When Bella and Leigh were planning their big day, they were on a mission to find the most photogenic wedding venue possible – indeed, that’s exactly what they typed into the search engine.
They got as far as requesting ten wedding brochures, including barns, gastro-pubs, and manor houses, and had already visited four venues, when they finally arrived at Manor by the Lake. After a tour of the impressive house and grounds, and meeting the wedding planner, they knew that the search was over.
Manor by the Lake, a grand Victorian manor house, set in seven acres of picturesque grounds, was exactly what Bella and Leigh were looking for: it is elegant and glamorous, and at the same time, they felt that the vibe was ‘younger’ and more energised than many of the places they had previously considered. In their own words, “I really loved the fact that although it felt very glamorous, is was very warm and welcoming – some of the venues that were on the grand side felt very intimidating and that wasn’t the sort of atmosphere we were looking for.”
Bella and Leigh instantly loved the stylish retro feel, just right for the ‘old Hollywood’ theme they had their hearts set on. Both bride and groom work in the creative film industry (they first met at an awards ceremony!) and to make it an even more perfect match, Manor by the Lake, previously known as Arle House, has itself played an interesting role in the history of film-making: after the Second World War, the estate was bought by the chairman of Cheltenham Film Studios, to be used as both headquarters and a film location set. Three major feature films were created there, as well as numerous television programmes before a new, purpose-built filming block was built in the grounds in the 1960s. Cheltenham Film and Photographic Studios remains there to this day.
With many of their friends being involved in the wedding industry, including their photographer – Andy Fountain, who can be credited with this gorgeous photographic record of the day – Bella and Leigh knew that it would take something extra special to impress their guests. With some unusual ideas about what they wanted to do, they were delighted that the team at Manor by the Lake were open-minded enough to accommodate their plans.
Leigh was completely won over by the Rock Bar; having attended many Premieres and award-ceremonies, he was excited by the idea of an after-party to round off their wedding day celebrations. The Rock Bar, recently converted from the original Jazz Bar as part of a multi-million pound renovation, is a suite of luxurious entertainment rooms, and includes a vintage-style jukebox, games room, and a private club room.
Leigh had a great idea for how to give their wedding celebrations a life longer than the day itself, by committing it to tape (ok, I know film-makers don’t use tape anymore, but committing it to memory-card just doesn’t have the same ring!), to collaborate with his friends and create a special video.
Manor by the Lake were flexible in allowing him use of the venue before the wedding day to shoot what, after hours of careful editing, a highly amusing and totally unique short film about the groom trying to track down his lost speech. In doing so, he has several sweary and extremely funny encounters with, amongst others, Bruce Willis, Tom Hardy, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Dame Judi Dench as M. It should be pointed out here that his Bride to Be’s family name is Willis-Hardy, hence the first two men called upon in his ever-more frantic quest to find the missing document.
Leigh has uploaded this brilliant video to Facebook, so feel free to take a look here – it really it very clever indeed – but be warned, it features some strong language, and we delicate flowers at weddingvenues.com have issued it with an unofficial ’18 certificate’. (In other words, do watch it, but make sure there are no kids around!)
Now this may seem like a strange tangent to head off in, but bear with me! Did you see Kingsman: The Secret Service, released in January this year? If so, then you will definitely remember the point where our protagonist, Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton), has to pick a puppy to train up alongside his own spy-training. Eggsy picks a pug, in the mistaken belief that it’s a bulldog (“It’ll get bigger, won’t it?” No, Eggsy, no, it won’t…), and names it JB.
We can be fairly confident that Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson and the like will have gone on to other great things since the making of this film – but whatever happened to JB? Well, now we know: he was Best Man at Bella and Leigh’s wedding, no less! All done up in his tuxedo collar and bow tie, he looked every inch the part, and took on this vital role with professionalism and charm.
Inspired to find out more about Manor by the Lake?
With over 150 years of history, this opulently decorated and lovingly restored manor house is simply stunning. As Bella and Leigh remarked, “the interiors were so beautiful it would not matter to the photos at all if in rained (luckily it didn’t!)”.
The house, with six beautiful function rooms and a variety of licensed marriage settings, is able to host weddings of between 10 and 300 guests; with cosy lounge areas, impressive dining rooms, and the magnificent West-wing Ballroom, your guests will have plenty of room to enjoy the day.
If you would like an alfresco ceremony, then the award-winning gardens will provide the perfect backdrop: exchange your marriage vows on the edge of the private lake, then take a wander through the Italian Walled gardens, meander along the pretty woodland paths, or just relax on the manicured lawns, glass of champagne in hand.
When it’s time to draw the celebrations to a close, Manor by the Lake can offer splendid accommodation for 24 guests in 12 individually-designed en-suite bedrooms – think four-poster beds and free-standing baths, fit for a Hollywood star!
It’s worth bearing in mind too, that although Bella and Leigh had fallen in love with Manor by the Lake, they had initially decided that it was beyond their budget. Having always assumed they would tie the knot on a summer Saturday wedding, they discussed costs with the events coordinator and in the end, decided to wed on a Thursday in October, rather than have to compromise on the venue. And as soon as you see the intense autumn colours on the front of the manor house, it’s clear that October was indeed a wonderful time of year to host a wedding. The moral of the story? Be open-minded on dates, and you might just get the venue you really want at a price you can afford!
Manor By The Lake
Country House · Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Take a look at some more of Bella and Leigh’s magical photos, captured by Andy Fountain Photography:
