Wedding Garden Party
Looking at the latest government guidance, updated 14th August, it seems like there are lots of restrictions, things you can and can’t do. Government guidance strongly encourages having your reception outside and Capesthorne Hall is such a versatile Cheshire wedding venue that with a few tweaks, you can build those restrictions into your theme and people won’t feel them.
Using our extensive grounds, you can have a wedding garden party that will create a great atmosphere as well as providing a green space which is beneficial for people’s mental health.
Households need to be grouped by bubbles. with a minimum of one metre distancing between them, two metres where possible. The size of our gardens at Capesthorne Hall means you can have two metres easily and you can lay picnic blankets out for bubbles to sit on. For older guests, or anyone with back problems, explore camping chairs and tables which will be better for them.
And sitting should be the order of the day, with a sit-down meal instead of a buffet or food stations. To have a garden party with a sit-down meal, use picnic baskets and any plates or cutlery your guests might need.
It’s important to be aware of how many people you can invite to organise picnic blankets and so on. You can have up to thirty people, including you and your partner. This number does include third-party suppliers like your photographer, but not venue staff or third-party caterers, so plan accordingly.
The government has advised household bubbles should stay together and two metres apart from other bubbles. To encourage this without making it obvious, you can use fairy lights or bunting to mark out each area. And fairy lights will mean your party can last into the evening.
There are lots of suggestions and recommendations around live music, and using amps to increase volume, but not having it too loud so people have to shout which increases the risk of droplet and aerosol transmissions from attendees. However, music played outside reduces all these risks and background music enhances the garden party feel.
All that is the fun stuff. Here are some other things to consider to help you plan.
British weather being what it is, having a back up of gazebos in case of a summer storm or even a heatwave (we can hope), will mean the weather won’t spoil your day.
And a hygiene station is a must, maybe even a few, and actively encourage your guests to clean their hands regularly. Nothing will remind people to wash their hands more than the bride and groom doing it.
Despite it looking like there are realms of restrictions, turning your reception into a garden party helps you meet the guidance, and everyone has a great, safe, experience at your wedding.
Why not take a look at our other wedding blogs for more inspiration!
