Here is some useful information for arranging your event at Oaks Farm. If anything isn't covered off below, we are here to answer any queries or questions you have!
You will need to choose a caterer from our approved independent caterer list. We can highly recommend all of the approved catering companies. They are all dedicated to providing excellent hospitality at Oaks Farm and will ensure your wedding day runs perfectly. You will need to contact your chosen catering company and arrange to discuss in depth the catering for your Big Day. You may want to ensure that the caterer of your choice is available for the date of your wedding before confirming your venue booking. Your caterer will provide all the necessary tableware and waiting staff. All food must be supplied by your chosen caterer. The only food you can supply is your wedding cake.
Up until the end of your wedding breakfast all drink will be served by your chosen caterer. You are welcome to bring in your own reception drinks to be served before dinner and wine/ champagne for during your wedding meal. There is no corkage charge.
Once your wedding meal has finished, all your remaining drink will be stored away for you to pick up at the end of the evening or the next day. The Orchard Bar Company provides all evening drinks.
Please note that you are not able to run your own bar at Oaks Farm. If you would like a full range of spirits available before and during dinner then you may arrange for The Orchard Bar to open early.
All evening drinks will be provided by The Orchard Bar (any queries, contact Hayley on 07736 350 036). The bar opens to coincide with the end of your meal and closes at 11pm. Bar prices are available on request. Payment is taken by card only (no cash). There is no minimum spend.
Please contact Hayley if you would like The Orchard Bar open from earlier on your wedding day. There is no charge for the evening bar service, but a small charge is levied if you would like the bar open all day.
To book your registrars for the time and date you want to get married, please contact Croydon Registry Office via MarriageEnquiries@croydon.gov.uk, cc-ing Rose.Oliveira@croydon.gov.uk and desiree.william@croydon.gov.uk
You will also need to arrange a Notice of Marriage Appointment with your local Registry Office. This needs to be done less than a year before but at least 1 month ahead of your wedding date. This meeting must take place at least 2 months before the wedding if one of you is not a UK national (due to additional paperwork).
For those who would prefer a church ceremony, we have a very attractive, friendly local church called St. John The Evangelist in Shirley (www.stjohnsshirley.org.uk)
For non-legal ceremonies you can choose a religious leader or celebrant. We can highly recommend the following celebrants:
Lisa Jackson - 020 8655 2161, www.celebrantsurrey.co.uk
Nikki Wood – 07702 848164, www.perfectwordceremonies.co.uk
Kathryn Palmer-Skillings – 07432 341375, www.celebrantkathryn.com
Ali Williams – 07951 059494, www.perfectceremony.co.uk
In normal circumstances the total number of guests for the day must not exceed 100 and the total number of guests for the evening must not exceed 150.
Orchard Cottage is our honeymoon cottage situated in the heart of the garden at Oaks Farm. It is available on the big day from 11.00am. We ask you to leave by 10.00am the following day. ii. Breakfast will be provided for you by Glam Grazing Events Specialists. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
We have a Bose music system in The Stables and The Barn. The all-round sound provides a pleasant musical backdrop for your ceremony and meal. You are very welcome to bring in your own CDs/laptop/phone to play music, although you would need to take responsibility for the actual management of the music that you provide. We cannot take responsibility for any computers or software that you bring along.
If you wish to book Oaks Farm, we will pencil in your provisional booking, if the date has not already been taken. We will ask you to complete a Booking Form. You will also be provided with accompanying Terms and Conditions. In signing the Booking Form you are agreeing to these terms. The Booking Form must be completed and returned to us, together with your deposit payment, within 2 weeks of your provisional booking. If we do not receive the Booking Form and deposit within this 2 week period, then the date will be released. If there is a good reason why you cannot meet this time limit then please let us know and we may be able to extend it.
Payment 1: To confirm your booking you will need to pay a deposit equal to 25% of the venue cost.
Payment 2: The second 25% instalment for the venue is due 12 months before your wedding date.
Payment 3: The third 25% instalment for the venue is due 6 months before your wedding date.
Payment 4: The final 25% instalment for the venue is due 2 months before your wedding date.
Payments can be made either by card or bank transfer when we have received your booking form. If you are making payment by bank transfer, please use the date of your wedding as the reference. Please note we do not accept cash.
The deposit and balance payments will be applied solely towards the cost of hiring the venue and includes no other services or facilities.
For Cancellation, Loss Damage and Liability
You MUST take out wedding insurance to cover your risk.
Please see section 14 and 15 of our terms and conditions dated June 2020.
Some guests have difficulty finding Oaks Farm. To help them, please provide directions sending them to Oaks Road using the Post Code CR0 5HL. Please tells drivers not to park on the golf course property.
