MAPPERTON for the wedding of your dreams in a charming and beautiful setting
MAPPERTON Mapperton Estate comprises a romantic valley garden and stunning Jacobean manor house of golden stone. The private home of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich, the house is set deep into a lost Dorset combe among tumbling hills and unspoiled countryside, classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Mapperton caters for small and large weddings and wedding receptions. Weddings are individually tailored and allow you and your guests to have exclusive use of the garden of the nation s finest manor house - Country Life 2006. Mapperton consists of a close knit team of staff and contractors. The contractors we recommend are tried and tested and extremely professional. We pride ourselves in providing a quality service at a unique venue, and will do everything in our power to give you the wedding day of your dreams. 2
THE GARDENS Mapperton is one of the most important and distinctive gardens in Dorset, registered Grade II*. The award winning gardens are a favourite location for many professional photographers and film directors. The variety of features in the garden ensure all couples will have photos to treasure forever, whether they be formal images or more relaxed shots. Your guests will want to explore the gardens at Mapperton and will love spending time in the beautiful Fountain Court and if you so wish, having a drink and canapé reception next to the subtropical Orangery. The size of the garden allows you and your partner to take some time to yourselves, perhaps in the pretty summer house, the secret garden or one of the grottoes, where you can absorb the magic of the day or have additional photographs taken. 3
THE GARDEN PAVILION If you envisage an outdoor wedding, capturing the essence of an English garden, the Garden Pavilion is your ideal wedding location. The Pavilion located to the north of the Croquet Lawn is a simple yet beautiful structure that forms an integral part of the 1920s garden design. The Pavilion has a stone tile roof, supported by Ham stone pillars with decorative columns that give it formal and elegant proportions. The interior contains a simple decorative fireplace and pots overflowing with plants which create a seamless transition from the Pavilion to the garden. Standing in the Pavilion you can smell the lavender growing nearby and on fine days bathe in the warm sunlight in that part of the garden. Civil marriage or partnership ceremonies take place in the Pavilion.The large Croquet Lawn next to the Pavilion allows an unlimited number of guests to stand or sit and watch proceedings. 4
THE CROQUET LAWN Mapperton s Croquet Lawn provides the perfect location to position a marquee for a wedding breakfast and evening party. Accessed via the grand eagle-surmounted entrance gate to the house, the Croquet lawn is an unexpected surprise, a large lawn manicured to perfection. The lawn is surrounded by a yew hedge and large eighteenth century Portland stone walls clothed with magnolias, wisterias, camellias, clematis and roses, making it a beautiful, private and sheltered location. Hiring the Croquet Lawn allows you the unique opportunity to have one of Dorset s oldest Manors, Mapperton House, as a stunning backdrop to your reception. Marquees seating up to 400 guests can be accommodated on the Croquet Lawn and Mapperton s preferred marquee suppliers have a fantastic range of marquees to suit all tastes and that can be decorated to your specifications. 5
THE SAWMILL The Sawmill makes a fabulous setting for either a civil marriage or partnership ceremony or an intimate reception. Full of rustic charm, the Ham stone building with wooden floor, once the working sawmill, still retains many original features including the saw bench. Complimenting this are newly introduced features, such as the Shamiana, a wedding hanging made in India with peacocks, parrots and other traditional symbols, that make this venue truly exceptional. The Sawmill can be hired with the existing tables and chairs or as a blank canvas. The seating capacity of the Sawmill is 50 people, or 70 people standing. The venue is extremely versatile as the yard adjacent to the Sawmill is the perfect location for a small marquee seating up to 70 guests. The Sawmill is home to an excellent catering team who offer a range of tasty canapé and wedding breakfast menus at competitive prices. 6
ALL SAINTS CHURCH All Saints Church is an impressive yet intimate building, which has been used for centuries to celebrate marriages. Dating originally from the 12th Century, built of warm golden stone it is the perfect place to hold a marriage blessing. The red aisle carpet gives a feeling of grandeur, while the pews, brass candelabras, pulpit and altar are both historic and elegant. The exceptional stained glass windows, dating from the 16th Century, result in the church being flooded by a beautiful array of colours and the harmonium fills the small church with music. Seating around 100 people, the church is nestled among the other historic buildings, with easy access to both the Sawmill and Croquet Lawn. 7