A wedding ceremony can be a daunting prospect. Aside from the natural nerves that come with being the focus of all your family and friends and trying not to fluff your lines, there are other things to think about that go with a ceremony: music, readings, timings…

It sounds like a stress, but it doesn’t have to be – and it’ll be over before you know it. Here’s our breakdown of what your ceremony might entail and what you can expect.

Before you think about anything, make sure you book your registrar! It’s best to book this as far in advance as you can, as dates get filled up. You need to book your registrar with your wedding venue’s council (so for us, it’s Leeds City Council) but make sure to give notice of your marriage with your local council (i.e. whoever you pay council tax to) within 12 months, but no later than 28 days before your wedding date.

Music is a big part of any ceremony, but doesn’t need overthinking. You will be asked to choose four songs for before your ceremony; a song for the bride to walk down the aisle to (the most important selection!); a couple of songs for while you are signing the register; and finally a song for you to walk back down the aisle as newlyweds – we’d suggest something lively and uplifting for this, to get your guests in the mood to celebrate!

You are also able to choose whether you have any readings during your ceremony. These are optional and may be read by a family member or friend. Many people go for poems, or even write their own reading.

All told, a typical ceremony will last around 20-30 minutes, and although you might feel like a nervous wreck just thinking about it, it really is nothing to worry about. Once it’s out of the way and you are officially married, you can get on with your dream wedding and party the rest of your day away!

If you need any more advice on booking your registrar, or tips about the ceremony itself, we are always on hand and happy to help at info@newcravenhall.co.uk.

With the new year already in full swing, we are loving chatting to the many newly engaged couples who have been in touch about planning their dream wedding, come along to view the venue, or attended last week’s amazing showcase day! January has always been a busy time for us with so many couples getting engaged over the festive season, and we celebrated it this time by launching our brand new brochure which we’re excited to share with you.

We offer both bespoke and inclusive packages at New Craven Hall, allowing a high level of flexibility for those who need it, or a stress-free process for those who don’t.

Our bespoke package options allow our couples total flexibility. The Intimate, Reception, Big Event and Night Do packages cater to different guest numbers, and all additional extras like furniture, drinks, and entertainment are added on afterwards, allowing you to tailor your big day to include the things you want.

Our Ultimate Package and Ultimate Night Do options are ready-made for your numbers, from smaller affairs to large parties, and include your furniture, drinks and entertainment, meaning you can relax knowing the finer details of your day are taken care of in the hands of our experienced team.

While we don’t have in house catering at the venue, we do offer some supplier recommendations within the brochure. Our caterers are carefully selected, tasted, and trusted to deliver the best wedding food covering all tastes and styles. But couples aren’t tied to our recommendations, and you are welcome to source a catering supplier of your choice.

We are licensed for legal civil ceremonies at the venue which can also be added to your package, and is included in the Ultimate Package. For more information about ceremonies, keep an eye out for next month’s blog.

To request a copy of our new brochure, arrange a viewing, or simply chat to us about your plans, please email info@newcravenhall.co.uk or call on 0113 2261641

We at New Craven Hall are fiercely proud of our home city, and our couples love the fact that we are so close to such a bustling, contemporary city centre. You may have family and friends travelling from further afield, or maybe you would just love to make a weekend of your wedding. Here’s our guide to what’s on in the area…

Eat, drink and be merry…
Whether it’s food and drink the night before your big day, a wedding after-party in town, or a hangover cure for sore heads, there is no shortage of incredible restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes in Leeds. It seems like somewhere new and exciting opens up every other week, and that’s no bad thing; from high-end national groups to local independents, you’ll find food and drink dominating the city centre culture. Merrion Street and Call Lane are popular local spots, but you will basically find somewhere great on every corner!

Let us entertain you…
Famed for its creative output, Leeds boasts some of the country’s most renowned venues. From local favourites The Duck & Drake and The Hop, to the nationally-acclaimed Brudenell Social Club and the First Direct Arena, the city has a constant soundtrack. Or if shows are your bag, there is the Grand Theatre, City Varieties and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Shop ’til you drop…
Leeds is famous for its shopping, drawing the masses from far and wide. The Trinity and Victoria Gate centres offer modern shopping experiences alongside all manner of food and drink outlets. Briggate, Vicar Lane and Commercial Street are also bustling districts for high-street brands, or if you want to keep things local then the recently refurbished Kirkgate Market is for you.

Days out…
If you fancy something a bit quieter, there are plenty of options for a more laid back day in the city. Roundhay Park is just a short journey out from the centre, and while you’re there you can see the exotic sights of Tropical World. For history and culture lovers, there is the city museum and art gallery for your perusal; or even a short drive out to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. And if you have the time, a trip to the stunning Ilkley Moor is a must for any visitor to the area – don’t worry, there’s a pub there too!

Just looking at the title of this blog is quite surreal – we can’t believe it’s been three whole years since we opened our doors.