Uber drivers also struggle to find us so we recommend using local taxi firms booked in advance.
Our venue falls within ULEZ so drivers of vehicles which don’t meet the ULEZ emissions standard have to pay the £12.50 daily charge via the website www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/pay-to-drive-in-london.
We recommend you book an appointment 2-3 months before your wedding to plan the logistics of the day. This includes the arrangement of tables for the meal and details of the civil ceremony.
At Oaks Farm your ceremony start time may be between midday and 3pm. It is best to allow half an hour for a civil ceremony and 3 hours for dinner including speeches of up to half an hour duration. After dinner, please allow half to three quarters of an hour for the re-arrangement of furniture for the evening party.
The venue is available from 8.30am on the day of your wedding. The cottage is available from 11am.
If you are bringing in any drink for before or during the meal you will need to deliver it to Oaks Farm before 10am the day before your wedding.
Please feel free to deliver decorations to the venue the day before the event before 10am. Please also provide a clear table plan. Please bundle up your name cards PER TABLE. Please include clear written instructions on how you would like your decorations arranged. Please highlight children and special dietary requirements on the caterer’s plan. It is important to highlight highchairs and wheelchair spaces on the Oaks Farm plan.
Cake deliveries must be made on your wedding day. We are not able to refrigerate your wedding cake since all refrigeration will be required by the caterers. If it is a hot day, it may be best for the cake to be delivered during your meal to cut in the evening. Note that buttercream cakes are not tolerant to high temperatures.
All food must be provided by your Oaks Farm approved caterer apart from one wedding cake.
No food provided by your caterer may be removed from the premises.
From the end of your main meal, all drinks must be purchased from The Orchard Bar. If any drinks are consumed in the evening, that are not purchased from The Orchard Bar, we reserve the right to close the venue.
The Orchard Bar has a minimum spend of £500. If less drink is consumed, then the Bride and Groom will have to settle the difference when the bar closes.
In line with the advice of the regulator, the bar staff at Oaks Farm may ask to see ID for any guests buying alcohol who appear to be age 25 and under.
The bar accepts last orders at 10.50 pm and then closes at 11.00 pm. The Orchard Bar Company only accepts card payments. For our service there is a minimum spend of £500, which if it is not reached by the end of the night has to be settled by the couple when the bar closes.
The entertainment licence at Oaks Farm requires any music to stop by 11.00 pm.
The venue is closed by 12pm at the latest, and we would ask you to allow extra time by inviting guests to leave at 11.30pm.
All candle decorations at Oaks Farm must be electric. On the advice of The London Fire Brigade, we do not allow naked flames.
We allow hand thrown confetti only (not confetti bombs).
We do not allow bouncy castles at Oaks Farm, but we welcome other garden games.
Children must be under supervision at all times and must not play on the adjoining golf course.
Fireworks, sparklers and Sky Lanterns are prohibited.
There is a pond at Oaks Farm which has a safety grid over it to make it safer for children. However, guests are absolutely forbidden to walk across the grid as this can damage it.
VERY IMPORTANT – DJS ARE ONLY ALLOWED INSIDE AND MUST PLAY WITHIN OUR NOISE LIMITER WHICH IS SET AT 90 DECIBELS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR ENTERTAINMENT LICENSE. OAKS FARM IS NOT SUITABLE FOR LIVE BANDS. DUE TO SOUND RESTRICTIONS, ONLY QUIET BACKGROUND MUSIC IS ALLOWED OUTSIDE.
We do not allow bespoke dance floors at Oaks Farm as they often damage our oak flooring.
In line with Government legislation Oaks Farm is a no-smoking venue. Guests are allowed to smoke outside.
Any abusive language or threatening behaviour towards any of our staff or suppliers coming on site will not be tolerated. Any perpetrator of such behaviour will be asked to leave the venue immediately.
We cannot be held responsible for any valuables damaged or lost at Oaks Farm, including wedding gifts. Please do not leave any valuables/ gifts in the venue overnight.
If any member of your party causes any breakage or damage at Oaks Farm, the cost of repair or replacement and any other incidental costs will be your responsibility.
Please bear in mind that both deposit and balance payments are non-refundable and so you must take out your own wedding insurance to protect your risks.
Please note that changes or alteration to the venue may occur after the date of booking.
We would highly recommend visiting Oaks Farm to soak up the atmosphere and to get a better idea of what we have to offer.
Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to arrange a visit.
To arrange a visit to Oaks Farm, or to request more information on the venue, please call us on 020 8654 6622, send us an email on events@oaksfarmweddings.co.uk or fill in our form below, and a member of our team will get right back to you.
Visits to the venue are by appointment only to ensure that we can dedicate our full attention to you and your requirements.
Our office hours are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, but we are also available at weekends subject to weddings.