COTE HOW
An Extra Mile Venue
By CAROLINE LANGHAM
Cote How Lake District Weddings is recognised as an 'extra mile’ wedding venue
Popular wedding venue Cote How, located in Rydal, Cumbria has been recognised as going the ‘extra mile’ for their couples during Covid-19. The local business was given this extra mile wedding venue status as part of a nationwide goodwill campaign. This new initaitive was launched this week to celebrate wedding venues from across the UK, aimed at recognises those that have gone that extra mile, demonstrating excellent customer service. Showing compassion, thoughtfulness and support to their couples throughout their worst Covid-19 nightmares.
Dating fro m1535, this stunning historic Lakeland country house and barn venue is set in four acres of grounds in the heart of the Lake District National Park. Owned by Caroline and Steve Cote How specialises in smaller more intimate weddings and has always focussed on providing exceptional customer service, with their full wedding planning service and bespoke wedding services.
About Cote How
The venue is a small family run business offering only a select number of weddings each year. 2020 was set to be their busiest to date, but since Covid arrived, they have managed to host only one wedding so far! But they are not alone. Like many venues out there they have worked tirelessly since early March communicating with their couples and had to arrange postponements for over 50% of their 2020 bookings during the pandemic. This whilst also dealing with increasing overheads and no income.
Extra Mile Wedding Venue
Host Venue Consultancy’s Olivia Riddiford founded the “Extra Mile Wedding Venue” campaign and said: “The wedding industry has been hard hit during Covid-19. Wedding venues especially have been faced with challenging times; from furloughing staff, continuing to finance high overheads and most importantly dealing with their 2020 couples sensitively and thoughtfully.”
Many venues have shown real kindness at a time where couples have been forced to postpone their dream wedding, so it was important to create a campaign to celebrate these venues and get their story heard.
Gone above and beyond
Cote How has gone above and beyond for their clients, communicating daily, offering help, support and advice. They are keeping couples updated via their Coronavirus blog, and issuing the latest guidance and developments as they unfold. They have been actively finding new dates for couples and continually changing and redesigning wedding plans, as guidance changes.
Caroline has created a series of virtual tours on their YouTube channel and has adapted face to face meetings to zoom meetings for easier and safer access. Recent adaptations to the venue and their working practices have helped their couples feel Covid-secure. We’re delighted to have given the extra mile venue title to such a worthy business”.
Client Testimonial
Izzie, One of Cote How’s brides and due to marry in October 2020. She has said
“Caroline and Steve have been amazing since our first email enquiring about booking our wedding at Cote How.
Cote How is an extraordinary place where I visited with my mum when it was a tea room, and I have many fond memories of spending my childhood holidays in Rydal.
What Caroline and Steve have created at Cote How, is truly a one of a kind set up. With the added value of two people who really care about your special day. When people say that you go through up and downs with weddings – they are very right!
The last four months have been full of ups and downs. We have not known what our wedding will look like in October. Caroline is always at the other end of the phone to listen, advise and reassure. Talking to Caroline really just grounds your thoughts and feelings during these uncertain times. At times I’ve felt like Caroline is only organising my wedding and no one else’s because she cares so much!
Cote How is more than a wedding venue to me, it’s a place that holds so many special memories and the location on Rydal Water, holds a special place in our hearts. To know our wedding is being planned and looked after by two of the most caring and down to earth people makes it even more special.”
How we feel...
Caroline and Steve, who run Cote How together say “We are thrilled to have been recognised as an Extra Mile Venue. Our wedding couples mean the world to us and feel like part of our family. We are so glad to have been able to support them during this dreadful time, and although it has been very tough at times, we have certainly bonded even more with our fantastic couples – just like Izzie and Adam.
They booked with us two years ago, and we have got to know each other very well during that time. It is not surprising that when it comes to the wedding day, I get so emotional – I feel like a second Mum to some brides!
We hosted our first ‘micro wedding’ on Tuesday last week and are really looking forward to hosting more weddings soon and offering the best customer service to our couples and their guests.”
“This is an amazing campaign and, we are thankful to Olivia for going that extra mile herself. She is actively promoting all other Extra Mile Wedidng Venues out there that are facing real hardship and unnecessary bad press. As an industry, we are hoping to redress some of this and focus on the positives.”
Cote How Specialises in smaller more intimate weddings and Adventure Elopements
If you fancy a stunning Lake District destination wedding, then please get in touch – We would love to hear from you.
Start by downloading our brochure now
Suppliers Links:
Photography by: Jenna Carpenter
ExtraMileVenue initiative by Olivia Riddiford @hostvenueconsultancy
Client Testimonial by @ilforth_95
if you have enjoyed this blog then why not read our last blog – Small and Sensational – The Covid-Secure Micro-Wedding
Ahhh thank you Izzie – You have been a star! 🙂
Thank you so much Caroline and Steve for everything you have done for us! One of a kind wedding venue!x