Congratulations
Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage!
Choosing the perfect venue can be the most exciting step in creating your perfect day. Here at the
Ironbridge Gorge Museums, in the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site, we give you the opportunity to
choose from unique venues in idyllic settings.
Feel free to let us know your dream day and we can tailor our offer to meet your requirements. You can be
confident in the knowledge that a dedicated wedding co-ordinator will be making sure your special day runs
smoothly.
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum is licensed for Civil Ceremonies and Civil Partnerships and you can choose
from a selection of unique historic venues in romantic and atmospheric settings - whether you dream of
an intimate ceremony for 20 guests, a lavish banquet for 300 or an informal and lively hog roast with
fairground attractions.
In this brochure you will find all the information you need to guide you through your planning. Venue capacities
and hire prices are listed, followed by our catering options and our unique additional touches for an
exceptionally memorable day. Your wedding co-ordinator will always be happy to discuss alternative
suggestions and ideas.
We welcome your enquiry and will enjoy showing you around our wonderful settings, just call our wedding
coordinators on 01952 435 935 for an informal chat, or email us at events@ironbridge.org.uk to arrange a
visit.
Wishing you all the best,
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
All elements are subject to
availability
Unique Venues
COALBROOKDALE
Coalbrookdale is a beautiful place to host your Ceremony and Reception. The deeply wooded valley
overlooks a collection of impressive Georgian and Victorian buildings set in a landscape largely unchanged
for two hundred years.
A traditional Coalbrookdale fireplace is the focal point for a ceremony in the elegant oak-floored
Board Room, which can seat up to 100 guests. From here you descend the staircase with its ornate cast iron
balustrade. Weddings will be forever remembered for the beautiful landscape surrounding the
Coalbrookdale Green and the cast-iron fountain - with the Great Warehouse and Clock Tower providing an
ideal backdrop for photographs of you and your guests.
Our most popular reception room is the Covered Bays, a more informal summer space with a real ‘wow’
factor. A brick floor and cast iron pillars give the space a rustic, barn-like feel and is ideal for undercover
drinks receptions, hog roasts or barbecues as well as dancing to live music.
The Engine Shop has an industrial cathedral-like quality with enormous arched windows and a high vaulted
ceiling with wooden beams, and if that isn’t enough it’s situated next door to Enginuity, the Museums’ hands-on
Design & Technology Centre. After 5pm both these venues can be hired and it’s an excellent way to entertain
up to 300 guests; whilst the adults in the wedding party dance the night away, the children can pop next door
and play on the fun interactives.
“It was brilliant! We were allowed to decorate the room how
we wanted and it looked great…the service we received was
great and everyone was so friendly and approachable. We
were very, very happy!”
Mr & Mrs Freemantle,
2013
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
All elements are subject to
availability
Unique Venues
BLISTS HILL
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum’s flagship site is the recreation of an entire Victorian town complete with a
pub, period shops, workshops and factories - the perfect backdrop for a unique wedding.
This is the most atmospheric of venues and you and your guests can’t help but be transported back into the
Victorian era. The New Inn is ideal for smaller weddings of up to 40 guests. After a ceremony in the
intimate Victorian Club Room you and your guests can enjoy drinks and canapés in the Tap Room and bar
below with an open fire and traditional beer pumps. A great option for food would be our famous
traditional fish & chips to add to the atmosphere and authenticity of a Victorian pub. For a special romantic
touch you and your partner can take a trip through the Victorian Town in a horse and cart, returning to the
Club Room for your Reception. You can even have a Victorian sing-a-long to entertain your guests whilst
you have your photographs taken.
At the bottom of the site is the Forest Glen Refreshment Pavilion, an 1889 timber building which once
served Victorian tourists on cycle trips and walks on the Wrekin. Painstakingly reconstructed here at Blists
Hill, the Pavilion is licensed for Civil Ceremonies and can cater for up to 100 guests. From the Pavilion guests
can spill out onto the Green, a delightful outdoor venue for Reception drinks on summer days. The charming
period buildings, magnificent industrial monuments and wooded slopes make for an inspiring location for our
Victorian Fairground - fabulous entertainment for children and grown-ups and available to hire for your
wedding - just imagine the photographs!
“Every detail was perfect and the backdrop provided us
with the most spectacular wedding pictures, whilst the
atmosphere 'wowed' our guests. We would do it all
again tomorrow and not change a thing - quite simply
the best day of our lives.”
Mr. & Mrs. Lowe, 2011
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Information and prices correct
at time of printing.
All prices are inclusive of VAT.
Venue Hire Prices
To view a venue please contact the wedding coordinators on 01952 435 935. The Ironbridge
Gorge Museum proudly offers a very flexible wedding service and different venues can be used
at different times.
