WEDDINGS AT
WILDERNESS RESERVE

DREAM OF A WEDDING IN A QUINTESSENTIALLY ENGLISH SETTING

Wilderness Reserve is a masterclass in romantic countryside weddings.

Our gentle arcadian landscapes are the picture of pastoral beauty and unmistakable Englishness. The quiet allure of the setting marries with a host of one-off luxury properties to create a timeless destination wedding venue in Suffolk.

Divided across Sibton Park and Chapel Barn estates, our exclusive wedding venues range from a grade II*-listed Georgian manor house, complete with its light-filled Orangery, to a sensitively restored 15th-century farmstead, designed to host those looking for a superlative barn wedding venue.

Elsewhere, an array of outdoor wedding venues await your personal touch, spanning woodland, lakeside and garden settings. Punctuating the fields between are a host of luxury Suffolk cottages and farmhouses – not to mention a show-stopping Walled Garden property. In all, we may host almost any number of your esteemed guests, with space for 200 staying the night.

CHAPEL BARN ESTATE

SIBTON PARK ESTATE

Event set-up by WildAbout Event set-up by WildAbout Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by John Nassari Event set-up by WildAbout Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by The Curries Photo by Dottie Photography Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams

Photo by John Nassari Event set-up by Wildabout Photo by John Nassari Photo by Hayley Savage Wedding by Matthew Oliver Photo by Hayley Savage Wedding by Matthew Oliver Photo by David Jenkins Photo by David Jenkins Photo by Cameron Maynard Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Emilie White Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Emilie White Photography Photo by Emilie White Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Tali Photography Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Emilie White Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Marble Private Photo by Marble Private Photo by David Jenkins Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by David Jenkins Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams

AN EXCLUSIVE-USE WEDDING VENUE IN SUFFOLK

Wilderness Reserve is yours – all 5,000 wonderful acres of it – on an exclusive-use basis, should you choose. Private use will, of course, suit grand affairs or large Asian and Jewish weddings, though we’re equally versed in small wedding celebrations, where intimacy is a priority.

Furthermore, we’ve done away with the restrictions typical of historic countryside hotels and manor house wedding venues. The result comprises a unique proposition: a one-of-a-kind wedding venue in Suffolk that will oblige even your most unusual wedding requests.

UNUSUAL & UNIQUE WEDDINGS


If you insist on covering the whole of Sibton Park manor house in flowers, that is entirely your prerogative. A rabbit petting zoo for the kids near our sunken outdoor pool perhaps? How about a grand 200-person fire feast as part of a bohemian woodland wedding – with an axe-throwing activity on the side? It’s all eminently feasible at your bespoke Wilderness wedding.

Indoors, you may move things around as you please, transforming stately living rooms into DIY hair salons and make-up stations. Meanwhile, the groom and his men can take over the Walled Garden to play a last round of pool, while sipping a dram of whisky from the drinks cabinet – for courage. The place is yours.

Photo by Nicola Dixon Photo by Nicola Dixon

If you insist on covering the whole of Sibton Park manor house in flowers, that is entirely your prerogative. A rabbit petting zoo for the kids near our sunken outdoor pool perhaps? How about a grand 200-person fire feast as part of a bohemian woodland wedding – with an axe-throwing activity on the side? It’s all eminently feasible at your bespoke Wilderness wedding.

Indoors, you may move things around as you please, transforming stately living rooms into DIY hair salons and make-up stations. Meanwhile, the groom and his men can take over the Walled Garden to play a last round of pool, while sipping a dram of whisky from the drinks cabinet – for courage. The place is yours.

“While the house itself is full of decadent details for your reception, it's the grounds that are knockout"

WELCOME TO ‘SLEEPY SUFFOLK’


Two hours from the madding crowd of London, but not as far as wedding venues in Norfolk, ‘Sleepy Suffolk’ – as it’s affectionately named – proffers a special kind of country house wedding. A Wilderness wedding is one that attracts couples keen on stepping back into the past, while connecting with the very best of English nature.

Conservation and sustainability are central tenets of our ethos: eco-conscious wedding couples will delight in the flourishing wildlife and greenery (we’ve already planted over one million trees). Indeed, guests often comment on the chorus of song birds throughout the day, from early rising woodpeckers to majestic barn owls at night.

Our journey began more than 20 years ago with the help of pre-eminent landscape architect Kim Wilkie. His expertise and enthusiasm has allowed us to create an eco-friendly backdrop for fairy tale wedding receptions reminiscent of the most romantic and timeless fiction. At Wilderness Reserve you’ll find a true English countryside experience.

