Opening its doors as a wedding venue in 2013 and since becoming one of the county’s most sought-after venues, Elmore Court offers a glorious setting for memorable celebrations.
Discover what makes the setting so unique in SoGlos’ interview, offering an inspiring insight for budding brides and grooms.
What was the inspiration behind opening Elmore Court as a wedding venue?
The Grade II-listed home and surrounding lands were inherited in 2007 by current owner, Anselm Guise; a festival creator, party promoter (and party animal) by trade, who bravely undertook to transform the decaying estate with a mixture of preservation and modernisation.
His dream was to be able to share the magic of the court in a way that offered every unique couple a hands-on, exclusive and bespoke service worthy of their big day expectations, and all without having to reduce the volume of late night celebrations!
This was to be delivered while pushing the house and estate back into a symbiotic relationship, where the farms would create the ingredients to be served at weddings, and biomass from woodlands would keep guests snug and their showers hot. Sustainability and responsibility are key to the formation of the new Elmore and have continued to play a vital role in the unfurling of its future.
What makes Elmore Court such a unique venue?
Elmore Court has a vision that every wedding should be as unique and special as the couple getting married. The property is steeped in history and provides a captivating mixture of historical architecture and modern eco functions, with our Gillyflower party venue constructed from rammed earth and winner of an RIBA award.
The exquisite gardens are contrasted by a wild flower meadow. The house is occupied with family heirlooms and guests spend hours intrigued by these and the hidden historic architectural details on offer.
How would you describe the style of the venue?
The house has an understated elegance about it, with the Gillyflower offering a modern rustic feel for the party!
What kind of theme does Elmore Court suit?
Anything goes at Elmore but we think that fun, festival style works best.
What can couples expect when booking their big day at Elmore Court?
At Elmore we’re all about doing our best to ensure you have a magical time. For that to happen, we believe, you need to have the run of the place. Our highly experienced team will work with you throughout the planning process to ensure that the wedding day is perfect and runs like clockwork.
How much flexibility do couples have during their planning?
We encourage couples to think outside the box, and where possible try our best to accommodate any ideas they have. We like things to be a little bit different!
What are your most popular catering choices?
Our kitchen team are super skilled and give you the flexibility you need for your special day… We work with local suppliers and with our own wonderful gardeners to ensure our ingredients are as fresh and delicious as possible.
Two of our most popular main dishes include Roast rump of lamb with Mediterranean vegetables, salsa verde & balsamic jus, bowls of rosemary and garlic roasted new potatoes; and Roasted sirloin of beef with fondant potato, tenderstem broccoli, smoked bacon and wild mushrooms with red wine jus.
To finish (everyone loves a pudding!)...you cannot beat a trio of desserts – Chocolate and salted caramel brownie, Vanilla & raspberry panna cotta, Lemon tart & mini meringues.
Can you tell us about your various wedding spaces?
The Hall is the heart of the house. A great mullioned window lights the room magically with a rainbow of colours from its heraldic stained glass. It is a wonderful space for entertaining and is used for wedding ceremonies, blessings and so much more. It’s licenced for up to 200 guests for a ceremony.
The Gillyflower is a ‘future-rustic’ dinner and dancing venue with walls made from mud. It has a meadow roof that blends with the adjacent fields and stunning windows that frame our views over the English countryside.
There is a state of the art Funktion-One sound system and our lights are cutting edge too… A discreet but highly controllable digital LED lighting system sits in the ceiling above the dancefloor, and then, of course, there’s ‘The Lightshower’ that was installed by one of the worlds most respected lighting artists – Bruce Monro.
What accommodation do you provide for guests?
There’s a total of 16 bedrooms in the main house for you and your guests. The rooms are all at least doubles, several can easily be made into twins and four can sleep more than a couple; we can accommodate 39 without adding more beds. Cooked breakfast is included.
The new Coach House is for the night and morning before; it includes two double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and sitting room with a sofa bed. We provide continental breakfast on the wedding morning and it all means you are able to get ready here before you gain access to the main house.
How many weddings to you tend to host per year?
It depends from year to year. We do quite a few but also are mindful of ensuring that the wear and tear to the house and grounds is kept under control…
How is Elmore Court enhanced by its country Cotswold setting?
The estate nestles within a bend of the river, surrounded by farmland, looking up at the Cotswolds in the east and the River Severn to the west, insulated by interwoven canals and waterways. It really is a beautiful setting.
And finally, do you have a dream couple to host on their wedding day?
Kit Harington (Jon Snow) and Rose Leslie…we’ve got a few Game of Throne fans in the office!
For more information call (01452) 720293, email life@elmorecourt.com, or visit elmorecourt.com directly.
