Unique and stunning venue with an amazing team and personalised service!
We got married at Torr Vale Mill in 2022 with around 120 guests, and all their hard work, along with the amazing venue itself, made our day (and the preparations for it) exactly as we envisioned yet simple and stress free.
The venue itself is stunning, and provides a unique backdrop compared to hotels or converted barns that are common in the local area. In fact, our photographer may have been more excited to shoot there than we were! Not only do you have a great history to the venue that is very fitting of the local area, but it’s surrounded by natural views that create a relaxing environment and a variety of settings for photos. We also had some lovely feedback and compliments about the venue from all of our guests. Of course, the historical nature of the venue does mean there are some logistical limitations (such as no naked flames allowed, not scattering anything outside that can pollute the river, and a longer, more complex disabled/step free access route). However, it didn’t impact our plans at all, and the team were very transparent about it from the beginning and helped us find solutions where appropriate. In addition, while it may have the appearance of an older building, it has all the modern amenities you’d hope for inside, such as underfloor heating, modern bathrooms, a small kitchen area and a great AV set up, including speakers, microphones and a large TV, (without taking away from the character of the mill itself indoors).
The accommodation on site is a good size, well furnished and decorated, and made housing our immediate family for the wedding really convenient, as well as providing the space for the bridal party to get ready on the day (with no excuse to be late, as it’s literally over the path from the event space!) While there weren’t a huge amount of other accommodation options nearby in New Mills for our whole guest list, there were multiple hotels at different price points within a 30 minutes drive that suited our 100+ guest list, which involved some extra organisation for pre-booked taxis and car sharing etc.
The flexibility and personalisation options available at Torr Vale Mill were the main selling points for us, and with open communication from the beginning we were able to create the exact day we were hoping for. We were able to choose our own vendors (such as caterers), work the timeline exactly to our choosing, had flexibility in decorating the room, had access to a huge selection of furniture owned by the mill, and could tailor the bar to our needs. Throughout all of this, the team were always happy to discuss any ideas we had and worked with us to execute our vision. For example, we were able to hire two caterers for the day (one for the main meal and one for canapes/dessert); one of which had worked with Torr Vale before, and one that was a brand new vendor for them. The team at Torr Vale Mill communicated closely with both vendors in advance for set up plans and any relevant safety restrictions to ensure smooth delivery on the day, and the execution was flawless. In another example, they worked with us to tailor our plan for the bar all day (welcome drinks, speech drinks, substituting some drink brands for others, sourcing a special drinks request for the top table, and how host provided / guest purchased drinks were billed), and all at great value for money. Additionally, they offered a selection of extra items with transparent pricing, such as linens, extra staff members and decorations with no pressure to upsell, allowing us to choose only what we needed.
The costs associated with Torr Vale Mill were perfect for our budget, and the ability to tailor add ons and bar tabs etc meant we only ever paid for what we needed with no unexpected bills at the end. Everything they offered was good value for money and entirely transparent, and we definitely felt we got our money’s worth.
The team (and in particular Rob and Phillippa) were amazing to work with right from our first visit to the final bills being settled just after the wedding itself, and we can’t thank them enough! Their communication with us was regular and clear, but never overbearing or forceful, and their direct communication with our vendors was a massive help for us to ensure a smooth day without us feeling like unnecessary middle men in the logistics conversations. Their coordination support on the day, from making sure the caterers were set up correctly and the room was laid out/turned around as planned, all the way through to AV setup and announcing our couple’s entrance to the reception, made our day a breeze, and meant we had nothing to worry about. Plus, the other staff they had on hand both behind the bar and walking amongst the guests were professional yet friendly, creating a lovely environment.
Overall we would absolutely recommend Torr Vale Mill as a wedding venue, and we were totally delighted with the day! From the staff to the built in bar, transparent planning sessions, vendor flexibility, on site accommodation and the stunning buildings themselves, we made the venue our own, with no additional stress and all within budget.