Best bits of a Bed and Breakfast wedding

Tying the knot at a bed and breakfast, or a small boutique hotel, is a great idea for couples looking to host a small, personal wedding, especially those marrying for a second time. Bed and Breakfasts provide a homely feel with plenty of character, but getting married in a bed and breakfast requires less planning and organisation than holding a wedding at home.

Here are seven great reasons to get married in a bed and breakfast:

1. Character and charm

   Unlike large modern hotels, bed and breakfasts usually have detailed décor and a quirky individual style. They are often older buildings, giving them character and a sense of history. It may take you some time to find a Bed and Breakfast with décor that suits your wedding theme, but once you have found it, you won’t need to do too much in the way of decoration to make it cosy.

2. Exclusivity and privacy

   Depending on the size of the bed and breakfast, it shouldn’t be too expensive to reserve the entire building, meaning you have exclusive use of the reception rooms, accommodation, and grounds, ensuring privacy for your wedding party. Similar exclusive use of a large hotel, historic house, or restaurant would be extremely expensive.

3. Low budget

   A countryside bed and breakfast will generally be a lot cheaper to hire for your wedding than a purpose built function centre or a big city hotel. Bed and Breakfasts make their money from accommodation, so as long as all the rooms are booked, any other payments you make for use of the reception rooms will be a bonus. The facilities may be a little less modern than a function centre, but the relaxed atmosphere of the wedding will make up for that.

4. Tailored wedding

   A bed and breakfast is unlikely to offer standard packages, or identical ‘cookie cutter’ weddings; they will be able to tailor your wedding day to incorporate your ideas, and will be more flexible about what you want to do and when. If you are planning a two day wedding, with various events over the entire weekend, a bed and breakfast venue could be the perfect choice for you.

5. Flexible catering

   Although some bed and breakfast venues do have a restaurant attached, most will be bringing in caterers for your wedding. This means you aren’t restricted to set menus, and can shop around for caterers that will offer the food you love at a reasonable price.

6. Accommodation

   If your wedding night dream is a luxury suite in a five star hotel, a bed a breakfast might not be for you. However if you want a cosy romantic hideaway with your new husband, a charming Bed and Breakfast is hard to beat. Hiring a bed a breakfast venue will mean there is on site accommodation for the two of you, along with some of your guests.

7. Anniversary destination

   Holding your wedding at a Bed and Breakfast in a favourite location will mean that you and your husband will always have a significant place to go for special anniversaries or weekend breaks. Check with the venue whether you can stay for free on your first anniversary.