Cornelie & Marcus

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A church wedding in Chipping Campden followed by a garden reception at Kiftsgate Court Gardens, bringing 164 guests together for an elegant summer celebration that moved effortlessly from ceremony to cocktails, dinner and dancing.

The Vision

Cornelie & Marcus wanted the wedding to begin away from Kiftsgate, and end entirely there.

With 164 guests plus two babies, the day involved a significant movement of people and a carefully timed transition between St James' Church in Chipping Campden and the gardens at Kiftsgate.

The ceremony was to be traditional and church-based, followed by a very different atmosphere at the estate, champagne in the water garden, canapés and live music, dinner in the marquee and an evening built around cocktails, cake, live saxophone and dancing.

The result was intended to feel cohesive rather than segmented, a classic church ceremony flowing naturally into a relaxed Cotswolds celebration.

FRIDAY

The Ceremony & Celebration

The day began at Kiftsgate before the wedding party travelled to St James' Church in Chipping Campden for ceremony. After the ceremony guests boarded coaches for the short journey back to Kiftsgate, while Cornelie and Marcus travelled separately in Marcus' family classic car.

By the time guests arrived at the estate, Ben H Trio were already playing in the water garden.
The drinks reception began at 3pm, with champagne, rosé, beer, elderflower and water alongside a selection of canapés. Guests were given time to settle into the gardens before being guided towards the marquee at 5pm, taking the scenic route past the view.
Inside, the evening moved into dinner, speeches and a carefully choreographed meal service. The couple were announced into the marquee, followed by speeches from Marcus and the father of the bride, with the catering team timing each course around the formal moments.
At 8pm, the celebration moved outside again for cocktail hour and cake cutting in the Stunning Terrace. The tiramisu cake was served alongside cocktails and live saxophone before guests returned to the marquee for the first dance and dancing.
Freddy's DJ set carried the party into the evening, with live saxophone appearing throughout the night and late-night toasties providing the final food service.

Execution Highlights

164 guests across two locations: Church and estate timings were coordinated around guest coaches, the couple's classic car and the reception schedule.
Church-to-estate transfer: Two guest transport arrangements brought everyone from Chipping Campden back to Kiftsgate for a 3pm reception.
Multi-stage guest flow: Guests moved from church to water garden, water garden to marquee, marquee to Four Squares and finally back to the marquee for dancing.
Complex catering service: Sam & Jak delivered canapés, a multi-course dinner, dessert, tea and coffee, tiramisu cake and late-night toasties, with detailed dietary requirements incorporated into the service.
Late-night entertainment: Tux Fizz combined live sets, DJ/playlist duties and a sax and drums set before handing the final two hours to a Super Silent Disco.

The Result

The structure of the day allowed two very different experiences to sit naturally alongside one another.
The result was a weekend structure that gave guests room to move, eat, drink, dance and make the celebration their own. The ceremony retained the formality of St James' Church. Back at Kiftsgate, the atmosphere opened out, first into the water garden, then around the dining tables, then outside again for cocktails before the final return to the marquee and the dancefloor.

It was a wedding built around movement, but with enough space within the schedule for guests to pause, eat, talk, drink and enjoy the setting. The logistics were complex. The experience was designed to feel epic.