Love was definitely in the air this weekend as hundreds of soon-to-be-married couples took up the opportunity to take a closer look around Cooling Castle Barn during its first Open Day since the pandemic.

More than a thousand people were onsite to tuck into freshly-cooked pizza from the outside pizza oven, fantastic small tasting plates and a drink or two, as they were shown what the wedding venue has to offer.

More than 20 of the company’s recommended suppliers were on hand to talk to potential couples about their services, while the brilliant Barn staff showed them around.

For owner Rebecca Collins it was a chance to get back to some normality after the difficulties that COVID had presented.

She said: “The Open Day used to be one of the highlights of the year, so it was great to see so many people onsite enjoying our hospitality once again.

“It was a pleasure seeing all our wonderful suppliers together, showing off what they do best - putting on fantastic and unforgettable weddings.”

Some photos from the event below and keep an eye out for some more posts featuring some of our suppliers in the days to come!

From Elvis and Elton John to Pachelbel and…..Pokemon….harpist Fiona Hosford has had all sorts of song requests for weddings she has played at over the years.

The harp’s beautiful sounds can set the right romantic tone for your wedding in a way few other instruments can.

At Cooling Castle Barn, only the most tried-and-trusted suppliers make our ‘recommended list’ - and Fiona is one of a small group of talented musicians to make the grade.

However, despite playing the harp for 42 years and at weddings at Cooling Castle Barn for around 17 years, some requests can still surprise her - although she’s always happy to try to oblige.

She said: “Canon in D is the most requested tune to walk down the aisle to. I love it when clients have specific pieces they'd like me to play - even if I have to learn them.

“The most popular pieces over the years have been Your Song - Elton John; Canon in D - Pachelbel; 1,000 Years - Christina Perri; Make You Feel My Love - Dylan/Adele; Can't Help Falling in Love With You - Elvis; Here Comes the Sun - George Harrison; Clair de Lune - Claude Debussy; Le Onde - Ludivico Einaudi.

“One young couple were having a Pokemon Wedding and asked me if I knew any Pokemon - so with a few weeks’ notice I learnt the song and some other songs, like The Legend of Zelda, Tetris and other random tunes! It was a challenge but everyone loved it!”

Fiona can choose pieces to fit the mood of your wedding, as well as requests within reason. She can play during the drinks reception and wedding breakfast, and quietly in the background as guests arrive for the ceremony, as well as the entrance and wedding processional of the bride and during the signing of the register.

For more information, go to Fiona’s website here

If there’s one thing most married couples agree on, it’s that the wedding day itself whizzes by in a blur.

Attending to your guests; worrying about dresses or speeches; accepting a drink or three from long-lost relatives at the bar; there’s rarely a moment to pause and take it all in.

That’s why getting the right wedding photographer is so important. They are there to capture all those special moments that you can then cherish for the rest of your life.

At Cooling Castle Barn, we have two trusted photographers on our recommended suppliers’ list. Here, we find out what makes them tick as they share some of their favourite snaps taken at our Cooling weddings from over the years.

Dan Potter from Dan Potter Photography (gallery above) has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for more than eight years.

On wedding photography…

“I love my job – it’s great being around happy occasions. It’s the best day of a couple’s lives so far, so it’s a great atmosphere and you know everyone is going to be having a good time.

“You know couples are going to keep these photographs forever – it’s a lasting memory - so it’s special to be part of it.

 “I’ve had some great word of mouth jobs – I did the photography for three sisters at different places over a number of years, it’s lovely to be able to do a job for the whole family.” 

On what makes a good shot..

“A good wedding shot needs great light, great composition, but most importantly, it needs a little bit of emotion. You can have great light and great composition and a good photo, but if you have the emotion you have a story in that photo. You need to get to know your couple and I find the photos with with emotion are always the keepers.”

On Cooling Castle Barn…

“I like the different seasons at the Barn and there are different spots within the grounds and outside that are great at different times of year. There’s great blossom in the spring; you have the hay bales in the surrounding fields in the late summer; colourful trees in the autumn; and sometimes snow in the winter. There are so many different spots that you can use.

