A Derbyshire wedding venue is raising a glass to 20 years of “I dos” with a garden party and the official opening of a new barn for the next generation of couples.
More than 2,000 couples have tied the knot at Shottle Hall in Belper since the house, which is part of the Chatsworth estate, opened as a wedding venue in 2006.
To mark the 20th anniversary, the family behind the hall is hosting a free garden party which will also include the official launch of its brand-new wedding barn, situated at the rear of the house.
The barn, which has replaced a marquee, has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the rolling Derbyshire countryside.
The garden party, which will be held on July 19th, will be supported by suppliers providing candyfloss, popcorn, live music, lawn games and street food.
Sarah Farkas, wedding director, said: “We are incredibly proud to be celebrating 20 years of weddings at Shottle Hall. It’s been a privilege to be part of so many couples’ special days.
“The new barn marks an exciting new chapter for us. It allows us to offer a beautiful, permanent space which is fully heated and insulated with stunning views across the Derbyshire countryside. It allows us to offer something new for the next generation of couples while keeping the character and charm people love about the venue.
“We wanted to mark the occasion by inviting people to come and celebrate with us, whether they’ve been married here, are planning their big day, or simply want to take a look around.”
Fellow director James Davis says that since 2006, when the footballer Rory Delap and his wife Helen became the first couple to tie the knot at the venue, wedding trends have changed.
Today it is no longer expected that the father of the bride foots the entire bill, while the average age of a bride and groom has gone up to mid-30s.
Although the business is going from strength to strength, the last 20 years haven’t been without challenges, with the pandemic putting the industry under exceptional strain.
Sarah added: “Covid was a really difficult time for everyone when weddings had to be cancelled or reduced dramatically in numbers. And sometimes we didn’t know from one day to the next what restrictions might be in place.
“Many venues went under and it was a hugely uncertain time for the industry, but we were fortunate to come through it and come out stronger.
“It really made us appreciate what we do even more – bringing people together to celebrate – and we’re proud to still be here 20 years on, looking ahead to the future.”
*The free garden party will be held on July 19th between 12pm and 4pm and anyone is welcome to attend.
