North Hill Farm sits high above the Chess valley on the edge of Chorleywood, looking out over one of the prettiest stretches of countryside in south-west Hertfordshire. What makes it remarkable is how close it is to everything: the Metropolitan line runs to Chorleywood station, central London is about 20 miles off, and yet standing in the field with the valley dropping away in front of you, none of that is remotely apparent. It is a working farm that hosts weddings rather than a venue dressed up as a farm, and the difference comes through in the relaxed, slightly unbuttoned feel of the place.
Weddings here are field weddings in the best sense. You take the site and build the day on it, with a marquee or tipi as the centrepiece and the layout entirely up to you, for somewhere in the region of 150 guests. The farmhouse holds four bed and breakfast rooms sleeping around 11, there is a treehouse, and glamping and camping open the site up for guests who would rather stay put than book taxis — which is what turns a wedding here into a weekend rather than a day. There is parking for about 150 cars on site, and proper facilities rather than the bare minimum.
The appeal is freedom. Nothing about the day is pre-decided: not the caterer, not the running order, not where the ceremony happens or which direction the tables face. That does mean more decisions land on you than at a hotel, and the weather becomes a genuine part of the plan — ground conditions, a wet-weather route between marquee and car park, warmth for the evening. Couples who enjoy that kind of planning tend to love it here, and the views do an enormous amount of the work.
Where the band plays
In a marquee on a field, the band goes exactly where you decide, which is a luxury. Put the stage at the end furthest from the entrance so guests walk towards the music, and keep the bar on the same side as the dancefloor so the room does not divide in two. A few practicalities make all the difference outdoors: solid flooring under the stage and dancefloor rather than matting straight onto grass, a power supply properly rated for a full band with lighting, and a plan for keeping the marquee warm once the sun goes down, because cold guests sit rather than dance.
How the evening runs
The shape of the day is yours to write, and most run long here — ceremony and drinks outside while the valley is golden, dinner as the light goes, then dancing through to around midnight, by which point the band will have played two full sets and the campers can simply walk to bed. Load-in is across farm ground, so warn suppliers in advance and think about vehicle access if there has been rain. Since this is an open site rather than a building, agree the music finish time and any sound conditions early with the farm, and be a good neighbour about where the speakers point.
Bands available in Hertfordshire and perfectly at home in a venue like this.
More live music in Hertfordshire.
- Hertfordshire Wedding Bands
- Hertfordshire Events Bands
- Hertfordshire Tribute Acts
- Hertfordshire Wedding DJs
- Hertfordshire Corporate Entertainment
Worth reading before you book: Sound Limiters Explained. More questions answered on our England & Wales FAQs.