RUSTIC ROMANCE FORHAPPY COUPLES

HEATHER LARGE VISITS THE OWNERS OF CAMLAD BARNS NEAR BISHOP’S CASTLE WHICH HAVE BEEN CONVERTED INTOAWEDDING AND EVENTS VENUE

With the uncertaintiesof Brexit looming on the horizon, Alex and John Leeke decided it was time to diversify their family farm.

Having successfully hosted afew family weddings, the couple were encouraged to take it astep further by creating adedicated space for happy couples to tie the knot.

They converted an old cow house on their mixed farm, which is nestled in the ShropshireHillsnear Bishop’s Castle, into awedding and events venue.

With barn-style ceremonies and receptions all therage, they couldn’t have chosen abettertime to open Camlad Barns.

And glowing reviews from happy couples has led to thevenue being named among the winners of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2023, which honoured the UK’s mostrecommended wedding vendors.

“It’s been awonderful adventure,” says mother-of-three Alex. “We diversified when we looked to the future for our family.Brexit was coming around the corner and we knew we needed an add-on.

“Wethought about we enjoyed doing. We had done afew family weddings and a local wedding photographer suggested we did it professionally

“Wethought it would be aniceway of life and would complement the farming. We could farm during the week and at the weekends run weddings,” she explains.

They got to work renovating the redundant barn to aluxurious standard with the help of local tradesmen.

It has underfloor heating throughout, catering facilities and asafe and secure courtyard for relaxing in and letting young families play

Hidden behind the barn is alawned terrace and apanoramicvista stretching from the Long Mynd, across theCamlad Valley,tothe distant rolling hills of Mid Wales.

Camlad Barns, which is available for exclusive hire, is afully licensed for up to 100 guests for civil ceremonies and partnerships, blessings and renewals of vows.

Ceremonies can be held in the Main Barn or TheWain House, an openfronted ceremony and party space and guests canalso make use of other facilities.

This includes aposh inside bar known as The Hospital Bar.“So called as when we had poorly animals, they were always housed there, as its close to the house,” explains Alex.

Couples are given free reign to plan the details of their big day such as seating, timings and decorative ideas.

“The idea is that it’sa blank canvas. They can decorate it how they want to. It’s very much their own space. We do not impose anything on them, we want them to use their imagination and creativity to make it special and unique to them,” explains Alex.

“Couples can come the day before to set up and then it all depends on what they want to do. Some couples get married at 11am and some later in the day.Some have aformal sit-downmeal, others have street food.

“No two weddings have been the same, they’ve all been very different. We just want them to be really happy and have all their family and friends around them,” she adds.

The family,who farm amix of arable, cattle and sheep, are always more than happy to lend ahand when it’s needed, whether it’s offering advice, or helping with last-minute arrangements on the day

“It’s afamily-run place and the kids also help out with whatever is needed. It’s important to me that people feel special. Ithink that people like that they get individual attention,” Alex tells Weekend.

The first wedding at CamladBarns took place in June 2019, but, like all other venues across the country,itforced to shut down when the national Covid lockdown came into force in March 2020.

“It’s been quite alearning curve,” says Alex. “When we were able to reopen, we were very busy.”

Last year,Camlad Barns hosted 28 weddings with many of the celebrations having been previously postponed, in some cases more thanonce, due to the pandemic.

“Wewere still clearing the backlog because of Covid. Some weddings had been moved four times because of restrictions. This year we have 12 weddings booked so far so it’s amuch quieter and calmer year,” explains Alex. n See www.camladbarns.co.uk

They were “shocked” to be among the winners of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2023, which are given to the wedding businesses with the highest amount of positive reviews across the Hitched website.

“Wewere over the moon to be given the Best Barn On AFarm award by Hitched. It really means such alot to us especially because it’s based on the reviews from brides and grooms,” says Alex.

The family has no regrets about setting up their wedding venture and are looking forward to hosting more celebrations in the future.

“It was the best thing we could have done, it’s been good fun. We have especially enjoyed meeting people from all over the country.Welike the fact that the wedding guests use local accommodation, dine out and have ajar in the local pubs. They really enjoy stepping out into our stunning countryside,” she tells Weekend.