Country wedding show to launch Norfolk’s newest wedding venue
Nearly 30 years after her own country wedding at her Norfolk family of home College Farm, Katharine Wolstenolme is preparing to launch the house and grounds as a wedding venue so that other couples can enjoy this beautful historic setting.
The launch will take place this Sunday 13th April 2014 at a wedding show featuring more than 30 wedding suppliers in a giant tipi and a marquee in the grounds of College Farm in the village of Thompson, near Watton.
Katharine has been organising the show with three other wedding suppliers Debbie Harris of 2up photography, Anna Yeomans a make up artist and hair dresser Anna Kirkpatrick.
“Initially we envisaged a small bespoke event with just a handful of local wedding suppliers” says Katharine “but we have been overwhelmed by local companies who want to take part in the show”.
Exhibitors include Magical Events supplying one of their giant tipis, Morton’s Marquees, Silk Rose wedding dresses, Posh plants, the Swaffham florist and Ellies cakery. There will also be lots of live entertainment during the day from Simply Magic and Dave Harper with his bagpipes. A hog roast is being provided by Babacos of Watton and Tricycle Temptations will be selling ice creams.
College Farm is a historic house with parts of the building dating back to 1349 when it was established as College of Priests college. It was built by Katharine’s ancestors, through a 19 times great aunt Margaret de Grey, who married one of the college founders, Sir Thomas de Shardelow. Margaret was the daughter of Sir Roger de Grey of Merton, whose direct descendent, Lord Walsingham, owns the nearby Merton estate and is Katharine’s uncle.
Katharine moved back to College farm in 2010 after the death of her mother Lavender Garnier to continue the bed and breakfast her mother had established for back in the 1970s. Since then she and her husband Richard have undertaken a programme of renovations and most recently begun planning to open the house and grounds as a wedding venue.
“Since Richard & I were married here in 1985 I have always thought College Farm was the most perfect location for a wedding”, says Katharine. “We were married at St Martin’s Church in the afternoon and then walked back to the house for the reception afterwards. It was a slightly windy but glorious sunny day and I have never forgotten waking from the church back to College Farm with all our family and friends behind – a bit like the Pied Piper but with friends rather than rats! As the afternoon wore on the wind dropped and the sun shone on, what was for me, the most perfect day. There was plenty of space for everyone to spread out as well as hidden places in the garden where people could go if they wanted to get away on their own for a bit of peace and quiet. As Richard & I were driven off after the reception in my brothers classic Bentley and we looked back down the drive I remember thinking how lucky I was to have been married at St Martin’s and College Farm and one day I would like to be able to let other people do the same”.
The College Farm Wedding Show runs from 10.00am – 3,00pm on Sunday 13th April and entry is free . More information can be found on the show’s website www.collegefarmweddings.co.uk.
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