Why do so many people get married at stately homes?

Haha, I was in white and we announced my pregnancy in the wedding speeches. No pretence of being a virgin there! Also, got married in castle grounds, and again I was pretending to be a princess.

Some hotels may look like stately homes but not many I'd guess.
Stately homes, as others have said, have the beauty, the architecture, the grandeur, the location, the views, the beautiful established gardens, that some people want for their wedding, what's your problem with that?

I'd actually rather give the money to an aristocrat who has branched out into weddings to help finance the upkeep of their stately home, which is usually listed and of national historical importance, than to some consortium running a chain of hotels, likely with foreign investors.

I wouldn't for one second think an aristocrat is "lording it" over me. I met plenty of them in my former career and not one ever made me feel any less than them, even when I was in a very junior position. The same cannot be said for many "self-made" people who became extremely rich without hereditary wealth.

Maybe because the ‘aristocracy’ have often inherited a responsibility for land, property and employees, and a wedding business helps to keep everything running.

This thread really has brought all the bitter and stupid to the yard, I must say.

you sound jealous that you cant' afford a stately home more than anything else 😂

I'd love to know your take on luxury hotels in luxury resorts.

We looked at one a friend had used, the cost was huge.
We decided on a former prison with the reception at our local pub. Food was far superior.

for me it was slightly cheaper than church and hotel function room. I didn't need a car I got ready there. people loved it as no travelling between church and reception. plus as someone else said above food was devine.the hotel did everything food flowers for ceremony and table table setting and table plan. I didn't have to arrange any of that. what I loved about mine too and my older relatives said it to me after the band was in a separate room to the bar there was seating in the bar so anyone that wanted to dance could (most did) but others like older relatives could sit donw and have a chat and drinks with out shouting over the band.

My wedding was in a church hall 🤣 but that's my point all that stately home business is pretending to be something you're not. It might be "nice" in the photos, but it seems a strange way to start a marriage, to me.

Aspirational. One day when they can pretend to a lifestyle they will never afford.

Gosh, can you fit 100 people in your house? I can’t in mine! And my garden’s a bit of a shit tip.

Yes Pippa Middleton, isn't it lovely when you can marry in mummy's backgarden.

I've wondered this too. I think weddings at home are lovely, at your home (yoir parents' home), but I don't see why you'd borrow someone else home to pay house for the day.

Where else would you get married?

A hotel? Cost a fortune if you want to book for exclusive use.
A converted barn? It's great, but you can't find them at every corner.
Your back garden? Most people haven't got the space.
A sport hall or club? They don't offer catering facilities and are not always available for a full weekend booking.

Nothing wrong with stately homes

Because they look nice on the photos, and there is no religious obligation. Much more honest than getting married in church simply for the sake of the photos.

And I went to a stately home wedding a couple of years ago and the food was fantastic; best I've ever had at a wedding.

Venues like this weren't an option when I got married back in the stone age, but I would certainly have considered them, if allowed. It's important that we support these amazing buildings, and none of the families can afford to run them without these events. You'd be happy for us to lose Chatsworth or Blenheim would you, OP? Because many of us certainly would not be.

As a fully functioning adult, you cannot understand that other people like different things to you?

I was going to say, they want a registered wedding venue that's big enough to hold a lot of people and isn't a scabby old register office 😁

Is anyone thinking about the inconvenience of religion these days? Not a lot

They are picturesque and offer a complete package big enough to cater for large numbers, all in the same venue and often with accommodation attached. I don't think it goes any deeper than that. Loads are no longer owned by the aristocracy either.

In your day, though, people still had wedding receptions. People who got married in a church didn't just set up a buffet and a disco by the font.

The best thing any Tory MP probably ever did was the law to allow non-religious premises to hold weddings (it was Gyles Brandreth). People who are of no faith or agnostic, or even those who rarely attend, being honest instead of almost faking their religion.

Because they have a lot of guests to fit in and don't want to get married in a conference centre?

Photos, innit.

why do you think?

If you don't like them, get married elsewhere, no one cares.

I doubt anyone has pretended this about 1950.

Because so many people get married at stately homes. And so it does on…