Introduction to The Coseners House Abingdon-on-Thames.

Nestled in the heart of Abingdon Oxfordshire, lies this stunning and picturesque Wedding Venue, offering a perfect setting for couples to celebrate their special day. Boasting breathtaking countryside views, the venue features a mix of contemporary and historical buildings, complemented by charming gardens at the front and rear, all enveloped by the serene River Thames and ancient Abbey Grounds.

Discovering The Coseners House: A hidden gem.

This stunning venue is located just south of the site of Abingdon Abbey, separated from the abbey precincts by the millstream.

The central portion of the present building, dating back to the mid-eighteenth century, is the oldest part, while the east wing traces its origins to the nineteenth century and the rest is modern.

Its name, Cosener’s, is derived from the Cuisinier (or Kitchener), an official of the Abbey responsible for providing stores for the Abbey kitchens. Throughout its history, Cosener’s has changed hands multiple times, with a variety of owners, from William Blacknell in 1549 to the Ministry of Supply in 1948, eventually passing to Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in 1961.

Situated just 9 miles from the historical city of Oxford and a mere 2-minute walk from the equally historical Abingdon Town Centre, the venue is ideally located for guests to enjoy a stroll around the Abbey Grounds.

Abingdon itself boasts a rich history, dating back to Saxon times in 676, and was renowned for its famous brewery, Morland, and the iconic MG sports car production. While the MG cars and the makers of Old Speckled Hen are no longer present, it's worth noting that the group Radiohead was formed by a group of Abingdon School pupils, adding to the town's cultural significance.

Why Choose The Coseners House for your Wedding Day?

This wedding venue is a perfect blend of history and modernity, with its mix of historical and contemporary buildings, offering a variety of settings for your special day.

The newer and more contemporary bridal ceremony area is called the Garden Room. This bright and airy location is air-conditioned and is befitting to all colour themes both bridal fashion colours and flowers. This room can offer comfortable seating for up to 80 guests including those that are less abled.

In the summer months and warmer other seasons, guests can exit out into the rear gardens that face the River Thames, where confetti can be used.

If you prefer a more historical-themed bridal ceremony you can opt for a ceremony in the main house of the venue, called The Dining Room. This will also double up as the dining area for your wedding breakfast and speeches. This room will accommodate up to 60 seated guests for the ceremony and up to 80 seated guests for the wedding breakfast.

Generally, all the evening celebrations are held within The Dining Room and can easily accommodate 150 guests once the wedding breakfast furniture is placed away.

Whichever area you choose, both locations open to the rear into Thames View Gardens, and both areas have a bar area on hand.

The dedicated staff, including a Wedding Planner and a team of Wedding Managers, are committed to fulfilling your every desire.

Nestled by the River Thames and its tributaries, this venue creates a unique wedding island once you cross the quaint bridge. As a Wedding Photographer, I appreciate the romantic photography opportunities this location offers, from the enchanting winter scenes to the sun-drenched summer backdrops.

Helping Plan your dream Wedding at The Coseners House.

The events team at the location are on hand to help you plan your special day and can be contacted by email at Coseners.events@stfc.ac.uk or by emailing the reception team at Coseners@stfc.ac.uk

Throughout my time as an Oxfordshire Wedding Photographer, I have been fortunate enough to photograph many weddings at the venue and throughout all the seasons.

Each of them offers a unique element to ensure that the resulting images offer something romantic and special for my couples. In the autumn the surrounding trees offer a golden brown backdrop to the photos whilst the spring and summer months offer lush vibrant colours of the beautiful gardens whilst the warm summer sun shines down on the guests playing garden games within the grounds.

Winter weddings at Coseners House are always warm and cosy inside with the guests venturing out into the white crisp gardens sparkling with frost for their winter photographs.

Generally throughout the year in the afternoon, the rear gardens make an ideal stage for your Wedding Photography with the summer sun setting to the rear of the gardens.

You and your guests have the choice of staying onsite within the main house or the newer and more modern accommodation suites. Should the venue be full there are several other equally lovely locations to stay in Abingdon ranging from historical hotels such as the Crown and Thistle Hotel to Travelodges and Premier Inns only a 10-minute drive away.

If you or your guests are looking to explore during your stay there are several Bus Routes that will take you into nearby Oxford City and surrounding villages every 20-30 minutes, and what’s more they are only a 5-minute walk from the venue.

Car Parking at the venue is free but can be limited to about 20 vehicles. This shouldn’t be a concern however as at the entrance of the venue is a very reasonably priced pay-and-display car park for another 50-60 vehicles.

Capturing your moments at The Coseners House.

