A WEDDING venue near York has been named the best in the UK.
Skipbridge Country Weddings, near Green Hammerton, which offers bespoke Tipi weddings from May to September, won the national accolade at the wedding industry awards, TWIA.
The award followed a vote by 2021 couples who had been asked to offer feedback on the quality of the venue, staff expertise, and customer service.
Bronte Hall, whose family business is celebrating its 10th anniversary, said they were delighted and ‘a little speechless’ to have won against such strong national competition.
The business which has its own licensed Hobbit Hole won the regional crown for Yorkshire and the North East and is making a strong comeback from the challenges of the pandemic.
It is now fully booked until 2024 after the Covid crisis reduced its diary of 25 weddings a year to just one ceremony in 2020.
Bronte said the pandemic had affected the whole wedding industry and resulted in a lot of upset for couples.
“We were relieved to be able to deliver our weddings in 2021,” she said.
“We were so pleased to win the TWIA regional award for Yorkshire and the North East in January, and decided to travel down to London for the national awards to support the event and have a few days away, never really thinking that we would stand a chance of taking the national prize against such strong national competition.”
The family business involves Bronte’s parents Gill and Gordon, brother Tom and partner Brett Jackson.
Gill said that as soon as she heard some of the feedback being read out from one of the brides, she knew they were talking about Skipbridge.
“To hear our name being announced was magical,” she said.
Among the praise for Skipbridge, one bride said: “The venue itself is stunning, there is so many hidden treasures and crannies for beautiful photo opportunities. It is currently constantly evolving; every time we visited there was something new. They added complimentary personalised touches.
“It is a true family run business. The family and extended team were so welcoming, and helpful, the communication was easy and open and the on-the-day coordination was really useful.’’
The team said the award was a ‘fantastic’ accolade for Skipbridge Country Weddings and clear recognition of all the incredible hard work of the whole team while also highlighting the quality of the local suppliers with whom they work.
“We are passionate about delivering a truly memorable day for our couples and were so grateful for this to be recognised by the TWIA judging panel. We couldn’t be more delighted to bring this award back to York and Yorkshire.”
Skipbridge also has cottage and glamping accommodation, and a petting farm with llamas, alpacas, resident peacock, Shetland ponies and pigmea goats which are likely to photobomb selfies at weddings.
Bronte suggested they turn the family small holding into a wedding venue when she was just a teenager, after her sister Katie, the well-known chimney sweep Katie Sweep, got married in a marque there.
Her parents agreed, and the business has grown through word of mouth following a few friends’ and family weddings.