A SPECIAL KIND OF SERVICE


Wilderness Reserve has a keen sense of its own past and this nostalgic charm is imbued in all that comprises your exclusive wedding weekend. The setting speaks clearly of a deep-rooted respect for Suffolk traditions, but it’s our unique approach to service that will ensure you and your guests actually feel part of the place.

Our style has all the attributes of Suffolk’s charming character: approachable, inclusive and welcoming. Think traditional, hands-off housekeepers, not concierges. Newspaper delivery, fire lighting and daily cleaning come as standard.

The result is a warm and, dare we say it, ‘normal’ atmosphere that permits you to feel as relaxed as you would at home. A sure footing for the most important day of your life.

A SPECIAL KIND OF SERVICE


Wilderness Reserve has a keen sense of its own past and this nostalgic charm is imbued in all that comprises your exclusive wedding weekend. The setting speaks clearly of a deep-rooted respect for Suffolk traditions, but it’s our unique approach to service that will ensure you and your guests actually feel part of the place.

Our style has all the attributes of Suffolk’s charming character: approachable, inclusive and welcoming. Think traditional, hands-off housekeepers, not concierges. Newspaper delivery, fire lighting and daily cleaning come as standard.

The result is a warm and, dare we say it, ‘normal’ atmosphere that permits you to feel as relaxed as you would at home. A sure footing for the most important day of your life.

YOUR EXCLUSIVE WILDERNESS WEDDING EXPERIENCE

WHEN YOU ARRIVE


Your host will meet you at our Gatehouse Sweet Shop. Once you’ve bagged a few lemon bonbons – no check-in necessary – we’ll escort you in a Series One Landrover across either Sibton Park or Chapel Barn estate to your lodgings.

Your housekeeper, who drives a charming Morris Minor, will be there to receive you, no doubt offering a cup of something soothing and a slice of cake. The Victoria sponge is particularly good. Then you can spend a little time unwinding in the property or by the pool. Be sure to take our vintage Pashley bicycles out for a spin too.

YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY


Amid mature evergreen oaks in Kendall's Wood; in the neoclassical portico entrance of Sibton Park manor house; at the edge of the lake, joined by curious sheep and cows... And that’s only for outdoor wedding ceremonies. The options for the location of your nuptials at Wilderness Reserve abound.

We have previously accommodated a giant glasshouse, seating hundreds of wedding guests in ghost chairs lined up either side of a petal-strewn path. Indoors, we’re particularly fond of Sibton Park’s Drawing Room, with its treasured hand-painted botanical wallpaper. It happens to also be licenced for civil ceremonies.

Elsewhere, our purpose-built Orangery wedding venue has some of the best views of the estate through its elegant floor-to-ceiling sash windows. For those wishing to tie the knot before God, recently refurbished St Peter’s – the very essence of ‘Sleepy Suffolk’ – is just down the road.

Perhaps you can travel down in our Rolls-Royce Phantom VI and then drive back in our classic Morgan.

Picture by Nicola Dixon Photography Co.

YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

Amid mature evergreen oaks in Kendall Wood; in the neoclassical portico entrance of Sibton Park manor house; at the edge of the lake, joined by curious sheep and cows... And that’s only for outdoor wedding ceremonies. The options for the location of your nuptials at Wilderness Reserve abound.

We have previously accommodated a giant glasshouse, seating hundreds of wedding guests in ghost chairs lined up either side of a petal-strewn path. Indoors, we’re particularly fond of Sibton Park’s Drawing Room, with its treasured hand-painted botanical wallpaper. It happens to also be licenced for civil ceremonies.

Elsewhere, our purpose-built Orangery wedding venue has some of the best views of the estate, through its elegant floor-to-ceiling sash windows. For those wishing to tie the knot before God, recently refurbished St Peter’s – the very essence of ‘Sleepy Suffolk’ – is just down the road.

Perhaps you can travel down in our Rolls-Royce Phantom and then drive back in our vintage Morgan.

“ Paradise has been found – and happily it’s not a million miles away. Rather it’s in a sweet corner of the Suffolk countryside, at Wilderness Reserve."

YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION



With “I do” done and dusted, your guests’ attention – and appetites – will turn to the wedding reception. Drinks and restaurant-quality light bites are on offer from our very own Estate Kitchen. The team assure us the parmesan crackers with Suffolk gold mousse are not to be missed.

While everyone is busy reviewing your star performance – to the strains of a string quartet perhaps? – you’ll have time for those momentous wedding portraits. Again, location options are as abundant as the nature around you.

