Drayton Manor Wedding Venue Review
I had the pleasure of entertaining Matt & Nikki’s family and friends at their wonderful wedding at Drayton Manor this Saturday. It was an amazing day – the weather was gorgeous, and everyone had a fabulous time.
For those of you who have yet to to decide on a location for your wedding, let me tell you a little more about the venue. The setting was the Drayton Manor Hotel situated at the top of park, which is set back adjacent to woodland. The lovely weekend had obviously attracted a lot of people to the park, and the hotel lobby, though spacious, bustled with guests checking in and out, and people heading back to their rooms following fun in the park. Despite this, after a short walk through the hotel to the Park View Suite, where the Wedding Breakfast was held, you felt well away from the crowds, as if the entire hotel was hired out solely for the wedding guests.
The Park View Suite was spacious, well air-conditioned given the hot weather, and accommodated the dining tables with ease – some venues feel too small, with tables crammed together, or too spacious leaving a feeling of being overwhelmed by the emptiness – however this felt just right.
Following the Wedding Breakfast, guests made their way downstairs to the Carousel Bar and terrace, with indoor and outdoor seating. This is where I amazed the guests with the wedding magic and mind reading routines that I had developed for Matt & Nikki’s wedding, specially created to keep the momentum of the day, and ensure that there were no lulls. It was a great icebreaker, and soon got different groups of people talking. Also, the outdoor setting created an opportunity for me to perform an impromptu mini- show – entertaining the wedding guests with a number of routines from my larger parlour show that’s usually more appropriate for a stage or a large room.
Given the lovely sunshine, guests were also able to enjoy this part of the day by taking a stroll through the woodland setting and take photographs against a nice backdrop. If the weather had been wet, the bar area may have been slightly overcrowded if the wedding party was larger, however Drayton Manor have many function rooms and options for couples planning their special day, and so I’m sure that this would be discussed during your personal planning meetings.
The Park View Suite was turned around for the evening whilst we were in the Carousel Bar, and it looked fabulous – with the blackout curtains and mood lighting creating an ‘evening atmosphere’ (even though it was still light outside!). This worked really well, and seemed to help get the party started quickly!
The hotel staff that I liaised with on the day were friendly and helpful and took good care of the bride and groom, and seemed to keep the day running smoothly.
If you are considering Drayton Manor as a venue and have any queries, in addition to contacting the venue, get in touch with me and I’d be glad to offer impartial advice.