From quirky favours to cool party inspo, we’ve put together some of our favourite ideas from real weddings at Hodsock Priory to help you plan the dream country house wedding. Whether you’ve booked your big day with us or are still on the hunt for the perfect Nottinghamshire stately home wedding venue, read on for unique styling ideas you’re definitely going to want to steal for your own big day.
In bloom
Match the romance of an elegant country house wedding venue with beautiful floral styling. We love how our real bride and groom worked a subtle floral theme with patterned tapered candles, floral-edged wedding stationery and a flower cake.
Don’t forget the dogs
We all know that dogs are the real VIPs at weddings, so at Hodsock we welcome our couples bringing along their four-legged best friends for the day. If your fur baby can’t make it, why not follow this couple’s lead and leave out little gifts for your guests to take home to their dogs instead?
Quirky guestbooks
Just because you’ve got your heart set on a country house wedding venue, it doesn’t mean you have to stick with a traditional day. Be inspired by our real couples who filled their wedding days at Hodsock Priory with quirky guest book ideas. From signed jigsaw pieces to retro telephone audio guest books and messages in a bottle, the choice is yours.
The stairway shot
A stately home venue always delivers the wow-factor for your wedding, so make the most of your grand surroundings with a dramatic stairway shot. How beautiful are these images captured by some of our favourite wedding photographers, as our brides make their way to Hodsock’s ceremony room?
A breakfast upgrade
Dial up the luxury the morning of your wedding with an indulgent breakfast and a glass or two of champagne with your wedding party. Country house venues often offer on-site accommodation, so book a room the night before your big day and stretch out those celebrations in style.
A classic car, with a twist
It’s your wedding, so fill it with touches that reflect your couple style. One of our real couples chose to make the coolest of entrances in a classic MG. Imagine cruising up your country house wedding venue’s long driveway as newlyweds in the car of your dreams!
Feast-style dining
Informal, ‘family-style’ feast dining is a huge trend for 2026 weddings and is a great way to make the most of the space in your venue. Here our couples opted for long communal dining tables instead of the traditional circular tables, creating a relaxed and sociable vibe for the wedding breakfast. For evening guests, why not offer an indulgent – and very on-trend – grazing table?
Monochrome styling
Struggling to choose a wedding colour scheme for your stately home wedding? Honestly, you can never go wrong with classic monochrome. We adore the timeless glamour a black and white theme brings to these real weddings at Hodsock Priory. It’s a look that never goes out of style.
Dry those tears
Do your guests a favour and leave out individual packs of tissues on their chairs for the ceremony. It’s a simple, thoughtful gesture that we guarantee will be appreciated.
Sweet thing
Got a sweet tooth? Take inspiration from our real couples who added the sweetest touches to their weddings at Hodsock. From a cute ‘help yourself’ sweet table and a retro heart shaped cake to the most incredible doughnut cart, there’s plenty of delicious ideas right here.
Casino entertainment
Make sure your evening guests feel part of the fun by putting on some special entertainment when they arrive. We love how one of our real couples transformed our country house wedding venue into a sophisticated casino, complete with roulette wheel and betting chips.
Favours guests will love
Wedding favours are a great way to say thanks to your guests for coming to share your day. We think these couples have got it spot on, giving out drink tokens to their guests as unique favours. Talk about a crowd pleaser!
Time to sparkle
Hodsock Priory is as far away from a stuffy stately home wedding venue as you can get. We want our couples and their guests to have fun, so take your inspo from this bride and groom and set up an awesome face glitter station for guests to get themselves party ready.
Your country house wedding venue in the Midlands
Ready to plan your own country house wedding? We’d love the chance to show you around our gorgeous historic venue, Sat on the border of Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire, Hodsock Priory is a luxurious exclusive-use venue with a truly unique character. Click here to book a viewing or to ask our team a question, and we’ll get straight back to you.
