May 16, 2023
Nicola Denny

How to decorate a wedding venue

One of the unique joys of your wedding day is the declaration that you have found that special someone that you want to be with – exclusively and forever. 


Naturally, this means that every wedding celebration is completely individual and different to any other that has gone before, from the intricacies of what happens during your wedding ceremony through to the look and feel of the festivities of your wedding breakfast. 


In recent years there has also been a growing trend for wedding days to have even more of an individual feel, with brides and grooms picking themes and ideas around their wedding day that reflect their characters, interests and their life stories up until that point. 


More and more, couples are looking for venues that not only match the needs of their day, but also provide the perfect backdrop to the way they want their wedding day to reflect the people they are. This might be reflected in countryside themes that celebrate a love of the outdoors or historic landmarks that highlight the heritage of you, your family and the person you are. 


As you think about the way you want to decorate your wedding venue, there will be some traditional aspects that you will need to decide how you might want to include. Do you want to have a ‘top table’ for the most immediate wedding party? Do you want your guests to be seated separately at round tables or would long tables in a banqueting style work best? Will your tables feature floral decorations? Do you want a lavish sense of abundance or a more minimalist, elegant look as people arrive for the wedding breakfast?


Whatever style you decide upon, a good wedding co-ordinator will help you find the best ways to design the function space exactly as you want it to be to showcase your theme in a unique way. The experienced and talented team at St Osyth Priory have been creating beautiful backdrops in which couples can share these special moments for many years. 

With more than 1,400 years of history within the St Osyth Priory Estate, you will find the most incredible setting for your day within the 350 acres of stunning countryside, landscaped gardens and historic buildings. These wonderful buildings have been painstakingly and lovingly restored to serve the estate as luxury accommodation and stunning, state of the art function suites ready for you to party the night away. 


Whether the background to your wedding day is set to be the stunning beauty of Darcy House, exclusively yours for your wedding day and home to two beautiful function suites over two floors, or the incredible gardens and parkland that are truly unique to the estate, St Osyth Priory offers a perfect canvas for your creativity. 


Regardless of whether you choose an indoor or outdoor location for your ceremony or wedding feast, the wonderful variety available at St Osyth Priory provides a most memorable wedding venue, ready for you to individualise exactly as you wish with the perfect combination of lighting, drapes and table decorations to complete the look exactly to your specifications.



Share

By Josie Wright November 25, 2025
We did it! Our fantastic team at St Osyth Priory are celebrating after winning both the Wedding Venue of the Year 2026 at the Essex Wedding Awards and Best Wedding Venue at the International Hotel Awards… and we could not be prouder. The prestigious Essex Wedding Awards recognise all aspects of the county’s impressive wedding industry from categories for the make-up artist of the year to wedding dress retailer, florist, DJ, events, entertainment and many more. In addition to our success for the best venue award, the priory was also a finalist in the category for the Historic Wedding Venue of the Year. The standard of finalists across all the categories was extraordinarily high with other highly acclaimed venues including Downham Hall, Cromwell Manor, East Mersea Hall and Wivenhoe House. So, it was absolutely brilliant when St Osyth Priory was announced as the winner for the Wedding Venue of the Year award, as the team enjoyed the event’s black-tie gala dinner at Chelmsford City Racecourse. But further reason to celebrate was announced within a matter of days, as our International Hotel Awards win was secured in the Best Wedding Venue in the UK category. The International Hotel Awards see venues of all kinds celebrated on the world stage, the only organisation to represent 5-star accolades at an international level, so our team were over the moon with this recognition of years of meticulous work.  Following the award wins, William Grinsted, Managing Director of the St Osyth Priory Estate, said: “To be recognised as Essex's Wedding Venue of the Year and the Best Wedding Venue in the United Kingdom is an extraordinary honour. The awards reflect the dedication of our team, who work tirelessly to ensure every couple experiences something truly exceptional. “We are immensely proud of the history and beauty of St Osyth Priory. To see it celebrated in Essex and on an international stage, amongst the most distinguished venues in the world, is deeply gratifying.” St Osyth Priory has become an iconic destination for weddings, with years of work having been carried out to preserve, restore and protect the estate’s 16 listed buildings which are set within the Grade II registered historic park and garden. Couples getting married at the priory can choose to exchange their vows in the historic Abbots Tower Ruins or in the beautifully restored Gallery and the stunning 350 acre country estate is an idyllic setting for an unforgettable celebration. The priory oozes elegance and now newly-weds and their guests can relax in beautifully renovated luxurious accommodation. If you’d like to discuss your wedding plans, call us on 01206 430160 or email us at info@stosythpriory.co.uk .
November 24, 2025
We are thrilled to invite you to our Wedding Showcase at the stunning St. Osyth Priory on Sunday, 25th of January, from 11am – 3pm.
Designed for those seeking a truly luxurious celebration, our exclusive party package blends sophist
November 21, 2025
Designed for those seeking a truly luxurious celebration, our exclusive party package blends sophistication, indulgence, and exceptional service.
At St Osyth Priory, we offer a truly unforgettable setting for your elopement.
By Josie Wright November 11, 2025
At St Osyth Priory, we offer a truly unforgettable setting for your elopement.
November 5, 2025
Imagine celebrating your wedding not just for a day, but across an entire long weekend of joy, elegance, and unforgettable moments.
By Josie Wright September 23, 2025
Historic St Osyth Priory took centre stage for the new series of the BBC’s flagship show Strictly Come Dancing. The multi-award winning TV show launched its new series on Saturday with 15 celebrity contestants meeting their professional dance partners for the first time. More than five million viewers tuned in to watch the show with more catching up on BBC iPlayer. Viewers saw five of the contestants waiting nervously at St Osyth Priory to find out who their dance partners would be. Model and actress Ellie Goldstein, who became the first model with Down syndrome to feature on the cover of Vogue and appear in a campaign for fashion giant Gucci, waited in the formal gardens of the priory, smiling broadly as she discovered she would be partnering former Strictly winner Vito Coppola. EastEnders actor – and Strictly superfan – Balvinder Sopal, who plays Suki in the BBC soap, was paired with dancer Julian Caillon who is looking forward to his first year on the show. Shakespearean and TV actor Alex Kingston joyously greeted flamboyant dancer Johannes Radebe outside the priory while TV personality and broadcaster Vicky Pattison was filmed in the stunning panelled Darcy House to meet popular dancer partner Kai Widdrington. England footballer Lioness Karen Carney smiled with delight when she saw dancer and choreographer Carlos Gu. Aerial shots also showed the priory’s scoping grounds and stunning gardens as well as the exterior of the magnificent estate. William Grinsted, managing director of St Osyth Priory Estate, said it was wonderful to welcome the Strictly celebrities and dancers and he said he hoped the venue would be used again in the future. He said: “Everyone was so nice and it was great to have them here. They seemed to be having a good time and they were laughing and chatting with each other. “We have had historians filming here before and, of course, TV presenter George Clarke, who officially opened the restore Gatehouse. But having Strictly to film here was the pinnacle. The estate looked amazing and we are hoping it will lead to more opportunities.” To find out more about the priory and organising an event, click here , call us on 01206 430160 or email info@stosythpriory.co.uk and our staff would be happy to see how we can help you. If it’s good enough for Strictly….!
By Josie Wright September 19, 2025
Our new Darcy Wedding Package, available until June 2026, is designed for couples who dream of a relaxed yet luxurious celebration!
By Josie Wright August 19, 2025
We are thrilled to invite you to our Showcase
By Josie Wright August 8, 2025
Steps to taking a digital detox
By Josie Wright July 28, 2025
The key to a romantic weekend getaway
More Posts