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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I cannot praise Melissa, her team and Pauntley Court (PC) enough.
We were looking for venues for a whole year before we came across Pauntley Court and my gosh it was so unique.
From the very first video call with Melissa, PC just stood out. For one it is the most unique and magical place we've visited but also how wonderful Melissa was. On the initial call we were so taken with how bubbly Melissa was but also how nothing seemed too much trouble. This definitely continued throughout the entire wedding planning and on the weekend itself. Melissa would make herself available for any question we had (measuring the stretch tent, finding us an outdoor tap) - nothing seemed to phase her and she was open to anything - exactly what we were looking for in a wedding venue.
Now onto PC itself - I don't really think words can do it justice. The venue is simply stunning, every corner you turn there is something else to grab at your heart and pull you to the venue.
We also adored how you had use of the venue from 12pm on the Friday until 4pm on the Sunday. It meant we could have a rehearsal on the Friday, steam all the clothing, unpack and join our wedding party for drinks and a BBQ in the lavender garden on the Friday night. While Sunday enabled us to have a leisurely start while also reliving all the memories from the last night over breakfast with our friends.
Particular loves go to:
- the grounds - mentioned in reviews time and time again but they are just gorgeous
- the ability to have your legal ceremony in multiple locations and for a non-legal wedding you have access to the whole site
- Rebecca - the best co-ordinator ever - having access to Rebecca for the day (and calls leading up to the day) really helped with the last minute panics / helped the day run smoothly
- Rachel - the most wonderful housekeeper - keeping the food flowing on the Friday and for breakfasts. She ran a very tight ship and it enabled us to just relax knowing everything was handled.
- the beautiful ballroom - this was such a fantastic place to get ready with my bridesmaids but also hold an unforgettable ceilidh
- the cupid club - a new addition but great to keep the party going
- the lake house - makes a wonderful first look location or photo setting and with the water is such a calming space
I could honestly keep singing PC's praises and hope I can visit again in some form!
Image by Red Maple Photography