I attended a gorgeous wedding here last Friday and must say I was blown away by the efficent but…read more'seen & not heard' service and gorgeous decor. Yes, I am bias - it was my FIRST EVER wedding (at the grand old age of 21 that seems to be a bit of a mean feat!) and, yes, it was my bf's cousin's, so of course it was a beautiful occasion.
The house itself is grand and sumptuous, if a house can be, if a little let down by its driveway. Saying that, it's in the middle of Standish, so one can't expect the same long country lanes you get, well, in the middle of the country. Once inside we were greeted by traditional decorations and matching furnishings and ushered into a bar area where we were to greet the groom and additional family before moving into the ceremony space. The bar staff worked quickly and efficently, even with cash and card handling, and never seemed to be rushed. Plus, they were generous with the servings, which was what everyone seemed to need!
Into the ceremony space, which was a lovely little room with a high ceiling, large window, and traditional paintings hanging on the wall. I was impressed that the decoration of the space, even though it was simple, was not ruined by these paintings or the floral carpet; the colours matched and toned the space down from its Tudor/Edwardian/Victorian essence (hey, I read American Studies, English history is not my strong point!) and made it much more romantic and intimate. Needless to say, the bride looked gorgeous and the space suited the number of people perfectly.
Back out into the bar area for what our cousins across the pond would call 'cocktail hour' we received a glass of Pimm's each and started the evening celebrations! Again, the staff at Ashfield House worked around the clamour of people spilling out into the space and got quickly onto changing the ceremony space into our eating area. Obviously after a few drinks time flies but it really did feel like they did a quick job of it, keeping everyone contented but allowing the bride and groom time for photos on the grand staircase and in the gardens when they got a few spots of bright weather! Whilst eating the service was prompt and efficent, obviously on a schedule, maintaining the group's happy buzz and keeping everyone topped up with food and wine. Plates were cleared quickly, the food was hot, and the wine delicious.
(After that, it all gets a bit hazy.)
