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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: November 2024

Set beside the natural beauty of the River Stour lies one of the finest wedding venues in Colchester, Essex: Talbooth Restaurant & Marquee. Here, you can enjoy your special day in the most stunning surroundings. Established in 1952 and located in the heart of Constable Country, Talbooth Restaurant is a modernised, 16th-century listed building with a stunning marquee set within the riverside gardens that gently curve along the River Stour.

Stay the night before in the stunning riverside cottage, Idle Waters, and soak in the views of the glorious wedding venue across the river bank whilst getting ready for the big day. Alternatively, book a room at the luxury Talbooth House and Spa and enjoy some pampering the afternoon prior to the wedding while relaxing in the knowledge that everything is being taken care of.

The licensed restaurant is full of stunning period features and looks out onto the River Stour, terrace and perfectly manicured lawns. Getting married in the River Room, followed by a wedding breakfast in the marquee, means that the wedding party has exclusivity of Talbooth Restaurant during the wedding day, from the ceremony through to early evening.

It really is all about the food at the Talbooth. With great ingredients, imaginative menus and 70 years of expertise in catering for fabulous events, their chefs can create incredible options for your wedding based on all kinds of menu tastes and styles. Menu options include fine dining standard and restaurant-quality three-course banquets or exciting sharing-style menus for a slightly more relaxed vibe.

Three fabulous event planners are also on hand to assist throughout the planning process, and a dedicated event manager ensures that everything runs smoothly from start to finish on the day.

The nearby Talbooth House & Spa has 12 luxurious bedrooms, a tennis court and an outdoor pool (heated to a sizzling 85 degrees Fahrenheit), as well as a sauna and hot tub. The spa has six treatment rooms and offers a wide range of services enabling the wedding party plenty of time to pamper and relax before the big day. You can even take the whole house and spa and enjoy a fabulous wedding weekend. In addition to the Talbooth House and Spa, sister property Milsoms offers a buzzing brasserie restaurant with gorgeous grounds and a further 15 bedrooms. The Talbooth House and Spa is available for exclusive hire, and wedding weekends are a real thing at this venue!

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Small hotel
Pub or restaurant
Unusual weddings
Historic
Marquees and tents
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:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Swimming pool
Beautician

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Pet-friendly
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Reviews for Talbooth Restaurant

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to make your big decisions easier.
5.0 out of 5 rating
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
5.0 out of 5 rating
36 reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Lorna
Lorna J. Sent on 24/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Dream wedding!

Having our wedding at The Talbooth was perfect, the staff were attentive on the day and even more so beforehand. Jess & Alex had to deal with lots of changes and questions from us and nothing was ever too much.

The food on the day was outstanding and the bar staff kept our guests constantly topped up. The venue was beautiful and presented so well.

We couldn’t recommend the talbooth and their staff more, 10/10
Gary
Gary P. Sent on 04/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Gary and Charlotte 24/8/24

What price for quality.The Talbooth really made our wedding from start to finish all guests felt the same A1+
What an amazing team xxx
Corey
Corey S. Sent on 24/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Most magical wedding EVER

There wouldn't be enough room in this review for how many FANTASTIC things I have to say about Talbooth. Let's start with the obvious - the setting is so gorgeous it's hard to put into words let alone pictures. It is honestly MAGICAL and couldn't be a more perfect setup for weddings - both logistically and visually. Onto the team, I wish I could name every single person who made our weekend special but I have to reserve this space for one in particular - Alex. She is the first person we met when considering Talbooth as a venue and a big part of the reason we did. From the start, I knew she would be so caring and attentive. She went ABOVE and BEYOND our (pretty tough) expectations. From that first meeting to being in the room (at my request) with our parents before the ceremony - shedding a tear together - she made every single decision, question, crazy request, late night emails, calls, frantic changes, etc seem like it was all a breeze for her. She never made us feel like we were asking too much or putting her out. She is a gem - her and her team are a really important part of why our wedding went so smoothly and was so magical. To sum up, you would be LUCKY to have your wedding at this magical spot with this INCREDIBLE team.
Ellie
Ellie Sent on 24/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Our perfect day!