VENUE HIRE PRICE INCLUDES WEDDING CO-ORDINATOR
VENUE
MAX NUMBER
OF GUESTS
PRICE
AT THE COALBROOKDALE SITE
The Board room*
up to 100
£450
up to 150
£1200
up to 300
£1800
up to 150
£1500
Forest Glen Refreshment Pavilion*
up to 90
£850
Club Room*
up to 40
£300
New Inn Pub
up to 40
£300
The Covered Bays*
The Engine Shop*
The Board Room & Covered Bays
AT BLISTS HILL VICTORIAN TOWN (from 5pm only)
* Licensed for Civil Ceremonies
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Prices are a guideline
and will be confirmed on
enquiry. Information and
prices are correct at time of
printing and inclusive of
VAT. Enhancements are
subject to availability.
Enhancements
Helping to create a wedding day that has those extra touches is our speciality.
There are some experiences you will only find here at The Ironbridge Gorge Museums.
Blists Hill Vintage Fairground
£330 for 1½ hours
All the fun of a classic old-fashioned fair - complete with Swing Chair and Swing Boats along with use of the side
stalls, including the coconut shye. Price includes unlimited rides for you and your guests. Side stalls are £1 per go.
Harris & Scrivens Steam Gallopers
£90 for 1 ½ hours
Available for hire during July & August, these are the perfect addition to the Blists Hill Fairground and offer guests
more opportunity to have a ride in vintage fashion. Price includes unlimited rides for you and your guests.
Victorian Horse and Cart
£300 for 1 hour
After your ceremony begin your celebrations with a delightful horse and cart ride through the Victorian Town - the
perfect way to enjoy a romantic moment together.
Victorian sing-a-long
Price on enquiry
Treat your wedding guests to rousing and fun entertainment with old Music Hall-style songs and lively piano
accompaniment, a great way to smooth the wedding photographs along. 45 minutes or 1 ½ hour options
available.
Private hire of Enginuity
£120 per hour
Why not allow your guests to blow off some steam in our Design & Technology Museum in Coalbrookdale. Hire is
available after 5pm only and allows completely private use for your wedding party.
Disco
from £350
Band
from £480
Chair Cover Hire
(Includes sash in a colour of your choice)
From £3.60 per chair
We have some great ideas for unusual favours, including tickets for fairground side stalls, old-fashioned sweets from
the Blists Hill Sweetshop, small cast-iron items or tickets to visit the Museums.
We can also recommend local suppliers for wedding stationary, florists, photographers, transport (vintage, and
modern) musicians, evening entertainment and any other particular requirement you have for your special day.
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Payment Terms
All provisional bookings will be held without obligation for 2 weeks. After this time all unconfirmed
bookings will be released.
On confirmation of booking, an event contract will be issued. A copy will need to be signed by the client
and returned, after which a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the anticipated venue hire will be
invoiced and must be paid by the client within 2 weeks of receipt.
Final and chargeable numbers will be required 3 weeks prior to the event, after which 95% of the
anticipated full cost will be invoiced. Payment is to be received before the event date.
The full and final invoice will be issued after the event has taken place and is required to be settled within
30 days of the event date.
The client must make payments available to the Museum as and when required.
All other terms and conditions are stated in the contract, which is to be signed on confirmation of booking.
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
1.
Is your venue easy to find?
Yes, we are located just off the M54 and the areas are well signposted. Please visit our website for travel information www.ironbridge.org.uk/plan-your-visit/travel-advice.
2.
Is your venue licensed to carry out civil weddings?
Yes, all venues listed in our brochure (except for the New Inn pub) are licensed.
3.
What authority do you come under and can you supply names and contact details for the registrar?
Our local authority is Telford & Wrekin Council. The contact details for the Register Office are 01952 382444 or
register.office@telford.gov.uk.
Wellington Civic & Leisure Centre, Tan Bank, Wellington, TF1 1LX
4.
Will ours be the only wedding at your venue on our wedding day?
Yes, we only hold one wedding on any given date, so we can provide you with the best service and our undivided
attention.
5.
How many people can you accommodate?
We can accommodate for small gatherings of around 30, right up to a large wedding reception for 300 guests at
Coalbrookdale.
We offer weddings of 40-100 at Blists Hill, with additional guests allowed if you choose to hire a marquee.
6.
How many car parking spaces are available?
We have 100+ spaces at Coalbrookdale, with access to additional parking down the road for an extra 50-100 at
weekends.
There are around 200 spaces at Blists Hill on the main car parks, with additional overflow parking available just down
the road.
7.
Do you allow confetti to be thrown at the venue?
Yes, providing it is biodegradable confetti and is thrown outside the venues only.
8.
Do you allow candles to be lit in the reception room?
Yes we allow lit candles.
9.
Do you have a noise limiter fitted or can we turn the music all the way up?
We have a noise level monitor which indicates when levels are too high with coloured lights. We have a maximum noise
limit in all of our venues of 90dB, as we are in close proximity to residents. We request that all entertainment providers
stick strictly to these limits and we monitor sound throughout the evening.
10. Is there any overnight accommodation?
No, we do not offer accommodation– however we can provide a list of local recommended hotels.
11. Do you allow professional firework displays at your venue?
No, unfortunately we are restricted due to residents living nearby.
