The Chester House Estate
Back in the middle of September I was lucky enough to visit Chester House Estate, a dog friendly wedding venue in Irchester, Northamptonshire. I was there to act as dog chaperone to two young sibling labradors Bilbo and Lucky. The bride and groom (Harriet & Iwan) have had Bilbo from a puppy but had only recently taken on Lucky.
When not conducting weddings The Chester House Estate is a free to enter location that aims to connect the people of Northamptonshire to 10,000 years of county history. Irchester was once a Roman town and you can learn more about this time in history on their website. During the year Chester House hosts a number of events including Summer Fairs, Sunday Markets and some seasonal events (Halloween & Christmas).
Chester House Estate Weddings
For those considering getting married at Chester House Estate you have a couple of main options for the actual ceremony.
Threshing Barn
The most popular option is the 17th century Threshing Barn. Made from local sandstone and draped with fairy lights this space has a built in bar area and comes with fully functioning kitchen. The Threshing Barn is suitable for ceremonies of up to 100 people and up to 120 people for the evening reception. It leads out onto the central courtyard with seating. This central courtyard is also often used for the evening meal, whether that’s the pizza wagon or BBQ.
Grand Marquee
For couples who require a larger capacity the Grand Marquee can be used. This space is suitable for up to 200 people. Being an outdoor marquee I suspect this option is probably mostly only used in the warmer summer months.
Food Options
When booking a wedding at Chester House they offer lots of flexibility in terms of the catering options. You can of course have the traditional sit-down wedding breakfast or you can opt for a more informal buffet option. BBQ, pizza and Hog Roast are other options available.
Accommodation
At the end of the night most couples will stay in the apartment in the main Grade II listed Farmhouse. The image at the very top of this article shows the Farmhouse. The apartment is on the upper floor to the right of the Farmhouse as you look at it. This apartment is also where the bride will often get ready before the ceremony. I used the apartment space to look after the dogs in the evening until 11pm at which time they returned to the family home with other family members.
Chester House Estate Summary
The Chester House Estate is an impressive space to hold a wedding. Not only does it benefit from a great sense of space but I found the staff to be very friendly and efficient. Both Bilbo and Lucky seemed to enjoy their day at the venue as well so it might be worth contacting Chester House Estate if you are looking for a Northamptonshire dog friendly wedding venue. You can find out more about weddings at Chester House Estate by visiting the following link on their website.