A regal pose under our statement stained-glass window in Chapel Barn or something a little more unbuttoned amid the wildflowers of a nearby meadow? The only challenge is in the choosing.

Photo by David Jenkins Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Hayley Savage Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Hayley Savage Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Camilia Andrea Photo by David Jenkins Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Lemonade Pictures Photo by Lemonade Pictures Photo by Nicola Dixon

Photo by Lemonade Pictures Photo by Lemonade Pictures Photo by Nicola Dixon Photo by Nicola Dixon Photo by David Jenkins Photo by David Jenkins

YOUR WEDDING BREAKFAST



And so to the wedding breakfast. This is where our Estate Kitchen hits its highest note. Head chef Stewart Duffield (formerly at Tom Aikens) takes a flavour-first approach to the locally sourced fish, meat and organic vegetables he and his team prepare. The quality of the cooking rivals any you’ll find from caterers in London.

The Orangery at Sibton Park Manor House is a tasteful space to host wedding breakfasts of up to 140 seated guests, with space on its suntrap terrace for stretch tents and marquees. Those keen on channelling a more rustic wedding theme may well wish to host a Fire Feast in the woods. But let us be clear: outdoor wedding breakfasts at Wilderness Reserve are no less refined.



Photo by John Nassari Event set-up by WildAbout Event set-up by Wildabout Photo by David Jenkins Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Hayley Savage Wedding by Matthew Oliver Photo by John Nassari Evetn set-up by WildAbout Photo by David Jenkins Wedding by Matthew Oliver Photo by Hayley Savage Photo by Emilie White Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams

Photo by David Jenkins Photo by David Jenkins Photo by David Jenkins Photo by David Jenkins Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams Photo by Tali Photography Wedding by Pocketful of Dreams

YOUR PARTY AND AFTER-PARTY


They always say allow yourself five minutes to take it all in. Sitting under our fairy-light-covered tree near the Orangery – a favourite for Instagram – is a charming spot to take in the hubbub of the dancefloor and the live band you’ve booked. If the party is at Chapel Barn then you’re likely to be making shapes in the enclosed grassy courtyard or in the barn itself, behind its triple-height Crittall-style door.

Those wishing to continue the revelry will be guided downstairs to Sibton Park’s vaulted cellar, which again can be decorated as you please. We’ve had the whole ceiling covered in moss for an ‘undergrowth disco’. From there, bad dancing, karaoke and other fun games may continue into the night.

GUEST ACCOMMODATION


Let it be known: we are not a hotel. Ours is an experience defined by English cottage holidays, though not as you know them. Our luxury wedding accommodation has been restored or built to respect local traditions, without foregoing modern comforts. Contemporary styling, underfloor heating and cutting-edge tech are present, but never distract you from the simple pleasures of country life.

The oak-framed Moat Cottage, hand thatched and painted in soft Suffolk pink, is a fabulous example. You’ll find it on our Chapel Barn estate. This way for all our other luxury wedding accommodation options.

SEE ALL PROPERTIES

Let it be known: we are not a hotel. Ours is an experience defined by English cottage holidays, though not as you know them. Our luxury wedding accommodation has been restored or built to respect local traditions, without foregoing modern comforts. Contemporary styling, underfloor heating and cutting-edge tech are present, but never distract you from the simple pleasures of country life.

The oak-framed Moat Cottage, hand thatched and painted in soft Suffolk pink, is a fabulous example. You’ll find it on our Chapel Barn estate. This way for all our other luxury wedding accommodation options.

SEE ALL PROPERTIES

ACTIVITIES ON THE DAYS AFTER

On Sunday, once you’ve all enjoyed an Instagrammable buffet brunch, we suggest gathering for a party around our sunken pool, where we’ll set up a prosecco truck, some acoustic musicians and perhaps even a wandering oyster shucker.

Those feeling a little more spirited may wish to have our in-house rangers organise a series of country pursuits and group activities. Boats races on the lake, scavenger hunts and all manner of target sports (laser clay-pigeon shooting, anyone?) are at your disposal.

Finish the day off with an intimate bonfire experience in the woods. Mulled wine, hot chocolate or Pimm’s can be served from the back of a Land Rover, while quality sausage rolls and marshmallows for toasting will sustain you and your remaining guests as the sun sets over Wilderness Estate.

SEE OUR ACTIVITIES
ALL PROPERTIES

USEFUL LINKS

© 2012 - 2020 Wilderness Ltd. All rights reserved.