Workcations: the new trend of mixing business and pleasure
Escape to Butley Abbey Farmhouse for a glorious week of co-working with your business besties
Unless you were self-employed or a freelancer, working from home (WFH) was always a luxury only afforded to those with special circumstances but, since the advent of Covid-19, remote or hybrid working is now so commonplace jobseekers expect flexible working to be part of their terms.
In recent studies, over 90% of homeworkers said they enjoyed working from home, whilst flexible work environments is one of the top three reasons why people look for new jobs. If you’ve done it you’ll understand the perks: no morning commute, comfortable surroundings and decent coffee on tap.
London residents reported the highest levels of hybrid working across Great Britain, with 4 in 10 workers both working from home and travelling to work. Source: Characteristics of homeworkers, Office for National Statistics
But, the grass isn’t always greener in your own back yard. Homeworkers report feelings of isolation and loneliness without regular face-to-face contact with colleagues. Motivation, creativity and focus can all take a hit and that creeping feeling that you’re ‘always on’ affects our mental health, often leading to burn-out. The boundary between home and office disappears and you find yourself eating, sleeping and working in the same few square feet, 24/7.
So what to do? Can we have our proverbial homemade cake and eat it?
At Butley Priory we’ve created the perfect solution and yes, if cake is a requirement, we can provide it. Our luxurious Suffolk holiday home is available to a gathering of hybrid workers to re-group, relax, reset and rejuvenate for as long as they need.
Butley Abbey Farmhouse is just one of four charming properties on the Butley Priory estate; a Georgian farmhouse which overlooks a large garden, tennis court and croquet lawn, with fields and woodlands beyond. Notable for its peaceful surroundings and spacious, country house interiors, Butley Abbey Farmhouse provides super-fast broadband, private desk space and all the comforts of home, so you can keep business ticking over whilst your batteries recharge.
Stays can be from a few days midweek to a fortnight or more. Suitable for groups of 12 to 24 people, how does co-working with your business besties from Monday to Friday sound? Brings a whole new meaning to ‘out-of-office’ doesn’t it?
Whether it’s you and a few WFH friends, colleagues from your network or a more structured corporate teambuilding event, we can design a workcation to suit.
And did we mention Suffolk’s excellent reputation for food? Fast becoming known as the foodie county, Butley Abbey Farmhouse sits in the heart of a Suffolk foodie paradise, with artisan bakeries, cheesemakers, fresh seafood, hand-crafted gin and award- winning ales. Head over to this blog post and check out the artisan producers on your doorstep.
If you feel the need to cook, there’s a fully equipped farmhouse kitchen and dining table to seat all 24 of you. We can recommend private chefs and caterers for the ultimate in-house dining experience, but with some of Suffolk’s best pubs and restaurants close by, it’s a great reason to go exploring.
With a range of activities, spa treatments or endless hours of blissful nothing on offer, the advantages of a workcation are undeniable. After all, nobody ever said working from home had to be YOUR home, did they?
To enquire about Workcations or Corporate Away-Days at Butley Abbey Farmhouse, contact the Events Team on 01394 450046 or send an enquiry
How to create a Wedding Day Timeline
How to create a relaxed Wedding Day timeline, paced to perfection…
Tips on pacing your big day to perfection…
Everyone says it, your wedding day will pass by in a flash. But with careful planning and a well-advised timeline, you can make time to ‘be in the moment’ and soak it all in, without worrying about what’s happening next.
Relaxed brides and grooms are a top priority for the team at Suffolk wedding venue, Butley Priory. That’s why our first planning meeting is spent establishing that all-important timeline - and here’s where you’ll tell us all your ideas.
We’ve helped couples bring all kinds of ideas to fruition. From ring-bearing pups to exchanging vows over Baby Guinness shots.
Every wedding is unique and each couple has different priorities, but most follow a similar format with four distinct parts:
1. Pre-ceremony
2. Ceremony
3. Drinks & dinner
4. Evening
Here’s how to plan your wedding day timeline
Set a time for your wedding ceremony
Let’s start things off with your ceremony time. From here, you can work backwards and then forwards to create a timeline for the rest of the day. When thinking about a time for your wedding ceremony you should consider things like good daylight for photos, restrictions within the venue, having enough time for the wedding party to get ready etc.
