Why Does Wedding Venue Hire Cost What It Does?
Wedding venue hire cost – how is it made up and what goes into it?
Back in 2020 I looked at wedding venue hire fees and thought it was time to update the information.
“It’s just a couple of fields…”
It’s a phrase I’ve heard more than once over the years. Sometimes it’s followed by, “…surely it can’t cost that much?”
Well… yes, it is a couple of fields.
It’s also five acres of Sussex countryside, with glorious views towards Chanctonbury Ring, a beautiful 500-year-old Tudor farmhouse, exclusive use for two days, accommodation in the farmhouse for two nights, camping area for your guests, planning support, continual maintenance, endless improvements, and quite a few sleepless nights wondering whether the rabbits have dug any new craters!
I recently had someone tell me that my venue hire was “hellishly expensive”. It made me smile because, in the grand scheme of exclusive-use wedding venues, Great Betley actually offers exceptional value.
So I thought it was time to revisit this subject.
You’re Not Just Hiring A Field
What does wedding venue hire cost include? When you book Great Betley, you’re taking over the whole place.
From midday the day before your wedding until midday the day after, it’s yours.
You can decorate, welcome suppliers, enjoy a relaxed evening before the big day, celebrate with your family and friends, and wake up the following morning without being hurried out by lunchtime guests arriving for the next wedding.
During that time the farmhouse isn’t operating as a B&B. We can’t accept other bookings because the venue is exclusively yours.
What you’re really hiring is peace of mind. When your wedding day arrives, you shouldn’t be worrying whether the generator will cope, whether suppliers can access water, or whether the venue is looking its best. Those are all things that have been thought about long before you and your guests arrive. The wedding venue hire cost isn’t simply paying for a place to hold your celebration. It’s paying for the years of investment, planning and maintenance that allow you to relax and enjoy one of the biggest days of your life.
What is a Blank Canvas Wedding Venue?
Great Betley is what’s known as a blank canvas wedding venue. That means you have exclusive use of the venue and the freedom to choose your own caterers, bar, florist, entertainment and styling. Rather than paying for an all-inclusive package, you’re creating a wedding that’s completely your own. It’s a little like being handed the keys to your dream venue and being able to fill it with your favourite people and suppliers.
Planning a Blank Canvas Wedding
One of the reasons I love blank canvas weddings is that no two are ever the same. You aren’t choosing Package A, B or C, you’re creating a celebration that’s uniquely yours.
If you’ve never planned a blank canvas wedding before, it can feel a little daunting at first. That’s exactly why I wrote Plan a Blank Canvas Wedding, a practical guide packed with tips, timelines and advice to help couples make the most of the freedom a venue like Great Betley offers.
Improvements Never Stop
One of the things I love most about Great Betley is that it never stands still.
Every year I look at the venue and ask, “How can I make this even better?”
Recently we’ve:
- Included the use of a 55kVA generator within the venue hire price, saving couples the cost and hassle of hiring one separately.
- Added permanent water points on the event field, making life much easier for toilet hire as they need water.
- Continued improving access around the venue, with sections of the driveway about to be concreted to provide a better surface while still keeping its rural character.
- Opened up more of the gardens by removing dead trees and improving the landscaping.
- Continued investing in the grounds to create even more beautiful spaces for photographs and ceremonies.
None of these improvements happen by magic. Sadly there isn’t a Wedding Fairy who appears overnight with a concrete mixer and a credit card.
The Glamorous World Of Maintenance…
Owning a 500-year-old farmhouse is a little bit like owning an elderly Labrador.
You love it dearly.
It occasionally costs a small fortune.
Just when you think everything is behaving itself, something decides it would quite like replacing.
Our beautiful sash windows are about to undergo extensive renovation. They’ll be removed one by one, repaired, draught-proofed, rebalanced, repainted and returned looking wonderful for many more years.
It’s not the sort of thing couples notice when they arrive.
And that’s exactly the point.
Good maintenance should be almost invisible.
The lawns need cutting.
The hedges need trimming.
The fields need topping.
The fences need repairing.
The insurance has to be paid.
The grass doesn’t cut itself, the windows don’t repaint themselves, and unfortunately potholes don’t fill themselves either (I’ve checked!).
What You’re Really Paying For In Your Wedding Venue Hire Cost
So what you’re paying for in the wedding venue hire cost is the hundreds of hours that happen long before your wedding day arrives.
The emails.
The viewings.
The planning.
The supplier recommendations.
The behind-the-scenes preparation.
The maintenance that keeps everything looking its best.
Every improvement is made with one goal in mind: giving every couple the best possible experience from the moment they arrive until the last guest heads home.
We Could Leave It…
Of course we could decide not to improve anything.
We could ignore the driveway.
Forget the water points.
Leave the windows to deteriorate.
Stop maintaining the grounds.
But that’s not who we are.
Every booking helps me continue caring for Great Betley. I don’t really think of myself as its owner, more its current custodian. This beautiful old lady has stood here for over 500 years, and she deserves constant love, care and investment so she’ll still be welcoming couples for generations to come.
In The End…
A wedding venue isn’t simply a piece of land with a price attached.
It’s years of work, continual investment, careful maintenance, and a huge amount of love for a place that becomes part of one of the biggest days in a couple’s lives.
And yes… occasionally it still involves me standing in a field talking to rabbits and wondering where they’ve dug their latest hole.
All in a day’s work.
