Your Wedding
A SUBTITLE CUSTOM FIELD
Your Wedding
Whether your wedding is small and intimate or a larger affair, the Mill is the perfect venue for you. We offer two different options for couples wanting to use this incredible building for their wedding. Option 1 is just hiring the building and creating your own fantastic day. This for couples who want to design their own wedding and make sure it is completely unique. Option 2 is for those who want a bit more help and guidance and would like the Sopley Mill team to organise your day with you. For anyone wanting to organise their own day we work with some great, well known and trusted suppliers who can make planning your big day a breeze. But that is up to you, you may prefer to do it yourself.
With our off peak wedding packages we help organise the key parts of your wedding, the catering, drinks and music. This helps with budgeting and allows you to concentrate on the finer details. Our wedding co-ordinator will be on hand to help set up and run your day so that you can relax and enjoy yourself.
| Ceremony & Seated Meal | Reception Only | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Guests | 100 guests | 140 guests |
We don’t charge extra for couples wanting to have their ceremony here. The Mill is your venue for the day so you decide what you want to do here. And most importantly here you have the flexibility to decide what time you want to get married. You can have an early wedding if you want to get the most out of the day or a later ceremony if you want a relaxed morning getting ready.
We have 2 floors licensed for your ceremony. The Boat Room on the ground floor is perfect for smaller weddings (approx. 25 people). The Granary Room on the second floor can seat 100 and is the room we call our ‘Ceremony Room’.
The Mill is ideal for both summer and winter weddings. On sunny days drinks and canapés can be served on the riverside terrace whilst your guests enjoy the stunning views or a round of croquet. And in the winter or on a rainy day the ground floor of the Mill provides a gorgeous indoor alternative full of character and charm. Drinks can be served from the ground floor bar or by waiters as your guests arrive. With the fire roaring and twinkly lights all around this is a beautiful location for a winter reception or a great Plan B option if things get a bit soggy outside.
Eat inside or out – it’s up to you. You may decide to have a marquee on the lawn in the summer. You might want to have an evening buffet served from the Boat room in the long summer evenings. Or a full fantastical feast full of food, speeches and Toasts. It’s up to you.
We have a wonderful list of caterers, all known and trusted. These magicians have all worked at the Mill before and therefore know the building, how it works, what equipment there is and how to organise the perfect wedding breakfast for you. There are plenty of different choices ranging from the best wedding caterers in the area, to great value but passionately run smaller catering companies and then more simple hog roasts, paellas and even an old jalopy with a wood burning pizza oven in it! We ask couples getting married at the Mill to select their caterer from this extensive list.
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In the evening our beautiful Granary room becomes the stage for your 1st dance. The lights go down, the Potting Shed Bar opens (for some Dutch courage) and the dance floor is all yours. Live music at the Mill is a wonderful way to get your evening going. The choice of bands is endless and all yours.
Or if you would rather have a DJ then we work with the wonderful and very talented team from We Perform. James and his team work tirelessly to ensure you have the music you really want. With their passion they can help and guide you to ensure your entertainment runs perfectly. For anyone wanting a bit more help they can advise on timings and your music selection. They can also DJ throughout the day, both inside and out, which includes during your ceremony.
It may just be us but there is something incredibly romantic about winter weddings. Lanterns hanging from the trees and lining the bridge. Twinkly lights at every turn, holly and ivy hanging from the beams. The fire roaring in the Snug. Mulled wine and champagne. Dressed for the cold.
Everyone knowing that it could rain but being tucked up warm and cosy inside the Mill. Candles glowing on the tables. The Mill does look truly stunning for winter weddings.
FAQ
Here we have answered some of the more frequently asked questions from couples. But should you have any further questions regarding Sopley Mill please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Can we use our own caterers?For bookings at the Mill we would ask couples to select their caterer from our extensive list of suppliers. These caterers have worked at the Mill since we opened. They know how the building, how it works, what equipment we have and therefore what they need to bring with them. There are plenty of options to choose from, from the regular award winning wedding caterers in this area to mid-range but passionately run smaller caterers and quirky options such as hog roasts, paella and even a jalopy with a wood burning pizza oven in it!
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What type of music are we allowed?To ensure we comply with NFDC sound regulations, under our entertainment license, we have to monitor levels carefully. In order for us to do this we would ask anyone hiring the Mill and wanting to have a DJ to use We Perform. They are very competitively priced and passionate about what they do. You are more than welcome to have a band if you would like one. The same sound regulations would apply so we would ask that you only use professionals as they understand sound engineering. If you would like to have a band we need to speak to them before you book them to go through the restrictions and how the band are going to ensure they remain within the sound limits (95 decibels for internal music). For the same reasons we regret that we cannot have evening music which isn't controlled by professional suppliers.
