Ultimate Guide to Wedding Venues: Everything You Need to Know for Your Multi Day Wedding at Far Coley Farm
- Far Coley Farm
- Jul 16
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 30
We know that planning your dream wedding starts with one big decision: choosing the right venue.
Your venue sets the background, tone and even the date for your wedding so it’s important that your venue meets your expectations, wants and needs.
Our comprehensive guide answers the most common questions couples ask about wedding venues and gives you everything you need to make your decision.
Why Wedding Venues Matter?
Your wedding venue reflects your personality as a couple and sets the tone for your entire celebration. The right venue provides the experience you want for yourselves and your guests, meeting practical needs like location, size, style, and accommodation.
According to a WedPro survey, the top venue considerations for couples are:
· Location
· Value
· food quality
· onsite accommodation
· outdoor spaces
Why are wedding venues so expensive?
Venues are typically the largest wedding expense because they include use of the space, staff, amenities, and sometimes accommodation or catering.
Country venues like Far Coley Farm, also offer unique features such as breathtaking scenery, flexibility in using both indoor and outdoor spaces, and exclusive use. At Far Coley Farm, we set our prices competitively and with the ability for you to build the wedding to meet your budget needs.
Want an intimate wedding with private chef? No problem!
120 catered wedding breakfast? We can help you sort it.
Relaxed Food Trucks vibe? We love it.
What makes a wedding venue special?
This is a question with a such a personal answer. This depends what you, as a couple, want from your wedding venue.
Maybe your special venue is set in stunning countryside. Maybe you are looking for that wow factor when you walk into your venue. Whatever it is, you will know it when you find it.
Planning the Perfect Multi-day Wedding
What is a multi-day wedding venue?
Multi-day wedding venues like Far Coley Farm allow you to extend your celebration over three days, giving you and your guests more time to relax and make memories.
Traditionally, weddings have been a one day event. However, with families and friends now often spread far and wide, considering a multi-day wedding offers the opportunity to be able spend extended time celebrating with your loved ones.
Benefits of a multi-day wedding:
Enjoy being able to spend quality time with family and friends
Less stress to get everything you want in a day
Flexible arrivals and departures for your guests
Opportunities for different events such as welcome dinner the night before or family breakfast before you depart.
Example timeline for a Far Coley Farm weekend:
Friday: Informal dinner and welcome drinks
Saturday: Wedding ceremony and reception
Sunday: Farewell brunch and optional countryside activities (walks, hot tub, exploring the farm)
Budgeting for Your Wedding Venue
The average cost of a UK wedding is now £23,250, with the venue being the single largest expense.
We love this breakdown from Hitched which covers all things wedding budgeting and includes a downloadable wedding plan to help you with starting out.
At Far Coley Farm, our pricing is clear and competitive, with all package details available upfront.
Are wedding venue prices negotiable?
Some venues may be open to negotiation, especially on off-peak dates or for smaller events. However, at Far Coley Farm we offer transparent, inclusive packages so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Are deposits refundable?
Refund policies vary. Some venues offer partial refunds if you cancel early, but most deposits are non-refundable due to the loss of potential bookings. Always check your contract and ask about exceptions.
When you book your wedding with Far Coley Farm, our deposit policy is clearly outlined in the contract. We are always happy to answer any questions you have.
We always encourage our couples to take out Wedding Insurance to cover unforeseen eventualities.
Can a venue increase the price after booking?
Once you’ve signed a contract, your price should be locked in. However, always confirm this in your venue contract and read the fine print.
At Far Coley Farm, we guarantee that the price we have agreed together is the price you pay.
No sneaky price rises here!
Do I need wedding venue insurance?
Wedding insurance is recommended to protect your wedding from unforeseen circumstances, such as cancellations, accidents, or property damage.
MoneySavingExpert has all the information about how to go about finding the right Wedding Insurance for you.
Choosing the Right Time and Date for your Wedding
When should you book your wedding venue?
Book as early as possible—12-24 months ahead is typical for popular venues. Once you have your wedding venue booked, you can start to book other suppliers and vendors.
At Far Coley Farm, we have a core wedding season with limited wedding dates available . We are an exclusive, intimate wedding venue which doesn’t churn out weddings (no bumping into yesterday’s couple here!)
If you are looking for a date outside of our core dates please do enquire for a bespoke wedding quote. We know that sometimes specific dates are important to couples and should we be your dream venue we’d love to be able to make it happen on that special date!
Can I get married on a Sunday?
Yes! Many venues, including Far Coley Farm, offer flexibility for Sunday weddings celebrations.
Celebrant-led ceremonies are welcomed at Far Coley Farm after a legal ceremony at a Registry Office or Church.
Can Weddings happen at night?
If you would like to have a sunset or starlit ceremony, a non-binding celebrant-led service has more flexibility for an evening or night time celebration.
How to Book a Wedding Venue
Looking for a wedding venue can feel overwhelming as there are so many options available!
We recommend narrowing down some of your preferences first. Here’s some questions to get you started. You can always ask your favourite AI to interview you!
· Where would we like to get married? What location are we looking for?
· What style of wedding would we like? Rustic, rural, formal, traditional? (We love Pinterest for collating ideas!)
· What time of year would I like to get married?
· Where do I want to get married? Church, Outside, Hotel?
· How many people are we looking to invite?
