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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2021

Last update: October 2024

Nestled near the town of Sudbury on the Essex-Suffolk border, Smeetham Hall Barn is a privately owned, historic wedding venue with a modern twist. Set against a beautiful rural backdrop, this gem is perfect for couples who wish to exchange their vows in the heart of the Belchamp countryside. Its classic-meets-contemporary design and inviting atmosphere are bound to delight your friends and family. All that is required of you is to tell the staff about your fairytale wedding and they will endeavour to make it a reality.

Facilities and Capacity

Smeetham Hall Barn can comfortably accommodate up to 150 of your family and friends. Whether you wish to marry in summer or winter, Smeetham Hall Barn is able to host weddings all year round. The barn itself is replete with old-world architectural details, such as a high vaulted ceiling, exposed timber beams, and vintage chandeliers. It can set the scene for rehearsals, ceremonies, and receptions. A silk-lined marque adjoins the barn just in case the weather is not kind and the drink's reception needs to be held inside. To ensure comfort for all, it is equipped with heaters during the cooler months.

Services Offered

The Smeetham Hall Barn team is well-versed in hosting unique and unforgettable events. They will work diligently to make sure that every aspect of your big day runs like clockwork. Exclusive venue use, catering and NO CORKAGE are just a few of the attractive features included in their packages. Owing to its convenient location, the venue is close to several transport hubs that make it easy to travel to and from Suffolk, Essex, Kent & London.

Do check our website for any special offers and Late Availabilitly dates.

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Historic
Church
Barn
Outdoor license

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities

Evening entertainment:

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

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Helipad
Confetti permitted
Changing room for wedding guests
Pet-friendly
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Reviews for Smeetham Hall Barn

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5.0 out of 5 rating
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
5.0 out of 5 rating
421 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
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Mirydass
Miryam L. Sent on 01/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing place and people!

Smeetham is such a perfect place to get married. The team supported us every step of the way, even when we were asking so many questions, and they were always so happy to help. Everyone is so kind and they understood our vision for the day. Everything went so perfectly and I couldn’t have ask for a better day! Thank you so so much!
Beth
Beth S. Sent on 28/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect venue

They say it’s the people who make your wedding, and that couldn't be more true. We were not only surrounded by family and friends but also by a team who truly felt like part of our celebration. A huge thank you to the entire Smeetham Hall Barn team, but with a special mention to Bridget, who welcomed us so warmly on our first visit that Smeetham instantly felt like home, and left us with no question that this was the venue for us. And to Sophie, thank you for all of your support throughout our planning journey, for always being just an email away with answers to our questions, for welcoming us at open days, and for being such a friendly presence on both our setup and wedding day whilst making sure everything went smoothly - we couldn’t have asked for more.

Smeetham Hall Barn itself provided the perfect setting for our autumnal wedding. Having worked in events ourselves, we were eager to find a venue with authentic charm, not a corporate feel. After viewing several other ‘barns,’ we started to wonder if we’d have to compromise, but Smeetham exceeded our hopes - it was everything we’d been searching for and more. With its unique, rustic character and all the amenities needed for a perfect wedding day, Smeetham Hall Barn truly stands out, and we feel very lucky to have stumbled across such a beautiful venue, less than half an hour from home. We were given complete flexibility to customise the space to suit our theme and add personal touches, with helpful recommendations for suppliers along the way. Having a full day to set up allowed us to truly enjoy the experience, extending our celebrations and ensuring everything looked just as we’d envisioned, without the stress or time pressures - a rarity in the wedding industry.

Looking back, our only wish is that we could do it all over again - it was truly the perfect day. We couldn’t recommend Smeetham Hall Barn more highly to anyone searching for their wedding venue.
Priddy
Priddy H. Sent on 21/10/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

Made to feel like centre stage

Picking a venue is just….woah. It’s a LOT. Except when it’s not, because you’re made to feel like centre stage from the outset. We’d viewed a few venues which were starting to blur into one and a feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all. So if it’s the people that make a wedding, you can definitely include the Smeetham Hall team with that.
From the open evening, to booking and run through to the event (and MANY emails in between) they were only too happy to help. And encourage some out of the box fun with it.
SO many positive vibes from our guests about the venue itself from the ceremony on the lawn, the outdoor drinks reception and the barn itself for the wedding breakfast. Each element creating it’s own little piece of the day.
Great vendor partners on hand too to make sorting details like the food, DJ, lighting etc a breeze.
Thank you Sophie and Victoria.
James and Laressa Human
Emily
Emily R. Sent on 15/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic venue!!

