I recently had the great pleasure of sharing a lovely lunch with Sue Sullivan, the Wedding Co-ordinator at The Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel and took the opportunity to chat to Sue about what this beautiful venue has to offer brides and grooms.
Like many of us in Bristol, I regularly walk past this landmark hotel on College Green and I have enjoyed afternoon tea in one of the classic lounges but I had no idea just how much this four star hotel can provide for wedding couples.
The Bristol Marriott Royal is licensed for traditional and civil ceremonies and can cater for everything from small informal ceremonies up to 264 people, with a range of rooms from the calm oasis of the Palm Court, the Art Deco Palm Bar and Walter's Restaurant or a small private dining room. They offer special rates for you and your guests to stay at the hotel including use of the spa and the Romanesque floodlit pool as well as a hair and beauty salon - so you and your guests have everything you need to just kick back, relax and enjoy your day!
However, what's really special is the unique service Sue and the team offer to couples holding their wedding at the hotel. Sue has worked at the Bristol Royal Marriott for 11 years, the last 8 as the hotel's Certified Wedding Co-ordinator and her lovely relaxed exterior hides the fact that she has dealt with every wedding situation imaginable and is pretty much unflappable. What's more this lady loves weddings and is passionate about making your day really special and unique to you.
From the minute you choose the Bristol Royal Marriott as the venue for your big day you will feel totally looked after. Your accommodation will be booked and approximately 10-12 weeks before your wedding day you will be invited to your menu tasting and have an opportunity to see another wedding set up. The hotel is particularly proud of its catering with everything cooked and prepared in-house, fresh for the party and they have some delicious packages from an elegant afternoon tea, to canapés, a classic wedding breakfast, a vegetarian menu, even a children's menu and lots more. There really is something for every taste.
Approximately 6-8 weeks before your wedding, Sue will meet with you to go through all the final details for the day. At this point a time line and running order will be drawn up, the menu and drinks decided on, and everything you can think of covered including entertainment, room set-up, table decorations and flowers.
Two weeks prior to your big day you will meet the Chef & Banqueting Manager who is your dedicated contact for the day and point of contact for any external suppliers such as your florist, the cake caterers and photographers. They will ensure the guests know where they should be on the day, will give any Toastmaster speeches if needed, and make sure the room will be set up exactly as you want.
What really impressed me is Sue's dedication to her job and her couples - she tries to make sure she is there on the day and at the ceremony and to say goodbye before you leave - it really is a truly personal service. In addition, the Bristol Royal Marriott offers numerous different packages to cover everything you could conceivably need.
Add to this the central location and speedy access to Bristol Airport, so you can whisk yourselves off to your honeymoon destination, along with extra discounts for Sunday and Friday weddings and it's pretty much the perfect wedding venue. On top of which, the hotel even offers you dinner for 2 on your first anniversary - what could be more perfect!
