Sandon Hall

Sandon Hall

Sandon Hall sits in the heart of the Staffordshire countryside. The house, by the architect William Burn, stands within a 400-acre park laid out by William Emes, one of the leading landscape gardeners of the eighteenth century. The estate is still cared for by the family of the Earls of Harrowby.

Nature runs through Sandon, inside the house as much as out. In the Drawing Room, birds and bamboo climb walls hung with hand-painted chinoiserie, the Chinese-inspired decoration beloved of English country houses. Beyond the windows, the parkland is gradually being restored towards Emes's original picturesque vision, alongside wilding, new woodland and wildflower meadows.

The Hall hosts one celebration at a time. For all its rural setting, it is easy to reach, with the M6 and M1 close by for guests travelling from further afield.

Ceremonies

There is a choice of places to marry at Sandon, each suited to a different size of wedding and time of year.

The Temple Garden lies within 50 acres of formal gardens. Couples marry in front of a Grade II listed temple crowned with a bell, looking out across the park, with space for up to 250 guests. Indoors, the south-facing Drawing Room seats up to 120, its three tall windows lighting the chinoiserie walls. The Library, lined with a book collection handed down through the family's generations, seats up to 85 and is a warm choice for winter. The Conservatory, full of flowering plants and light, suits ceremonies of up to 70.

For a church wedding, All Saints Church is a few minutes from the Hall, set in the estate's rolling hills. Its history reaches back to the eleventh century, and it seats more than 120 guests.

Celebrating afterwards

Preparations begin in three dressing rooms on the first floor of the Hall, looking out over the South lawns. They are available from 9am and throughout the celebrations to the wedding party.

After the ceremony, guests can wander the formal gardens and parkland, with the south front of the house as a backdrop for photographs. Drinks are served in the Conservatory before the wedding breakfast in the Saloon, beneath its oak panelling and grand staircase, for up to 120 guests.

For larger gatherings of 120 to 600 guests, a marquee can be raised on the South lawn between April and October, with the formal gardens around it and the house in view. Sandon's marquee partner, Good Intents, designs each one to the couple's plans.

South Asian and fusion weddings

Sandon has hosted weddings for more than thirty years, and South Asian and fusion celebrations have long been part of its life. The team understands the cultural and religious traditions families bring to their day, and plans each wedding around them. Ceremonies can take place in the house, in the Temple Garden, or beneath a mandap in a marquee on the South lawn.

Food and drink

Sandon works with a select number of approved caterers, among them The Cornerstone Kitchen and Vanilla in Allseasons, together with caterers who specialise in South Asian cooking. Couples can plan their menus directly with their chosen caterer.

Vivid Bar Services runs the bar at Sandon, and a small number of other trusted bar partners are also available.

Wedding packages

For couples who would like the day brought together in one package, there are three to choose from.

• Say I Do: a three-course meal by Vanilla in Allseasons, wine poured by Vivid throughout dinner, evening food, and a DJ with lighting that takes the Saloon from day to night.
• Cornerstone Luxe: four courses from The Cornerstone Kitchen with canapés and petit fours, and evening street food.
• Small and Sensational: designed for up to 30 day guests on Mondays to Wednesdays, with a night at The Agency for the couple.

Say I Do and Cornerstone Luxe both include a menu tasting with the caterer. All three include a taxi at the end of the evening to take guests back to accommodation on the estate and nearby.

Planning your day

A personal wedding manager guides each couple from the first viewing through to the day itself. Weekday weddings, elopements and ceremony-only hire are available as well as full weekend celebrations. For flowers, Breige, a luxury wedding and event florist who grows British flowers, works on site. Viewings can be arranged most days.

Staying on the estate

The Agency is a four-bedroom house set in the estate's countryside, where couples can stay on their own or with family and friends.

Reeves Cottage lies on a private lane in a quiet corner of the estate, away from the main roads. It has two bedrooms, the main one with its own shower room, and an open-plan kitchen and living room warmed by a log burner. It sleeps up to four.

In Sandon village, the Dog and Doublet has eleven bedrooms, so a larger party of guests can stay close by.

Private parking is available at the Hall.