Albury Park Mansion - Your Perfect Wedding Venue

DUE TO A MAJOR INTERNAL REFURBISHMENT PROGRAM, WE WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY NEW WEDDING BOOKINGS FOR 2011. ALL OTHER EVENTS WILL BE TAKING PLACE AS USUAL. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR DETAILS

Our ‘Exclusive Use*’, famous historic venue is available 365 days a year to host your special day.

Magnificent reception rooms and elegant facilities which hosted royal receptions in the past are set in six acres of beautiful Grade 1 listed grounds and includes a large croquet lawn, a river, quaint bridges, woods, parkland and a little private church, featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Unrivalled elegance and tranquillity combined with a friendly, highly professional wedding team, guarantees you exemplary service, splendid cuisine and very unique atmosphere.

About Your Wedding Venue:

Your wedding guests would approach the Mansion up a beautiful, half mile, winding, tree-lined drive which overlooks the meandering River Tillingbourne. The main wedding party would then sweep through the main arched entrance, up the spectacular, oval-shaped gravel drive with its central fountain, to the main house, to be greeted with champagne.

The Great Room, which hosted the wedding of George III, and the slightly smaller, but equally spectacular, Soane Drawing Room, are both very popular choices and are both licensed for Civil Ceremonies. The John Soane staircase provides a very grand and elegant backdrop for the Bridal Party to receive their guests.

The Great Room is licenced for Civil Ceremonies and accomodates about 180 for a stand up reception party. The Drawing Room will easily accommodate 100 guests for a Civil Ceremony and 120 for a stand up reception.

For wedding ceremonies that have taken place at another location, guests are still welcome to enter via the ornate entrance hall and proceed to the Great Room, the Drawing Room or straight through to the main lawns and terraces at the rear of the house for the wedding reception. The dining room will easily seat up to 130 guests on twelve round tables and a long top table, if required. You may also hold the Wedding Breakfast in the much larger Great Room, if you wish.

The front courtyard provides an ideal location where your guests can mingle and enjoy reception drinks and canapés. The side gates lead off from the courtyard into the main gardens. The famous Grade I listed gardens, visited by guests from all over the globe, offer a multitude of photographic opportunities for your wedding album, whatever the season. The gardens include a large croquet lawn, winding paths, a wide stream with two bridges, fine woods, very rare and unusual trees, and a private church, St Peter and St Paul, (which was featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral), all set in six acres of peace and total tranquillity.

The Grand Room features a large French 17th Century marble fireplace, large gilt mirror, a chandelier and historic paintings. Many couples choose to use the Drawing Room as a drinks reception area, which has easy access to the gardens through three large John Soane sash windows. Since the large rooms are plentiful and so substantial, the Mansion lends itself to winter weddings as well as summer ones and also caters well for inclement British weather! The patio area adjacent to the Drawing Room provides ample space for a large marquee and croquet can be played on the main lawn if required.

Facilities overview at The Mansion:

Ceremony type: Civil ceremony &/or reception party.
Capacity for a civil ceremony in the Great Room: 100
Capacity for a stand up reception in the Great Room: 160
Capacity for a civil ceremony in the Soane Drawing Room: 60
Capacity for a stand up reception in the Soane Drawing Room: 100
Seated meal capacity in the Northumberland Dinning Room: 130
Seated meal capacity in the Garden Dinning room: 30
Capacity for a stand up reception in the Garden Dinning Room: 50
Seated meal capacity in the Garden dinning room: 30
Marquee by arrangement.
Bridal suite: Luxury apartment suite with four-poster bed.
Photography allowed inside/outside the house: Yes
Parking available: Yes
Confetti permitted: No
Catering: In house Master Chef
Vegetarian menu: Yes
Evening buffet menu: Yes
Accommodation: Ten double luxury guest rooms (some large enough to accommodate families) are available
Grounds: Terraces and Grade 1 listed gardens, croquet lawn, woodlands, river and bridges, small Saxon private church.

The Mansion has a unique elegance and tranquillity with very flexible facilities. Our friendly, professional and very efficient wedding team are on hand to assist you in every planning step to ensure a wedding experience second to none.

Truly, this is a wedding paradise - exemplary in all respects - and has a collection of unique features unrivalled in the surrounding area.

Our Commitment to You:

Your wedding is extremely important to us and we appreciate that you would want it to be an intimate and private occasion, as if it was being held at your own home, hence, we only ever host ONE wedding or reception on a particular day, the Mansion's facilities are then totally yours throughout.