Our wedding at Smeetham Hall Barn on 10th June 2024 was absolutely perfect! The venue’s elegant charm and stunning grounds provided a beautiful backdrop for our special day.

The staff were exceptional, handling every detail with professionalism and care, allowing us to truly enjoy our celebration.

Smeetham Hall Barn offered the perfect mix of beauty, excellent service, and a warm ambiance. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate our wedding and highly recommend it to any couple looking for an unforgettable venue.
Bethany
Bethany S. Sent on 05/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

So glad we chose this venue! 10/10 - amazing!

Wow. What a day we had! It was the most perfect day we could have ever dreamt of. Sophie & the team are amazing from the minute you enquire to the big day. We knew the minute we walked into the venue for a show around, it was going to be THE venue. Sophie helped us the whole journey to ensure we had everything perfect for our big day - and perfect it was! Great value for money, beautiful venue & grounds and Sophie is just amazing!!! Thank you so so so much for ensuring our day was so perfect & just as we imagined. We wish we could do it all again!! Highly recommend!
Louise
Louise S. Sent on 17/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Countryside charm, excellent service, and great value

If you're looking for a venue that blends countryside charm, excellent service, and great value, Smeetham Hall Barn is the perfect choice. Located just outside Sudbury, this iconic pink Tudor barn is surrounded by wildflower meadows, rose gardens, and shaded woodlands, creating a romantic and rustic atmosphere. It's a stunning backdrop for photos and offers guests a peaceful countryside escape.

Sophie, Bridgit, and their team were incredibly supportive throughout our wedding planning. They provided a detailed folder of recommended suppliers and hosted events to help us find the best vendors. On the day, they ensured everything ran smoothly, from greeting us at the door to coordinating the ceremony and speeches.

Splinters catering offered a diverse menu, accommodating all our guests, including vegans and those with allergies. We had a tasting before the wedding to tailor the meals to our preferences. On the day, their service was efficient and attentive, flawlessly executing every detail.

With its beautiful setting, high level of service, and included amenities, Smeetham Hall Barn offers outstanding value for money. Their package simplifies the planning process, allowing couples to focus on the fun parts of wedding planning while leaving the logistics to the venue. Highly recommended!
Danielle
Danielle Sent on 27/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A truly magical day!

Thank you to the whole team at Smeetham for making our wedding day, and the journey leading up to it, so seamless and amazing.

From the first day of booking, we felt so special and like nothing was too much trouble.

The venue is absolutely stunning and every single member of staff is friendly, approachable and happy to help.

We could not have asked for a more perfect day!
Megan
Megan R. Sent on 13/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The wedding of our dreams came to life.

Smeetham Hall Barn was the first venue we looked at when we got engaged. We immediately fell in love with the surroundings and how welcoming Bridget and Sophie were. They were so helpful along the way and helping us choose the right suppliers. Our wedding was absolutely beautiful and everyone still talks about it days later.
SunnyBrownDecor83284
Michelle B. Sent on 27/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic!

Where do we even start...Bridget & Sophie and all the team at Smeetham were incredible. Nothing was too much for them and they completely embraced all our fun and different quirky ideas. On the day, the co ordination was perfect and we always knew we were in safe hands. A well established venue, they really know what they're doing. On top of that the venue itself is beautiful, with so many amazing aspects to enjoy and amazing photo ops. We can't thank them enough for a day we will never forget, in no small part to the amazing venue and the team that bring it to life.
Charli
Charli C. Sent on 30/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

A magical, beautiful venue.

