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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: November 2024

Folly Farm is an environmentally sustainable, countryside wedding venue nestled in the heart of a 250-acre nature reserve in Pensford, Bristol, yet conveniently located just 10 miles from Bristol and Bath. As one of Somerset's hidden gems, 'Folly' as it is affectionately known, offers peaceful seclusion and the most breath-taking views across Chew Valley Lake and the Mendip Hills; an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Facilities and Capacity

Surrounded by wildlife and ancient woodlands, Folly Farm is perfect in every season. From the carpets of spring bluebells and wildflower meadows of summer to the golden tones of autumn and the dramatic winter skies, the backdrop for your day is sure to be beautiful. Couples can choose to hold their ceremony in the charming oak-beamed converted barn, the traditional Old Dairy, or the glass atrium filled with natural light. Alternatively, you can choose to say 'I do' outside with a gorgeous ceremony overlooking the Chew Valley Lake, or a blessing in the orchard. The 20 farmhouse-style bedrooms accommodate up to 56 guests and, in the warmer months, additional guests have the option of camping in the paddock. The happy couple can spend the first night of married life in the venue's spacious bridal suite or choose to hire a bell tent for a night of glamping. For receptions, the property can hold up to 150 evening guests. There is also plenty of space for marquees, and the team can connect you with their list of suppliers.

Services Offered

Folly Farm offers exclusive use of the entire venue, including all of the 18th-century farm buildings, for a completely private celebration. Soon-to-be-weds are welcome to invite family and friends the day before the wedding and share the fun of decorating and personalising the venue, followed by a pre-wedding evening meal. Delicious, seasonal food is in abundance and is often picked from the kitchen garden. The recommended caterers will expertly tailor menus to suit every budget and taste. Food is incredibly important to wedding celebrations, so couples can choose from a traditional three-course meal, relaxed platters, a hog-roast and everything in between. Owned and managed by Avon Wildlife Trust, all profits are gift-aided back to the Trust to protect local wildlife and inspire people about the importance and benefits of nature. Your wedding will not only be an incredible day, but will leave an incredible legacy.

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Unusual weddings
Historic
Woodland and festival
Barn
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Marquee available
Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for wedding couple
Overnight accommodation for guests

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Hairdresser

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
illustration notebook

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Reviews for Folly Farm Centre

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5.0 out of 5 rating
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
5.0 out of 5 rating
48 reviews
99% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Chanel
Chanel D. Sent on 28/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wow! What a venue, what a day!

We are still absolutely buzzing from our July wedding at Folly Farm. We cannot recommend this venue highly enough we had the most magical couple of days at the farm.

A few things we loved:

Having the venue the night before was just great we were able to settle in, get ready and spend quality time with the family. We self catered this evening and had everything we needed in the fully equipped kitchen.

Matt, Jason and the rest of the team over the weekend were brilliant. They couldn’t do enough for you to make the day run smoothly and be personal to you. But at the same time we were left to it to relax and enjoy time with our guests.

The setting- wow! Folly farm is absolutely stunning. I don’t think many places can beat the view. We had so many comments from the guests about how lovely the venue was.

The food!! 10/10. Delicious and lots of it. We had a few chefs as guests and they said how impressed they were with the food and that it was the best wedding food they have had.

Overall Folly Farm is a stunning and unique venue. The fact we could have lots of people to stay meant all of our guests mingled really well and we felt we spent quality time with everyone. The place also felt like home by then end. It’s so relaxed and tranquil which I think contributed to the great atmosphere of the wedding day. It’s also 100% value for money. Other venues we’ve looked at or have attended weddings you pay a lot more and get a lot less.

We would do it all over again if we could. Thank you Folly Farm! ❤️
Chris
Chris F. Sent on 28/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Book here for your wedding

Right from the get go just a few months back the staff were welcoming, friendly and seemed really interested in our ideas and wanted to help. We did quite a lot ourselves so went to measure things a few times and they were all so helpful. It didnt matter about Storm Bert at all. The inside spaces were perfect. We had a band in Atrium Friday eve, used the kitchen and hotplate to cook our guests a full breakfast. The professionalism and speed and efficiency of the staff to turn the main room around was astonishing and when we asked for some changes they were accommodating and helpful yet again. The food was delicious and the service impeccable. We went in to clean up the next morning and staff were all over it doing a fantastic job. All our guests loved their rooms some even braved the storm and went for a hike before the event! loved it
Samuel
Samuel R. Sent on 24/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

All round amazing

We had our wedding at Folly Farm Centre, and it was truly the most perfect day. From start to finish, the staff went above and beyond to make everything run smoothly. Their organisation and assistance both leading up to the day and during the event were impeccable, putting us at ease and allowing us to enjoy every moment. The venue itself is absolutely stunning, with its picturesque surroundings adding a magical touch to our celebration.