Allocate minutes to each part of the day
To do this, we need to be clear on how long each part of the wedding day takes. Creating a minute-by-minute schedule isn’t going to be helpful, but you’ll want to know approximately how long each part takes. The below timings give an idea, based on our experience.
3. For a church wedding, plan how to get from the ceremony to the reception venue
However long you think it will take, double it. Moving guests from A to B always takes longer than planned!
Talk to your photographer about allocating time for some formal photos at the church before setting off for the venue.
Let’s put it into practice, here is a sample timeline:
Let’s put it into practice, here is a sample timeline:
1:00pm - ceremony
1:30pm - confetti line
1:45pm - service of drinks & canapes
3:30pm - call for dinner
(Here, we include 15 mins for guests to move from A to B)
3:45pm - service of wedding breakfast
5:45pm - speeches
6:15pm - socialising
7:00pm - cutting the cake followed by the first dance
4. Plan your evening reception
For the evening reception, you’ll be pleased to know there aren’t too many timings to think about. This is part of the wedding day where you can truly let your hair down!
6:15pm - Socialising and cocktails
6:45pm - DJ/Band plays background music
7:00pm - Evening guests arrive
7:30pm - Cake cutting, straight into first dance & band plays first set
9:00pm - Evening food
10:00pm - Band second set
11:45pm - Sparkler exit
Midnight - Carriages
5. Tell everybody else the plan…
Now that you have your timings organised from the ceremony through to the end of the night, let other key members of your wedding party and suppliers know what’s happening and when. This will save endless questions on the day itself and it will help others to feel prepared and ready to celebrate your day!
Butley Priory is an enchanting wedding venue set in the Suffolk countryside, just two hours from London, UK. Hosting a varied style of wedding, from romantic elopements, to intimate weddings and lavish marquee weddings, our team will ensure your wedding day is fabulous from start to finish!
To find out more about hosting your wedding at Butley Priory, contact the team!
With thanks, Photography Credits:
Joasis Photography, Laura Williams Photography, McGivern Photography, Irene Yap Weddings, Images by Anna, Emily & Steve
February News; Charity Bridge, History talks and our first wedding of 2023
Surprisingly, February has been a bit of a whirlwind month, busily preparing the venue and gardens for our first few weddings of 2023 and we’re making use of this relatively quieter time to make sure all the larger-scale jobs are completed.
The daffodils and crocus have been slowly making an appearance over the last couple of weeks, finally a little bit of colour to say that Spring is definitely on its way. We’ve had the most spectacular display of snowdrops over in the woods to the East of the Priory, it really is something to behold and so pretty in the sunshine.
There’s plenty of ongoing work in the gardens, both at the Priory and Farmhouse where Baz, Gordon and Nigel have been mulching, scarifying and tidying. The nearby woods have been given a blast of daylight, with some much-needed tree felling.
As a result of the felling, it has created an aesthetically-pleasing display of stacked logs, much to the various wedding photographers’ delight – perfect, rustic background material for our newly-weds!
Early February saw the exciting launch of our new website, which we’re very pleased with. Enquiring couples can now easily book a viewing with us at the click of a button. There’s lots more information available about the different services we offer, from formal dinners to marquee weddings, holiday stays and….Seasonal Suppers
…which leads me nicely into telling you that it’s only one week to go until our first Seasonal Supper takes place on Saturday 11th March. There are just a handful of tickets left, so if you like the idea of dining somewhere ‘a little different’ and enjoying a delicious supper of locally sourced produce, then this is the ideal Saturday night for you! Tickets are priced at £65 each and can be purchased online here.
Over to our first wedding of 2023, this was for the lovely Suzannah and Gary who gathered 23 of their closest family and friends for a small, intimate wedding here at Butley Priory. The day began with a civil ceremony in the Great Hall, followed by drinks and delicious canapes in the Drawing room – all while we discreetly transformed the hall for their wedding breakfast.