It's hard to know where to begin when thanking Bridget and her team for their unfailing support with the FOUR weddings we planned at Smeetham Hall Barns. We fell in love with the venue the minute we visited 6 years ago. It had everything we were looking for: a picturesque backdrop, a beautifully adapted historical barn for our ceremony and most importantly, Bridget. From the word go, Bridget made us feel so at ease, and we had complete confidence in her to help us have an amazing wedding. We couldn't believe our ears when she told us there was no corkage charge! The venue itself had such a warm and welcoming feel, which suited us perfectly. When my Dad passed away in 2019, Bridget could not have been more compassionate and understanding. We will always be truly grateful for her kindness, and making things so much easier at such a difficult time - she really went above and beyond. Covid proved to be another stumbling block (or two) for us, but again Bridget was incredible and we would never have chosen another venue for our fourth and final wedding date! Bridget helped us plan everything down to the last detail and made us feel that no stone had been left unturned. Our wedding day was completely perfect - and this was largely down to Bridget and her amazing team, who we had total trust in to ensure that everything went like clockwork. We didn't have to worry about a thing, and we were able to enjoy every second because of their well-oiled machine. We spent such a long time building up to our big day, and Bridget was with us every step of the way. After 6 years, we honestly consider Bridget a friend and we will absolutely be keeping in touch in the future - having her there on the day was a pleasure. We would urge anyone considering Smeetham Hall Barn to go for a viewing, meet Bridget and fall in love like we did - you will not regret it.
Bethany
Bethany P. Sent on 08/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Mrs Parkington

Smeetham Hall Barn and everybody there were fantastic. They answered all questions and got back to us extremely quickly regardless of time or day.
The barn itself is beautiful and was absolutely perfect for our winter wedding.
Could not recommend them enough. Made everything so seamless and stress free throughout the planning process and on the day itself.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth C. Sent on 03/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect venue

Smeetham hall barn was the perfect venue for our wedding with Bridget and Sophie making everything run smooth and effortlessly. It really did make the process so enjoyable throughout having so much help, guidance and warmth towards us from everyone involved. The team were always happy to help towards our requests and changes were made without any hesitation. It was very professionally run throughout with Wilton & Flower and Splinters working alongside Smeetham Hall Barn really completing the day. We would highly recommend choosing Smeetham hall barn and can’t thank everyone enough for making our day so special
Samantha
Samantha B. Sent on 18/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic Venue, Fantastic Suppliers!!

From the moment we first walked in to Smeetham Hall Barn and met the lovely Bridget and Sophie, my husband and I knew that this was the place that we wanted to get married! The venue itself is absolutely beautiful before even being dressed for the day. Bridget and Sophie were enthusiastic, responsive and supportive all the way through the process. They were well organised and ensured the day went smoothly for us. It was a wonderful day and all our friends and family were very impressed and complimentary. The recommended suppliers at Smeetham Hall - Wilton & Flower Accessories and Splinters Caterers - were also fantastic and I would highly recommend going with them too. If you get married at Smeetham Hall Barn, you will not be disappointed!
Vicky
Victoria Sent on 05/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

I cannot thank them enough!

We had our tri-lingual celebration at Smeetham Hall Barn, an absolutely gorgeous 16th century barn, and we could not have picked a better venue! Only 5 minutes drive from Sudbury, it is in a great location with plenty of parking. The getting ready room really helped the morning feel relaxed and stress-free. It is such a beautiful place, both inside and outside with plenty of areas for beautiful photos.

The flexibility of venue-only hire, or choosing one of their packages was great, and we were provided with a long list of recommended suppliers to help make the planning process much easier.

Bridget and Sophie were amazing to work with throughout the whole process. They were always quick to reply to our emails, incredibly helpful with their advice, and very patient when it came to answering all our questions! They made us feel very welcome, and they genuinely cared about us and making our day special. They met and exceeded our expectations! I cannot thank them enough.

Photo credit: Douglas Wedding Photography
Elise
Elise S. Sent on 30/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful experience

We had our wedding at smeetham hall barn and we could not havw asked for a better day. Bridget and the rest where welcoming from our first visit and the location is gorgeous.
Bridget ensured that everything went smoothly on the day and was just one call away for any questions leading up to the day.
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Badges

Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2023 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2022 Winner

Smeetham Hall Barn Real Weddings

Bethany & David
11 photos · 22/08/2024
Bethany & David
8 photos · 22/08/2024
Mairead & Jake
96 photos · 17/08/2024
Michelle & Glenn
56 photos · 23/09/2023

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Map

Smeetham Hall CO10 7EU Sudbury (Suffolk-Essex Border) (Essex)
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