Hampton Manor – A Modern Vintage Wedding Venue in Warwickshire

When the (very beautiful) invitation landed in my inbox with the intro, ‘Join us and other dreamers for an overnight retreat…’ I knew we were in for a treat, but at this point, I have to admit, I didn’t realise quite how special this event was going to be.

The premise was an overnight press stay at Hampton Manor in the West Midlands, a place I had seen and heard a lot about over the years but one that I hadn’t had the pleasure of visiting in person… yet! This was a country house party for wedding planners and press, a creative collaboration with Ava Event Styling, and a celebration of all things William Morris. The invitation stated that we should arrive for lunch and welcome drinks, there were ‘makers’ and ‘workshops’ mentioned for the afternoon’s activities, and cocktails, vinyl and a fine dining meal in the evening.

Needless to say, everything was sublime. This really is a foodie/design lover’s haven. Keep scrolling to find out more about Hampton Manor and what we got up to during our stay…

Hampton Manor is a 5*, Michelin-starred Arts and Crafts manor house home to luxurious bedrooms, exceptional events spaces, a working kitchen garden, and three restaurants, as well as being a venue that hosts workshops and tasting galore… phew! As you might have already guessed, this isn’t your typical ‘restaurant with rooms’. Although, as they say, they are serious about food, this is a place located not so far from the UK’s second city, offering an immersive, slow experience where couples, guests and visitors can get away from the humdrum of real life, reset, and indulge in food, wine and art that has been grown and crafted from slowness, not convenience.

Co-founder Fjona is responsible for the venue’s interiors and gave us a big, warm welcome on arrival before showing us to our room for the night. There is a lot to admire in her refreshing take on a period manor, especially the stylish simplicity. Although boring and soulless this is not, there is pattern (William Morris, of course), deep, decadent colour palettes, lush furnishings and thoughtful details throughout – the perfect juxtaposition of modern and old and a beautiful interpretation of their nature-inspired Arts and Crafts vision.

After settling in and partaking in the many refreshments available, Fjona kicked things off with an introduction to the venue and an informal tour of some of the venue’s reception rooms and accommodation. The 24 bedrooms at Hampton Manor are divided between those within the Manor, the guest cottage and suites within the garden restaurant complex. All are different and individually designed, featuring stylish and period touches as well as splashes of pattern and colour.

Our tour was interspersed with unexpected but wonderfully engaging workshops from some of the venue’s staff and their top recommended suppliers. First up, we headed to Grace and Savour, one of their on-site restaurants. I was particularly taken with this building; built into the walls of the Victorian walled garden and surrounded by stunning guest suites, this is one very special place. The interiors and ambience were spot on. ‘No wonder it’s been named as one of the ‘Top 20 Most Exciting Restaurants for 2022’ by the Good Food Guide’, I mused whilst sipping homemade kombucha and compiling a rhubarb tartlet under the watchful eye of one of their brilliant pastry chefs!

Next up, Ben the Cake Man was tasked with guiding us through the making of a cake ‘peach’. What this man can create with four simple ingredients and a lot of creativity is really quite mind-blowing. He also designed and created the two cakes that took centre stage at our evening meal; both of which were out-of-this-world incredible! As for my attempt? I’ll be honest, it was better than expected; it even passed as a peach, and it was just as delicious… thank you, Ben!

We finished up in the cool, rustic outbuilding that houses their Smoke restaurant for our final creative class of the day; an ikebana workshop with Amy from Ava Event Styling and her team. Ikebana is the centuries-old Japanese art of arranging flowers using a shallow vessel and a ‘frog’ to stabilise the stems so you can create height and drama with your floral arrangement. After a bit of testing and tweaking the key lesson I took away from this session was that less is definitely more! Amy also styled the Courtyard for the evening: a William Morris-inspired celebration of spring. The tablescape was was bold and fresh featuring blue and pink tones, with candles, blossom branches, and tulips running down the length of the tables, a real feast for the eyes.

Speaking of feast, I can’t not mention what I would consider to be the main event; a three-course meal with wine designed and cooked by Hampton Manor’s head chef and Masterchef the Professionals winner, Stu Deeley. This delightful meal took place in the Courtyard, the venue’s primary reception space. Complete with ancient stone walls and a contemporary glass ceiling, this magical space is the epitome of a luxurious blank canvas.

Thank you to Hampton Manor’s James and Fjona for not only bringing this historic estate back to life and injecting so much joy, style and thoughtfulness into the bones of the place, but for their warmth and generosity in hosting such a fantastic, immersive event for so many industry professionals. I honestly can’t imagine a more special, delicious and wonderful place to be wed.

The curious foodie really will find a home here…