Testimonial from a Previous Bride from the USA (Orchardleigh House)

 

'Ask any bride, and she will tell you that planning a wedding is challenging. Planning a wedding in another country at a venue you've only seen on social media should be impossible. However, at Orchardleigh Estate in Frome, UK, that was not my husband's and my experience. 

I've always dreamed of an English countryside destination wedding. I discovered Orchardleigh on social media. Their all-inclusive, exclusive venue package was perfect for my 74 American guests. Our lovely coordinator, Heather Vincent, provided us all of the necessary details, including local vendor contacts, in an extensive brochure. She also ensured that my guests were able to spend the night before and the night of my wedding at the House. Our wedding transformed from a single day to a multi-day event! 

Upon our arrival, we felt like we stepped into a BBC period film (in fact, it was the set of Tess of the D'Urbervilles!). Each room was unique and stunning. Sheep roamed across the fields. The smell of warm wood burning fires and the sound of a peacock and instrumental music filled the halls. If that wasn't enough, Heather had coordinated clay pigeon and archery activities for our guests as the wedding party prepared for the next day in the reception room and at the quaint church on the estate, St. Mary's. For dinner, we gathered at the Peacock Restaurant where our guests remarked that some of the best cider they've ever tasted was on tap. Later, my friends gathered at a separate castle where we had a fantastic Princess Diaries 2-themed bachelorette party (the American version of a hen do). The castle was the perfect setting as it was equipped with a kitchen, bluetooth speaker, and cozy living room. The men, meanwhile, were back at the house enjoying beer and billiards.

And that was all before our actual wedding! While there were a few unexpected surprises on the wedding day, Chris and Heather Vincent ensured that they were quickly resolved. I'll never forget processing down the staircase to be greeted by the Orchardleigh staff or returning to the house in a classic Rolls Royce. My husband and I felt like royalty! 

Our wedding breakfast was unforgettable. The reception room is so elegant that very few decorations were needed. Our bespoke menu was phenomenal and the drinks plentiful. We danced until midnight and bid our guests goodbye the next morning at breakfast. My husband and I then got to stay at a lake house that made us feel like we'd stepped into an episode of Bridgerton. 

It truly was the best day of our lives. We're so grateful to the staff of Orchardleigh Estate for making our dreams come true. '