Weetwood Hall Estate, Leeds
Celebrant-led Ceremonies
Did you know-As your wedding celebrant, I am able to officiate your wedding ceremony anywhere! I am not limited to venues which are licenced for weddings so you have the freedom to curate your ceremony wherever your heart desires.
When you choose me as your wedding celebrant, I guide and inspire you through the fun process of planning a heartfelt, joyful and elegant wedding ceremony which perfectly captures the magic of your love story.
A celebrant ceremony is like no other. Say goodbye to stuffy, legal jargon. Forget short, formal services. My ceremonies tell your love story through a personalised script. I weave in your first date stories, memories of your favourite holidays and holidays that went wrong! I welcome children into the ceremony, honour the blending of two families and invite your loved one to share poems or readings. It’s a ceremony which evokes memories to last a lifetime and quite honestly, I can assure you it will be one of the best wedding ceremonies any of your guests will have experienced.
It’s worth noting, that as with all celebrant-ceremonies, you will be required to visit your local registry office, preferably before the ceremony, to gain a legally recognised marriage certificate. You can get more information about celebrant ceremonies and legal ceremonies by visiting some of my other blogs, linked below:
Celebrant ceremonies at Weetwood
In your search for the perfect Yorkshire venue for your celebrant-led ceremony, are you looking for somewhere that offers flexibility in terms of ceremony settings? Somewhere that offers an intimate space that feels stylish and opulent? Or, are you looking for a modern vibe; spacious dance floor and top of the range sound system? Whatever your criteria, Weetwood Hall Estate can fill that brief.
In this blog post, I’ll delve into the reasons why Weetwood Hall Estate in Leeds could be your perfect wedding venue.
Weetwood Hall, Leeds.
Weetwood Hall is an idyllic blend of traditional charm and modern elegance. Situated within 9 acres of stunning parkland, this historic country house hotel offers a picturesque setting for couples seeking to tie the knot in style. With a combination of the old Manor House and 20th Century extension, it is a wedding venue that really does offer it all. What’s even better? After the wedding, you can simply drag your tired feet upstairs to one of the luxury bedrooms and fall into a happy slumber.
I saw for myself what was on offer at Weetwood Hall when I visited one sunny Saturday in June. I met with the super helpful events manager- Abigail; she very kindly showed me around.
So, sit down and grab a cuppa; allow me to tell you about the hidden beauty and allure of getting married at Weetwood Hall.
Say ‘I do’ at Weetwood, Leeds
A Beautiful Backdrop:
As soon as you pull into the gates of Weetwood Hall and make your way down through the trees to the carpark, you will understand what makes Weetwood Hall so special. Immediately, you are enveloped within the lush green surroundings and can imagine posing outside for pictures with your love. Despite the close proximity to a busy dual carriageway (making it easy for guests travelling by car) I only noticed the sounds of birds tweeting. In fact, I’d say the estate has an aura of peace and tranquillity about it.
As you make your way to the reception area, your eyes are drawn to a sculpture which was created by inspirational sculptor: Steve Blaylock. As it states on the hotel's website -'It is a cairn of Yorkshire stone that supports an oak tree made of steel and bronze, which was crowned by three magnificent owls….Owls have been the official emblem of Leeds since the 1660s and today the owl is representative of Weetwood Hall Estate.’
A wedding Coordinator for your big day:
Whether you envisage a summer garden celebrant ceremony at Weetwood Hall (don’t forget, wedding celebrants don’t require a venue to have an outdoor licence) or a cosy winter ceremony indoors, Weetwood Hall offers versatility and flexibility to bring your ceremony visions to life.
Whatever you decide, your wedding planning will be made a whole lot easier with the help of Abigail who is the estates designated wedding coordinator. Abigail knows her stuff and I can assure you, it would be difficult to find a more accommodating and friendly wedding coordinator. Abigail has been with Weetwood for many years. This means that whilst planning a wedding can be a daunting task, Abigail would be dedicated to ensuring you a stress-free journey from start to finish. Weetwood have their own trusted list of wedding suppliers such as myself; we are familiar with weddings at Weetwood so there shouldn’t be any unwanted surprises on the day (meaning your beloved centre-piece will definitely fit through the doors etc!).
It’s easy to book a time slot through the website if you want to view the venue yourself, but in the meantime, allow me to guide you through the different rooms that are available for weddings.
Ceremony spaces:
With a variety of elegant event spaces, Weetwood Hall can cater to celebrant ceremonies of various sizes and styles. From intimate gatherings to larger celebrations, traditional to the more modern, there is something for everyone. The wedding spaces on offer can all be decorated and tailored to suit your taste, ensuring that every detail reflects your personal style and creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for your guests.
As a wedding venue, it’s probably helpful to break the estate down into its 2 main areas. The Jacobean Manor House and The Newer Building.
The Jacobean Manor House-
The oldest part of Weetwood Estate is the Jacobean Manor House. If you love old buildings as much as I do, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the mullioned windows (apparently they date back to 1540!). This grand and elegant manor house was originally owned by the Foxcroft family, who in 1625, were involved in rebuilding parts of the building. This date is proudly engraved above the porch to the original entrance to Weetwood Hall Estate. There is also a framed Lion’s head on the ceiling in the original porchway. The porchway dates back to the 18th Century and is a nod to the detailed architectural features synonymous with Henry V111’s reign.
Needless to say, The Manor House is jam-packed with lots of original features and boasts so many desirable benefits if you prefer the traditional; The lovely big windows and natural light will also keep your photographer happy.
Something I loved was the private entrance to the Manor House. This means your guests don’t have to enter through the main part of the hotel when they arrive. Even better, Abigail told me they can roll out an actual red carpet!
