We love going to venues which are privately owned, where the owners have a vision, a passion and a standard of service which shines through above the rest. We are therefore delighted to introduce a new feature to our blog – the Featured Venue series. This is where we chat to different Hampshire Wedding venues about their ethos, their spirit and why they truly believe they have an incredible venue. We start with The Barn at Avington
This feature is of use to couples out there who are searching for their dream Hampshire wedding venue – and give them more of an insight into what makes these unique places so special.
We are pleased to introduce our first venue for this new series; The Barn at Avington.
Beth has a great passion for her venue which shines through in her communication. She also displays a massive enthusiasm for reaching out to wedding suppliers via social media and beyond. The Barn At Avington opens for weddings in Summer 2018 and we have no doubt we’ll be playing there very soon for a beautiful and unique wedding.
Please see below for our interview with Beth at The Barn at Avington
Firstly, in your heart, what makes your venue special?
Definitely it’s location. Adjacent to the River Itchen and surrounded by countryside, it is so peaceful and romantic. The Glade, our secret hideaway for your wedding night, also gets a huge ‘wow’ when we show people around.
What’s the story behind your venue?
As a wedding planner/ coordinator I regularly spoke to brides and suppliers who agreed that many of the Hampshire wedding venues lacked accommodation, outdoor wedding ceremony and a relaxed vibe. I decided that I would try to fill this gap in the market and give couples the opportunity to have ‘their wedding, their way’. I contacted a few local farmers who had holiday cottages on site, and incredibly Robert responded to say he’d been wondering about turning his barn into a wedding venue, but hadn’t got the time to do it himself. This really was fate! Ever since our first meeting in Autumn 2017, we have been working hard to make the dream reality!
What three words sum up your approach to a couple’s wedding day?
Personal, details, unforgettable
Spill the beans.. What’s the most interesting / unusual request you have had?
I have been the one making all the requests at the moment! Robert (who owns the farm) has been cutting back brambles, painting breezeblocks and has been made to have his photo taken for our social media!
We are all about the music here at The Bossard Quartet. What interesting musicians have played at your venue?
We open for weddings SUMMER 2018, however we are very excited to welcome the Freight Train Runners to the venue next month. They will be playing a few songs for us at our venue shoot!
We love a bit of wedding marketing. How do couples mostly find out about your venues?
We love Instagram. It allows us to show off photos of our beautiful venue and connect with local suppliers who have been kindly spreading the word about The Barn. In addition, we can use Instagram to show inspirational images, while it is still looking a little more farm than fancy!
Couples are so organised these days. How far in advance do you get booked?
We are a very new venue so there is still availablity for 2018 onwards. We are only offering 10-15 dates per year so we recommend getting booked in early! You don’t need to have a long engagement though, we can help you to plan your wedding in a matter of months!
Hampshire is blessed with so many beautiful locations to get hitched. Why should a couple book to have their wedding at your venue?
The Barn at Avington offers more than just a wedding day, you have exclusive use of the site for a whole week, which means you can enjoy the set up and the party without feeling rushed and that it was all over too quickly. Our accommodation and glamping site allows everyone to be together and relaxed. We work with Hampshires leading suppliers to enable you to create your dream wedding, whether that be edgy cool or tradition rustic (and everything in between!)
What interesting plans do you have for your venue in the future?
Lots of exciting plans for 2019. Our priorities are a bigger glamping site and civil ceremony licence!
Tell us something not many people know about your venue..
It is conveniently located 15 minutes from Winchester, so although you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, you won’t have the challenges that can accompany being so isolated!