As soon as we arrived at Le Talbooth restaurant we knew it was going to be the place to hold our wedding. The location is stunning and we were warmly welcomed by staff from day one. They offered their expert advice to help us create the most perfect day. They responded quickly to any questions we had and were always on hand to meet or talk through the plans, nothing was too much to ask. The staff made sure our day ran smoothly and took any stresses away which meant we could relax and enjoy our day. The food was amazing and staff were attentive to us and our guests. Everyone commented on how beautiful the venue is and how delicious the food was. Le Talbooth Restaurant will forever hold a special place in our hearts and we cannot wait to come back soon! Thank you ❤️
David
David H. Sent on 11/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Mr & Mrs David Hill

From the very beginning of us planning our 40th Wedding Anniversary we couldn’t have imagined just how perfectly well the day would go.
Alex Carr at The Talbooth seemed to take all of our requests in her stride. Nothing was too much trouble, nothing was too complicated for her to take on and arrange. On the day we had just over 40 guests for the renewal of our vows, a buffet and then dancing and more food going into the evening. Every member of staff was ‘on point’, attentive, polite and friendly.
All of our guests commented on the beautiful venue and the incredible food, the entire experience was amazing.
Alex was always available to offer advice and support and it is due to her and her incredible wedding planning team that our day was such a success, we just cannot praise them, and thank them enough for making our day so special. We used the marquee and garden for our event, it was so beautiful. The gardens are amazing.
We did provide our own canopy for the event inside the marquee but the staff ensured we had sufficient access and time to put it all together with our friends.
Everyone was so professional, nothing was left to chance. In the evening, Natalie who was running the bar, ensured that everything was perfect for us, well done to all of you! We did appreciate everything that you did for us.
If you’re looking for the perfect venue to use for a celebration, look no further, it’s here at The Talbooth.
Adrian
Adrian B. Sent on 09/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Best wedding venue ever!

Such an idyllic location, properly stunning and very romantic.
The staff on the day were absolutely excellent. Special mention here to Natalie who saw to it that the wedding breakfast went without a hitch and ran very smoothly.

And now to both of you, Alex and Keighley.
We couldn’t have asked for more from either of you. Your comms were excellent, always quick with your replies to our (many) queries. You both were friendly, efficient, knowledgeable and an absolute pleasure to have to help us along the way.

We have had many comments from guests stating it’s the best wedding they’ve ever been to; and while we (Vicky) take a little of the credit for that, the whole experience on the day was testament to how well Talbooth handled everything.
The food was outstanding (everyone said this), the service was top drawer, and you even arranged a day of sunshine!!

Thanks to all at Talbooth/Milsoms for the best day of our lives.
Amy
Amy T. Sent on 29/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fabulous Wedding Venue & Team!

We got married at Talbooth in June 2023 and I can honestly say that no other wedding venue we viewed quite had the 'wow' appeal that Talbooth does. The immacutely garden and excellent food is what draw us to it in the first place. We also loved that everything was 'bespoke', rather than choosing from pre-made 'packages'. The communication and planning in the lead up to the wedding was excellent - Keighley was particularly brilliant. On the day itself, Talbooth made our wedding run seamlessly, even better than we imagined it. Some of our guests had some traffic which delayed their arrival, however the team at Talbooth completely made this a non-issue for us and our day, and made sure we were looked after, as well as keeping canape's and arrival drinks back for the late-arriving guests so they could still join in the reception drinks. We cannot thank them enough and highly recommend them. From The Thoupos'!
Nicola
Nicola C. Sent on 21/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

October Wedding

From the moment we met the team at the Talbooth, we knew our wedding was in safe hands.

Jess and her team guided through the various options available - this including menu choices,accommodation, evening entertainment- including the choice of backlighting in the Marquee.

We choose to have the grooms party and wedding guests stay at the Milsoms , we also booked Idle Waters. This was the perfect choice for the bridal party as we were able to have a girls night the evening before- and then our hair and make up team came to the cottage. Another bonus was being able to see the preparations taking place across the water.

The day went with perfection - from the moment the car arrived , the professionalism was clear to see and safe to say took away nerves.

The food was incredible, 6 months later our guests still talk about it - the cheese board was a huge hit !

We also include a rude along the river, which I highly recommend as it gave us some precious time alone to take it all in. Also a nice treat for the guests to enjoy.

We could not of asked for more from the venue, and truly a day to remember.
Megan
Megan L. Sent on 20/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding reception

Amazing venue and food.
Super friendly staff, kept our wedding day stress free.
Guest were blown away by the beauty of the venue and the vast quantities of amazing food.
Eloise
Eloise B. Sent on 19/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Beautifully Stunning Wedding Venue with Incredible Staff

We got married here in April 2023 and it was stunning, the most perfect day!

The staff were very attentive from the moment we confirmed our date, during the build up and on the day to make sure all our needs were met and that everything ran smoothly and we didn’t have to worry about anything. They were very patient when I was having little panics and worries about things during the planning stages, they were very reassuring (we mainly dealt with Kayleigh but Alex also helped).

It is a stunning venue from the ceremony room with the old beams and big windows looking out onto the river and lawn, to the boat to the marquee with the fairy lights!

The food was exquisite and all dietary requirements were met without any bother, we had so many compliments about how amazing the food was and just what a stunning venue it is!

