Booking the Bodleian
So you’ve just got engaged, congratulations! Enjoy the golden buzz which fills your days, relax in the calm before the wedding planning starts…
It can be hard to know the timeline of booking your venue – when do you pay a deposit, how much do you need to contact them in the run up, etc. We have a compiled a simple step-by-step which guides you through the process of booking the Bodleian, from interest stage all the way to the big day!
You’ve found us! Drop us a line
Was it Instagram? Are you alumni? Did you in fact attend a wedding at the Bodleian and fancied a taste of the dreaming spires for yourself?
However you found us, there is lots of information about our venue out there: check out our Instagram to see if it matches your dream day, read our website for information about our rooms and packages and if we have sparked your interest please email us at weddings@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. This is our main communication channel for weddings, and when you email us, we will send back our package options, prices, & other handy information. We are always more than happy to tailor packages or timings to suit your needs, just drop us an email or pick up the phone!
Show rounds
We always love showing couples round the venue, firstly so we can put faces to names and secondly so we can watch couples fall even more deeply in love with the venue! We will show all the spaces we have for hire and talk you through our wedding packages – it offers the perfect opportunity for you to ask all your questions, visualise yourself in the space and get to know us as a team. We can do show rounds on weekdays or weekends,
Please note a show round is not necessary for booking.
Reservation Form
You’ve fallen in love with the Bodleian, and your ideal date is available – fill in the reservation form! This form does not oblige you to anything, but it allows you to reserve dates so you don’t lose out on your dream date. You can always reserve more than one date if you are still undecided.
Book the registrars
If you want to hold a civil ceremony at the Bodleian, we always recommend contacting the Oxford Registry Office at this stage. We require proof of your registrar booking before we will issue your contract, just to avoid any problems – nothing worse than booking your ceremony venue but then the registrars aren’t available! This can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month to be confirmed, so we recommend emailing them as soon as you have settled on a date, time & location for your ceremony.
Contract time
Once you are certain that you are happy with the date and timings of your Bodleian wedding, we will draw up your venue contract and send it over. Once you return a signed copy, you have officially booked your wedding venue! You will receive an invoice for the 50% deposit shortly after returning your contract.
It’s in your hands!
It’s now up to you to create the wedding of your dreams – the power is in your hands! You should reach out to and book the suppliers who are going to make your wedding day unique and fantastic. We will happily offer advice on any planning aspects and can liaise with suppliers about matters regarding the venue. We have put on hundreds of weddings, so if you need a bit of experiential advice, we are happy to help!
2 months to go
We will contact you 2 months before your wedding to organise your details meeting. In this meeting, we gather all the details we need to run your perfect wedding day, and often it provides couples with a few action points to guide them through the final few weeks before the wedding. The details meeting is also the perfect opportunity for you to visit the venue again (but we can do them over Zoom as well!)
You will also receive the invoice for your balance 1 month before the wedding.
The Big Day
On your wedding day, the Bodleian wedding team will be on site from the beginning of your venue hire to make sure the day runs smoothly, offer a supportive hand squeeze before you walk down the aisle and ensure you and your guests enjoy your special day. This is always our favourite moment – seeing your hard work pay off in a beautiful celebration of your love!
So there it is, months of work boiled down into a few simple steps! We hope this helps you understand the process of booking your wedding and explains our roles along the way. If you would like to book your wedding at the Bodleian, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with weddings@bodleian.ox.ac.uk .