We’re now in August, the height of the wedding season. Whether you’re working weddings, or lucky enough to be a guest – there will always be an element of stress or panic. Maybe a supplier is running late, it feels like this drinks reception is going on for hours, or even it’s just the summer heat combined with the large guestlist that feels so draining. The hustle and the bustle of large weddings can be daunting for many people, including the couples themselves!
So why not think about a slow wedding for your day? “Slow Weddings” are a new concept and have plenty of different interpretations. It could mean stretching your planning time to over a year (so you can space out your organising with much less stress), creating meaningful experiences instead of extravagant displays (thinking about what you want as opposed to what friends and family have done), being mindful of environmental waste, or opting to keep the day to a few close-knit people.
At the Bodleian, we have plenty of options for couples who are thinking about a much smaller, intimate wedding. So please do read on below, and hopefully you’ll consider creating a slow wedding for your big day.
Ceremony & Receptions
For couples who are keen to keep all their celebrations under one roof, we have two different options for you. We have our Small Ceremony & Lunch hire, as well as the Small Ceremony & Evening Meal. Our Small Weddings are for weddings with guest lists no larger 50, so ideal for couples looking for a more personal wedding, surrounded by their closest family and friends. Both ceremony & reception hires use the exact same spaces, so let’s discuss those first.
You’ll be married in the Convocation House, a room dating from the 1600s, adorned with period beauty, such as fan ceilings and a regal wooden interior. The Convocation House was used by both King Charles I and his son Charles II in the 1600s, so we are not exaggerating about its royal connections! The wooden benches which your guests will sit on also date from this time, meaning that you all get to sit on a little piece of history.
For your drinks reception, if the weather is clear and warm, we can section off a part of the quadrangle in between the Divinity School and the Sheldonian Theatre so you and you guests can soak up the sun. This spot is encased in gorgeous golden stone, with the highlight being our Wren Door, making it ideal to grab group photographs whilst you enjoy some fizz and canapes. If you choose a winter date (or perhaps the weather isn’t as amiable), you can always have your drinks reception in the Divinity School, so you have a guaranteed wet weather option.
Let’s continue to onto the Wedding Breakfast, which is within the Divinity School. This room is filled with historic stone features; it was built all the way back in the 1400s and was originally used for teaching religious studies at the University (this is why it’s often compared to an old Church). With its wide clear windows and light stone interior, it’s ideal for a small summer wedding, letting in plenty of natural light without getting too warm. Likewise, in the winter we do have heating come up through the Victorian grates in the floor, to keep you nice and warm in the colder months. In those long, dark days uplighters can be used to illuminate the room in any colour you wish, creating a magical effect in the space.
All catering and furniture hire is handled by our catering partners Oxford Fine Dining, who work closely with local suppliers to create an incredible Wedding Breakfast for you and your guests to savour the occasion. They specialise in creating seasonal menus, as well as catering for vegetarians and vegans, and an environmentally conscious menu too. Ideal for couples looking to reduce the environmental impact of their wedding. We do highly recommend getting in touch with Oxford Fine Dining directly to generate a quote for your big day.
Ceremony
At the Bodleian, we have many couples who choose us to have their wedding ceremony but will pick a reception venue of their choice. Quite often, it’s a countryside barn or one of Oxfordshire’s historic pubs, creating a relaxed atmosphere. We love working with couples to create their big day, even if they depart to another venue for the evening. We’ve already discussed the Convocation House earlier in this journal post, so let’s discuss a Divinity School ceremony.
There are two key differences between a Convocation House ceremony and a Divinity School ceremony. Firstly, the hire times. As the Divinity School is a much bigger space, we do require more set up and pack down time than what is required with the Convocation House. This is why for ceremonies in these spaces we require a minimum hire time of 3 hours for the Convocation House, and 4 hours for the Divinity School. Also for the Divinity School, we require our couples to hire in chairs for their guests. Unlike the Convocation House, which has seating in-situ. Thankfully, we work with a fantastic chair hire supplier who we will put you in contact with when you book.
For your ceremony, you can choose to have a legal wedding which will be officiated by registrars (please note, we require couples book their registrars separately) or you can pick a celebrant to run your ceremony. Many couples who choose celebrants have had the legal wedding take place at the registry office beforehand, and for their family and friends, can choose a more relaxed and personable ceremony.
The beauty of celebrants is that anyone can be one! Often couples pick a close friend or family member, even sometimes a religious leader. If you’re stuck for ideas, do take a look at our recommended celebrants.
Elopements
Following on from celebrant-led ceremonies, let’s talk about elopements at the Bodleian Libraries. These are somehow even smaller than our Small Weddings that we offer! If you’re thinking of a truly secluded ceremony, we can offer the use of the Duke Humfrey’s Library for up to 20 guests. As this part of the Bodleian Libraries doesn’t have a marriage license, we are unable to hold legal ceremonies in this space. But what a treat for your chosen celebrant to marry a couple in this Library!
The original middle section of the Duke Humfrey’s Library is about as old as the Divinity School, and its construction started in the 1400s. The namesake of the space was Duke Humfrey of Gloucester, who we wrote a bit about in a previous journal post. But it was Thomas Bodley who paid for the Duke Humfrey’s Library to be re-started, including the bookshelves and stunning ceiling decorations. The Bodleian Library grew from this original room, so you would be marrying right in the heart of its history.
As the Duke Humfrey’s Library is a very active study space for students and academics, we can only organise our elopements when the space is closed for study. Likewise, due to the ancient books in the Duke Humfrey’s Library, we would be unable to allow any florals or food/drink to be consumed.
Coming to the end of this journal post, we hope you have taken some inspiration or maybe even fully inspired to create a “slow wedding” for your own big day. If you’re looking to be more environmentally friendly for your wedding, we have written about our top tips here. Or if you’re thinking of being a bit unconventional, have a read of our celebration of non-white wedding dresses.
The whole Bodleian Weddings Team wishes you the best and see you next time!
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