“Cooling Castle Barn is a well-oiled machine. The staff are great. I feel at home there. I’ve been recommended for quite a while and know a lot of the staff to speak to which makes your day easier. Communication is great, so I’m always kept informed if anything is going behind schedule - which it very rarely is!”

Nicky Tulip at Nicky’s Photography has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for 15 years.

On wedding photography…

"It’s hard work, but an amazing job. The pressure is immense, it’s the most important day of someone’s life. But I love it when I see a moment and know that I’ve got it. You look through the lens and know that it’s really special, but the couple won’t see it until later.

“Building a relationship up with a couple and being part of their journey is such a lovely thing.”

On what makes a good shot…

“I offer a pre-shoot for Cooling couples as I want to get to know them before the day.  They are generally more relaxed if they do this. They can then get to know me as well - but I like to know their story.  

“There are some couples who are adventurous and you get to see that in the pre-shoot, they may do some running or climbing trees and things like that. Others are more nervous, so we have to build up to the photos, I might ask them to go for a walk together and get the long-lens on.”

On Cooling Castle Barn… 

“Cooling is a second home to me. I know the space, I know the light and where and when I can use it. It runs so well and I’m trusted as a supplier there, they can let me get on with what I need to do. 

“It makes it easier to work with everyone when they know you. That makes a good venue on the whole - where everyone comes together for this special occasion and it all runs like clock work.”

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

Christmas just around the corner; the hint of excitement in the air; soft snow falling; Christmas trees and decorations lighting up all corners: what could be more magical than a winter wedding?

At Cooling Castle Barn, we REALLY love winter. It’s the perfect time of year to get creative - and if you choose the right dates, snow is even guaranteed! 

With our stunning Christmas trees and decorations already up in the barn, couples opting for a wedding during the winter weeks can use them as their own backdrop, adding their own twist to proceedings, if they wish.

Jody and Keith Poynton-Brewis added huge displays of log slices and foliage, with fake snow in different areas, for their December wedding three years ago.

Jody told us: “I’m a massive Christmas-crazy person and I loved the look of the extended barn at this time of year. We had a huge tree as a centre piece, massive displays of log slices and foliage and fake snow around the bar.”

Many brides think having a hot sunny day is important for a wedding. Our winter wedding couples disagree!

Jody continued: “With a winter wedding you know what you are getting. So many brides stress about the weather, but if you go for a winter wedding, you are expecting to be inside. We had a crisp day with a bright blue sky and you have the anticipation of Christmas coming, it’s very magical.”

Jody chose a dress that was perfect for the venue and time of year.

She said: “I went for a silver dress that looked a bit lilac-y in a certain light. It was a beautiful, heavy fabric with roses embossed into it. I wanted a big dress, but I saw this and it jumped out on me.

“I loved it, although a few days later had a bit of a panic! But we went to an amazing seamstress called Together Forever Brides and she transformed the dress. She created a big silver bow for the back – the bow in itself was so unique.”

For food at this time of year, think warm and inviting – with lots of flavours.

Jody continued: “The Barn chef was experimenting at the time and we had a pulled pork croquette or a scotch duck egg, with little soldiers, for starter; main, was guinea fowl Christmas dinner or rolled leg of lamb and dessert was sticky toffee pudding or a chocolate pudding melted in the middle. It was amazing!”

There were plenty more memories from the day, of course.

“We had a caricature-artist going around in the drinks reception which gave the guests something tangible to take away,” she added. “We also did a DIY photo-booth - we made it really wintery and hung it up alongside a polaroid camera.

“As it’s a barn, it has a lovely warm, rustic feel. There’s plenty of space that flows through. You are supported from day one and it’s a relaxed vibe, but everything’s under control. There’s no stress on the day. The team are amazing. They blew my mind how good they were at what they do. Everything runs like clockwork.

“We managed to get in two Christmas songs to finish on – one by Michael Buble and The Fairytale of New York - and the Barn’s snow machine made it a really magical end to the night!”

Want to find out more about our winter weddings? Contact us today!

Photos courtesy of Kate Hennessy Photography