Our opening event on 4th June 2016 has a special place in our hearts, and what we’ve achieved since then has surpassed even our wildest dreams. We started this journey as a young couple looking to create something special in our home city, yet at the time we couldn’t have imagined where this little venue of ours would be in three short years.

From our first booking back in August 2016 through to our most recent events this weekend, we have loved every minute. We’ve met some genuinely amazing people along the way and have made friendships that will last a lifetime. Seeing the smiles on the faces of our clients really is the most rewarding thing. In an industry focused on premium service, the amazing feedback we receive makes all the hard work and stress worthwhile!

Of course, we couldn’t have done all this without our incredible team of event managers, bar staff and door staff, and the many superbly talented suppliers we work with every week.

So here’s to many more years of successful events, happy customers and amazing people!

Jane & Ben Corkhill

Looking for a venue in Yorkshire, but hotel carpets and stately homes aren’t your thing? Don’t worry, Yorkshire has some amazing alternative venues for weddings and events of all kinds on offer. There are loads out there for all sorts of non-traditional tastes, and as part of our 5 Best series of blogs we’ve recommended our top picks.

The Arches, Halifax

The Arches is a spectacularly stylish industrial venue situated within the prestigious Dean Clough Mills site in central Halifax.

With a perfect blend of unique heritage and a reputation of being at the forefront of contemporary Wedding & Event Planning and Innovation, it’s a great location for any wedding, private or corporate event looking for an industrial venue out of the ordinary.

Find out more on their website

White Syke Fields, York

Weddings on a working potato farm? Why not?! White Syke Fields, on the outskirts of York, is one of the most cool, unique and vibrant barn venues in the area. With multiple spaces for ceremonies and receptions, along with fab murals and features, this isn’t your average barn venue!

Find out more on their website

The Faversham, Leeds

A former (and legendary) student nightspot with amazing heritage and charm, The Faversham has been re-imaged to create a stylish, stunning and flexible backdrop for contemporary weddings, private celebrations, corporate events, and live events.

Find out more on their website

Ponden Mill Weddings, Haworth

Run by the incredible team at The Outside Kitchen & Bar and tucked away in the heart of Stanbury valley, Ponden Mill is a wedding wonderland straight out of a fairy tale! This rustic mill is overflowing with character, offering stunning backdrops for every photo & a haven where unforgettable memories are made!

Find out more on their website

Wharfedale Grange, Harrogate

Nestled in the rolling Yorkshire countryside between Leeds and Harrogate, Wharfedale Grange is Yorkshire’s premier barn venue for weddings and events. Everything here oozes class, from the grand building itself to the gigantic gold mirror ball above the dance floor and cosy, stylish areas throughout the venue.

Find out more on their website

Behind the scenes of your big day

Everybody wants their perfect wedding, and today’s Insta-generation of socially savvy brides and grooms have more opportunity than ever before to put their own personal stamp on their big day. But what actually goes into the planning, creation and execution of your wedding? Well, the short answer is… a lot!

You dream of your wedding day, and we want to make that dream a reality. We are a small, independent and passionate team dedicated to giving you the best possible experience, and we’re involved in your wedding at every step from the moment you enquire to the moment you leave the venue as a married couple.

Planning and preparing a wedding can be stressful, and that’s where we come in. We love getting to know our couples, and our team is always on hand to answer any questions or alleviate any concerns you might have. Our experience allows us to offer advice and guidance in the run up to your big day, and we want it to be as special as you do. Once we’ve sat down for your final coordination meeting and covered the finer details ahead of the day, we then liaise with all of your suppliers to make sure we know who is doing what, and importantly when. The organising of arrival times, access and any supplier queries is then completely out of your hands, allowing you to focus on the other things most important to you.

The day itself is where everyone reaps the rewards of all the hard work and planning. You get the wedding you dreamed of – with our coordinators, management and venue staff looking after every detail – and we get to see a gorgeous couple and their friends and family having the best day of their life. That is why we love what we do!

Suppliers

One of the things that makes our job so exciting is the amount of amazing people we get to work alongside within the industry. There seems to be an unfair presumption that a supplier will bump up the price if the word ‘wedding’ is mentioned, but in our experience that could not be further from the truth. We meet so many hard-working, creative people that have a huge passion for what they do, and the dedication that goes into each of their bookings is always evident in the end result.

So whether it’s creating a bespoke food menu to your taste, spending an afternoon dressing your venue to breathtaking perfection, or pumping out the perfect party tunes to see you and your guests into the night, the people behind your wedding day all have a genuine love for making it as amazing as you imagined it to be.

Take a look at some of the suppliers we love here!

If you are aware of New Craven Hall’s story, you will know it is a unique one. At the heart of this venue are owners Jane and Ben Corkhill, who married on 12th May 2018 at (you guessed it) New Craven Hall.

With many years of combined wedding and events experience, they thought they knew it all: the ups and downs of events and everything in between, but after planning their very own wedding, even they learned a few things which they can now pass onto brides- and grooms-to-be.