· What things are your non-negotiables?
Searching for somewhere when you have an idea of the vibe your going for can help you to narrow down the venues you would like to contact.
Once you have done your research and have chosen your wedding venue, the next step is to get in touch!
For Far Coley Farm we recommend:
Make an enquiry via the website and outline your event details
Schedule a look around
Confirm guest list and package
Review inclusions, pricing, and availability
Agree on terms and sign the contract
Your enquiry will be handled by Philippa, our wonderful Wedding & Events Manager who will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Are wedding venue tours free?
Most venues, including Far Coley Farm, offer complimentary tours.
We absolutely love showing couples around the Farm and helping you envision your day.
Our next Wedding Open Day is on Sunday 31st August 2025 and we would love to show round. We are currently offering appointment slots between 2pm - 8pm. If there’s a time that works best for you, just let us know and we’ll get it booked.
If you’d prefer to come by sooner for a look around (and then come back in August when the tipi is up) we can absolutely arrange that — just drop us a few dates that work for you and we’ll find a date that’s suits all.
What can we expect during our Far Coley Farm tour?
Our Events Team love to show off our wonderful venue and accommodation!
You can expect us to give you:
Guided walk-throughs of ceremony and reception spaces
(Please note, our Tipi is only up at certain times of the year so your visit may not include a walk around this. Our team will be able to show you photos and videos of the space.)
Discussion of packages, accommodation and add ons.
Time to ask questions and discuss what you are looking for in your dream wedding venue
What questions can we ask when looking round?
We welcome any questions you have and we hope that we answer the following questions when we meet.
What’s included in the package?
Are there any restrictions (noise, décor, suppliers)?
What’s the backup plan for bad weather?
How is accommodation managed?
We have our FAQs already, however if you have a question not answered here we will happily talk through with you at any point.
We also know that its so easy to think of the question you wanted to ask on the way home!
Please do email our Events Team any additional questions you have and we will be happy to help.
Key Wedding Logistics Explained
How Weddings Work: Ceremony to Reception
Typically, a wedding day starts with the wedding ceremony and is followed by drinks, wedding breakfast and dancing.
At Far Coley Farm with a multi-day exclusive hire, you have complete flexibility to design your own order and timings.
What is the wedding order?
You can have your wedding in any order you choose. We've given a sample rundown below of a typical wedding order:
Arrival and welcome
Ceremony
Drinks reception
Wedding Breakfast/Dinner
Speeches
Dancing/party/Evening Food
How long do weddings last?
A full wedding day usually spans 8-12 hours depending on ceremony times and evening plans. A weekend celebration gives you even more time to celebrate!
Who officiates weddings?
Legal marriages are conducted by Registrars and Authorised religious persons such as vicars.
For a more relaxed and personal ceremony, celebrant-led ceremonies are popular at Far Coley Farm. These are not legally binding.
Who pays for what for a wedding?
Historically in the UK, the bride’s family were responsible for footing the bill for a wedding. However, these days couples are likely to self fund or families may share costs, but every couple is different.Different cultures have different traditions so we recommend discussing it together and deciding on your budget and plan.
For more detailed information, we like this breakdown by Hitched.
Wedding Vendors & Coordination
What does a Wedding Planner do?
Your on the day Wedding Planner helps coordinate logistics, suggest and manage timelines, and ensure everything runs smoothly on the big day. Meeting your Wedding Planner in advance takes the stress out of the immediate run up to the wedding.
Far Coley Farm provides a dedicated on-site event manager for your wedding weekend to ensure you have the wedding of your dreams.
Who chooses the wedding venue?
Ultimately, you as the couple decides, but input from family and friends can be helpful.
Doing research can help you to decide which Wedding Venue best suits your style and what you would like your wedding to be.
What Wedding vendors will we need?
To host your wedding at Far Coley Farm we recommend the following vendors:
Photographer
Caterer and Drinks Provider
Florist
DJ/band
Cake maker
Hair and makeup artist
When meeting with our Events Team, we would love to share our recommended local suppliers.
There are of course lots of additional suppliers you can look into including: videographer, additional entertainment such as magician/caricature artist, soft play, pets day care, mini golf just to name a few.
It’s also lovely to use your friends/families talents where you can and often this is seen with cakes and flowers.
Our tipi space is visually impactfully on its own and doesn’t need much décor so you may opt to do your own flowers with your bridal party on the Friday - something a several FCF brides have done.
Wedding History & Tradition
Why Are Weddings Important?
Weddings are a public symbol of commitment and love, rooted in centuries of tradition.
Who invented weddings? Why do we follow these traditions?
Wedding customs have evolved over time, blending cultural, religious, and family traditions to create the celebrations we know today.
Why Far Coley Farm could be perfect for you:
Exclusive multi-day venue hire over 3 days
Giant tipi for unique celebrations
Multiple ceremony locations
Corkage-free drinks policy
Accommodation for up to 20 guests including Bride and Groom
Dedicated planner and event manager
Breathtaking countryside setting in Staffordshire
Final Thoughts
Choosing your wedding venue is a big decision. With the right information, it can be an exciting part of your wedding planning journey.
Remember to book early, ask plenty of questions, and prioritise what matters most to you.
Your dream wedding starts here.
Book a venue tour and start imagining your unforgettable wedding at Far Coley Farm.
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