Suzannah and Gary chose a fabulous display of twigs, foliage and fairy lights for the main mantelpiece, with sage green runners for the tables, creating a very natural, countryside-inspired theme.
After the wedding breakfast, guests enjoyed drinks from the Pilgrims bar, while listening to sounds from My Big Fat Wedding Disco.
Later in the month, it was followed with a much gentler affair, this being our annual charity Bridge fundraiser for Home-Start in Suffolk raising an incredible £1,670. Around 55 guests joined us for an afternoon of bridge with delicious tea & cake. Our housekeeper Kimmy did a fine job of keeping everyone replenished and took on the task of selling out the raffle tickets. Some fabulous prizes to be had, kindly donated by Hilton Macarons, Snape Maltings, Pinney’s of Orford, Orford General Store and The Crown & Castle Hotel. We thank them for their kindness and generosity.
As we head into March, there will be a series of talks from local historians and archaeologists in support of Orford Museum. These take place from 16-19 March at Butley Priory starting with Jack Cooke, who talks about his latest book The End of the Road – a journey around Britain in a dilapidated hearse to unearth some of the quirkiest graves, tombs and burial sites that Britain has to offer.
Suffolk county Archaeologist, Edward Martin, leads a talk on the Bronze Age in Suffolk, Angela Care Evans explores the historical significance of the discovery of Sutton Hoo and Professor Mark Bailey discusses the impact of the Black Death in Suffolk in the 1330’s…plus many more interesting talks on offer. Tickets are from £12 and you can find out more info here.
Suffolk Sandlands welcomes its first cohort of guests in March for some metal detecting & treasure-hunting. There are five tours taking place across this year, which are all filling up rather nicely. As before, our guests will enjoy relaxing at Butley Abbey Farmhouse following a day spent in the field. Hosts Andy and John are raring to go again, and we await to see what will be unearthed!
Excitingly, there are a few photography shoots taking place. First up, we’re looking forward to welcoming back Lacuna Child for their children’s-wear photo shoot. The Priory will then be transformed as it becomes the chosen venue for a styled wedding shoot which we can’t wait to see…and finally, the team will be front of camera for some new portraits for the website. You’ll finally be able to put a face to a name. Lights, camera….action!
See you in March!
January News; Christmas wreaths, Making Plans & our last Winter wedding
A very happy new year to you.
January is always a great incentive to make plans for the year ahead, to set goals and create wish lists. Have you got anything special planned for 2023?
Here at Butley Priory, we’re using the next few weeks to get our ducks in a row for another busy year ahead before our first wedding of the year takes place in February.
Before we look ahead, we’d just like to transport you back to December to highlight what a fabulous day we had for our very first wreath making course. Hosted by Lucy from Hall Lane Flowers, our guests were treated to coffee on arrival, before they got busy creating some wonderfully unique wreaths. Whilst they were all using the same materials, we were treated to an array of different styles.
Our last wedding of 2022 for Hannah & Joel was an absolute cracker. Possibly one of the coldest and foggiest days of the year, we saw night-time temperatures of -6. With a tipi involved, we had concerns…but I’m pleased to say that with the correct heating and a lovely fire pit, it was very warm and toasty inside.
Hannah & Joel opted for a church wedding, followed by drinks & mulled cider in the Tipi. Dinner was hosted in the Great Hall with candlelight, with cake-cutting & speeches back inside the Tipi. Their final destination was to return to the Great Hall for drinks & dancing. A wonderful day enjoyed by all!
So, now onto January, and it has already proved to be a productive one. We’ve arranged to have the ground floor of the Great Hall and Drawing Room at Butley Priory sanded and re-painted, ready for the wedding season to begin. It’s already looking amazing, and we can’t wait to show you the results once it’s all finished.
To round off the year, we treated our Events team to a Christmas party night at Wherstead Park. We had such a great night, with lots of laughter – so lovely to be on the receiving end of good hospitality and a great opportunity to let our hair down after a busy year!