Jane’s top tips for brides

I have always said I am glad I worked in the wedding industry before actually being a bride myself, I feel it has allowed me to see it from all angles and keep an open mind. I hope my top 5 tips will help future brides with their wedding planning!

The dress – Having worked in bridal before opening the venue, I was lucky enough to have tried on plenty of wedding dresses already. Keep an open mind – what you picture yourself looking like on your big day might not actually be right. Don’t worry, what you do find will look even better! Do your research, try not visit more than a few boutiques, you will end up trying on way too many dresses and confusing yourself. There might always be something better out there, but you’d be searching forever if you kept looking.

The photography – Find a photographer you feel comfortable with, someone who is invested in getting to know you as a couple and your personalities. Don’t spend too long on the posed photos, just pick the main wedding party (parents, bridesmaids & groomsmen) get some of you both alone and then leave it to the photographers to capture the action shot, these are always the best ones!

Decorations – My favourite bit! Be creative and trust your ideas; if you love them, everyone else will too. A theme or colour scheme always helps, as well as a couple of main features. Our colour scheme was navy and gold and our main features were candles (360 to be precise) and flowers.

Friends and family – Keep your close family and friends involved. It’s so fun to share it with them, but always keep in mind your special day is about the two of you. Make all your decisions together and everyone will be happy.

Don’t stress! It doesn’t need to be stressful and not every second of your day needs to be planned to a tee. Stay relaxed, enjoy it together. Grooms, act interested and enthusiastic, you only get to do it once!

 

Ben’s top tips for grooms

Now, unless you’re part of a small percentage of grooms, chances are you haven’t had to make many decisions about the wedding yet. Sorry gents, but that seems to be the way it is! Nevertheless, there are a few pearls of groom-specific wisdom I can pass on, so here are my top tips…

Plan and practice your speech – Most sensible people get nervous about speaking to a room, even if it is full of friends and family, but you need to remember that everyone is rooting for you. A few wise cracks won’t go amiss, as long as there’s a good balance of humour and sentimentality throughout. Don’t fret too much about the length; it’s the content that matters.

Use your groomsmen – Need something dropping off at your venue at 9am on the day of the wedding? Send the Best Man. Need family members rounding up for photos? Crack the whip and get your ushers on the job. You’ve chosen your groomsmen for a reason, and they should be there throughout the day to make sure anything that needs doing gets done, but moreover to make sure you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about the details.

Make sure your bride feels amazing – Let’s face it, this day is not about you. Your partner has probably been dreaming about this wedding since they were very little, so do your best to let them know how happy you are to be marrying them, how perfect the day is, and of course how incredible they look!

Choose a suit that stands out – I’m not talking yellow polka-dot, but a few little things can go a long way. My groomsmen all had navy suits with grey tweed ties and pocket squares, whereas I had a navy suit with a subtle check pattern and a grey tweed waistcoat and navy tie. These touches will essentially let your guests know who’s boss.

Prepare for last-minute spending – I thought it was just me, but from speaking to friends and clients, it seems to happen to a lot of us! Think your better half is going to be using her regular cosmetics and products for the wedding? Think again. Add a little extra to the budget for the little (but many) things she might not realise she needs…

We are throwing it back to February to take a look at Andrew and Ann’s intimate wedding at New Craven Hall. 

Joined by their closest family and friends, the couple married at Leeds town hall. Once they had said their I do’s Andrew and Ann, along with their guests traveled by bus to New Craven Hall, not before stopping in the city to capture some amazing wedding shots. 

The couple really put their own stamp on the venue, organising alternative rustic furniture from Yorkshire yurts, decorated with hessian runners, greenery and simple floral arrangements centred on books. Their vibrant colour scheme of orange and blue really complimented the venue and furniture.

Once the wedding party had arrived at the venue, they were seated to enjoy some delicious sharing platters by Smokin Blues BBQ, all served from their lovely street food van outside. The couple had specially selected wines to compliment their meal from our choice of premium independently made wines.

Once it was time to dance, Alex Britwell was on hand to entertain guests with a combination of live music and DJ sets to really get the party going. Smokin blues then offered evening food served from their street food van.

The whole day was captured by Alwin Greyson Photography.

Michelle and Michael said their wedding vows in the beautiful Cancun earlier this year. As they knew that not all their friends and family could join them they wanted to throw a huge party on their return to the UK as Mr and Mrs! They celebrated with us here at New Craven Hall on the 3rd March.

With guests arriving on the red carpet to a glass of Prosecco, they were welcomed in from the icy cold weather to a Mexican inspired evening.

 

They wanted to bring in elements of Cancun for their special evening. They had made to order Cancun light up letters by Cupid’s Cart’s & Letter Hire, which looked fantastic in the venue. They added a little Mexican spice with mouthwatering food by El Kantina. Table decorations by Wish Upon A Venue Dresser, black and white chair covers by Making It Perfect and the whole evening was captured perfectly by the fabulous Richard Wilson Photography.

Congratulations Michelle and Michael!