This month we celebrated National Volunteers Week (1^st-7^th June) which gave us the chance to highlight some of the great work our volunteers do at Bedern Hall and thank them for being such an imperative part of the day to day working of the Hall.

Working with the local community, we act as nonprofit, with all the profits being invested straight back into the great Hall. We are a team of passionate individuals who believe in keeping the history of this great city and fantastic piece of the past, alive and present today.

 

One of our volunteers, Sara, has volunteered for us for a year now. Sara is a native of Turin and uses her Italian to give translated guided tours to visitors and students. Sara has helped enhance our events; at a recent tasting of Italian wines she gave tasting notes in Italian! Also, drawing on her experience of organising art exhibitions she helped create the series of art exhibitions ‘Art in the Hall’, which is attracting more visitors to Bedern and is raising funds for the hall. Sara is a fantastic addition to the team and we would like to thank her for volunteering her time and expertise to us all!

 

 

Sheila is another one of our great volunteers. Sheila is a retired nurse, grandmother-of-four and one of our volunteer extraordinaires! Sheila is regularly at Bedern talking to visitors about the hall's past and encouraging as many people as possible to be a part of its present and future. Sheila previously volunteered at The Treasurer's House and Beningbrough Hall. We’d like to also take this opportunity to thank Sheila for her time and positivity for really bring out the best of the Hall and helping to spread the word to more people about our hidden gem.

 

 

We’d love to go through all our volunteers and tell you their story but for now we will leave it there and just say, thank you to them all!

 

If you enjoy history or are particularly interested in the heritage of York and would like to indulge your passion and share it with others, or have skills that you feel could help our team, please get in touch and you, with us, can help to keep the history alive. We will provide the training you need, you will just need the commitment and enthusiasm to succeed!

There are a variety of different opportunities available to match your skills and interests including:

• Leaflet Distribution: helping distribute our leaflets around the city
• Handyman/woman: supporting with various maintenance activities such as moving items, painting, small repair jobs
• Courtyard gardener: providing hands-on help to make the courtyard and terrace look welcoming and attractive for all our guests and passers by
• Events helper: helping set up and manage events at the Hall
• ‘Friends of Bedern Hall: joining the dedicated team of volunteers to run and organise events and set up activities and new initiatives
• Suggest a role: We are also always open to new support to help the Hall, so if there is something else that we haven’t mentioned above that requires the skills you have, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate!

Find more about our Volunteer Role Description and send us your Volunteer Interest Form. This will indicate where you would like to help us and use your skills and we will be in touch with you, we look forward to hearing from you!

Weddings have a high expectation of being the best day of many people’s lives, which in turn, can result in producing the most stressful day of many people’s lives. Our team have been helping guide people through this special day for many years, and together have narrowed it down to what we believe are the most important tips to planning your perfect day.

1. Give yourself time

Planning a wedding, no matter how big or small, takes time. Don’t rush the plan, give yourselves time to decide on the details that are the most important for the two of you. (There some great wedding planning diaries and wedding planners out there that can help with this!)

 

2. Help us, to help you

Whoever, wherever is hosting your wedding, let them fully understand what it is that you picture your day to be. This will help everyone achieve the best possible result and make your day as perfect as possible. (Pinterest is a great social media site that enables you to create mood boards for each element of your day to help visualise the look and feel you would like).

 

3. Keep it simple

Just because your next-door neighbour had a horse and cart and an ice sculpture at their wedding, doesn’t mean you must as well. Choose the touches and flourishes that represent you and yours, don’t feel pressured into convention or expectations, be present and enjoy the moment.

 

4. Finish to start, not start to finish

By the end of the day, where do you want to be? Starting from the end and working backwords is a great way of getting the timing of each step right. Even though many people don’t like to have a schedule on their wedding day, it does help the day run as smoothly and stress-free as possible. Your venue and caterers will support you with timings based on previous experience.

 

5. Informal requires informing

Keeping it “informal” requires more planning than you may expect. Informal weddings need to flow well, to achieve this, keep your guests in the know, what time is the ceremony, where is the reception, is there a seating plan, all the questions you would ask, have them answered and easy to find. This will stop people asking you and allow the day to flow much more easily. Appoint people who may be family members, or friends, to help you with the timings on the day.

 

6. Put yourselves first

One of the most difficult things for many people planning a wedding is to stop trying to please everyone, this is YOUR day, they will have theirs and we can guarantee they won’t be thinking of every single guests’ independent needs then, so for now concentrate on the two of you and what you want. Guests will be happy to share your moments with you, especially if you are having the best day of your life and not stressed!

 

7. Celebrate your love

Sharing your day with the ones you love is an important part of your day, even though the choices you make in the lead up to the day are essentially centred around the two of you, make sure the day is spent celebrating with your nearest and dearest. Don’t neglect your guests for hours on end, where possible include them in every stage of the day, sharing will make this day even more special.

