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About
Just a stone's throw from Newbury, The Crab and Boar is a country wedding venue in a complete world of its own tucked away within the Berkshire countryside. This charming British pub offers a traditional haven enhanced by jaw-dropping views across the Chiltern Hills and North Wessex Downs of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In this private slice of rural luxury, the team invites you to say 'I do' surrounded by those who matter most.
Facilities and Capacity
The Crab and Boar offers a grand selection of function spaces, each providing an authentic British country experience with their own distinct character. The venue is particularly suited for winter weddings with a network of cosy rooms where guests can mingle next to roaring fires. The award-winning dining room forms the pub's beating heart, with its rich interiors and chic rustic décor that includes pillar candles and plush furnishings. Leading off this cosy, elegant space, The Cromwell Room provides a stately setting with a large wooden table for up to 14 people. The Glass Room is a gorgeous enclosed space where 24 can dine in their own luxurious snug. With exclusive hire, the venue can easily host up to 60 guests for a civil ceremony and 70 for a wedding breakfast, followed by a lively reception for as many as 120. A marquee can also be set up on the outside grounds for larger events. The outdoor setting is a fun alternative during warmer months, where guests can indulge in a BBQ-style event and sun-kissed drink or two. At the end of the night, you can retreat to one of the 14 luxury and hot tub rooms, each one boasting a signature look while also being pet-friendly.
Services Offered
With the help of The Crab and Boar's experienced and attentive staff, you are free to create an entirely bespoke wedding day. An on-site wedding coordinator will be your right hand throughout the planning process. On the day, they will oversee the festivities making sure everything runs on schedule. At the same time, dedicated staff will effortlessly transform each event space between stages while you enjoy a drink or two at the bar. Food is a standout element to this location, with the talented chefs using only the freshest seasonal produce. Working closely with you, the culinary team will craft a delicious wedding breakfast menu that showcases the best of local ingredients. A sample of menus is available online for you to explore and feel inspired by. For more information on the kinds of weddings, The Crab and Boar can host, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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Frequently asked questions
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Reviews for The Crab & Boar
Amazing countryside pub wedding
The Venue:
The Crab and Boar is a classic old English pub, think low ceilings, exposed beams, open fireplaces and thatched roof. The Crab is all cozy nooks, instead of one big open hall. We thought it might be a struggle to engage with all our guests (~80) during dinner, as not everyone could be in the eyeline of the top table but the social side flowed well and we were able to have our speeches in their beautiful sun soaked garden. The pub is surrounded by rolling fields which made a perfect backdrop to our photos, particularly during golden hour.
Food and Drink:
First and foremost, it is a pub! It has all the drinks you could need available and at reasonable pub prices. They even sourced a particular bottled beer we wanted and we were able to pay corkage and have our own wine and bubbles. To the delight of our guests, no cocktails were off limits and there was always a steady stream of customers at the bar. The food was excellent, a good proportion of our guests said it was the best wedding food they'd ever had and service was prompt and impressive with a seemingly small number of waiting staff. We were able to offer 3 choices for starter main and dessert and they cooked steaks to guests preference as well. Their chef, Connor also offered his own personal flair on one of the main course options we had chosen and was really approachable throughout.
Accommodation:
They have 14 modern rooms on site which we were able to book out as part of our exclusive hire of the venue. The bridal suite is beautiful with a free standing bath and views of the open countryside. Luggage was moved between rooms for us and we were able to use their private dining area to store our decorations the night before and house hair and make up the morning of the wedding.
The wedding process:
We were unlucky in that the pub manager changed halfway between us booking the venue and the big day so some elements required a bit more re-organisation than we were anticipating as they clearly had a lot on their plate during the transition. However, the new manager Adam was truly exceptional in making our vision come to life, reassuring us throughout and he was an absolute marvel managing his team on the day so that we never had a single worry throughout the reception.
To summarise, the Crab and Boar is an exceptional, cosy venue which provided top tier food and drink. Your wedding will take a bit more self organisation than a dedicated wedding venue but we feel it was well worth it in terms of atmosphere, value and vibes. We cannot thank them enough for our wonderful wedding day.
Photos credited to Wildly In Love Photography.
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