When I was looking at where to go this week, I decided to visit an idyllic village in Northumberland with stunning views that make it the perfect wedding location. Otterburn is located in the Cheviot Hills and has seen a boom in the bridal trade in recent years.
Uniquely for a village of its size, Otterburn has three different wedding venues, Le Petit Chateau, Woodhill Hall and Otterburn Castle, all offering something different to engaged couples. However, before visiting one of these venues, I wanted to speak to other businesses about the wedding business in the village and how it affects them.
My first stop was The Border Reiver Village Store, managed by Melissa Cowens, who was recently promoted to the position. A lifelong resident of Otterburn and the surrounding area, Melissa spoke to me about life in the village.
She said: “I’ve just started here as a manager after working in the shop for a long time before and it’s hard work but I’m really enjoying it. It’s definitely busier here than it used to be with the selection of bridal shops.” up and we always had a lot of people from the military coming to us and that hasn’t changed.
“We have relationships with other businesses such as Otterburn Mill and various wedding venues in the village. We help each other out which is vital as the area gets busier.”
I then headed to the Otterburn Mill that Melissa had mentioned and was able to speak to Nigel Owen, the Operations Director. Nigel has been involved in turning the mill into a retail space for the past 29 years after being brought in to oversee the day-to-day running of the family business.
Nigel said: “When we arrived the mill was a real factory which closed in 1976 for health and safety reasons. There was a shop next to it but it wasn’t very well built so we had to build everything from scratch.” up.
“We opened up the store more because we wanted to take a more commercial look at it to make it successful and bring it into the 21st century. We worked to keep things like the diesel engine and the water wheel in the building to preserve the history of the mill and we felt that the area needed a coffee shop, so we brought it in with a variety of products that are all homemade.
“The wedding business has really taken off for us, as people come in early, often come in for a drink and a bite to eat and also browse the shop. People have started coming here for weddings and the popularity of the area has grown.” he just grew up since then.
“We also attract locals and they’re always surprised when they come in and see all the brands we have and I think that helps legitimize the business. The parking is free and we’re always looking to diversify the business so we’ll continue.” do this.”
I ended up heading over to Le Petit Chateau where I was able to speak with Megan Lowes who is the Deputy General Manager at the wedding venue. She spoke to me about how the bridal business took off in Otterburn.
Megan said: “We’ve been here for eight years and it used to be a pub and a hotel, two sides of the business that we’ve still maintained. We also have a wedding venue and a lovely outdoor garden outside.”
“The pub is always busy, mixing locals and visitors and it’s the main social zone in the village. We hosted 290 weddings last year alone and the exclusivity of the venue has helped put the village on the map.” to a wider group of people.
“We also try to work with and accommodate all the other businesses as we see ourselves as part of the wedding package rather than it being strictly around the venue. All our staff are local and they all know each other so it’s great.” , work in a friendly, social environment.
“We definitely see ourselves being here long-term because I don’t think there’s anything like what we offer in the area and I don’t think there will ever be a time when couples don’t want it. It’s an idyllic location and it’s so quiet, which is wonderful for anyone thinking of getting married in Otterburn.”
As I left Otterburn I thought about how much of a positive impact the bridal shop is having in the village and it was great to see local businesses benefiting from this. I could definitely see myself returning to Otterburn in the future, perhaps to attend what I think would be a really lovely wedding.