Intimate Winter Wedding Venue: What makes a November or December Wedding So Special at Pauntley Court?
Written by Pauntley Court
- A Weekend Stay for you and 22 Guests
We all know that the weather can be inclement at this time of year, so imagine if you and your fiancée could settle into our private wing, Elinor Fettiplace, on Thursday afternoon, have a relaxing massage and enjoy the evening, just the two of you in front of the fire. Then your guests could arrive at midday on Friday for a cosy supper in our Flower Room. Well, this is all possible at Pauntley Court! You and your guests will wake up in one of our luxurious bedrooms on your wedding day, feeling very excited and enjoy a wonderful morning getting ready, surrounded by your close family and friends.
On Sunday, you can have a lazy morning followed by an indulgent brunch cooked for you by our wonderful Housekeeper, Rachel, before departing later that afternoon, meaning that your stay is relaxing from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.
Photos 1,2,3 by Hester Photo. Photo 4 by Katrina Bartlam
2. Elegant Indoor Ceremony Spaces
On your wedding day, turn your ceremony space into a cosy winter-wonderland-inspired haven with vases filled with evergreen foliage, and create soft atmospheric lighting with winter-scented candles. If your wedding is in December, a lovingly decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights will fill the room with splendour.
We have two wonderfully warm, licensed indoor spaces to choose from: The Ballroom, for up to 40, with timeless interiors and a grand piano and The Panelled Room with a roaring open fire and vibrant terracotta interiors. There is also the traditional Norman church, a stone’s throw from the front door, which is beautiful for any size wedding ceremony.
Photo 1 by Luke Cummins Photography
We know that one big concern for brides who choose a winter wedding may be that their guests could be a little chilly, but there really is no need to worry as Pauntley will be toasty inside and warmed, of course, by the chatter and laughter of you and your guests.
3. Golden Hour Photographs
Outside photographs in the winter, I hear you exclaim! Well, if you can brave the slight chill, our wintery gardens are waiting to be the backdrop for your wedding photos. The Hornbeam Arches create an incredible myriad of structural shapes, the Sunken Garden’s box hedging is still out in full force and red berries appear on many of the bushes. You will also be able to find the perfect spot for that all-important golden hour photo (at 5.00 pm!) before heading indoors for a warming tipple!
For those who do not wish to brave the cold, the Main Hall provides an excellent photo spot with warm lighting as well as many other areas in the house.
Photo by Luke Cummins Photography
Photos by David Liebst Photography
4. Luxury Winter Wedding Dining
Most couples choose to have their cosy winter wedding breakfast in our elegant Ballroom at a long table decorated with an abundance of flickering candles, evergreen foliage and perhaps even a Christmas decoration or two, during the festive period.
As for the food, you can work with your caterer to create a seasonal, locally sourced winter menu. Think Christmassy canapes, a hearty, slow-cooked main course and perhaps even a Tiramisu Tower! To top it off, you could have a mulled wine station or hot-chocolate bar to keep everyone warm through the night.
Photo 1 by David Liebst Photography
5. An Evening to Remember
Whether it’s sparklers, marshmallow toasting around the fire-pit or dancing in The Ballroom, Pauntley Court will allow you to create an evening to remember. Our wonderful bar company The Watering Hole Event Bars will serve drinks from our ‘Wild Duck Bar’ to keep you and your guests topped up for the entire night.
Photo by Patrick Partridge Photography
Photos by Lauren Juliette
Photo 1 by Luke Cummins Photo 2 by Marta May
And don’t forget our fabulous Cupid Club, in the Walled Garden, complete with darts board, drinks fridge, speaker and pink neon lighting. The absolute must-go for any party lover.
Photo by The Falkenburgs
If you are looking for a quieter evening, you can relax on the comfortable sofas, either by the warmth of the fire in The Panelled Room or in the exquisitely decorated Pink Room just next door, play games and chat, with gentle music in the background.