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Venue Questions
1.
Do you offer the option of a marquee?
Yes, we can offer hire of a marquee at Blists Hill if required, at additional cost on enquiry.
2.
Are there separate rooms provided for the wedding, reception, meal, evening reception, etc?
We have separate rooms for a wedding ceremony, drinks reception and meal/evening reception at Coalbrookdale. We
also have separate venues for the above at Blists Hill; however there is a maximum guest limit of 40 in some venues
(please see our brochure for further information).
3.
Is there a room provided for the use of "bride and groom" for the day?
Unfortunately we do not have specific rooms for this, however the bride and groom are welcome to use the Members’
Room at Coalbrookdale (located just off the Board Room) when hiring the Board Room for a ceremony.
4.
What times do you offer ceremonies from?
At Coalbrookdale there isn’t a time restriction on ceremony start times, although there may be additional hire fees for
ceremonies taking place earlier than 11am.
At Blists Hill we offer ceremonies from 5pm, as the venues are open to the public during the day. For weddings during
our Winter season (2nd week in November – 3rd week in March) we offer ceremonies from 4pm.
Legislation which came in at the end of 2012 now allows couples to marry outside of daytime hours, so it is possible to
have a ceremony at any time during the venue hire period (usual restrictions on consumption of food & drink in the room
before/after a ceremony still apply – ask for details).
5.
When can we have access to begin setting up the room in terms of decorating it with flowers and bunting etc?
At Coalbrookdale, access to the venues is provided the day before the wedding, all day unless otherwise stated.
At Blists Hill access is only available for 2 hours before the ceremony (3pm), however you may drop off items the day
before and our staff can set up all table decorations for you. If you require bunting, etc. then this may be set up the
afternoon before (from 4.30pm)
6.
If the evening reception is being held in a room that is being used for something else earlier in the day, do you require the
DJ/Band to set-up their equipment beforehand?
If the venue is being used for the meal before the evening reception, we usually ask DJs/bands to set up beforehand,
usually straight after the ceremony. It depends on the length of time required for set up as all entertainers are different.
7.
Is there an area that could be used as a crèche if needed?
We do have some rooms at Coalbrookdale that could be used for this purpose after the ceremony and during the
reception, this would of course require adult supervision at all times. This facility is not provided for at Blists Hill
8.
Is there a quieter area for older guests to get away from the noise of a band/DJ?
Yes. The Covered Bays and Glass Classroom at Coalbrookdale are an ideal choice for an evening reception if you require
a quieter area. The Glass Classroom’s huge glass wall separates both venues so that guests can still see what is
happening while the music is playing but they are able to have a quiet conversation also.
9.
Do you have a room where you are able to store wedding presents until you are able to collect them and are you insured for
any loss or damage to these presents?
No, we are not insured for loss or damage to wedding gifts or personal items left at the venues. We request that all gifts
are taken away at the end of the night.
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Catering Questions
1.
Do you insist on doing all the catering?
Yes, we have contracted caterers, Jenkinson’s Caterers from Stafford who supply all of our catering and bar provision.
2.
Can you supply examples of suggested menus along with prices?
Yes, we have all sorts of menu options available, please ask for details. Our caterers can also tailor a menu to suit your
specific requirements and budget.
3.
Are we as clients able to source separate food suppliers for the evening buffet?
No, however once the wedding is booked, detailed conversations with the caterers about this can take place. The decision
as to whether it would be permitted is ultimately up to the caterers and if permitted, a food corkage charge will be
required.
4.
Do you include a cake stand and knife if required?
Yes, we offer a round or square stand and knife.
5.
Do you have a preferred order of service (when and where do we cut the cake)?
No, this is entirely up to you; we pride ourselves on our flexibility to adapt so you can enjoy your perfect day.
6.
What time do you offer an alcohol license until?
Our published hire fee covers service until 11pm, although we can extend this to midnight at an extra charge. We also
require entertainment to finish at the same time.
If you require the use of a cash bar there is a fee to set this up, which is included in the brochure.
7.
What time do you insist the reception finishes by?
We allow an extra half hour after the bar closes for guests to finish drinks and depart. Please see above answer for
timings.
8.
Do you insist on supplying the wine and champagne?
No, you may supply your own if you wish, corkage charges will apply depending on quantity supplied.
9.
If we are able to supply the wine, what do you charge for corkage?
Standard service charge, based on supply of reception drinks after the ceremony, table wines and a drink for the toast is
£7 + VAT1 per adult drinking alcohol. This is based over a 5 hour period.
10. Can you recommend a company to supply our wedding cake?
We have several suppliers that our wedding couples have used in the past and been very happy with, please enquire for
details. We can also provide contacts for chair covers, wedding cars and other elements if required.
1
Based on 2014 prices.
Contact the Conference & Banqueting Team on 01952 435 935 or email events@ironbridge.org.uk
The IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST Limited Coalbrookdale Telford Shropshire TF8 7DQ
www.ironbridge.org.uk