River Cottage HQ

When Lisa and I were looking for a venue to celebrate our wedding, we realised there was not another place on the planet that we would rather go than River Cottage. Lydia, Andy and the team did an incredible job in spoiling all 70 of our guests. The food was out of this world. Our recommendation to anyone thinking about RC as an option for their event is not make any specific requests for food etc, put yourselves in the hands of team, you are guaranteed to have an incredible event. For anyone who is serious about food, wants to have a great celebration, in an atmosphere that’s relaxed yet stunning, with a team that will make you feel like superstars, we cannot recommend RC highly enough.

“We had our wedding reception at River Cottage and it couldn’t have been a more perfect location to celebrate our marriage. The whole venue is just fab and we particularly liked that the use of the whole area (farmhouse, yurt, barn) was included (including Laura!). It was such a relaxed atmosphere and exactly how we wanted our venue to feel. The food was absolutely incredible and the attention to detail is second to none. Our guests along with us, were blown away by the flavours and presentation. We stayed in the farmhouse and had brunch with 18 friends the following day-this made the whole experience feel longer and we once again indulged in an incredible selection of food. If you love food and want a venue which offers absolutely everything with no hassle, we would highly recommend River Cottage."

We have always both loved River Cottage, we knew the location, staff and food would all be fantastic. We visited River Cottage a couple of months before the wedding to plan the menu. Gelf, the head chef, told us what would be in season in June and we went with his recommendations with a couple of requests of our own. As it was River Cottage we had to have something a bit unusual so asked if we could have some squirrel as one of the canapes. They made up a squirrel pate – a lot of the guests were a bit taken aback but most enjoyed them with some asking for seconds. The starter consisted of a seasonal salad with asparagus, shaved goats cheese and a variety of edible flowers. The main course was lamb cooked three different ways served with roast potatoes cooked in lamb fat and new potatoes in a herb dressing. The dessert was elderflower panacotta with rhubarb served different ways. The whole meal was absolutely fantastic & all the guests were very excited by the menu. Everything for the meal either came direct from River Cottage or from Trill Farm next door, it was very important to us that all the ingredients were sourced locally.

Really can't thank you and the River Cottage team enough for making our day so special. You made everything as easy and relaxing as possible taking the pressure away from us so we could really enjoy the day. From the moment it started with the ceremony in the beautiful garden it was a truly magical day and we both enjoyed every minute. What can I say about Gelf, except that all our guests summed it up as 'the best meal they'd ever tasted.' It was a great menu. For me vegetarian food reached new heights and I know he converted a few meat eaters to the idea of not having meat as often or just having it on the side. We loved seeing the process too from fresh picked veg from the garden to the excellent service on good hot plates. Then surprise from the guests that a 'sugar free' dessert could taste so good! The evening changeover went very smoothly while we relaxed in the yurt. The barn was great for the band and lots of guests enjoyed dancing. The pizza was delicious and great idea to do your own. This is where the idea of hiring the whole venue makes the day work so well. Different spaces to suit everyone and our guests ranged from a newborn baby to an eighty year old. Again guests have thanked us for choosing such a lovely venue. Each space was decorated and we really enjoyed the atmosphere and warmth of the fires. To sum up we would certainly recommend River Cottage as a very special venue to hold your wedding. We were a very happy bride and groom thanks to Lydia, Gelf and team.

We had SUCH a fantastic day on Saturday - it exceeded our (already very high!) expectations in every way. We've had quite a lot of people say it was the best wedding they've ever been to. All of our family and friends thought the venue and food were stunning. 'Best food I've ever had' has also been something we've heard a few times. We're still getting excitable texts and emails from our guests, raving about everything from the canapés to the view of the valley to how lovely the River Cottage staff were. On that last point, we need to say a massive, massive, massive thank you to you and everyone at RC. Thank you all so much for all of your excellent preparation and hard work on the day. You all went over and above what could reasonably be expected of you. It was all of your hard work and dedication that made it such a wonderful day that we'll remember forever. We're not sure how you managed to be so effortlessly relaxed and informal while also pulling out all the stops - if you could bottle your magic and send it to us so we can use it in our jobs, that'd be great.

We had a truly amazing day, it all went perfectly. Thank you so much for all of your help and to everyone involved, for making our day so fantastic. So many of our guests commented on how relaxed the whole wedding was, how beautiful the venue is and last but definitely not least how incredible the good was. From the very first time we contacted the weddings team at river cottage, we have been made to feel so welcome and at ease with everything, making for an easy, relaxed wedding.

We had a truly amazing day, it all went perfectly. Thank you so much for all of your help and to everyone involved, for making our day so fantastic. So many of our guests commented on how relaxed the whole wedding was, how beautiful the venue is and last but definitely not least how incredible the good was. From the very first time we contacted the weddings team at river cottage, we have been made to feel so welcome and at ease with everything, making for an easy, relaxed wedding.

It absolutely was everything we could have hoped for and more! The River Cottage staff were not there and there all at the same time and I think that is a sign of totally relaxing and streamlined customer experience. Nothing was too much trouble, every detail was thought of and everyone had everything they needed before they knew they needed it. Thanks so much for all the flexibility re the weather and everything else! The food was AMAZING and everyone said that they would be talking about it for years to come. We had a couple of very critical successful restaurateurs as guests, so some tough people to please!

"We can't thank the River Cottage team enough for helping to create such a wonderful day. It really couldn't have gone better. All of our guests had a fabulous time. We had so many compliments on how well organised the day was and that was really down to the whole River Cottage team."

A huge thank-you to the entire team at River Cottage for their part in making our wedding hands-down the best day of our lives! River Cottage has found the perfect blend of Character, Professionalism and Flexibility. The experience was all about freedom of choice, this was our big day and the RC team went to enormous efforts to make sure that we had the run of the place in every sense. As a location, the grounds of River Cottage have charm and the intimacy by the boat load, the Great British countryside at its best. Rounding the tractor track the farmhouse grounds are revealed and we immediately fell in love with the tranquillity, the “Secret Garden” feel and the piglets! As important as the venue, are the people that work there. The staff, were always friendly and attentive, happy to show anyone interested the workings of the kitchen and farm in general. We cannot thank them enough for their hard work and smiles in the face of such a rowdy bunch! Our first point of contact Lydia was fantastic. Friendly and efficient, she took a huge amount of the weight off our shoulders in the preparation stages, always going the extra mile to make the day perfect and a calm presence during the final preparations when overeager family members go a bit nutty. The Head Chef, Gelf, was a wealth of knowledge for the menu, giving us a free reign, suggesting the best ingredients for the season. The end result was superb, every plate cooked and presented to perfection. The ever-present relaxed and rustic atmosphere, giving the dinner and speeches an intimate feels despite there being nearly 100 guests. An unforgettable day, Thank you all!