Christmas and New Year saw an abundance of excited, newly engaged couples. It’s the most popular time for engagements with around 40% of engagements in any one year, happening between Christmas Eve and Valentines Day. Our inbox has been overflowing with wedding enquiries and we’ve got a busy few weekends ahead filling up with viewings. On Saturday 21 January, we’ll be hosting a special Viewing Day, where the full events team will be on hand to discuss wedding plans and to show couples around the Priory, Cottage and Farmhouse.
We’d love to know what you have planned for 2023!
December News; Wedding Planners, Birthday celebrations and a November Wedding
Typically, November is a quieter month in the wedding venue calendar, however it’s felt anything but quiet these last few weeks and as we charge ahead into December with all its festive celebrations, it looks like the team will be run off their feet right to the end!
First, let us take you back to our Wedding Planner Retreat that took place last month. We invited a group of 12 wedding planners from East Anglia, London & the Home Counties to experience lunch, dinner and an overnight stay at Butley Priory.
The weather wasn’t kind at all, but only served to make the Priory feel even more cosy with the fires crackling away and the warm candlelight glow.
We started with an informal canape lunch, (because who doesn’t love canapes?) followed by a tour of the Priory, cottage and farmhouse, where we made ourselves cosy in front of the sitting room fire for tea and pretty, pastel macarons from Hilton Macarons.
To keep everyone amused, we then got busy with a cocktail making masterclass from the fabulous guys at The Bar District. Cosmopolitans, Gin Gardens and Amaretto Sours were the order of the day, with some competitive challenges thrown in for good measure!
After a little turnaround, the Great Hall was transformed for dinner with a long banqueting table complete with beautiful florals from Tudor Rose and divine tableware from Party Squared. Naturally, Peter Harrison was put in charge of catering and created an exquisite four course tasting menu using the finest local produce.
And so to bed with an early start the next morning for a Pilates class with Kelly Steventon. A gentle stretch and deep breaths to ease us all into the day and to set us up for a healthy breakfast back at the Farmhouse, before saying our goodbyes.
Late November saw the first of our festive holiday stays at Butley Abbey Farmhouse, with the arrival of some lovely guests who stay with us each year to enjoy a Christmas together before the big event in December…equipped with trees, decorations and all the gastronomic delights, the family enjoyed a wonderful stay.
“Thank you so much for letting us use this gorgeous home to create Dec 25th in November. So many lovely memories made this year, excited already to come back next year. Always special to find a house that holds our ever-growing family. Thanks again!!”
Speaking of Christmas, we’re all looking forward to settling down to watch the BBC’s The Detectorists Christmas special starring Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones which we saw them filming, in and around Framlingham over the Summer. Look out for Nigel Richardson’s (author of The Accidental Detectorist) feature in the Telegraph about metal detecting, which includes our Suffolk Sandlands tours.
Onto other celebrations and this time, it was for our very own Nigel & Daniela, who both enjoyed November birthday cake and balloons in the Events Office – Happy Birthday you two!
We hosted a delightful gathering, with mulled wine for around 60 guests for the Friends of Orford Museum talk with Gary Battell. Gary is the Woodland Advisor at Suffolk County Council and did a wonderful talk about the tress and woodlands of Suffolk, which will be followed up with a walk, through Staverton Thicks in the new year.
Lastly, we take a look back at Gigi & Tom’s gorgeous November wedding. Much to everyone’s surprise we had the mildest November day which meant guests were able to enjoy the garden late into the evening, with use of a ‘chill-out’ marquee filled with comfy chairs and a Football table!
As we fast track towards the end of the year, we’re looking forward to our final wedding of the year, our team Christmas party in the Great Hall and to welcoming two more lovely families who have chosen to spend their Christmas in Butley Abbey Farmhouse and Butley Priory.
We’d like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a bright and beautiful 2023!
November News; Photo Shoots, Autumn weddings & Festive Wreaths
It has to be said that the Butley Priory Events team (made up of myself, Daniela and Libby) are looking forward to a slightly quieter November with just a handful of weddings, after what has been an extremely busy Summer!
