Wedding Planning Q&A

planning your wedding at The ferry House

You’ve booked your wedding at The Ferry House – congratulations! Now, as you dive into the planning process, you probably have a few (or a hundred!) questions…

Our wedding coordinators, Sam & Maxine, recently asked on Instagram what you’d like to know. Now we’ve gathered all your queries and answered them – from ceremony seating arrangements, to planning meetings, taster nights and wedding decor setup, we’ll guide you through every step of the journey.

How many chairs can be seated in a row for our wedding ceremony?

Whether you’re saying “I do” in our Hop Barn or outdoors overlooking the estuary, we’ve got seating all sorted for you.

For outdoor ceremonies beneath the Oak Gazebo most rows will have six chairs. The only exception is the first two rows on the right hand side, with the first row starting with four chairs, followed by the second row with five chairs. We have a little tree to work around, but it adds to the charm!

Indoors, in in the Hop Barn ceremony space, we set up rows of five chairs per side. If you have over 90 ceremony guests we’ll increase to six per row so everyone can be comfortably seated. Our beautiful cross-back chairs are included in your wedding package.

what happens at wedding planning meetings & how can we prepare?

Your wedding planning meetings are all about refining details and ensuring everything runs smoothly on your wedding day. If you’re planning a full-day wedding, you’ll have up to three planning meetings, plus a taster night and a decor drop off. For our twilight weddings, you’ll have two planning meetings and a decor drop off to go over all your important points.

At your first wedding planning meeting we’ll chat about your ideas, go over your wedding timeline and the big decisions, like your ceremony space. As we move through the process, we’ll dive into the finer details—suppliers, decor, logistics and those all-important final touches. Before your final wedding meeting, we’ll send over a quick email with anything we still need from you. This is your chance to confirm everything and ask any last-minute questions. Of course, if you need to check in before that, you can always reach out to us by email or phone.

We’re also excited to introduce our new planning portal, Sonas, which keeps everything in one easy-to-use app, making the planning process even smoother. It’s currently available for our 2026 couples, but don’t worry—face-to-face meetings will always be part of the planning, so we’ll be with you every step of the way. Want to know more about Sonas? Check out our Q&A with Tasha & Georgina here.

Top tip: Bring along as much info as you can to your planning meetings. If we ask about something you haven’t thought of yet, don’t worry—we’ll guide you through it all. That’s what we’re here for!

how much of the table setup do you handle?

We handle absolutely everything when it comes to your wedding table setup, so you can focus on getting ready, relaxing, and enjoying your morning.

To make sure we get it just right, we recommend popping a photo of your table decor in your decoration box for us to follow. If we have any questions, we’ll go over them with you at your decor drop off meeting. Then, before your guests take their seats for the wedding breakfast, we’ll invite you to take a look and make sure everything’s perfect.

If you’ve chosen to work with a wedding stylist, we’re happy to work alongside them to bring your vision to life. Your wedding coordinator will be overseeing everything, down to the smallest detail. And if you’d like a sneak peek in the morning to put your mind at ease, you’re more than welcome to pop over from one of the Readying Rooms.

what can we expect from our taster night?

Your taster night is one of the most exciting (and delicious!) parts of your wedding planning journey. It’s your chance to sample your wedding menu before the big day and get a feel for what’s in store. Before the evening, we’ll send over our menu so you can each pick a starter, main and dessert, plus five canapés to sample for your table. All the dishes are full-sized, so you’ll know exactly what to expect when it’s time for your wedding breakfast. It’s also a great opportunity to try wines, cocktails and other drinks to help you finalise your selection.

We know food is such a special part of your wedding day, so we take great care in making sure quality produce is locally sourced (much from our Kitchen Garden!), beautifully presented and of course, delicious. But your taster night isn’t just about picking your menu—it’s also a chance to soak up the atmosphere of your wedding venue, enjoy a lovely evening together and get even more excited for the celebration ahead!

top tips for a smooth wedding day?

We want your wedding day to be stress-free and quite simply, the happiest, most memorable day of your life. Here are a few of our top tips to help everything run smoothly:

Pick suppliers who truly match your vibe—whether you want someone lively and energetic or calm and relaxed, the right team will help set the perfect tone.
Stay on top of your deadlines, so the final weeks feel more exciting than overwhelming, and everything falls into place just as you imagined.
Trust us to handle the details! We’re here to take care of all the logistics, so you can focus on enjoying every moment.

how long does it take to walk down the aisle?

This is a question we get asked all the time, and we’ve timed it! Walking down the aisle at a slower pace in our Hop Barn takes around 15 seconds. But honestly, the most important thing is that you take your time and enjoy every moment of that special walk. We’ll make sure everything moves at a pace that feels right for you. And don’t worry, we’ll leave plenty of space so you can make your entrance without anyone in front of you—your photographer will be there to capture that all-important first look.

When it comes to the aisle song, a standard 3-4 minute track works really well. If you have a larger wedding party or want to enter at a specific part of the song, we can easily adjust the timing. And we’ll fade out the music once you reach your partner.

We’ve helped many couples down the aisle and we know how to create the perfect moment for you both. So, take a deep breath, slow down, and soak it all in.

which suppliers should we book first?

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular photographer, band, or stylist, make sure to get them booked as soon as possible. We know how quickly their schedules fill up, and you want to make sure you don’t miss out on your dream team.

If you’re not sure where to begin, we’d recommend securing your photographer first—they’re often in high demand. After that, focus on the suppliers that matter most to you and your day. Whether it’s your florist, cake, or makeup artist, book the ones who will really bring your vision to life.

Need a little help? Take a look at our list of trusted suppliers.

How do we tackle our seating plan?

We totally get that creating a seating plan can feel a little tricky, but honestly, it doesn’t have to be stressful! Once you’ve got all your RSVPs in, we recommend getting hands-on and creating something physical that’s easy to adjust—like using post-it notes with guest names on them. This method works wonders – Sam actually used it on her conservatory doors when planning her own wedding! Another fun idea is to use paper plates as “tables” and write guest names on pegs. This makes it super easy to move people around if needed.

When you start, don’t worry too much about family politics—just keep it relaxed and fun. Focus on seating people who get along, but don’t stress about making it perfect. A couple of months before your big day, we’ll send over a seating plan template, which will be your final plan, along with your guests’ menu choices.

what WEDDING extras do you offer?

We’ve got so many lovely extras to make your wedding day even more special, and many of them are complimentary. We offer a range of beautiful decor items, like log slices, tall glass vases, fishbowls, rustic carts, vintage dressers, and more—all free for you to use. They fit perfectly with the rustic vibe of our barn wedding venue, so you can elevate your decor without any extra cost.

If you’re looking for something a little extra, we’ve got some fun add-ons too. From a vintage photo booth (available all day to capture every moment), to unique touches like an LED dance floor, love lights, and even a vintage tractor arrival to really lean into that countryside barn wedding feel. We also offer a fire pit for evening mingling, brunch platters and delicious treats like cheese towers, dessert minis, and cookie tables.

If there’s something specific you’re after, just let us know. We’re more than happy to help and find the perfect extras to match your day.

more wedding planning advice

We hope this Q&A has left you feeling even more excited and prepared for your big day! For more wedding planning tips and advice, take a look at our dedicated planning page on our website. And of course, if there’s anything else you’d like to chat through, just get in touch—we’re always happy to help.

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