding at Owlpen Manor and hired all the cottages exclusively for the weekend. I would like to say the biggest thank you to Mel & Theo, they did an absolute fantastic job from start to finish. I highly recommend the venue both for a wedding, venue hire or just to visit for a holiday. The grounds and cottages are absolutely stunning and attentively looked after and we will definitely visit again.” Charlie B, September 2018
“Owlpen Manor really is spectacular and everybody raved about how perfect it was. From the grounds to the cottages, walks in the woods and swimming in the ponds, to the marquee, barn, the weekend of our wedding was just incredible. Owlpen really is a very special place and will be forever important to us, our family and marriage. Bella and Hugo, we can’t thank you enough for all the help and support throughout the planning process and the relaxed nature behind all that you do. All weekend, the staff were always there to help and support, with great advice and a calm can-do attitude. Thank you so much. Please pass our thanks on to them. What Owlpen offer is truly unique. We hope this continues and look forward to visiting soon.” Sonnie, September 2018.
“I am sending this missive thanking you for helping the wedding day such a huge success, You were on hand to do anything that was required, and nothing was too much trouble for you. With all of the fun and games that the couple had planned for their big day, it would have been easy for their best made plans to go wrong.. The evening went with a swing, and everyone joined in dancing to the rocking band. We thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay with you, and you never know, we may be back some day…” Terry H, September 2018
“Thank you so so much for making our wedding day absolutely perfect! Even arranging for the sunshine to come out, nice touch! We are so grateful that everything went so smoothly, we had the best day ever as did our friends and family! We just want to do it all over again. You guys are fantastic and the venue is amazing.” Hannah W, October 2018
“We had an incredible wedding – thank you to you and all your staff for making it happen. It exceeded everything we dreamed of so thank you. The venue looked gorgeous in the autumn colours!” Collette K, November 2018
“We fell in love with Owlpen Manor the moment we arrived to view the venue, and from then we could not imagine getting married anywhere else. The grounds are stunning and there were so many places for photographs or for guests to explore. Everyone at Owlpen was so welcoming and accommodating, nothing was too much trouble. Woodruffs, the caterers associated with Owlpen, were fantastic, and our guests are still talking about how good the food at our wedding was. The Cyder Barn and the marquee were both perfect for our wedding, and we had so much scope to decorate the marquee just as we wanted. The accommodation on site was perfect for our guests who stayed, so much so that a few of them want to come back to visit! We were so glad to be able to get married at Owlpen Manor, it was centric to the perfect wedding day.” Bec T, September 2018.
“Owlpen has been more than I could have wished for, such a perfect place.” Kara B, March 2017.
“Quintessentially English wedding. Think Once Upon A Time, only better. Think of your woodland wedding theme, a quintessentially English wedding day with china and delicate floral crowns and decor, exquisite stationery and dresses to die for.” – see the English Weddings blog’s gorgeous creative wedding shoot, by leading wedding photographer Fiona Campbell, with a dramatic twist!
