Notley Abbey

Notley Abbey takes no introduction as an incredibly breath-taking venue. The driveway is literally to die for and the historic property with modern touches is every brides dream. What the pictures don’t tell you however is how incredible the staff are at Notley and how they are the true selling point to this venue. From the first time we viewed the venue right up to our big day the staff at Notley were absolutely flawless and they held our hands throughout the whole process making sure that we were stress free at all times.We visited the venue a number of times after booking and every time we were greeted by staff that were always on hand for any questions we might have. In addition we were also given our own online portal where we could contact our wedding planner at any time and document all of the plans for our Day. Our wedding planner was Ann and she was absolutely lovely. Nothing was ever too much trouble.When I arrived on the day of the wedding the staff were waiting outside to help unload the cars and I was introduced to Lisa our wedding manager for the day. Where do I even start with Lisa.. thank you thank you thank you and a million more thank you's. I am a self-confessed control freak with an annoying habit of not letting anyone else help me however with Lisa I felt at complete ease. From ordering the boys around, calming me down about the huge TV our best man wanted to put in the middle of our ceremony room to making sure we always had a drink in hand Lisa literally everything I could have ever wished for. She is an absolute credit to the Bijou brand. For the evening we were then looked after by Kerry who was also fantastic and kept our very lively reception in check.Everyone told me before the wedding not to be disappointed is something goes wrong as nobody will notice on the day. I can honestly say that not a single detail was out of place and that was totally down to the staff at Notley. The waiters and waitresses were the most professional young people I have ever come across and this was commented on by all of our guests.I would absolutely recommend Notley Abbey to anyone that was considering this venue. The venue, the staff, the food absolutely every detail exceeded all my expectations.I would like to say a special thank you to:Day manager – Philippa & JessWedding Manager – LisaNight – KerryWedding Planning manager – AnnWaitress – KateBut from the bottom of my heart thank you to every single person that we encountered during our wedding journey.The new Mr and Mrs Finnigan x

The headline: we had a fabulous wedding at Notley Abbey: the day passed almost without a hitch, and the staff and venue were superb. We’d recommend the company and the venue.First, we were allowed to change the date twice, ultimately delaying over a year to allow a full cohort of guests, following Covid restrictions. This was a hassle-free process, and one we were grateful for. Given some of the negative press around Bijou, it’s worth making quite clear that they treated us very well: we paid the originally agreed amount (no more was ever asked for), had our wedding transferred to the same day of the week, at the same time of year. We can’t comment on others’ experiences, but we found them flexible and wholly fair.Next, the venue really is stunning, and having sole use of it really does make for a special occasion. Notley is genuinely beautiful, and (from a practical perspective) very well set-up for these occasions. Everything was arranged/set-out as agreed, and we felt that the team were genuinely engaged in ensuring we had a wonderful day. In terms of the details, we were pleased with the food and wine, which we felt to be of good quality, and several guests commented positively to the same effect. Likewise, the service we received from staff during the day was exemplary: highly efficient but unobtrusive, with any small hiccoughs being quickly and discreetly dealt with.There were one or two very minor complaints: prior to the wedding, despite having the details of all the relevant contractors, the planning team insisted on contacting us for information rather than going direct, and there was a slight air of fussiness around some minor details (for example, on the day the manager was clearly a smidge put out at being asked if the bar could be opened early).It should be noted the above were very small things indeed, and we were very happy with our wedding. We would like to pass on our thanks to Notley for a superb wedding day.

To all of you at Notley Abbey,On behalf of both of us, thank you all so much!! We had the most amazing day, it was just perfect. Everything we wanted and more. You truly made our day and the whole team were amazing!Every member of staff went above and beyond for us on the day, making it as smooth as possible. In particular, Rachel and Julie were brilliant in managing the day and making sure we were looked after.Wish we could do it all again.Abigail and Callum

The Team at Notley Abbey were perfect in the run up to our wedding. They looked after every little detail - including bespoke Peruvian cocktails - and made sure everything ran perfectly on the day. The service was impeccable throughout. We sre so pleased we chose them for our venue, would highly recommend.

Notley Abbey was our absolute dream venue- it is truly a stunning building.The whole process of booking our day through to the actual day itself was seamless. The team at Notley Abbey are incredibly helpful and professional, making it very easy for you to organise your perfect day.The only downfall for us, was that sometimes they didn't allow small things to slide which I feel would've made our day that little bit extra special and not just like another client.That said, the wedding day could not have gone any smoother and we really did have the best day of our lives :)

As a wedding photographer, I’ve worked at many venues, but Notley Abbey is hands down one of my favourites. This place is seriously gorgeous and there’s so much inspiration in the architecture and gardens, for both documentary and posed photos. Your pictures will have a real sense of place here. The only challenge (but one I love!) is trying to do justice to so many fantastic features in just one day! And if it’s wet, the interior gets up a thumbs up from me! There’s plenty of space and window light inside for group photos and portraits. The team there is absolutely amazing too, so friendly and welcoming. They really know how to make a wedding photographer's job easy. If you're looking for a wedding venue that’ll give you some great photo opportunities, I couldn't recommend Notley more highly - it's an absolute gem!

Our experience at Notley Abbey was overall amazing! The team were quite flexible with having to change our date 3x, we got married in April 21 in a small ceremony there and then had our wedding celebration in August 22 at the Abbey too.The team were brilliant in the build up and on the day and we are really happy to have had our celebrations at Notley Abbey.We had to chase a bit to get our refund and any drinks not consumed money back but communication has always been prompt and the wedding planner is a brilliant tool to have.Overall we would recommend Notley to any couple looking to tie the knot.Frances and Lee Sturgess

If you want the perfect wedding that runs smoothly and leaves all your guests jealous they didn’t get married there…then book Notley Abbey! My partner and I got married in Notley Abbey on the 10th December 2022. Everything from the day we booked the venue to now has gone smoothly with great communication. Before the day, we had meetings, online planner and were able to book to go and see the venue when available. Nothing was ever too much for the staff! On the day, the team were beyond our expectations. They made us feel calm, made sure everything went well and on time and took all the worries away. Not just a beautiful wedding venue but the best team you could ask for!

We married at Notley Abbey in June 2022 and could not fault it!We were initially due to be married in June 2021, but due to COVID we had to postpone (we took a date in Sept 2021, and then had to move to June 2022) this was never a problem for Notley at what could have been a very stressful time for us.The venue is absolutely stunning, we were blessed with the weather and able to enjoy all of the outside space. Our friends and family all complimented the venue, from the incredible driveway, to the gorgeous Monks' Refectory. The food was all delicious (and the tasting evening made it very difficult to choose!) and the staff were faultless. Lots of family complimented the professionalism of the staff. Nothing was too much trouble; the online planner is a dream, and we received answers in a timely manner to all of our questions (a special thank you to Anne for answering all my questions - and there were lots!) We honestly had the best day, thank you so much!!