As these stunning photos show – winter weddings at Cooling Castle Barn have a real ‘wow’ factor!

Megan and Scarlett Welling-Rodd had a November wedding in 2018, timing it to make the most of our amazing Christmas decorations which can be used as a backdrop for any wedding booked around those dates.

Megan said: “We both love Christmas, it’s our favourite time of year - we’d seen photos of the Christmas decorations the year before and I was sold on the venue before we even viewed it, the decorations looked so beautiful!

“Our bridesmaids had tears in their eyes when they saw how the amazing the Barn looked for the first time and my dad was really emotional after he saw it, as well. It has a real ‘wow’ factor. It also means you don’t have to worry about decorating it more, as it’s all done for you!”

While the weather can sometimes put off couples from opting for a winter wedding, Megan couldn’t disagree more.

She said: “It was November and was cold outside, but you were having such a good time, you don’t care. The ‘buzz’ warms you up. It didn’t rain and the photos have a lovely, crisp feel to them.

“We think it’s a perfect time of year to have a wedding!”

Looking back on their special day, the couple have some lovely memories and things to say.

Megan continued: “We had singing waiters and they did the lifts for us for the Time of our Lives while everyone danced and watched. We also had sparklers in the evening.

“The Moat House is the perfect place to get ready in the morning. It’s beautiful. For a winter wedding the whole barn interconnects and you don’t even have to go outside if you don’t want to.

“The staff are incredible from start to finish – all our guests couldn’t speak highly enough about them.”

All winter weddings at the Barn have use of a snow machine – guaranteeing a truly memorable end to the celebrations.

Megan added: “We finished on Wonderwall by Oasis and it was a wicked end, we didn’t tell anyone there was going to be a snow machine – it was like a blizzard! 

“It was a really magical end to the whole day, with everyone singing and dancing and snow covering everyone!”

For more information about our winter wedding packages, drop us a line today!

Photos by Tiny Cactus Photography

From a beautiful barn and stunning grounds, to carefully curated food and drink menus and amazing accommodation on-site - Cooling Castle Barn has it all!

But who is the team behind it that ensures each and every one of our couples have a day they’ll never forget?

In the second feature of our new series introducing some of our hard-working staff, who help us bring everything together, we chat to wedding co-ordinator Emma.

What path did you take to get to where you are today?

I’d worked in hospitality but had always wanted to do something to do with weddings. Why wouldn’t you want to be involved in the happiest day of someone’s life?

I was never really sure what aspect, but going behind the scenes rather than being front of house as I was in hospitality, was the natural step. 

I’ve now been a wedding co-ordinator for four years and love it!

A wedding co-ordinator is often talked about as one of those dream jobs – what makes it so special? 

I love seeing people on the day of the wedding, but that is a cliché. I enjoy seeing the progression from soon after they have got engaged, to their big day. So, watching a couple through the whole journey. A few weeks ago, I was duty manager for a couple I had shown around two-and-a-bit years ago. I saw them just after they got engaged, was there while they planned it and then it was lovely to be the duty manager on the day they finally married. 

It’s a rewarding career, I expect?

Day-to-day you are planning the best day of someone’s life - you can’t really go wrong. If you are helping them plan the best day of their life, you are making them happy, fulfilling their dreams, especially brides. All of their dreams, from when they are little are now coming true, which is lovely to see.

What are the challenges?

Everything at Cooling runs like clockwork, so there are very few issues on the timings, part. We do in excess of 300 weddings a year and are so used to it. There is really hardly anything that goes wrong, ever!

The hardest part was having to ring couples during COVID to postpone their weddings. We were saying to them we weren’t able to host their wedding through no fault of their own. It was very upsetting. We had no indication from the government of when we would be able to put their weddings on and these were the questions we were being asked. Normally, we have all the answers, but this time, we just didn’t.

What is the best thing about Cooling Castle Barn?

All the staff, definitely. It’s such a nice team atmosphere. We are very good at bringing people on board that ‘fit’. We had a few wedding co-ordinators start recently and we really look at personality. 

One of the most common bits of feedback we get back are that the staff really enjoy working there – and we really do. Everyone enjoys working and doing their job. I come into work and just have the best time with my friends. 

It’s so true, that if you have a job you enjoy you don’t work a day in your life. Obviously, there are days when you feel it a little bit, but I enjoy it and that’s a lot to do with the staff.

We are all a family, even up to the owners and they are very good to us. They are very fair. They did everything they could during COVID to look after us and keep things going in really difficult circumstances. 

What are your most memorable moments?

Halloween weddings. They are so fun! When some couples look at dates they are concerned about going for a wedding then, but for me, when you look at the designs, such as pumpkins carved out with flowers arranged in them, you can really play around with it all and make it fun. You have to make the most if it around Halloween! 

What’s your life like out of work?

I’m planning my own wedding right now. It’s very odd being on the other side of it. I’m getting married in Spain - my partner is Spanish - in a rustic farmhouse in the middle of the mountains. I can’t talk Spanish which doesn’t make it easy. I was just saying the other day, I wish I could fly out Danny, one of our recommended florists! They are a little behind in terms of style of flowers and make-up. But we get married in May next year, so that’s taking up a lot of free time at the moment.