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Venues Shortmead
Shortmead

Overview

  • Located in Bedfordshire, near Biggleswade
  • Georgian manor house with 16th century origins
  • Can accommodate up to 150 guests
  • Licensed for civil ceremonies
  • Also licensed for Humanist and cultural ceremonies
  • Ability to construct a marquee in the grounds
  • Suitable for summer and winter weddings
  • Luxurious bridal suite on site

Shortmead

Located in the Bedfordshire countryside, although just a short distance from the A1 motorway, Shortmead House is a charming and lovingly-restored 16th century manor house, which is now licensed for civil ceremonies and whose stunning rooms and gardens make for an ideal place to throw your wedding celebrations.

Whether you dream of a large garden party in a marquee, or a small and intimate affair within a historic building, Shortmead House is able to accommodate your wishes, and their dedicated wedding planners will ensure that every last detail is exactly to your specifications.

History

Originally constructed in the 16th century, the earliest mention of Shortmead House was in 1534, when a man named Thomas Butcher, owner of Shortmead Farm, left money in his will to the church in Biggleswade. The money was presumably used to build Shortmead House on what was previously Mr. Butcher's farmland.

After being greatly altered in the 1790s, Shortmead House became the Georgian-style mansion you see today. Although much of the house's land was sadly auctioned off in the Victorian era and the house and grounds later fell into severe disrepair, Shortmead was lovingly restored by its current owners in 1999. They now have further plans for how to recover some of its lost land in order to make it an even grander estate.

Facilities

The Thatch

Ideal for a Summer wedding, the Thatch is a unique outdoor space situated next to the pool, giving it a relaxed garden party feel. This space can hold either your ceremony or reception, or both!

Ceremony capacity - 80 guests

Reception capacity (buffet) - 80 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 50 guests

The Stables

Approached through a walled courtyard, which lend the space a secluded and exclusive feel, the Stables is ideal for weddings taking place in any season; the space is atmospheric year-round and has plenty of space to accommodate your nearest and dearest.

Ceremony capacity - 80 guests

Reception capacity (buffet) - 80 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 50 guests

The Marquees

Constructed within Shortmead House's beautifully landscaped gardens, their marquees are the perfect setting for larger celebrations, allowing you to invite along all of your friends and family for a formal and elegant garden party within idyllic surroundings.

Reception capacity (buffet) - 150 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 100 guests

The Regency and Drawing Rooms

These opulent rooms are within the main house and have been decorated to closely resemble how they might have looked during the Georgian era. Resplendent with period touches, these rooms are ideal for intimate celebrations, allowing you to feel as though you're hosting a lavish dinner party in your own country estate for your big day.

Ceremony capacity - 26 guests

Reception capacity - 26 guests

Catering

Catering for weddings at Shortmead is always handled by the venue's preferred caterer, Preece Burditt, who is able to discuss your wedding breakfast menu with you as a couple and will ensure the food is nothing short of remarkable.

Accommodation

Shortmead House's luxurious bridal suite is a tranquil place for the bride to prepare for her big day, and its romantic décor is the perfect place for the newlyweds to begin their honeymoon. There is also a cottage onsite which can sleep six people.

For the rest of your guests, Stratton House Hotel is only a short walk away.

To find out more about booking Shortmead House for your wedding, get in touch via the contact buttons above or below this listing.

Address
Shortmead House
Shortmead Lane
Biggleswade
Bedfordshire
SG18 0FG

Reviews

  • Sarah - August 2015

    We had our wedding at Shortmead House at the end of August. It is a stunning place to visit and certainly to have a wedding! Ian and Marilyn make you very welcome in their home and happy to share it to make your special day extra special. Lynda and all the staff, including the catering staff are fantastic and made our special day a dream come true. A perfect little hidden gem on Biggleswade. Cannot recommend highly enough.

  • Paul - December 2016

    We booked this venue for our wedding as soon as we saw it. Ian and Marilyn were very helpful in the run up to the wedding. While they do have their own set of suppliers (something we didn't take into account when we booked the venue, naively), they are willing to work with you to accommodate what you want as much as possible, such as hiring your own chairs, having an ice cream van and your own preferred beer keg on one of the taps etc. The venue has also recently invested in a new sound system and speaker, minimising the noise in the marquee if you're not directly under it, which worked really well for older relatives who still wanted to talk while the younger generation could dance to their hearts' content. The main point we would make is that it is Ian's and Marilyn's home, and it's clear a lot of care and attention has gone into the house and the surrounding gardens, because of this, they do take a greater interest in what you're doing or planning than maybe other venues, but as long as you treat the venue with the respect you'd give your own home, then there shouldn't be a problem. It is a very special venue and it was a very special day that we will remember with great happiness for years to come. Thanks.