That said, we’ll be using this time to schedule in some project work and our Winter maintenance jobs including the installation of some new outdoor lighting between the Priory and the Farmhouse, which means our guests can navigate the track late at night more safely. We’re also midway through plans to host an event for a small group of wedding industry folk later this month, which we’re very excited about. You’ll be able to hear all about it in next month’s post.
October saw the launch of our Festive Wreath Making workshop which is taking place on Wednesday 7th December with two sessions in place for morning and afternoon. Tickets are selling well and we’re looking forward to welcoming our guests who’ll be greeted on arrival with a glass of fizz and a homemade mince pie.
We’ve teamed up with Lucy from Hall Lane Flowers, a local eco-florist & grower who offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to wreath-making. Lucy will be providing everything you need to create a beautiful wreath for your front door this Christmas. The Events team are 100% on board the Christmas train, so the tunes will be ringing loudly and there’s currently talk of festive jumpers…
Tickets are £75 per person, to include refreshments and a self-guided tour of Butley Priory. To book your place, head straight to our website.
Speaking of flowers…
Recently, we welcomed the lovely Emma Powell from Thea Lily Loves to Butley Priory for her self-styled photo shoot with photographer, Emily Fae. A joyful afternoon saw the Great Hall bedecked in splendid array of bright autumn colours. We look forward to seeing the fruits of their labour. Here’s just a few from the shoot.
Meanwhile, there has been great discussion in the office over what to wear for the Event team’s Christmas party. Our loyal, core team of bar managers, evening supervisors and glass collectors have been a wonderful support to us this year, working well into the wee hours and always with a smile, we look forward to treating them to a festive feast in December!
Looking ahead, we’ll be getting creative once again for another wedding styled shoot from Evie at Naya Bridal. We’ve already seen the mood board and there’s some incredibly talented wedding suppliers taking part – we’re looking forward to meeting some new faces and saying hello to some familiar ones too.
Some striking images from Emma and Aaron’s autumn wedding have just landed in our inbox and we couldn’t resist sharing them with you. Emma, a senior graphic designer, created a rich and vibrant terracotta colour scheme for their marquee wedding at Butley Priory last month, it was the perfect choice to celebrate the Autumn season and we loved the unusual collection of succulents used on the tables. All beautifully captured by Laura Williams Weddings
Later in November, the Friends of Orford Museum will be hosting a talk at Butley Priory on Tuesday, 29 November 2022 at 6.00pm.
Gary Battell, Woodland Advisor at Suffolk County Council, will talk about the trees and woodlands of Suffolk. There will be a follow-up walk through Staverton Thicks in the New Year which is included in the talk ticket price. The date for this will be subject to the weather and will be confirmed at a later date. Numbers will be limited to 60.
‘a famous and awesome place of Tolkienesque wonder and beauty’ and ‘one of the best-preserved uncompartmented medieval parks.’
Oliver Rackham, The History of the Countryside, 1986 Price: £15.00 for Friends of the Museum, £20 for non-Friends
Payment by cheque or bank transfer. Please email info@orfordmuseum.org.uk to book.
Come and enjoy a fascinating evening with mulled wine and log fires in a wonderful location.
Finally, we hosted a surprise visit for 15 year-old Aimee, whose dad secretly got in touch to ask if she could visit to have her photo taken outside the Priory with her brand new Arctic Monkey’s vinyl album ‘The Car’ (released on October 21st).
Well, we thought we could do better than that and invited them inside for a peek into the Great Hall, where band members had previously recorded tracks for the album in the Summer of 2021. Aimee is only now discovering the joy of vinyl records and dad says he’s very happy to have earned a good stash of ‘brownie points’ because of the visit. Well done dad!
October News; Marquee Weddings, Metal Detecting and Gargoyles...
With the recent cold snap at the end of September, we were all ready to don our woolly jumpers and winter coats, yet we’ve twirled into October with a gloriously sunny weekend. Our wedding couple, Emma and Aaron, were ecstatic to be enjoying drinks in the garden for their reception – what an Autumnal treat!
