East Anglia, compromising the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire is home to The Fens, the world-renowned Cambridge University, Norwich Cathedral, Sandringham, the Broads waterways and the idyllic Norfolk coastline to name but a few.

And if you’re thinking about getting married in this area then you’ll also find a wealth of wedding venues and suppliers on your doorstep, from award-winning Tudor Manors to alternative hire and styling companies.

Today Katrina Otter is opening her supplier directory and sharing a little insight into some of the suppliers this beautiful area has to offer and that she’s been fortunate enough to meet, work and collaborate with or simply stalk on social media!

Shall we begin…?

Venues

From stately homes and country estates to ancient barns and permanent marquees, East Anglia really does have it all!

If you’re recently engaged and don’t know where to start when it comes to finding the perfect venue in East Anglia, then the best advice I can give you is to first and foremost take the time to define your wedding style. Do you imagine a rustic, country wedding? Or would you prefer a chic city do?  How about a coastal celebration or a truly luxurious event in a grand stately home?  East Anglia has all of the above and more so if you can define your style from the outset, it’ll make your venue search so much easier.

Next up, head to the UK Wedding Venue Directory Coco Wedding Venues and explore their hand-picked wedding venues by area and style category.

Narborough Hall, Coco Wedding Venues – Photo Credit: Rebecca Goddard Photography

Photo Credit: Rebecca Goddard Photography

Or alternatively, start with some of my personal favourites below…

• Hengrave Hall, Suffolk – An exquisite Tudor Manor with its own idyllic chapel, beautiful gardens and 27 luxurious bedrooms.

Hengrave Hall – Photo Credit: Katrina Otter Weddings

• Voewood, Norfolk – The perfect alternative wedding venue, located just a stone’s throw from the breath-taking North Norfolk coast.
• Holkham Hall, Norfolk – One of the grandest and most beautiful wedding venues in the country, this fine Palladian house is home to the Earls of Leicester and is surrounded by a romantic deer park with a lake, temple and woodland.
• The Granary Estates, Suffolk – Within the estate sits a unique 18^th Century Barn surrounded by beautiful Suffolk countryside.  The Barn itself is built of Suffolk Flint and still showcases its original timber beams, providing a spectacular and award-winning setting.
• Chippenham Park, Cambridgeshire – A privately-owned Grade II listed house, surrounded by 300 acres of Parkland and Gardens.
• Bruisyard Hall, Suffolk – A magnificent stately home that you can call your own for a weekend or mid-week wedding, party or intimate event.
• Sibton Park at Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk – A unique exclusive-use luxury collection of manors, farmhouses, country cottages and follies in the heart of rural Suffolk.
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• Wilderness Reserve: Photo credit: Tracey Hosey
• Chaucer Barn, Norfolk – With 20 acres of landscaped gardens and grounds, and luxury accommodation for 18 guests, the award-winning Chaucer Barn makes the perfect year-round private retreat for smaller intimate groups or larger weddings
• Bassmead Manor Barns, Cambridgeshire – This converted barn wedding venue stands within the medieval moat of an ancient manor house surrounded by open countryside making it one of the most idyllic country venues.
• Godwick Great Barn, Norfolk – A truly unique 450-year-old Grade II listed barn wedding and event venue in Norfolk, combining history and magnificence with a wonderful rural setting.
• Narborough Hall Gardens, Norfolk – Set in the valley of the river Nar and surrounded by ancient parkland, lakes and woods, Narborough Hall is one of the most romantic wedding venues in England.
• Moreves Barn, Suffolk – An outstanding 17^th Century timber framed barn set in the beautiful Suffolk countryside that’s been meticulously restored with the utmost attention to detail.
• Kenton Hall Estate, Suffolk – Rustic.  Unique.  Kenton Hall Estate is nestled within the beautiful Suffolk countryside, amidst undulating landscapes and acres of sky, the perfect location for a truly unique wedding.

Rounding up the venues, if you’re taken with the idea of a marquee wedding then Chelmer Marquees and The Highfield Event Group offer a range of options, stunning interiors and décor for every type of event and budget throughout East Anglia.

Caterers, Cakes and Bubbles!

A wedding wouldn’t be complete without exceptional catering, baked goods and an abundance of bubbles!

I regularly work alongside the experienced and professional teams at Milsom Catering, Cambridge Dining Company, Crown Catering and The Movable Feast, all of whom provide an exceptional service and high quality bespoke catering solutions throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and beyond!

Moving on to baked treats, East Anglia is thankfully home to the 2015 Wedding Industry Awards Best Wedding Cake Designer, Amelie’s Kitchen who offers a bespoke wedding cake design service with delicious results (having been to several tastings I can definitely vouch for this!).

And finally, the bubbles! Cellar27 cater for a range of events and parties, serving creative drinks in stylish settings.  Alternatively, if you’re looking for an independent wine merchant, then Corney & Barrow in Newmarket and the Cambridge Wine Merchants are my go-to suppliers.

Cellar 27: Photo: Tim Bowden

Florists, details and décor

East Anglia is lucky to have some truly fabulous florists on our doorstep from the likes of Jo Flowers, Tudor Rose, Wild Poppies, Tolly’s Flowers, Willow and Wolf and the Swaffham and Fakenham Florist.

If you’re looking for an alternative hire and styling company offering a unique and eclectic range of décor accessories and props throughout East Anglia, then look no further than Norfolk based The Little Lending Company.  Penny is also an absolute dream to work with.

The Little Lending Company, Swaffham – Photo Credit: DS Photography

And finally, whilst we’re on the subject of décor and East Anglia, then Hélène Millot Furnishings (home to some seriously stylish décor and tableware) operates throughout the country but thankfully for me (and you, if you’re getting married in the area!) is based in Cambridgeshire.

Other suppliers!

East Anglia really does have so much to offer and if I covered every county and every single aspect of getting married in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire then I honestly wouldn’t know where to start or stop so instead, I thought I’d share just a few more stand-out suppliers that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with…

• House of Snow – A beautiful new bridal boutique in the historic town of Bury St Edmunds.
• Hannah Duffy Photography – Relaxed fine art imagery.
• Gione da Silva – A Suffolk based studio specialising in wedding filmmaking and events cinematography.
• Thompson Granger – Natural and unobtrusive wedding videographers dedicated to making creative, beautiful and uplifting wedding videos.
• Love Moi Makeup – Norfolk based Makeup Artist and Beauty Editor for the award winning bridal blog So You’re Getting Married.

And finally, planning a wedding in East Anglia wouldn’t be complete without a wedding planner… right?!  So, if you are looking for a wedding planner then as a Member Level 2 of the UKAWP I’m obviously going to advise you to look no further than the UKAWP directory for a vetted list of experienced, professional and respected local planners.