My philosophy toward wedding photography is centered on maintaining a discreet presence, as attested by the favorable reviews of previous couples.

I take pride in my ability to seamlessly navigate through the attendees, intuiting and capturing moments and emotions. Building a rapport with the individuals I photograph is integral to creating a relaxed atmosphere, both for them and myself.

Throughout the day, I delight in documenting the evolving ambiance and sentiment, especially as the initial nerves give way to genuine joy - often heightened by the convivial atmosphere fueled by a touch of “celebratory spirits”… namely some of that Old Speckled Hen !!

The setting of Coseners House presents a diverse range of photographic opportunities.

The patio, adjacent to the grand mansion, provides a backdrop for capturing cherished interactions among family members and friends, spanning various generations.

Meanwhile, the gardens offer a lively stage for the younger guests to revel in playful activities, intermixed with the animated engagement of others in garden pastimes such as giant Jenga or Connect 4.

With so many pockets of photography opportunities, it is no wonder I am always on the move!!

In keeping with the UK weather, should the unthinkable occur and there be rain in the forecast, all is not lost. There are a multitude of indoor and undercover opportunities for stunning photography including the main staircase, the garden summer house, the covered barn area towards the main entrance, and the foyer area.

Murder at The Coseners House !!!!

Before you cross this amazing venue off your list of stunning wedding venues to consider, relax - thankfully this was well and truly staged!! - although only a handful of staff and guests knew this to be the case.

Weddings are always a coming together of two sets of families and guests but at this particular wedding at the venue, there was one table set out just like all the others that was prepared for guests not from either side. At this table were guests from another group of people - a scantily dressed female, an over jealous protective boyfriend, an undercover detective, a wise older female with an opinion on everybody to name a few - oh, and me and the videographer who was in on the surprise.

None of the real family guests raised an eyebrow at these rather exuberant guests until the key moment.

As all the guests tucked into their appetisers, there was a piercing scream from the foyer - this could only mean one thing…The deed was done… And all the guests were suspects!!!

Knowing this key moment was about to unfold played out by the Murder 57 Team , I must admit it was quite funny to capture the real guest’s expressions and look of shock and intrigue!!

Pretty soon, the undercover detective had identified himself as a police officer, and slowly key pieces of information about each of the “special guests” became apparent - the affairs, historical vendettas, and other sordid previous occurrences.

It was up to all the guests to now turn their attention to an evening of murder mystery and suspense !!!!

Ultimately my point here is this - This amazing venue embraced this slightly alternative wedding request with open arms and indeed played their part in making this a night to remember by all who attended - Even myself and the videographer.

Expert Insights for your Coseners House Wedding.

Having photographed numerous weddings at this particular location, I've had the opportunity to establish valuable connections with other trusted and equally talented wedding suppliers.

Many of these suppliers are part of a wedding group known as Wonderful Oxfordshire Weddings, a collective of local professionals who cover every aspect of a perfect wedding day.

Working closely with the venue throughout the wedding season, we understand precisely how to set up and apply our individual specialties to ensure that you get the most out of what we can offer.

For instance, Charlie, the group's makeup artist, can suggest ideal locations for bridal preparation that offer perfect lighting and ambient temperature, making them ideal for makeup application. Similarly, Gary, the entertainment DJ, is adept at pinpointing the best setup and lighting rigs to create a vibrant atmosphere, ensuring that your guests can dance well into the evening.

If you're still deliberating on your wedding suppliers for your special day, why not explore the offerings of our fellow talented wedding professionals by clicking the button below?

Oxfordshire Wedding Fairs 2024.

I, along with the rest of the team at Wonderful Oxfordshire Weddings, frequently convene at The Coseners House to organize and host wedding fairs.

These events consistently draw a large crowd of enthusiastic couples who are eagerly mapping out their special day. The fairs provide an invaluable opportunity for them to visit the venue, soak in the ambiance, and envisage their own wedding day, complete with entertainment, and the ceremony area beautifully arranged.

If you wish to be a part of these upcoming fairs at the venue, kindly refer to the schedule linked below.

Conclusion

Choosing your wedding venue is one of the major things to get right. With such variations to consider when deciding on the perfect venue, The Coseners House is a location that pretty much has it all to satisfy nearly everyone’s wish list.

If you are looking for a stunning, stylish, historical yet subtle hint of contemporary architecture venue - one that offers dedicated in-house staff along with dedicated external suppliers, Abingdon on Thames, The Coseners House has it all.

Click below for details of my previous wedding images at this beautiful location and to see whether I am available for YOUR special Coseners House Wedding.