Rest assured, you will always receive our totally client focused attention, prior to and during your wedding day.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MENU SELECTOR

 
GENERAL INFORMATION :

THE VENUE:
Albury Park Mansion is owned and run by Jennifer and Nigel Whalley who started a long-term refurbishment program four years ago. Under their stewardship and for the first time in its long history, the Mansion is no longer just a private residence. It has been restored and updated to its current beauty and is now available for weddings and functions every day of the year except Christmas Day.

THE ORGANISATION:
The detail and planning of the wedding event will be coordinated by Jennifer Whalley and she will welcome you to The Mansion and show you around this elegant house. You may wish to bring family or friends with you at this time and it will be important to choose a daylight appointment so that you can see the Mansion and its famous grounds in good light.

YOUR EVENT:
Jennifer Whalley and her wedding team are very experienced and will ensure that your wedding day runs smoothly and perfectly and is executed in every detail. She and her Staff and the Master Chef, will plan the entire event from the first moment of the day until the very end. You will have support from every member of  staff at every step of the way through the ceremony, the meal, speeches, evening entertainment and until your guests depart. Jennifer and her Staff will arrange the viewing times to suit you and personally show you around the venue.  She almost always makes herself available at all times and because Albury Park is also her home, Jennifer has the ability to agree any special arrangements which you may require or to discuss the options which are available to you so that the entire event is dedicated very specifically to the individual Bridal Couple.

CIVIL CEREMONIES:
British Law stipulates that your civil ceremony must take place with the local Registrar to make the legal commitment for you and the Guildford Registry Office telephone number is 08456 009009. You should make this booking as early as possible and before you make a final decision on your preferential date at The Mansion. You may like to note that the Registry Office is booked up well ahead of time and the civil wedding will not be able to take place without the Registrar being present.

THE SAXON CHURCH:
The Old Church of St Peter and St. Paul was built over thousand years ago and is one of the top ten most interesting churches in the country. It is situated by the river Tillingbourne in the most exquisite spot and surrounded by snowdrops and daffodills during the spring. This Saxon church on the Albury estate is owned by the Churches Conservation Trust and has been restored by the Society for the Protection of Ancent Buildings to its original condtion.  Albury is delighted to announce that the Bishop has agreed that  following a civil service in the Mansion, a service for a wedding blessing can be held in this beautiful church. This means that you too can walk in the footsteps of history, down the path from the Mansion to the river and then through the garden gate into the church yard for a Service of Blessing. This is as equally moving as a full wedding service and many couples say that it is during this time that they really make their committment to each other when they exchange wedding rings. Candelabra's are available to further enhance the atmosphere in the church. There are eleven pews and the church will hold about 120 guests.

THE GREAT ROOM:
The Great Room is an very impressive and elegant reception room with a huge marble fireplace and three bay windows overlooking the Grade 1 listed gardens and grounds. It was in this room that George 111 held his Coronation Ball. It will seat 120 guests for a civil ceremony or accommodate large dance floor for an evening party. For Christmas weddings there is a 16' tree provided and the room is entirely candle and fire lit.

THE SOANE DRAWING ROOM:
This is the most beautiful and elegant room in the Mansion. Decorated in wonderful shades of blue and yellow, the sun pours through the huge windows, which open onto the terrace, and it is ideal for your Reception. The huge 19C chandelier sparkles and reflects in the Pier glass so that even on a dull day, this room is a delight. This room is also licensed for civil ceremonies.

THE NORTHUMBERLAND DINNING ROOM:
This room will hold up to 120/130 guests for a Wedding Breakfast seated at round tables.

THE GARDEN ROOM:
This unusual room overlooks the gardens and woods and is heavily timbered with high-arched ceilings delightful for smaller parties of up to 50 guests.

THE TERRACE BAR:
The Terrace Bar with its experienced staff will serve all your drinks orders in our paneled bar which opens onto the terrace and croquet Lawn.  Guests can enjoy their drinks on the terrace over looking the river and the valley.

OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION:
The Duchess’s Suite is tentatively reserved for the bridal Couple and its reservation should be confirmed once the venue is booked. This stunning luxury suite with four poster bed and separate drawing room has large windows overlooking the gardens. A complimentary bottle of champagne will be provided for the newly weds. The Suite will be available from 9am on the wedding day.  

Albury Park Mansion also has ten additional double bedrooms with ensuite facilities, which can be allocated to guests. These can be single rooms or spacious family suites. Breakfast is included in the price per room. If guests require overnight accommodation during their time at The Mansion, it is suggested that they make their bookings as early as possible to avoid any disappointment. The Mansion unfortunately does not supply cots for children so please provide your own.