“Epic week &still not ended! Fabulous wedding at @OwlpenManor!” @Lucy_Davenport, Twitter, August 2014
“Magical Wedding Venue. My husband and I got married at Owlpen Manor in July this year and we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Bella, Mary and the Mander family were extremely accommodating and helpful throughout all of the planning and we truly could not have chosen a better location to get married. Our family had the option of staying in the cottages which were lovely and cosy, turning our wedding day into a wedding weekend. It also meant the wedding morning was lovely and relaxing, knowing it was only a minute walk to the church and reception. The food was wonderful, as were the serving staff on the day and we had so many guests tell us it was the most beautiful location for a wedding they had been to. We couldn’t recommend Owlpen more, thank you!” Amyp1952, TripAdvisor, July 2014
“Magical midsummer afternoon @OwlpenManor for the wedding of Amy Rose & Fabian; delightful gathering, may they live Happy ever after.” @drpjcrook, Twitter, June 2014
“Owlpen Manor is a beautiful and interesting house of Tudor and Georgian origins with a unique Tudor garden and, together with the church directly behind the house, makes the perfect setting for a wedding in the grounds. The Mander family, Bella in the office and all the ground staff were charming, friendly and helpful. A wonderful place to stay in beautiful, peaceful surroundings.” Sue, TripAdvisor, June 2014
““An Enchanting Retreat” We stayed in Peter’s Nest while attending a marvelous wedding on the grounds. It was like a time warp, what with the peace and tranquility of such stunningly beautiful area. The only connection I could get to the internet was within 30 feet of the office, and that made it so easy to unplug altogether! We were blessed with outstanding weather, but I think Owlpen Manor would be a once-in-your-lifetime experience no matter what the weather. The Manders and Bella were so warm and accommodating, and the take-out food was delicious. Just walking the grounds is a treat, but don’t overlook the Church of the Holy Cross, a beautiful chapel right behind the Manor. Yes, definitely one of the best trips we’ve ever taken, and I would highly recommend it as a wedding venue. It was truly magical!” Mary, TripAdvisor, June 2014
“My favourite corner of Gloucestershire. Married at Owlpen in 2011 and son christened at Holy Cross two months ago.” @jeremygahagan, Twitter, November 2013
““Perfect wedding weekend base for family and friends!” We took over the owlpen estate for a wedding weekend and it was a fantastic! It was great to all be able to stay together, but with enough distance for privacy and own space etc. All cottages are within walking distance of eachother and each have their own quirky features. The staff are extremely accommodating and helpful and we used the restaurant for a group brunch on the Sunday which was very tasty and reasonably priced. I would recommend Owlpen 100% and we plan to return for a reunion next year! Thank you Bella & Becky!” LLMLondon April 2013
““Wedding and weekend of celebrations” Fantastic wedding and venue. We hired all the cottages and had the wedding on the Saturday in Holy Cross church on site and reception in cyder house restuaurent, then family celebrations on the Sunday. The food was amazing, staff so helpful, and cottages to suit all. Special thanks to Lord & Lady Mander for allowing us to use their estate. Peace and quiet with lovely grounds plus a great pub, community shop and cafe all within walking distance in Uley. We highly recommend this wonderful place and could not fault it.” John & Julie, TripAdvisor, October 2012
““Amazing setting” We spent a lovely weekend here at a cousins wedding. The cottages are lovely and quaint and the setting glorious – even in the rain! The setting for the wedding and the Cider House are fabulous. Food is relatively simple and staff are quite helpful even if a little eccentric! Quirky, fun, different with a fantastic setting.” CharlieBristol, July 2012
““Magical estate living: charming cottages, gorgeous views~memorable.” We spent a week here and our daughter married on the estate’s enchanting chapel. My husband and I rented Woodwells, which is a lovely home with three bedrooms,all decorated with antiques, two baths with showers, a formal dining room, fully equipped eat in kitchen and cozy living room. There is even a mud room with a washer. We also peeked into many other cottages, Grist Mill where my Daughter and her friends stayed, equally as spacious and nice, Peter’s Nest, a cute and charming one bedroom loft cottage, and Court House, a truly adorable three story marvel with amazing views from the top (but alert, bathroom on the FIRST floor!). Walking trails galore, the gardens are beautiful and intimate with a sense of discovery around every corner, views everywhere. The staff could not have been more helpful or friendly, and Lady Mander was so gracious and helpful as well, through the wedding week. Mary, the chef, created special menus for both the wedding feast and the breakfast the next morning and everyone raved over the cooking! There is Wifi, but limited phone service. Thank GOODNESS!! 🙂 ” dgordon11, TripAdvisor, September 2011
““The Cotswolds’ best kept secret” A gorgeous setting, tucked deep into the rolling hills of the Costwolds. The cottages are beautiful and charming – we didn’t want to leave. The staff were also incredibly friendly and helpful. Our friends were married in the chapel on the grounds of the manor house- a magical setting. Can’t recommend it enough.” David, TripAdvisor, September 2011