SETTING THE SCENE

Staging your wedding in an English country house is the ultimate fantasy, particularly for wealthy Americans inspired by heritage TV and film productions.

Back in the day getting married in a French chateau or an Italian castle was the epitome of glamour and romance. Now, however, England is the destination of choice thanks to a slew of film and tv dramas – Rivals, Bridgerton, Saltburn, The Crown, Downton Abbey – which have rekindled the public’s fascination with all things aristo. Combine this with the trend for experiential, multi-day wedding events, and it’s not surprising that demand for grand English houses where you and your guests can live like lords has gone through the roof.

This is especially true of our friends across the Pond, for whom the allure of the UK – and the Cotswolds in particular – has seen a transformation in both the housing market and the wedding industry. American punters can’t get enough of Oxfordshire life, especially the area around Chipping Norton: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi live in a sprawling farmhouse a few miles outside the market town, JD Vance and Taylor Swift have both enjoyed ‘staycays’ nearby, and Tom Cruise is rumoured to be looking to buy his very own honey-coloured mansion in the area.

‘The increase in bookings from American clients is startling,’ says Charlotte Boston, events director at Cornwell Manor. The ‘Bridgerton effect’ is definitely one of the reasons for this – clients love the sweeping staircase, the vast four-poster beds, the immaculate gardens, the croquet lawn, not forgetting the Jacobean panelling in the dining room – as is the area’s high celeb quota, which continues to put this part of the Cotswolds on the map: the Beckhams live here, as do Kate Moss, Jeremy Clarkson, Princess Beatrice, Simon Cowell, Prue Leith, and Claudia Winkleman. Further afield, there’s the King at Highgrove in Tetbury, Damien Hirst in a listed pile near Cheltenham and, most recently, Liam Gallagher in a £4m mansion on the outskirts of Cirencester.

The allure of the Cotswolds can also be attributed to the enduring popularity of the 2006 film The Holiday starring Jude Law (Chris) and Cameron Diaz (Amanda). Although the location for the shoot, bar one scene, was the Surrey Hills rather than the Cotswolds where the film is set, the public continues to associate Amanda’s chocolate-box cottage with the area and, 20 years on, still come in their droves. The scene that was set in the Cotswolds – Chris and Amanda’s romantic lunch – was filmed at Cornwell Manor!

‘Cost is another factor in the uptick in bookings,’ continues Charlotte. ‘Seventy per cent of this year’s sales came from American clients keen to take advantage of prices that are lower than for a similar gig in the States.’ It’s a no-brainer, especially given the trend for destination weddings in iconic settings. The fact that guests have exclusive use of the house and garden is another plus as it allows them to personalise their celebrations in absolute privacy. A couple who got married here recently, for example, hired a jazz band to march guests between the marquee and the ballroom, with stop-offs in front of the house
for impromptu boogies.

‘It’s factors like this,’ says Charlotte ‘that make for truly standout occasions. People long for their wedding weekends to be talked about for years to come, so hiring a venue where you can turn your dreams into reality makes perfect sense.’

Want to know more? Here’s the lowdown…

The Venue

• Exclusive use of a luxury manor house (Thurs-Sun) in the most fashionable part of the Cotswolds (Cornwell Manor is 3.5 miles from Chipping Norton).
• On a private estate with quintessentially English views of the rolling Oxfordshire hills.
• Close to Daylesford Organic Farm Shop & Spa, Soho Farmhouse, numerous restaurants, gastropubs and picture-perfect villages, where there is plenty of hi-spec accommodation to choose from, including charming self-catering cottages.
  

The Cost
Three-night weekend hire of the house, sleeping up to 24 guests, to include the ballroom and use of the gardens for events with marquees for up to 300 guests costs from £44,100 including VAT. Suggested overall budget for an event with 100 guests is from £120,000.

The Vibe
Iconic. Romantic. English. With its Georgian façade, landscaped gardens, croquet lawn, panelled rooms, large oil paintings, and galleried ballroom, Cornwell Manor is the epitome of faded English grandeur.

The Experience
Immersive. Personalised. Unforgettable. Guests receive a warm welcome from Charlotte (events director), Natty (housekeeper), and Jim and Olga (catering), all of whom are on hand to help with any number of requests, from firing up the barbecue to whipping up a bridal breakfast to lighting log fires to finding a needle and thread…

The Details
Although it’s deep in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside, Cornwell Manor is surprisingly easy to get to.
From Heathrow Airport:
1.5 to 2 hours by car
An hour and 20 minutes by train from Paddington station to Kingham station
From Gatwick Airport:
2.5 to 3 hours by car
An hour and 20 minutes by train from Paddington station to Kingham station. The
Heathrow Express runs direct from Heathrow to Paddington and takes 15 minutes.

Kingham station is less than 15 minutes’ drive from the house.