  • Cass - September 2016

    The search for the perfect venue that was local to our home town came to a definite halt when we visited Shortmead for the first time, a true hidden gem only a few miles from our home. Whilst I had my own ideas for what I wanted on the day, Shortmead provided me with the perfect venue in which to do this with its 'exclusive yet informal and relaxed surroundings'. It is a venue to host memorable weddings and not your typical hotel package wedding. Whilst I had reservations at first regarding being advised which caterer I was to use, this was soon diminished when the caterer brought fresh dessert samples to my home and paid attention to all my ideas. There is no accommodation available in the house for anyone but the bride and groom which suited us perfectly once we had waved off the last dregs of our guests. There is a guest cottage on site to hire and also an area for camping where one of our friends stayed in their camper van to add to the fun! If you want to be creative and bring ideas to the venue for your event then Marilyn is the lady to talk to and will assist you where required providing suppliers details and recommendations she has gathered from the many events that have been held at Shortmead. Marilyn will ensure that your order of the day goes to plan. We had the best day and I cannot thank Ian and Marilyn enough.

Shortmead

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Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Shortmead

Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Overview

  • Located in Bedfordshire, near Biggleswade
  • Georgian manor house with 16th century origins
  • Can accommodate up to 150 guests
  • Licensed for civil ceremonies
  • Also licensed for Humanist and cultural ceremonies
  • Ability to construct a marquee in the grounds
  • Suitable for summer and winter weddings
  • Luxurious bridal suite on site

Shortmead

Located in the Bedfordshire countryside, although just a short distance from the A1 motorway, Shortmead House is a charming and lovingly-restored 16th century manor house, which is now licensed for civil ceremonies and whose stunning rooms and gardens make for an ideal place to throw your wedding celebrations.

Whether you dream of a large garden party in a marquee, or a small and intimate affair within a historic building, Shortmead House is able to accommodate your wishes, and their dedicated wedding planners will ensure that every last detail is exactly to your specifications.

History

Originally constructed in the 16th century, the earliest mention of Shortmead House was in 1534, when a man named Thomas Butcher, owner of Shortmead Farm, left money in his will to the church in Biggleswade. The money was presumably used to build Shortmead House on what was previously Mr. Butcher's farmland.

After being greatly altered in the 1790s, Shortmead House became the Georgian-style mansion you see today. Although much of the house's land was sadly auctioned off in the Victorian era and the house and grounds later fell into severe disrepair, Shortmead was lovingly restored by its current owners in 1999. They now have further plans for how to recover some of its lost land in order to make it an even grander estate.

Facilities

The Thatch

Ideal for a Summer wedding, the Thatch is a unique outdoor space situated next to the pool, giving it a relaxed garden party feel. This space can hold either your ceremony or reception, or both!

Ceremony capacity - 80 guests

Reception capacity (buffet) - 80 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 50 guests

The Stables

Approached through a walled courtyard, which lend the space a secluded and exclusive feel, the Stables is ideal for weddings taking place in any season; the space is atmospheric year-round and has plenty of space to accommodate your nearest and dearest.

Ceremony capacity - 80 guests

Reception capacity (buffet) - 80 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 50 guests

The Marquees

Constructed within Shortmead House's beautifully landscaped gardens, their marquees are the perfect setting for larger celebrations, allowing you to invite along all of your friends and family for a formal and elegant garden party within idyllic surroundings.

Reception capacity (buffet) - 150 guests

Reception capacity (round table) - 100 guests

The Regency and Drawing Rooms

These opulent rooms are within the main house and have been decorated to closely resemble how they might have looked during the Georgian era. Resplendent with period touches, these rooms are ideal for intimate celebrations, allowing you to feel as though you're hosting a lavish dinner party in your own country estate for your big day.

Ceremony capacity - 26 guests

Reception capacity - 26 guests

Catering

Catering for weddings at Shortmead is always handled by the venue's preferred caterer, Preece Burditt, who is able to discuss your wedding breakfast menu with you as a couple and will ensure the food is nothing short of remarkable.

Accommodation

Shortmead House's luxurious bridal suite is a tranquil place for the bride to prepare for her big day, and its romantic décor is the perfect place for the newlyweds to begin their honeymoon. There is also a cottage onsite which can sleep six people.

For the rest of your guests, Stratton House Hotel is only a short walk away.

To find out more about booking Shortmead House for your wedding, get in touch via the contact buttons above or below this listing.

Address
Shortmead House
Shortmead Lane
Biggleswade
Bedfordshire
SG18 0FG

Reviews

Request Brochure
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