Laura Williams Photography
Last month was a busy one for Butley Priory as we welcomed our first and second cohort of guests for the inaugural Suffolk Sandlands Tours. If you have never heard of it, Suffolk Sandlands is the name given to our Luxury Metal Detecting tours where guests enjoy three full days in the field, led by expert hosts Andy & John.
The Farmhouse is a welcome retreat after a long day in the elements and we thank Country Cuisine for providing a delicious feast each evening (and every morning) for our guests. Before dinner, guests are invited to enjoy talks by local historians and archaeologists in the Priory – it’s a real jam-packed few days with some interesting ‘finds’, no gold hoards yet… we’ve had some wonderful feedback, with guests already booking again for next year!
Leading on nicely from metal detecting, it’s just been announced by Suffolk County Council that evidence of a 1400-year-old royal Hall of the first Kings of East Anglia has been discovered in nearby Rendlesham. The foundations of the large and elaborate timber Hall built for the kings, were uncovered by a community archaeological excavation, part of SCC’s Rendlesham Revealed project.
Our locality is certainly rich in history and historical finds, that’s for sure. You can read more on this story here
Credit: Suffolk County Council
Again, keeping to a historical theme, we welcomed a jolly gathering of some 80 guests to the Priory in September. ‘Friends of Orford Museum’, for the relaunch of ‘The Orford Historian’- a bi-annual bulleting on local history edited by Jack Cooke. Valerie Fenwick gave a talk about the history of Butley Priory.
The Orford Museum have plans to use the Priory for regular history talks starting on 29th November, when Gary Battell (Suffolk County Council’s woodland advisor) will be talking about Staverton Thicks and ancient Suffolk forests. Tickets are available through Orford Museum.
We’ve been lucky to see so many wonderful tents and structures for our September weddings, from tipi’s to transparent to stretch tents, we’ve pretty much seen them all. Here’s a few photos of the varying tents, each with their own magical transformation from our couples.
Last week, we erected some scaffolding to survey the upper reaches of the Priory. Thankfully, only a few bits of repair work needed, but it gave us a great opportunity to get up close to this little guy.
As we head full throttle into Autumn and Winter beyond, plans are afoot for a Christmas wreath-making workshop on Wednesday 7th December.
With sustainability at the forefront of our mind, we’ve teamed up with local eco florist & grower, Lucy Spencer, from Hall Lane Flowers. Lucy grows and forages all her own flowers and foliage for you to create a beautiful wreath for your front door this Christmas. No chemicals or floral foam here thank you!
While busily creating your wreath, you’ll enjoy listening to some festive tunes, sipping some fizz and a delicious warm mince pie. Before you know it, you’ll be channelling all the festive feels. And if you’ve always wanted to visit Butley Priory, you’ll have a chance to explore too!
Keep an eye on our website and socials for more details and how to book tickets.
September News; Arctic Monkeys, Quiz Night & Summer Weddings
There’s lots to talk about in this month’s post, and with no apologies, I’m going straight in with the exciting news that Sheffield band, Arctic Monkeys, revealed that their new album ‘The Car’ will be available on October 21st. Nothing extraordinary there, I hear you say…except that this very album was recorded right here at Butley Priory and they’ve kindly shared their choice of recording location with the press. We can’t wait to hear it!
Just as entertaining, was our August team outing to the Oyster Inn, Butley for their weekly pub quiz. If you haven’t been before, it’s well worth a visit. Landlady Jane & her team offer a warm welcome in the surroundings of a traditional Suffolk pub – and they make a cracking pizza too, all from their very own wood-fired oven. Delicious.
Two teams went head-to-head for the battle of the brains; The Monks and The Butley Babes – the latter of which was suggested in a poll on Instagram. Whilst the Babes shone in the music round, it wasn’t enough to outwit The Monks who went on to win first place overall! A re-match is certainly in discussion.
A few weeks ago, we welcomed the delightful residents from Grove Court in Woodbridge to the Priory. On arrival, they were greeted with a delicious light lunch, and fresh figs picked straight from the garden that morning. Nick Raison entertained them with some old favourites from his piano and after lunch, many of them enjoyed a wander around the Priory, finishing with a group photo in the garden. An enjoyable time was had by all.
