Wedding Venue Partnership
About Us

For over 30 years, brothers Alex and Chris Astwood have worked together in the hospitality indstry

During this time we have opened and operated 5 successful venues, including pubs, restaurants, and a hotel.

Since 2003, we’ve run Blue Rock Catering Limited, delivering contract and event catering, as well as managing our own exclusive wedding venue. For the past 15 years, we’ve also proudly owned and operated The Royal Oak in Long Whatton—an award-winning pub with hotel rooms, dining and events room.

Sanctuary Weddings is the next chapter: A dedicated brand focused on creating unique, beautiful, seasonal wood framed marquee venues in the East Midlands
Our Vision
To create wedding venues using Cruck tents, the Tree Marquee Company or similar structure. To provide an all in one package including ceremony, 5-star catering, stunning décor and event coordination.
The venue would enhance the performance of existing accommodation by driving higher occupancy levels and boosting average nightly rates. It also offers an excellent opportunity to diversify further by introducing accommodation options like lodges and glamping pods


We Are Looking For
- A long term partnership with landowners to establish a seasonal venue hosting weddings from May to October
- Enough space for a temporary structure or use of an existing structure such as a barn + parking for 50 cars
- A water supply and if possible waste and electricity
- A secluded spot without immediate neighbours
- Within a 15 minute drive to hotels
- Parking for 50+ cars
We will handle the majority of the work and associated costs, including
£150k-£200k investment in infrastructure and fit out
£25,000 annual marketing budget
Full operational oversight
Licences, planning, insurance and a legal framework
guaranteed profits from each wedding with very little to no capital expenditure for the landowner
The Numbers
We are flexible and happy to discuss a rental or fixed fee per wedding
We expect a site to accomplish 40-50 weddings by year 5
Proposed Terms
A wedding venue takes time to establish, therefore, an initial 5-year agreement with the option to review and renew after year 3 is essential. This long term partnership will allow Sancuary weddings and the landowner to build a sustainable, successful and profitable venue.

What Next?
If you are a landowner interested in exploring this opportunity, or know someone who might be, we would love to meet up for an informal conversation to see if this proposal might be a good fit for us both.
THE PARTNERSHIP JOURNEY
01
INTERESTED
Get in touch and have a
chat
02
SITE VISIT
We meet and view the proposed site and discuss its feasibility
03
Statement of Intent & Agree Heads of Terms
This includes ‘what if’ scenarios before becoming legally binding
04
FEASABILITY REPORT
This includes an informal chat with the planning department
05
Full Planning & Licensing Applications
06
Create the Venue & Showcase to the Public
Open days, wedding fayre, feast events, and produce marketing material
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