In the entrance hall sits a baby grand piano. Unsurprisingly, lots of couples use the entrance way for a drinks reception (for smaller weddings) with a pianist serenading their guests.
Perhaps one of the most attractive features of the entrance hall is the huge stairway which goes up to 2 floors. Couples often seize the opportunity for pictures on the staircase and again, photographers love it! The stairway leads up to 13 bedrooms including a honeymoon suite where the couple can get ready for their day. Even if you choose not to use the Manor House for your wedding ceremony, you are still able to optimise the photo-opportunities of the staircase. (It’s worth noting that there isn’t a lift so bedrooms here wouldn’t be advisable for the elderly or those with mobility issues.)
Within the Manor House there are 2 main ceremony and reception spaces: The Weetwood and The Jacobean.
The Weetwood Room-
The Weetwood can hold a more intimate ceremony of up to 50 guests. Again, it boasts the large sash windows which are consistent throughout the whole of the manor house flooding the room with natural light. This room has an air of opulence and elegance. I would envisage an emotional and intimate ceremony in this space where guests would feel fully immersed in the moment.
The Jacobean Room
This room is grade 2 listed. I just loved the ceilings in this room which are adorned with the lion's head (The original logo of the Weetwood Estate) and the ornate fireplace.
You can have ceremonies in the Jacobean of up to 80 guests but the space is more commonly used for the wedding breakfast where it sits up to 54 guests in round tables. Again, this room is fairly well lit with natural light. The open fireplace (original of course) would be the most perfect accompaniment to a winter wedding. With the rich, golden drapes at the windows and dark wooden floors in both the Manor and Jacobean room, it’s really easy to envisage an autumnal and winter coloured theme for your wedding.
The New Conversion:
Throughout the 18th Century, several families eventually owned the estate. If you look closely you might spot the initials of Alf Cooke (a self-made Yorkshireman), in the Stone Columns supporting the gates of the main entrance. In 1919, the estate was bought by Leeds University and was extended further between 1925-1927 with the construction of a large main block. This extension of Weetwood Hall is still fondly known as the ‘1926.’
Eventually the estate was converted in 1993 and turned into a leading hotel and conference centre, as it remains today.
If you want a big wedding or you prefer a more modern vibe, you might choose to get married in this extended part of the estate. There are two main rooms you might use for your ceremony or reception: The Bramley and Lawnswood.
The Bramley-
You would probably be more likely to choose the Bramley for your ceremony if you wanted the whole day in this part of the building. It can hold up to 100 seated guests. You might also use this room for your post ceremony drinks reception.
Whilst the lack of natural daylight is in contrast to the older part of the estate, this room offers you a blank canvas. You can decorate this room as you wish with a venue dresser supplied through the hotel, or of your own choice. Abigail has seen many impressive backdrops to the front of the ceremony space over the years.
The Lawnswood-
This space can hold a much larger wedding ceremony but due to its vastness, in comparison to the other rooms, it lends itself nicely for the wedding breakfast and evening party, with a seating capacity of 120 people.
This room isn’t licensed for a legal wedding (however with a celebrant, this of course wouldn’t be a problem) which is another reason the room could be used for entertaining after the ceremony. The hotel normally offers round tables and a couple can have their ‘top table’ (if they choose to have one) amongst their guests or literally on a ‘centre stage’.
In between both of these rooms, is a large, open, break-out area. It’s the perfect place for older guests to have a sit or those seeking solace from the music. You could also hold your photo-booth or guest book etc.
What’s Included:
Whatever ceremony space suits you best, the hotel offers a range of ceremony packages (which can be viewed on their website). Each package includes exclusive use of all the ceremony spaces, and: wedding breakfast arrival drinks, drinks with meal, toast drinks, evening buffet, chair covers, sachets, DJ and dance floor. The only thing you would have to add on would be a registrar or celebrant and any additional decorations.
As I said before, I think what makes this such a desirable wedding venue is that you can mix and match the wedding spaces. That’s right- if you prefer the traditional for your ceremony you can still then make use of the modern vibe of the extension for your evening entertainment (and let’s admit, it’s sometimes nice to have that change of environment to break up the day). What’s more, the hotel only ever commits to one wedding at a time so whilst you can’t hire the hotel out exclusively, you won’t be crossing paths with another bride or groom or competing for room hire.
Accommodation and Amenities:
The Estate has 114 rooms altogether, with 13 of these in the old Manor House. Rooms in the newer part have twins, double-doubles and family rooms.
If you choose to get married in the manor house you might choose to book out the 13 bedrooms (all with an ensuite) of the manor house so you feel like you have exclusive access to the estate.
Breakfast is always in the newer part and areas can be reserved so all your guests can sit together.
Additionally, the hotel offers access to amenities such as a leisure club, including a gym and swimming pool (which are not located in the Hotel itself), ensuring that your guests can unwind and indulge during their stay.
It also states on the website that: ‘When holding your wedding at Weetwood Hall Estate, you and your guests will receive a preferential discount of 10% on our best available rate for bedrooms on the night of your wedding. A guaranteed allocation of 10 bedrooms will be reserved at the time of confirming your wedding for each of your guests to reserve their own room. Full payment is required at the time of booking from each guest with a 7 day cancellation policy. Further terms and conditions apply.
To find out about other wedding venues I have reviewed, click here.
Working with Michelle Park Celebrant
As a trusted supplier to Weetwood Hall in Leeds, I’m often visiting this charming Yorkshire venue. On my Instagram page you’ll find up to date information regarding their wedding fairs where I’m available to meet with and talk all things celebrancy. I’m extremely passionate about celebrant ceremonies and I love working with venues that I know and trust.
If you are eager to know more, do check our my socials or simply fill out my contact page and I’ll drop you a call.
I cant wait to hear from you and I’d be privileged to tell your love story.