Naturally, it’s still an extremely busy time for us with holiday guests in Butley Priory Cottage, plus several weddings taking place in the glorious August sunshine. We’ve received some incredible reviews from our clients, here’s just one from David and Sandy…you can read more on our google review page.
“Butley hosted our wedding in August 2022 (after two years of covid delay!).
Donna and team are absolutely brilliant; they struck the perfect balance of being super organised and tending to every detail - but while keeping a very relaxed atmosphere throughout the whole weekend. We had tipis (Events Under Canvas, also brilliant) and lots of different vendors as per most weddings - Donna brought it all together and the whole day went seamlessly, we couldn’t have asked for any more. We booked the farmhouse and cottage too, would highly recommend this as it meant about a 1/3 of our wedding party were on site from Friday - Sunday which added to the relaxed atmosphere throughout the whole weekend (loads of time to get ready, no need to move about). The venue is truly unique, all our guests commented on how beautiful it was - including the farmhouse. Both the priory and farmhouse have great facilities you can use the whole weekend which was perfect for making dinners and breakfasts for the group. Overall we cannot thank Butley and the team under Donna enough for what was an incredible weekend, I wish we could do it all over again!!!”
And we’ve received some incredible images from the pro photographers. Below you’ll find some of our favourites from Jenna & Sonny’s wedding back in July.
Last week, we commissioned some photography of our own from the talented Alexander Parnell, for some updated images of Butley Abbey Farmhouse. We focused on the ground floor reception rooms,The Drawing Room, The Morning Room and The Library (sounds like a game of Cluedo) - lighting log fires on such a hot day wasn’t ideal but needs must to tempt guests to stay for the winter months. We also created an exquisite lunch (or dinner) party to showcase the dining room for those looking for somewhere extra special to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. The breakfast room looked just as inviting, with the table set with bowls of peaches and strawberries, and pastries from Pump Street. We’ll show you the fruits of our labour next month!
I must just show you this flawless little scene of an outdoor rehearsal dinner at Butley Abbey Farmhouse from last Friday evening. Just as the sun was setting, some 30 friends & family of the bride & groom gathered to enjoy oysters and seafood platters in the garden. Just how adorable does this look?
On to September and it’s another busy month for us, with a drinks party for Friends of Orford Museum, lots more weddings and of course, we welcome our first guests for the Suffolk Sandlands Metal Detecting tours, with the second group following later in September. We’re also heading over to Detectival near Cambridge – the UK’s largest metal detecting event - to meet fellow detecting enthusiasts and to promote our 2023 tours. Maybe we’ll see you there?
August News from Butley Priory
Our monthly news blog posts are always a gentle reminder of how quickly each month comes around and I’m always amazed and aghast in equal measure at how time flies so quickly.
August conjures up the long summer break for schools and with it brings a busy influx of holiday guests to Butley Priory Cottage. We’ve had some lovely reviews from guests, and you can check these out on our Airbnb listing. Here’s just one from Tim who stayed with us recently…
Earlier in July, we welcomed a charming group from Earl Stonham WI who visited the Priory for a history talk from Edward Greenwell. It was a beautiful summer evening and they thoroughly enjoyed their visit which was organised through Historic Houses Invitation To View scheme. After their talk, they were given the opportunity to explore the Priory and then return to the Great Hall for tea and biscuits.
If you are part of a club, group or society which organises its own social calendar and your members might enjoy a fascinating talk on the history of Butley Priory, then please do get in touch with our Events team on 01394 450046.
As usual, we’ve been very busy with some amazing weddings here at the Priory. We’ve welcomed an array of different structures on the front lawn, from tipis from Events Under Canvas to clear-span marquees from Miller Marquees. We particularly loved Jenna & Sonny’s wedding, which took place on a beautifully hot day with some cool, stylish wedding planning – it looked amazing.