Guest rooms will be available from 2:00pm onwards and we ask that they are vacated by 10:00am on the day of departure.

Breakfast is served in the Dining Room between 8:30 am – 10:00am. A choice of a full English Breakfast is available in addition to a Continental Breakfast. Morning Coffee and home made biscuits are available from 10:30am in either the Great Room or the Soane Drawing Room. Guests should expect an additional charge if they wish to have this served.

GENERAL INFORMATION:
The Table Layout and the Seating Plan can be of great importance. This will be discussed with you at one of the pre wedding meetings and you will be able to consider using round tables accommodating numbers of six, eight or ten guests. Additionally our long tables will accommodate a smaller area and you may choose to have one of these for your Top Table.

The wedding team will require your seating plan two weeks before the wedding day.  Tey will need to know if there are wheelchairs or high chairs required and where they are to be placed.

The delivery and arrangement of the flowers will be discussed during the pre wedding meetings. Albury Park is experienced at finding the florist to suit the Bride's particular wishes but if a family member or friend wishes to provide the floral arrangements then please let us know.

The Wedding Cake will be provided by a specialist cake maker who is a part of the catering team at Albury Park. The cake will be produced and decorated exactly to the Bride’s specification. If the bridal party has a particular cake maker, which they prefer to use, then please inform.

The licensed Bar will accept orders up to 11:30pm and will close at Midnight unless prior arrangements are made. Please advise as to whether you wish this to be a Cash Bar or whether you prefer to prepay for the drinks.

We request that your amplified music is not outside the house or marquee and that we agree the decibel rate at 85/90 decibels as the music sounds through the entire valley and down to Shere Village. Acoustic music, such as string quartets, can be played in the grounds or the Mansion and can also move from room to room, as required.  

The Mansion will close at midnight unless alternative times are agreed with the proprietors in advance and of course, the couple will want to consider their guests if they are any staying overnight.

Overnight parking should be discussed with the wedding team but guests must be advised that it will be at their own risk.

Guests who are parking in the car park itself may choose to drop the ladies at the front door of the Mansion particularly if the weather is inclement, otherwise, parking is outside the main perimeter of the gardens in the specified car park. For very large numbers we would ask clients to consider organizing coaches from central locations.

Coaches should be advised to drop the guests at the Kissing Gate and they will find that the second cattle grid next to the gate will be covered for easy access.

Access for the disabled is from the first back door on the north entrance to the Mansion but please advise Jennifer if you are expecting any disabled guests.

The Wedding car will have ready access to the front door of the Mansion and can remain parked there if the driver remains with the car. In the event of a horse and carriage not booked by Albury Park, please advise Jennifer and confirm that the cattle grids are to be covered to allow the horses easy access.

Arrangements for the deposit of bridal gifts should be made with the wedding team.

IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN FLOWERDEW L.M.P.A – STUDIO J
ALBURY PARK’S QUALIFIED IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER:
John Flowerdew L.M.P.A, Studio J Photography our resident Professional Photographer, with 28 years experience and expertise is very familiar with all the wonderful locations on the Albury Park estate and in the Mansion itself for stunningly beautiful photography. He will be very happy to arrange a meeting to show you around the grounds and house so that you have the opportunity to choose your favorite places for your photographs and to discuss your requirements. Please visit his website for examples of his outstanding photography, image slideshows and information at www.studioj.co.uk

CIVIL CEREMONIES:
The Great Room and The Soane Drawing Room are licenced for civil ceremonies. Ceremonies can take place between 10am to 4pm all year round (excluding Christmas Day and New Years Day). The ceremony fee is £250.00.

RECEPTION ROOMS:
There is a choice of four historic reception rooms, The Great Room, The Soane Drawing Room, The Northumberland Dinning Room and The Garden Room.

BOOKING:
50% of the venue fee is payable to secure your date, which is non-refundable, full balance due 30 days prior to event.

RECEPTIONS:
Should you wish to hold your ceremony at a church, The Great Room, The Soane Drawing Room, The Northumberland Dinning Room or the Smaller, Garden Room are ideal venues for your Reception. A marquee can be erected in the grounds to increase the capacity for larger receptions. prices on application.

ACCOMMODATION:
Albury Park Mansion has luxury accommodation available.
Bridal Suite: £275 per night.
Additional Guest rooms from £120 per room including Bed and Breakfast.

ADDITIONAL WEDDING AND EVENT SERVICES
Albury Park Mansion can also supply wedding photography, video filming, marquees, flowers, wedding cakes, cars, Toastmasters, bands, disco, children’s entertainment, etc. Please just ask us for details.