 

8. Don’t get bogged down with small details

Of course, detail is important, and making sure your wedding day is as you pictured it would be is a top priority for us, as well as other wedding venues. However, once the ideas have been discussed, don’t become fixated on these small details, the main event is the union of you and the one you love, focus on that and then the small details won’t become a large pressure.

 

9. Be present in every moment

A key tip that we hear all the time from couples is to be present in every moment of the day, soak it all in! Don’t have one too many for Dutch-courage before the event and neglect the truly special moments of this day. This is your day and everyone is there for you, enjoy it, appreciate it and remember it.

 

10. Be thankful

Weddings take patience and planning, everyone involved through the process will have given you something, their time, their shoulder, their contribution, be thankful for every one of them. We often take for granted the very things that deserve our gratitude the most.

 

If you are looking for a unique venue for your special day in York, Bedern Hall offers a breath-taking yet intimate space. Here you can experience a combination of tradition and elegance with all the touches you envisage to make your day truly magical.

 

To find out more about wedding ceremonies and receptions at Bedern Hall please see here where you can request a Wedding Pack and view availability of the Hall for your selected date.

 

We wish you all the success in the world with the planning of your special day and hope to see you in the Hall soon!

 

Add history and intimacy to your special day, book your Wedding at Bedern Hall!

If you are looking for a beautiful historic wedding venue in York, then Bedern Hall has much to offer. The perfect destination to create and share special experiences and unforgettable moments!

Book your 2018 Wedding before the 28th February 2017 and receive 10% off!

The team at Bedern Hall have been hosting weddings for over 20 years and talented chef and director, Roger Lee, will work alongside you to develop your perfect day and create the day just as you envisaged. Catering for up to 80 guests, Bedern Hall can host an intimate wedding breakfast and reception.

Perfectly situated in York City Centre, Bedern Hall offers a unique venue for capturing the imagination of brides and grooms to be, especially for exciting photo opportunities.

This Winter we are offering a 10% discount on all early bookings for weddings in 2018, if booked before the 28th February 2017.

We collaborate with many wedding suppliers, including florists, musicians, wedding planners and more, we can help source the best people for the job and produce the wedding of your dreams.

Request a Wedding Brochure with details of the packages we offer and even check the availability for your selected date here. 

 

Give something back
All our events at Bedern Hall, including weddings, are non-profit, so the cost of the event is ploughed straight back into the Hall to preserve and protect is for generations to come. Add a touch of magic to your day, by contributing to the history of York and make help keep the Hall going for years to come!

With daffodils blooming in our courtyard and garden terrace, spring is firmly in the air at Bedern Hall, providing a tranquil haven for productive business meetings in the heart of York’s bustling city centre.

And with our Spring Promotion, you can now experience our stunning medieval venue and our outstanding corporate service, for less, for all events held before the end of May 2016.

Book for a conference, meeting or seminar with lunch or dinner for 12 people at Bedern Hall this spring and you will receive two complimentary places.

For every event for 24 or more delegates, take four places free and 10% off room hire. We can also make arrangements for larger group deals.

Situated just a short 10-minute walk from York train station, Bedern Hall is equipped for private and business entertaining, small conferences, meetings, seminars and exhibitions. Our recently renovated conference room provides free Wi-Fi fibre optic broadband, electronically operated blackout blinds and space for AV equipment.

We believe that food should be part of the event, not just 'fuel'; served in a manner that stimulates conversation and allows work to flow. Our conference catering is second to none; we change the menu seasonally and use produce from our own gardens to include dishes, such as Spicy Parsnip Soup. Fresh cafetiere coffee, handmade biscuits and fresh fruit are included in all bookings.

We’d love you to join us for our free Bedern Hall Foundation Lecture on Thursday 17 March from 6pm to 8pm, where you can discover more about our new vision for the Hall that encompasses education, preservation and accessibility.

 

What a night for Bedern Hall at the recent Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards in Leeds, the annual celebration of the very best of the tourism industry throughout Yorkshire.
We scooped a Highly Commended Award in the Business Tourism category at the ceremony held at the First Direct Arena and attended by more than 1,000 finalists and special guests.

In presenting the Award, the judges revealed that they were captivated by Bedern Hall, describing it as a beautiful gem of a meeting place in York, ideal for those seeking a smaller location with a special atmosphere.

Bedern Hall’s Director Roger Lee attended the event and was thrilled with the prestigious accolade, commenting: “This is wonderful recognition and demonstrates that a small business with relatively limited resources can punch above its weight by providing exceptional service.”

“As a non-profit business, we face continuing challenges especially in a period of austerity. However, we have recognised and acted on customer feedback to ensure that we keep ahead of demand. Highly Commended Awards are only given by the White Rose Awards judges where special recognition is deserved so we’re delighted to receive such an accolade in a category filled with other brilliant finalists.”

The Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards, run by official tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, are the biggest tourism awards in the UK and have recognised tourism stars for more than 25 years.