Venue spotlight: Celebrate down by the river at The Great House

Located in the impossibly picturesque village of Sonning-on-Thames, Berkshire, The Great House is an idyllic spot down on the river for a romantic and laid-back wedding celebration. And, with fabulous home-from-home luxury accommodation, you can also stay on for a minimoon

The Great House in the Berkshire village of Sonning-on-Thames makes the perfect idyllic locale for a wedding down by the river and, with luxury accommodation on site, it’s also a great spot to build in a minimoon or extend the wedding party over a few days.

Scene setting

Sonning is a sleepy hollow village nestled alongside the Thames, the dreamy English landscape that Jerome K. Jerome wrote about in Three Men in a Boat. While The Great House is a traditional setting, it comes with an edgy twist. Retro rooms featuring contemporary comforts and a very chilled vibe, plus great food served all day, make it a modern take on the country house hotel, especially as there’s no danger of guests being stranded without life’s necessities such as wi-fi. The alfresco setting is as good as it gets, with manicured lawns stretching down to The Thames and a secret garden.

Perfect for…

The Great House at Sonning is perfect for making a weekend party of your wedding celebration, with ample space to spread out, lots of luxury touches and choice venue spaces. The light-filled dining room extends out to a terrace overlooking the river, making this the perfect spot for summer gatherings. The spacious Great House Lodge can host up to 115 for a ceremony and 200 for an evening reception.

Accommodation is set across a series of buildings, including the original inn, 17^th-century coach house and clock tower. Reading is a 20-minute drive and there’s easy access to both London and key London airports, making this a convenient setting for a gathering, especially if your guests are travelling in from all points of the globe.

The details

Food here is by the hotel’s restaurant Coppa Club (a popular watering hole in its own right), and the chefs have created a variety of menu options to suit the season and the style of celebration. The onsite team can help by sourcing a whole raft of local wedding suppliers to ensure every detail is perfect. Weddings packages for a minimum of 60 daytime guests cost from £140 per person and feature extras such as prosecco/Pimms reception with small eats, evening snacks for your guests and overnight accommodation for you. Your guests will get special room rates if they choose to stay over.

Extra magic

The Great House is in a conservation village and with the guaranteed ‘wow’ factor, especially for your overseas guests who will experience a taste of picture-perfect English countryside with all modern luxuries. Name-droppers will love the fact that illustrious village residents include George and Amal Clooney! The setting by The Thames is perfect for photo opportunities and you can even choose to arrive or depart by boat. With so much to see and do around here, your guests may be encouraged to stay over to make a weekend of it. Heathrow is just down the road if you plan to jet off for another great escape after your idyllic Thames-side wedding.