The food – where do we start? It was simply gorgeous! Every guest raved about how delicious it was, and it exceeded all our expectations. The team at Folly Farm Centre made the entire experience unforgettable, and we couldn’t have asked for more. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a beautiful, well-run, and memorable wedding venue
Lucy
Lucy C. Sent on 18/09/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

Fab wedding weekend at Folly Farm

My husband & I got married at Folly Farm on the 14th September & had the best weekend. We planned a 3 day event with a welcome dinner & drinks on Friday evening, the wedding event on Saturday & a brunch on Sunday before guests left. Matt, Clare, Jason & the team were incredibly attentive to ours & our guests’ needs and the whole weekend ran incredibly smoothly. We had 115 guests and it felt as seamless as having a smaller wedding. In particular, our guests commented on how tasty the food was & how stunning the venue & views were. The team were all very friendly, & there were enough people working all weekend to ensure sufficient service & we’re really grateful to the team for their flexibility. We loved having the majority of guests (c.100 people) stay onsite & people commented on how special this was. We were lucky enough to have such good weather to have our wedding ceremony in the courtyard. When we booked the venue, we were made aware that given the volume of guests we planned to invite, we would need to hire a marquee for the wedding breakfast. However, one point we weren’t aware of was that had the weather been poor, we would have needed to have the ceremony in the marquee as the Barn is only licensed up to 100 guests despite the overall capacity of the venue being 150. Overall, we had an amazing wedding weekend at Folly Farm & would highly recommend. A big thanks again to Matt, Clare, Jason & the team!
Roxana
Roxana H. Sent on 02/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Don’t look anywhere else!!

When we read the reviews for Folly Farm they all seemed to good to be true. I remember thinking that all of these places are just businesses in the wedding industry and are clearly good at pretending to care and be personable. I could not have been more wrong.
We fell in love with the surroundings and beautiful nature reserve in the pouring rain one day and knew instantly that if we loved it in the rain we’d love it in the summer. The barns are gorgeous, the rooms are great sizes and beautifully furnished and we could have spent hours more walking round the woodlands and orchards getting lost in our weekend.
Do not hesitate to book the food either! We went with Thyme Chef and got the BBQ platters for the wedding breakfast and we did not regret our decision at all. All our guests commented how refreshing it was to have plenty of food that was actually delicious.
It’s really hard to sum up quite how amazing the staff at Folly Farm have been - especially after my skepticism at the beginning of the process. Clare, Matt and Jason were quick to reply to us, great at calming stressful moments and helped us relish the moments of excitement and joy. Matt was amazing during the day times and was always preempting what I might have needed. We felt looked after continuously through the day and nothing was too big an ask. The big thing for us was what Jason and his team in the evening managed to help with though. My sister sustained an injury half way through the evening and the whole team rallied together to make sure she had the right medical attention and was looked after for the rest of the evening. I was gobsmacked to learn later it had happened because it had been so well hidden from me until I needed to know. I was so grateful that it wasn’t too serious and was told after the event once everything was sorted and all was well. This is just one of the ways they went above and beyond on our wedding day and we’re instrumental to our day. We cannot imagine holding our wedding anywhere else.

If you want to be surrounded by nature, want to feel chilled and know everything will be taken care of book Folly Farm. I cannot recommend this venue and the team behind it enough. THANK YOU TO YOU ALL.
Deanna
Deanna T. Sent on 29/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect day!

Matt and the team were so helpful and accommodating from start to finish! Nothing was too much trouble they even moved the ceremony outside last minute- it started raining so then moved everything inside again.

The onsite accommodation was great- we loved having so many people stay the night before and enjoyed a pre wedding bbq.

The food was excellent and all of our guests commented on how beautiful the views were.

Thank you for everything!

Siân
Siân S. Sent on 26/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The best day of our lives

Our wedding at Folly Farm was everything we wanted & more. The venue is so beautiful and the team are incredible, nothing is too much trouble. The weather was lovely so we were lucky enough to get married outside and it was so perfect. All of our guests commented on the venue & how beautiful & calm a setting it is. The food is simply outstanding, many of our guests said it is the best food they have ever had at a wedding. Having the accommodation for two nights was really special as the night before was lovely for guests to start mingling. Overall we couldn’t be happier that we chose Folly Farn as a venue and will always remember it with the most special memories.
Rebecca
Rebecca T. Sent on 30/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The most perfect wedding venue

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding at Folly Farm. The food was absolutely amazing, the staff so helpful and the venue was absolutely beautiful. Everyone commented on how it was the most perfect wedding they had been to and we agree!

You can decorate the venue as much or as little as you like and the fact it's a weekend venue means you can get everything done on the Friday. The rooms are beautiful and the bridal suite is spacious and the perfect room to get ready in. There's just a generally relaxed vibe all around which lent itself perfectly to the weekend.

There's so much more I could say but I'd recommend the venue to anyone.
Becca
Becca Y. Sent on 15/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely perfect!

