Planning your day
Who you’ll work with, which suppliers to book, and the few rules we have.
Who you’ll deal with
Harriet Pell
Grew up on the farm and converted the barn with Tom in 2016. Shows most couples round.
Lydia Fenn
Your contact from the first meeting to the last dance. Has run more than 300 weddings here.
Tom Pell
Farms the 300 acres around the barn and keeps the orchard, yard and tracks in order.
Joe Marsh
Runs the bar and the team who lay the tables. Knows every local brewer by name.
Suppliers
Food and drink come through us. Everyone else is your choice, and we send a list of people who know the barn.
Catering
Choose from our three caterers, who know the kitchen. Fire-cooked sharing boards from £58 a head, a plated three courses from £72, evening street food from £16.
Someone else in mind? Ask. A caterer new to the barn visits first and pays a £450 kitchen fee.
Drinks
Our bar only, with local beer and cider on tap. You can bring wine for the meal at £12 a bottle.
Flowers and styling
Anyone you like. Hooks and wires are already in the beams, so nothing is nailed or taped to the timber.
Photo and film
Anyone you like. We can put you in touch with photographers who have shot here and know where the light falls at 7pm.
Bands and DJs
Anyone with tested equipment and public liability insurance. A sound limiter in the barn keeps the neighbours on side.
Cake
Anyone you like. The caterer cuts it and serves it with coffee at no charge.
Where guests stay
Ten beds on the farm in the Cart Lodge and the Dairy. Framlingham, four miles away, has hotels, pubs with rooms and B&Bs. We send a list with prices when you book.
Taxis
Book them early for midnight. We give you numbers for three local firms that know the farm gate.
House rules
There are crops and cattle around you, and neighbours a field away. That’s where these come from.
- Petal confetti outside only
- Sparklers in the yard, never inside
- Candles in glass holders
- No sky lanterns or fireworks
- Dogs welcome on a lead, with a named person looking after them
- Music off at 11.45pm, bar closed at midnight
What time does it finish?
Music goes off at 11.45pm and the bar closes at midnight. Guests leave by 12.30am. Our licence and our neighbours both depend on it.
Can we get legally married here?
Yes. The Long Barn, the Stables and the Orchard are licensed for civil ceremonies and civil partnerships. You book the registrars yourselves through Suffolk Register Office, and give notice at least 29 days before. Celebrant-led ceremonies are welcome too.
Can we stay on the farm?
The Cart Lodge sleeps 6 and the Dairy sleeps 4. On summer Saturdays the Cart Lodge is yours for the Friday and Saturday nights. Other guests stay in Framlingham, four miles away.
Is there parking?
Free parking for 80 cars beside the barn. Cars can stay overnight, as long as they’re collected by 11am the next day.
What if it rains on an orchard ceremony?
We decide with you by 10am on the day. If it looks wet, the ceremony moves into the Long Barn and we set the chairs there.
How many guests can we have?
Up to 140 for dinner and 200 in the evening. Up to 160 for a ceremony in the Orchard or the Long Barn, and 60 in the Stables.
Can we bring our own caterer?
Food comes from our list of three caterers. If you have someone else in mind, ask us. A caterer new to the barn visits first and pays a £450 kitchen fee.
Is the barn accessible?
The Long Barn, the Stables and the yard are step-free, with accessible toilets. The galleries are up a staircase. The path to the Orchard is level and firm.
Can our dog come?
Yes, on a lead, with a named person looking after them all day. There are cattle in the next field.
How do payments work?
A £1,500 deposit books your date. Half the balance is due 9 months before, the rest 8 weeks before. You can move your date once for free with 9 months’ notice.