Image by David Liebst
What a weekend it could be! The Pauntley Team will be here to make your wedding weekend full of fun, laughter and luxury and will help bring your winter wedding vision to life. Your dedicated coordinator will help you plan your wedding and be there for you on the day itself.
If you would like to find out more about a winter wedding here in 2026, please get in touch or click here to book a personal tour of the house, gardens and grounds with Melissa.
But be quick because we only have a few dates remaining for your wedding at Pauntley Court in 2026:
7 November
21 November
5 December
12 December
✨🎄As a special festive treat, we are including in our exclusive hire price; home-made scones and jam by Rachel, for your arrival on the Thursday afternoon and a locally sourced breakfast hamper and bottle of Three Choirs fizz for you and your partner to enjoy on the Friday. This will set you up for a blissfully enjoyable and relaxing wedding weekend!🎄✨
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Having recently visited Pauntley for our first wedding anniversary, I was reminded just how magical a place it is.
James and I celebrated our marriage with our closest family and friends over three days in August 2024. Spending both the night before and day after our wedding with our nearest and dearest only enhanced our celebrations; Pauntley’s beautiful bedrooms and cosy communal areas greatly facilitate being able to have all of those you love in one place for an extended period. Waking up in the bridal suite greatly reduced the stress on the wedding morning; the Elinor Fettiplace was the perfect setting for bridal preparations.
We knew it was the venue for us when we walked into the ballroom on our first viewing and I burst out crying (happy tears); those tears were present again when I walked down the aisle (ironically outside) the following Summer.
Everything about Pauntley makes it the picture perfect venue - from the indoor furnishings to the beautiful gardens outside. A special touch are the beautiful flowers that Melissa's mother (the flower fairy!) collects from the gardens and arranges in the communal areas and bedrooms; she even treated our guests to a tour of the grounds on the Sunday.
We took full use of all of the spaces - firstly by hosting a grazing table, English sparkling wine and real ale welcome supper in The Flower Room on the Friday, complete with “s’mores” for our flower girls and page boys on Pauntley’s fire pit. On the day itself we had welcome drinks under the stretch tent; said “I do” alongside a string quartet amongst the quince trees; enjoyed canapés, fizz and acoustic music in the sunken garden; had our cake cutting, wedding breakfast and speeches under the hornbeam arches (complete with Melissa’s chandeliers!); took photos down by the boathouse; poured our champagne tower in front of the beautiful staircase and danced the night away with our band in the ballroom before collapsing in front of the fire in the main sitting room after our “light stick” exit in the courtyard. The morning after the night before was spent preparing for our send off BBQ on the terrace.
The stunning setting is only complimented by Pauntley’s true highlight: its team. Melissa could not have been more friendly and helpful from the first time we met her until our wedding weekend itself (and beyond!). The list of recommended suppliers provided was especially helpful given I had no knowledge of local hairdressers, make-up artists, florists, caterers, etc; all of the vendors that we chose were wonderful. Our wedding coordinator, Mel, put this type A bride to shame with her efficiency and organisational skills, all delivered with a smile and a wealth of industry knowledge. A special mention to Pauntley’s head housekeeper Rachel who took excellent care of us and our guests throughout with delicious breakfasts and a yummy BBQ on the Sunday. The whole team are warm, welcoming and ensure that you never feel like just another couple; they are all truly invested in making your wedding day the best it possibly can be.
As we are London based, we chose to stay on the Thursday and Sunday nights and I would highly recommend that option to future couples. Being there the night before - just the two of us - allowed us to sort various Waitrose / butcher / crockery deliveries and get ready before our friends and family descended for our welcome supper the following day. Equally, we enjoyed strolling around the gardens as husband and wife on the Sunday after everyone had left; an opportunity to reminisce on the best weekend of our lives in truly beautiful surroundings. We struggled to leave on the Monday morning!
We couldn’t recommend Pauntley enough and can’t wait to visit again on our second anniversary next year.
Thank you Melissa, Mel and Rachel for everything.
Image by Siobhan Beales Photography