Planning an Autumn Countryside Wedding

Autumn in England is a magical time and we dare you to argue otherwise! Yes, it’s chilly. Yes, it rains. And yes, it’s damp. But boy oh boy, is it not one of the most beautiful seasons in England. Autumn in Hampshire is a charming sight to see, offering the most romantic setting for your wedding. Hazy mornings, golden hues and crisp yet heart-warming temperatures are just a few of many reasons why an Autumnal wedding may be the best! In fact, many of our previous couples would tend to agree, with 27% of our past couples (since 2018) having chosen to host their wedding day during the Autumnal months. And according to the UK Wedding Report (Bridebook, January 2024), there was a dramatic increase of Autumn weddings in 2023, with the number of October weddings matching the number of August weddings – a first in at least 5 years.

There’s nothing that quite beats the serene setting of the Hampshire countryside during Autumn. A beautiful landscape painted in gold, orange & red hues, partnered with mesmerising greens, sets a jaw-dropping landscape for your wedding day and a picturesque backdrop for your wedding photography. The Autumn colours cast across acres of surrounding fields and farmland add a rustic touch to your wonderful day, and the rolling hills in the distance create a perfect balance of texture and vibrancy.

The weather during Autumn could be argued as the most comfortable and practical for a wedding day with average temperatures in Hampshire being between 10°c – 20°c. You and your guests will be 99% guaranteed to never feel freezing cold (no need for coats, gloves and hats!) or too hot (and no need for portable fans, gallons of iced water or having to worry about sun cream!). And while many think of Autumn as a wet & windy period in the UK, September is actually the month with the least amount of precipitation days and the lowest average amount of precipitation in the whole year!

Whether you choose to tie the knot in early Autumn when the leaves are just starting to brown on the trees, or if you wish to say your “I do’s” in late Autumn when the leaves have laid a magical golden blanket on the ground – the season will play a comforting and characterful part for your Hampshire Autumn wedding day. Your special moments will be captured at Oakley Hall with heart-warming hand-in-hand strolls through our golden woodlands, group shots on our immaculate lawns with gentle notes of sunlight trickling through the Autumn clouds, and couples shots at the front of Oakley Hall with breath-taking views of hills in the background. And if the weather isn’t as sunny as you had hoped, our team will have you covered – literally! Grab a pair of Oakley Hall Hunters wellies for a laid-back styled shoot, borrow an umbrella for the potential rain and tuck into our woodlands or head to our outdoor Woodland Pavilion!

Oakley Hall can be found 55 miles from Central London, which is just a 90-minute drive (via the M3) or a 90-minute direct train journey from London Waterloo to Basingstoke station. Whilst our grand Georgian manor house is nestled deep within the Hampshire countryside we are just a 10-minute drive from the centre of Basingstoke and 5 minutes from the closest village, Oakley.

Research from the UK Wedding Report (Bridebook, 2024) shows that the South East of England is the most desired location for weddings in the UK (17% of couples), with a third of all couples choosing to tie the knot in either the South East or the South West. Hampshire is the most Western county of the South East and borders the South West with the county of Berkshire as a next-door neighbour! It could be argued that Hampshire is the most conveniently located county of the South East and South West. With several motorways and main roads leading into the county, including the M3 from central London, the A31 leading to Berkshire, the A34 taking you to the Midlands and the A3 to Sussex, Hampshire is a perfectly accessible county for you and your beloved guests.

Cosiness and comfort are at the heart of every Autumn wedding in the countryside. At Oakley Hall Hotel, we have a selection of beautiful rooms for our couples to choose from that really encompass what Autumn is all about. From the traditional Georgian Library filled with mahogany bookshelves to the Garden Suite which has floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the breath-taking setting of our gardens & woodlands. Each of our rooms also has original fireplaces laid throughout which adds an extra touch of warmth to the atmosphere.

Whether you’re looking for an intimate ceremony for you and 30 of your loved ones, day and evening celebrations for 350 or an exclusive wedding at Oakley Hall – we have plenty of options for you to pick from. Our two wedding packages offer you a choice depending on your needs for your perfect day. Or if you’d like something different our Wedding Co-ordinators will work with you to tailor a bespoke ceremony and reception. For couples who want the entire manor & estate of Oakley Hall to themselves, one of our Exclusive Use wedding packages would be the perfect venue and option.

Whether you and your guests are travelling from near or far, accommodation is an important factor to consider when choosing your wedding venue. Oakley Hall is home to 50 beautiful bedrooms, including a 3 bedroom Garden Cottage nestled in our grounds.

We cannot recommend enough to book yourself and your bride/groom a bedroom at Oakley Hall the night before and the night of the wedding. Cutting any stress of transport and travel is one of the benefits to choosing to host your special day at Oakley Hall. You and your bridal/groom party can wake up on the day to a hearty wedding breakfast either in your room or in the Glasshouse Restaurant. The commute from your bedroom or suite will be no longer than a 5-minute walk (trip on the golf buggy if in the Garden Cottage!) to the ceremony. And after the celebrations, you can kick up your feet in a matter of seconds and not worry about taxi journeys back.

One of the many charms of an original Georgian manor house is that each and every one of our bedrooms and suites is unique; no shape or size is the same. From our cosy Deluxe Bedrooms to our luxurious Four Poster Suites, there is a perfect room for every couple and guest. We even have a number of ground-floor bedrooms with disabled access and several dog-friendly bedrooms in our Courtyard!

There are plenty of pre and post-wedding experiences to enjoy during your stay at Oakley Hall. Sit back and relax with a Traditional Afternoon Tea in the Glasshouse Restaurant the day before your wedding, or take a peaceful stroll amongst our grounds the day after to unwind. For guests who would like to explore more of Hampshire during their stay, we have hand-picked our favourite local attractions, including distillery visits to beach trips, which can be found here.

If you couldn’t already tell, Autumn could quite possibly be our favourite season for weddings. It’s hard to not embrace the golden hues that the season brings to the countryside, as well as the heart-warming and cosy atmosphere of both the outdoors and the indoors. When taking a look back to our past wedding photography, we can feel warmth and vibrancy, not just from the countryside, but between our couples too. A countryside Autumn wedding in Hampshire at Oakley Hall is a match made in heaven and we can’t argue otherwise.

Our wedding venue has been a happy place for many couples and through the many weddings we have helped put together throughout the years our team has gained valuable experience and knowledge about what it takes to plan the dream wedding - click here to read our 10 tips for a dream wedding in the countryside.