It is very unique and we are so glad we were lucky enough to have got married there, would definitely recommend and will be going back for anniversaries!
Lynsey
Lynsey C. Sent on 19/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Exceptional

Talbooth Restaurant delivered beyond what we could’ve wished for - we had the most perfect day and wouldn’t change anything. Keighley and the team didn’t drop a single ball. Attention to detail, organisation and execution was exquisite. It really is a first class venue in all senses, you get what you pay for. Everything about it - the venue, organisation, service, catering quality, and most importantly the team behind it all are amazing. We couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Nothing was too much for them, and everything was taken on board and delivered. It really was exceptional.
Rachel
Rachel Sent on 19/12/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

Perfect Day

We had the best day for our wedding at Talbooth Restaurant. All our guests said how amazing the food was and how good the staff were and what a beautiful venue it was.
The booking team were very helpful throughout the whole of the planning process and even through Covid with all the postponing and changes they couldn't have been more helpful.
Alexandra
Alexandra C. Sent on 06/01/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Picture Perfect!

It's hard to know where to start, was it the super helpful wedding team making the planning process so easy, the amazing food and really friendly staff or was it the picture perfect setting by the river. We always knew we wanted the Talbooth and it certainly didn't disappoint. We will be returning for every anniversary to eat in the restaurant and reminisce about our perfect day!
C
Conor M. Sent on 27/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

June 2024 Wedding

We couldn’t have asked for a smoother process with the team at Le Talbooth.

Nothing was ever too much for Jess and the team who were always there to answer any questions we had.

The day went so smoothly thanks to the team who took care of everything throughout. There was never a moment where they weren’t on top of things!

We would also highly recommend hiring “Kathleen” the boat. This is an extra quirk for your special day that you’ll get nowhere else.

We had the best day and can’t thank the team at Le Talbooth enough for being part of it with us.
K
Kerrie P. Sent on 19/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible venue!

Facilitated the perfect day

We had driven past Talbooth many times with intrigue, when it came to picking a wedding venue, we wanted the views, food, ambiance and service to ensure we as the bride and groom, our families and guests all had the best day. We looked at many venues, with the house and spa and Talbooth being the first. Simply nothing compared. Organising and arranging everything in advance is down to a fine, friendly tee and the day did not disappoint, it was simply perfect. The wonderful team could not do enough for everyone, the food was simply amazing, everything ran perfectly, the other suppliers found it a well oiled machine enabling the scale without fuss, but with the personal touch that made it feel so personal to us. We wish the day would have never ended. We booked out the cottage, house and spa and most of Milsoms, all feeling relaxed, spotless and well that lawn is the envy of many a professional groundskeeper. You certainly get what you pay for, so whilst the talbooth looked quite expensive on paper, it is one of the best investments we ever made, with everyone’s memories focussed on the right things with the perfect backdrop. On reflection, worth absolutely every penny and more.

Alex and Jess were brilliant, promptly answering our many questions and they were always super helpful. Thank you all so much!

Kerrie and Simon 🤍
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Badges

Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner

Talbooth Restaurant Real Weddings

Eloise & Sam
22 photos · 07/04/2023
Emily & Fraser
33 photos · 25/08/2022

Deals

Events

06 Apr
Open Door

We’re back with another spectacular Wedding Open Day in the marquee at Talbooth Restaurant.

Come along to our Wedding Open Day for couples and their families to explore and get a feel for what a special Talbooth wedding will be like beside the river at Talbooth Restaurant.

Undecided between a small and intimate ceremony, or a bigger marquee party? Or perhaps your dream wedding comprises a series of celebrations spread over a few days and venues. This Open Day is the perfect opportunity to envision a celebration in the stunningly situated marquee:

  • Explore the Marquee at Talbooth Restaurant
  • Meet excellent wedding suppliers
  • Look across the river to Idle Waters, our self-catered cottage popular with wedding parties.

Enjoy a glass of fizz or tea and coffee whilst you meet a member of the Milsom Wedding team who will greet you to discuss all your exciting plans and guide you through our beautiful riverside marquee.

If the venue and setting aren’t enough to make you say Yes, we have award-winning food and our kitchen will be serving canapés throughout the day that will be sure to wow.

There will be a chance to meet some of our recommended suppliers who will be exhibiting across the properties on the day too!

Entry is free, but pre-booking is required by submitting our online entry form, speaking to the Milsom Wedding team by phone or email.

Date: From 06/04/2025 to 06/04/2025 Schedule 10:30 - 14:00
Place: Talbooth Restaurant, Gun Hill, Dedham, Colchester, Essex

Preferred suppliers

Abigail's Collection
5.0 out of 5 rating , 13 reviews
· Bridalwear Shops
DJ Scott Dewing
4.6 out of 5 rating , 11 reviews
· Music and DJs

Map

Talbooth Restaurant, Gun Hill, Dedham CO7 6HP Colchester (Essex)
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