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Can we supply our own alcohol?You are more than welcome to supply your own alcohol and we don't charge corkage. You have two options regarding drinks at the Mill: You can supply your own drinks and hire staff through Tom's Bespoke Bartending Co (the licensed bar company at the Mill) to serve these at the wedding reception and breakfast or event. You will need glasses for these and to remove all bottles and hired glassed at the end of the evening. To ensure we comply with our Alcohol License all evening drinks MUST be served by hired Tom's staff from behind a bar (this does not include Tom's bar equipment, glasses etc which can be supplied as part of a 'Dry Bar'). OR you can organise a paybar or any drinks package through Tom's Bar. Tom's bar will provide staff, glasses, bar equipment, ice machine for any drinks sold through Tom's. You are more than welcome to supply your own alcohol and we don't charge corkage. You have two options regarding drinks at the Mill: You can supply your own drinks and hire staff through Tom's Bespoke Bartending Co (the licensed bar company at the Mill) to serve these at the wedding reception and breakfast or event. You will need glasses for these and to remove all bottles and hired glassed at the end of the evening. To ensure we comply with our Alcohol License all evening drinks MUST be served by hired Tom's staff from behind a bar (this does not include Tom's bar equipment, glasses etc which can be supplied as part of a 'Dry Bar'. OR you can organise a paybar or any drinks package through Tom's Bar. Tom's bar will provide staff, glasses, bar equipment, ice machine for any drinks sold through Tom's.
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Can I park my car at Sopley Mill?Yes it is free parking and guests are welcome to leave their cars overnight. We would advise that any valuables or personal belongings are removed from vehicles as we cannot take any responsibility for any missing items. Vehicles are left at the owner's risk. We can park up to 80 cars.
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We would like to have a sweet cart at our wedding, is this allowed?Yes, sweet carts/tables are permitted.
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Are high chairs and booster seats supplied?We have three wooden high chairs here at Sopley Mill which are available for use during the wedding breakfast. We do not however have any booster seats here so clients would need to supply their own.
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Are fireworks permitted within Sopley Mill grounds?As Sopley Mill is in a Site of Special Scientific Interest fireworks are not permitted however you are more than welcome to use sparklers.
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Do I have to take everything with me at the end of the night or can I collect my leftover items the next day?Ideally, presents and other valuables should be taken away at the end of the evening. We do require all caterers to clear away any food/plates etc that they have used and take their own rubbish with them. We often have back to back weddings so all your items and suppliers items need to be removed that evening or can be left in the ground floor kitchen for collection by 10:30am at the latest the next day. For suppliers they must collect any items by 10am the next day.
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Are there any local taxi companies I can recommend to my guests?Christchurch Chritax (01202 470000) or [email protected]. For guests requiring taxis, early booking is strongly advised, especially for Friday and Saturday weddings, as Bournemouth and Christchurch town can be extremely busy on these evenings.
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What time does the evening reception finish?Midweek weddings (Monday-Thursday) have a closing time of 11pm. You can have the music and bar open until 11pm. For Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays our closing time is 12am (midnight). Tom's Bar and the music normally finish at 11.45 to ensure that your guests are ready to leave by midnight. Our licence for live music (a band) is until 11pm. All guests are required to vacate the premises at midnight (to ensure they don't turn into pumpkins and have to be rolled out!)
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Are we permitted to use Chinese lanterns within the grounds?For Health and Safety reasons, sky lanterns are not permitted.
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Do you allow confetti?We do apologise but we do not permit confetti at Sopley Mill as we are by the river and in an environmentally sensitive area.
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Is the venue wheelchair accessible?Yes, Sopley Mill is fully accessible. We have a lift to the top two floors (not the Avon Suite/Bridal Suite) and a disabled toilet on the ground floor. Please note that whilst we have tried our best to make the Mill disabled friendly we are limited by what we can do in a listed building of the Mill's age. We highly recommend that you see the Mill and confirm it is going to work for you or your disabled guests before you book. The lift's capacity is 315kgs and is 92 by 141cms in size.
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Are guests permitted to smoke within the venue?Guests are permitted to smoke within the grounds of the Mill, but not within the Mill itself.
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Are candles allowed?If centre pieces for the tables include candles, these must be enclosed by glass or set within a wide, solid base. For Health &; Safety reasons naked flames are not permitted. Tea lights, in shallow holders, are not allowed. Wax spillages may incur specialist cleaning charges. If you are in any doubt, please liaise with your chosen caterer. Battery operated candles are an effective and much safer alternative. Flare torches are not permitted for use within the grounds to prevent damage to the property and grounds.
