The big draw for weddings is the Orangery. Stone outside, chandeliers and tall windows inside, and the venue says it only takes one wedding per day, so you're not sharing the place with another couple's guests.
What it's like
It's a proper country house in its own grounds, a few minutes from the A14 and M1 according to the venue, which makes it easier than you'd think for guests coming from London or further north. Inside you'll find the Great Hall (where they serve afternoon tea), the Tresham Restaurant and the Stableyard Spa. So it feels like a working hotel, not a museum.
How the day works here
The Orangery is where most of the action happens. The venue's website says it takes weddings of 80 to 280 guests, and that drinks receptions across the hall can stretch to 500. You can hold the ceremony and the reception on site.
Rushton Hall offers exclusive use of the hotel for weddings, and the site says up to 51 rooms can be available for your guests (talk that through with their wedding team, as it depends on your booking). Having everyone sleep under one roof does make the evening a lot more relaxed. A tip if you're comparing it with other big houses: ask which rooms come with the exclusive use, and whether the spa stays open to your guests on the day. Guests staying two nights will want something to do on the Sunday. Here they've got afternoon tea in the Great Hall, Sunday lunch in Tresham and the spa, all without moving their car.
Entertainment that suits Rushton Hall
A big Orangery and a long drinks reception is the perfect setting for a close-up magician working the room while photos are being taken. We run Magician for Hire, so we're biased, but it's a cracking icebreaker when half your guests have never met. For a room that size in the evening, a stage show from Jay & Joss fills the space nicely before the first dance.