Then we celebrated with the adorable Dagnija & John, who welcomed some international visitors from Dagnija’s home country, Latvia. They chose to host their ceremony in the Great Hall with drinks in the South Garden before returning inside for a sumptuous wedding breakfast and evening dancing.
Photography: Beth Beresford Photography
Exciting news! We’ve now scheduled all our dates for next year’s Suffolk Sandlands metal detecting tours. We welcomed Kim from Bury & West Suffolk Magazine who wanted to try her hand at the full metal detecting experience. Our host Andy Sampson, was her guide for the afternoon and she thoroughly enjoyed it. As such, no hoards of jewels or coins on this occasion…though we look forward to seeing what our guests will uncover in September.
We have now sold out for spaces on our later tour, but still have some available spots for the tour starting on 5th September. To read more about it, take a look here.
Nigel delighted the events team with a ride in his open top dune buggy. Lovingly restored, coloured bright red and on a really warm day, we took a short drive at lunchtime to view what remains of ‘The Clumps’. For those who are familiar with our street address, the quincuncial 'Clumps' are a group of four beech trees surrounding a single pine tree, planted as an avenue near Butley Priory. It was a lot of fun and not too dissimilar from feeling like you’re inside a tumble drier!
Finally, our long-awaited Team ‘Pizza & Pimms’ night took place on the hottest day of the year so far. It was great to spend an evening relaxing with the team, such a jolly bunch – and the Pimm’s slipped down a treat.
The younger ones enjoyed playing hide & seek inside the Priory and splashing around in the water sprinklers, a dual-purpose effort of watering the garden and keeping them cool at the same time.
Looking ahead to August, we’ll be welcoming the residents of Grove Court in Woodbridge for a visit to the Priory, plenty more romantic weddings, holiday stays and a photo shoot for a childrenswear brand. It’s going to be a busy one!
July News
July News from Butley Priory
We’ve officially passed the halfway mark for the year. Like me, you’re probably wondering how on earth this has happened quite so quickly!
The weather has been kind, with lots of sunshine, meaning the events team now enjoy our lunch under fluffy white clouds. Not quite so favourable for the garden team, as there’s now plenty watering to be done and what has prompted us to consider the creation of a borehole, a sustainable natural water source. It’s a sizeable job and as we’re in full swing with wedding season now, it’s one scheduled for early next year – we’ll keep you posted!
We recently hosted our first outdoor wedding ceremony for Lucy & Adam, the first day of the Jubilee weekend – complete with flypast too – organised especially for the happy couple of course. What a treat. Lucy enjoyed her procession from the entrance at the bottom of the South Garden, to the Priory steps where she joined her groom. All perfectly timed to music and under the bluest of skies.
Suffolk Sandlands is gathering a-pace with a very successful press launch in early June. Journalists from the Daily Mail, writers from Treasure Hunting magazine plus many more, enjoyed a two night stay at Butley Abbey Farmhouse with a full day metal detecting. In the evening, they were treated to a tour of the Priory following an in-depth history talk by local historian Sheila Harrison.
There are two tour dates in September and places are filling up fast! With a limited number of spaces available, we’re keeping the groups small and intimate, allowing plenty of time and space for guests to truly enjoy a peaceful, few days of pacing the fields. Luxury, comfortable bedrooms, and delicious meals provided by our private chef await you at the end of the day. To find out more, click here
We’ve been busy with some beautiful weddings this last month. Jack and Isabel married in Butley Church and returned to a wonderful reception in a sailcloth tent, which looked particularly magical at night with all the fairy lights twinkling away.
The pro photos are just in from Melissa and Michael’s May wedding too, so we’re sharing a few of these with you today. Credit: Images by Anna
Next week we’re looking forward to getting the team together for a Summer Pimms & Pizza night, although Kimmy & Daniela have already decided they’re swapping the Pimm’s to sample some of our Edmund’s Cocktails, which are going down a storm at weddings! Favourites include Expresso Martini’s and Strawberry Daiquiri’s…
Back at Butley Abbey Farmhouse, the pink roses are out in full display and looking spectacular. From the Lupins in June to the roses in July, we can’t wait to see what August brings.