We had the absolute best day ever for our wedding at Folly Farm. It was exactly what we were hoping for. The views from the courtyard for our ceremony was stunning and the food was delicious! It was so relaxed and surrounded by the nature reserve - exactly what we wanted. We loved how the venue is sustainable, food and drinks locally sourced and all the profit goes back into the wildlife trust, which as ecologists ourselves was perfect for us. Definitely recommend :)
Anna
Anna H. Sent on 04/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing support at a beautiful venue

Two months after we booked this stunning venue, I was diagnosed with cancer. Going through treatment, unsure what the future would look like, Folly Farm were there to support us all the way. From visits with different members of my family, to talking through exactly what the day would look like step by step, the team at Folly Farm were so generous with their time and when our world around us crumbled, we knew we would still have a stunning wedding to look forward to.
And they absolutely delivered!! Matt was an absolute star, sorting our last minute issues and helping us remain calm throughout. He was flexible to our requests and made sure that everything ran smoothly. Jason supported through the evening and was friendly and approachable, ensuring that people were able to ask for anything they needed while blending into the wedding. We felt that both were able to strike a really good balance between running the days and letting things go with the flow a little.
The catering team were outstanding, the food was so delicious and plentiful and they were able to work with the extras that we wanted to bring in - Somerset strawberries, local baked goods and handmade fudge. The day went by so smoothly and we were able to enjoy it in the moment.
We booked Folly Farm for the full weekend and felt that this gave our guests a relaxed and flexible approach, with most people choosing to stay. Being able to book the whole site meant that we could have everyone join us for a relaxed bring a dish evening on the Friday, for which we really appreciated the catering kitchen. Having such a variety of spaces for the venue meant that we could set up a summer garden party vibe on the Friday in the orchard, keeping the wedding space special for the Saturday. We were also able to hire in a tipi for the top lawn to create a chill out zone for families.
If you are making a decision about where to book for your wedding, you must add Folly to your list for a visit. When we visited, we fell in love with the view and the venue as well as the flexibility that such a variety of spaces allowed us. Being able to host almost everyone on one site brought such a special feeling to our wedding and meant that we had more time with people who had travelled so far to see us. The team make sure everything runs smoothly, with a confident schedule and contact for all suppliers, and also the ability to make you feel like your wedding is special and personalised to you.
Holly
Holly W. Sent on 12/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing wedding venue!

We had our special day at Folly farm on the 4th May 2024. The staff definitely went above and beyond for us and our family and friends during our weekend wedding stay. The food and drink throughout the weekend, including breakfast, canapés, wedding breakfast and buffet were of very high quality. Would 100% recommend Folly Farm as a wedding venue, had the most perfect, amazing day!
Tiana
Tiana A. Sent on 20/08/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

The ultimate wedding weekend with your loved ones

A stunning venue that has everything you could ask for. The deciding factor for us was accommodating 50 loved ones to stay onsite the entire weekend. It was perfect for our international loved ones. We also got to self-cater for half the time, then leave the rest to the professionals. The facilities were on point, and everything was seamless. The venue is lush, but you can completely transform it into whatever your heart desires. The team will accommodate your every wish, no matter the weather! Cannot recommend it enough!
Leigh
Leigh R. Sent on 19/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The Rowles Wedding 10/08/23

I absolutely adored the venue. It really did look as if we were abroad! Everything was so relaxed and I truly had nothing to worry about, as Folly Farm took all of our props/decorations and sorted everything behind the scenes. The food was delicious from Thyme Chef, with lots of compliments from our guests! Would definitely recommend! Xx
Tom
Tom H. Sent on 16/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Tom Harvey

We had a wonderful weekend wedding at Folly. It felt like a holiday for those staying from Friday to Sunday as we self catered Friday, with catered breakfasts Saturday and Sunday and all the trimmings Saturday.

The food is through their caterer and probably one of the nicest wedding foods we've ever had. Everyone raved about our wedding breakfast and they accommodated those with dietary needs very well. The drinks package was generous.

We were able to create the day that best suit us. Unfortunately it rained so we could not get married outside but the team were very good at leaving it to the last possible minute to make a decision whether we were getting married inside or outside. And the indoor ceremony was absolutely beautiful.

We can't thank everyone at Folly enough. It is a beautiful and unique venue that our guests and ourselves absolutely loved, and allowed us to create a wedding that was quintessentially 'us'.
Alison
Alison Sent on 13/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Relaxed and happy

Claire, Adelaide and their team at Folly were so helpful and accommodating. They looked after us throughout our wedding planning and our special day. Everything flowed smoothly and it was a relaxed experience from the start. Nothing was too much trouble and Claire was able to suggest alternatives for our wedding. Folly is a very beautiful place with a beautiful outlook across Blagdon. Our day was too windy to be outside so the ceremony was indoors, which actually made it more intimate. We loved everything about Folly.
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Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner

Folly Farm Centre Real Weddings

Ali & Alex
15 photos · 01/06/2024
Abigail & Simon
17 photos · 03/04/2023
Jane & Martin
25 photos · 25/06/2022
Rosie & Luke
60 photos · 18/08/2018

Preferred suppliers

Sam Gibson Wedding Photography, Bristol
5.0 out of 5 rating , 7 reviews
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5.0 out of 5 rating , 30 reviews
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Marquee & Tipi Hire

Map

Folly Farm Centre BS39 4DW Pensford (Bristol)
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