Oulton Hall has had more lives than most buildings manage. It began as a modest 18th-century house belonging to the Blayds family, who brought in Humphry Repton to shape the grounds from 1809 and then the Smirke brothers to remodel the house itself; a fire in 1850 destroyed much of that work, and the Leeds firm of Perkin and Backhouse rebuilt it into the confident Grade II listed mansion you see today. It served as a military hospital in the First World War, spent decades as a psychiatric hospital, and had fallen into real dereliction before a multi-million-pound restoration in the 1990s brought it back. Knowing all that makes walking up the drive rather more moving than it would otherwise be.
What you get now is a country house hotel with the polish of a resort: 300 acres of grounds, formal gardens that still carry Repton’s influence, a 27-hole golf course, and a spa that has saved many a bridal party’s morning. The interiors are the sort of thing the Victorians did well and nobody does now — high ceilings, deep cornicing, tall windows that flood the rooms with light — and it is all about 15 minutes from the centre of Leeds, which makes it unusually easy for guests travelling in.
There are three principal wedding spaces. The Oulton Suite is the largest, licensed for civil ceremonies, with its own private bar and room for up to 220. The Repton Suite is licensed too, takes around 70 and opens onto a terrace, which makes it a lovely choice for a smaller, sunnier sort of day. The Claret Jug Suite seats up to 80 and looks out across the golf course. Each can be taken on an exclusive basis, and the kitchen will build a menu around you rather than handing you a laminated list.
Where the dancing happens
The Oulton Suite is the room to have if live music matters to you. It is big enough to hold a band, a dancefloor and 200-odd guests without anybody feeling squeezed against a wall, and the private bar keeps the crowd in the room instead of drifting off down a corridor. The smaller suites are perfectly capable of hosting a trio or an acoustic act, but a full band with brass will feel happier in the main space. As with any hotel of this size, ask what time the band can get in to set up, since the room may be in use for your wedding breakfast right up until the turnaround.
The shape of the evening
Days here tend to spread out comfortably: ceremony indoors or on the terrace, drinks in the gardens, a long dinner, then the room flipped for the evening while everyone wanders. Because most of your guests can simply take the lift upstairs afterwards, the party rarely thins out early, and a band playing two sets from mid-evening will find a full floor for both. The hotel will confirm the finish time when you book, and it is worth checking whether live music is expected to stop a little before the bar closes so you can time the last dance properly.
Bands available in West Yorkshire and perfectly at home in a venue like this.
More live music in West Yorkshire.
- West Yorkshire Wedding Bands
- West Yorkshire Events Bands
- Tribute Acts in West Yorkshire
- Wedding DJs in West Yorkshire
- Corporate Entertainment in West Yorkshire
Worth reading before you book: Sound Limiters Explained. More questions answered on our England & Wales FAQs.