It’s time to talk about the wedding reception! The second in our blogging series on everything you need to know about Pynes House (see our tips and tricks for the wedding breakfast here), we’ve packed together some useful information and all our best advice gathered over the years, for planning your wedding reception. We’re covering locations, drinks and beverage options, entertainment and planning advice and inspiration from past weddings at Pynes House. So whether you’re currently nailing down the details of your wedding reception here at Pynes House or you’re just after some general wedding reception tips, we’ve got plenty of useful gems of advice here in our guide to the wedding reception – read on for more.
1. The Drinks Reception – Your Locations and Options
After the ceremony takes place, many of our couples choose to celebrate their drinks reception outside, enjoying our stately grounds and soaking up the scenery. During an outdoor reception, guests can gather and mingle on the rose terrace in the sunshine while enjoying drinks and canapés, against a backdrop of the fountain and the peaceful Devonshire countryside. And when it comes to drinks and canapés, our exclusive award-winning caterers, Pickle Shack, have plenty of options available. We’ve included some images of their drinks reception service at Amy and Alex’s wedding, just below.
Centred around using high-quality traditional, local ingredients with modern cooking techniques and creative flair, the team at Pickle Shack have the know-how to provide everything from an elegant three-course wedding breakfast to sensational sharing feasts and gastronomic creations. Find out more about Pickle Shack, here, or get in touch to see their brochure.
While drinks receptions on our rose terrace are always a popular choice, we also welcome guests to celebrate inside, in our expansive state rooms. A perfect backup for wet weather contingencies, you’ve got our exclusive-use wedding venue entirely at your disposal. And for those after five minutes out of the party to relax, there’s always the Morning Room, with sumptuous sofas and a cozy fireplace.
A note: while your guests are enjoying the outdoor wedding reception, you’ll likely head out with your photographer to get some formal group photos, as well as some couple photos around our house and grounds. While this is happening, you could think about varying entertainment options for the drinks reception – see more on this just below…
See more: The Pynes House Gallery – House & Grounds
2. The Drinks Reception – Entertainment Inspiration during the Wedding Reception
We’ve recently published a comprehensive feature on our top fresh and memorable wedding entertainment ideas on the blog here, but here’s a quick run-through of some of our favourite wedding reception entertainment options which we’ve seen over the years. Firstly, there’s the unmistakable atmosphere boosting ambience of live music. Whether you opt for a live band with upbeat tunes or a string/ jazz quartet serenading the afternoon away at our historic venue, music is sure to add to the reception experience.
After some recommendations for wedding suppliers? From live bands to wedding photographers and florists, we’re happy to provide all our couples with a recommended supplier brochure which includes some of our favourite suppliers who we’ve worked with over the years – please get in touch for more.
The extensive countryside and open lawns of our country house also offers a perfect setting for garden games. A treat for guests of all ages, the quintessentially English garden game of croquet has always proved a popular lawn game, alongside vintage games like ring toss and sack throw.
And to capture it all, you could always opt for a live painter. Capturing both guests and the general atmosphere, this can be a great addition to a drinks reception, providing both entertainment on the day and also a lovely keepsake in days to come. And last but not least, you could opt to celebrate with a champagne tower outside on the rose terrace or in our grand entrance hall, in full English country house style.
3. The Wedding Breakfast during the Evening Wedding Reception – Locations and Useful Tips
After an afternoon drinks reception of around 1.5-2.5 hours, it’s time to move towards the wedding breakfast. Here at Pynes House, we’re happy to offer both interior and exterior options for the wedding breakfast and evening reception locations. If you’re hoping to dine and dance the night away inside our stately home wedding venue, we’re happy to offer the Ballroom and Drawing Room spaces. Elegant and spacious, the Ballroom hosts up to 96 guests and provides a calming and opulent space for your wedding reception. Alternatively, you can dine under the stars with a stylish marquee (a great option for couples with larger guest lists too). For more on planning a marquee reception, see our real wedding feature on Chrissie and Brandon’s destination marquee wedding, here.
When it comes to the wedding breakfast timeline, if you’re having speeches, you’ll need to think about at what point they occur during the meal (or whether they are spread out throughout it). For more guidance on wedding breakfast timings and details, our Pynes House on-site wedding co-ordinators, which are provided to all couples, will be happy to talk you through it all. And for the wedding breakfast catering itself, Pickle Shack and their talented team will work with you to create a bespoke menu, fitting your vision for the day. Whether you’re after a three-course plated meal or sharing boards with plentiful options, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
Read more: your complete wedding planning checklist
4. The Evening Wedding Reception – Entertainment Inspiration and Essential Tips
Last but not least, the evening entertainment! The first element on most couple’s lists for the evening wedding reception is generally the music. Whether you opt for a band or a DJ, we’ve got a number of lovely suppliers on our recommended suppliers list. Most of our couples opt to have their first dance around 8pm, after which the evening festivities and dancing will begin.
If you’re after additional entertainment options during the night, a photo-booth can be a great option, which can also add flow between the different spaces of the house if you’re celebrating within the state rooms (the Drawing Room/ Morning room can be a great place to station the photobooth if you’re opting for indoor celebrations). And if you’re having a cake or wedding dessert table, the Drawing Room or niche in the Reception Hall both lend themselves well to the display, also giving ample space for your guests to gather around if you’re doing a cake cutting. Vintage games like roulette have also proved popular in our Drawing Room, adding something a little extra to the night. And lastly, firepits can be a great way to make the most of the outdoor space at Pynes House, where guests can toast marshmallows and enjoy the crackling fire as the evening draws in.
See more: Filippa and Sam’s black tie fusion wedding at Pynes House
That’s it for our feature on the wedding reception, part of the ‘Everything You Need to Know About Pynes House’ series. For more on hosting your wedding at Pynes House, please reach out to us on our website, or via Instagram. And for wedding planning guides and real wedding inspiration, head over to the blog here, we’ve got plenty of useful content for you over there.