When I was looking at where to go for this week’s event, I decided to visit an idyllic village in Northumberland, with breathtaking views that make it the perfect wedding location. Located in the Cheviot Hills, Otterburn has seen huge growth in the wedding trade in recent years.
For a village of this size, Otterburn uniquely has three distinct wedding venues, Le Petit Chateau, Woodhill Hall and Otterburn Castle, all offering something different to engaged couples. However, before visiting any of these places I wanted to speak to some other businesses about the wedding trade in the village and the impact it has on them.
My first stop was The Border Reiver Village Store, which is managed by Melissa Cowens, who was recently promoted to this position. Melissa, a lifelong resident of Otterburn and the surrounding area, spoke to me about life in the village.
She said: “I’ve just started here as a manager after working in the store for a long time, and it’s hard work but I’m really enjoying it. It’s certainly a lot busier here than it used to be, thanks to the wedding picking .and there were always a lot of people coming in from the military, and that hasn’t changed.
“We have relationships with other businesses such as Otterburn Mill and the various wedding venues in the village. We help each other out, which is vital as the area becomes busier.”
After this I went to Otterburn Mill, which Melissa had talked about, and was able to speak to Nigel Owen, the Operations Director. Nigel has been involved in the transformation of the factory into a retail space over the past 29 years, after being brought in to oversee the day-to-day running of the family business.
Nigel said: “When we arrived the mill was a real manufacturing plant which had closed in 1976 for health and safety reasons. There was a shop attached but it wasn’t built up very well so we had to build everything from the ground up.
“We opened up the store more because we wanted to look at it in a more commercial way to make it successful and bring it into the 21st century. We have worked on the building to keep things like the diesel engine and the water wheel. preserving the mill’s history, and we felt the area needed a cafe, so we brought this in, offering a range of products all home made.
“The wedding industry has been very good to us. When people arrive early they often drop in for a drink and something to eat, as well as to have a browse in the shop. People are increasingly coming here for weddings and the popularity of the area has only grown enormously since then.
“We also bring in locals, and they are always surprised when they come here and see all the brands we have and I think this helps to legitimize the business. Parking is free and we are constantly looking to diversify the company, so we will continue to do this.”
Finally, I went to Le Petit Chateau where I was able to talk to Megan Lowes, the assistant general manager of the wedding venue. She told me about how the wedding business in Otterburn took off.
Megan said: “We have been here for eight years and it was previously a pub and hotel, two facets of the business that we still maintain. We also have the wedding venue and the beautiful outdoor garden outside.
“The pub is always busy, with a mix of locals and visitors, and it is the main social space in the village. Last year alone we hosted 290 weddings, and the exclusivity of the venue has helped keep the village the map is set for a broader group of people.
“We also try to work with and cater to all other companies as we see ourselves as part of a wedding package, rather than it just happening around the venue. All our staff are local and everyone knows each other, whatever it is great, working in a friendly, social environment.
“We definitely see ourselves staying here long term as I don’t think there is anything quite like what we offer in the area, and I don’t think there will ever be a time where this isn’t wanted by couples. It’s an idyllic place and it’s so quiet, which is amazing for anyone thinking of getting married in Otterburn.”
As I left Otterburn I thought about how much positive impact the wedding trade has had in the village, and it was great to see local businesses benefiting from this. I can definitely see myself going back to Otterburn in the future, perhaps to take part in what I think would be a truly beautiful wedding.