It’s strange how it works out, that you often get drawn back to a particular venue, and the Crow’s Nest at Barton Marina, has proved to be one those venues where we’ve either been hired for a wedding or attended one of their wedding fayres, on quite a few occasions. We’ve been there nine times so far with more to come!
Barton Marina is a man made marina linking to the Trent & Mersey Canal, and which opened in 2001 with moorings for 300 narrow boats. The marina, has several outlets, including eating places, quality shops, and even a cinema, and attracts the non-boating crowd too, in great numbers.
One of the businesses there is a pub, The Waterfront, which gives visitors the opportunity to quench their thirst, and fill up on tasty food too. On the top floor of the pub is a very attractive loft space suitable for events such as weddings, called The Crow’s Nest, and we can see from our frequent visits there why it’s so popular as a wedding venue.
Located just off the A38, close to Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, the venue is well placed for couples from both the East & West Midlands, but so far, each of our couples who’ve married there have come from various places within Derbyshire.
Our first couple, the lovely Linda and Tony, were married there in our first year, and before we realised the value of taking lots of photos to pass on to them afterwards. We at least managed to take this one!
The journey to the venue was from Swadlincote and we did two journeys, with first of all the Bridesmaids, and then the Bride herself.
Our next wedding there was with the lovely Kim and Andrew, and you couldn’t wish to meet nicer people.
The journey from the Hotel to the Crow’s Nest was fairly short, but we’d agreed to collect the Father of the Bride from the venue on the way down, as he and his wife were staying on a narrowboat at the Marina, then bring the Mother of the Bride back up, and then go back to collect Dad and the Bride. It all worked smoothly and everyone ended up where they should have been at the right times!
When you’re starting a new small business, you’re never ‘not available’!
We’d managed to get away for a bit of winter sunshine in Lanzarote, and while lying by the pool reading a book, an enquiry came in from a couple wanting a quote for their wedding at The Crow’s Nest. We explained the situation in case there was a any delay in responses, and then just dealt with it by email and secured the booking by the end of the day.
The lovely couple were Heather and Alex, and we were able to make three journeys to their local Church, firstly with some Bridesmaids and the Mother of the Bride, and then some more Bridesmaids and a Flower Girl, and then then the Bride and her Father.
They’d hired a wonderful photographer for their day, another Andy based in Derby, from Peacock Obscura who recorded wonderful moments and created some great memories of their day for them.
The couple had chosen to make a stop on their journey from the Church to the venue, so they could have a celebratory drink and give their guests time to arrive before them.
I pulled into a gateway on a quiet country road, and as I was getting the bubbly ready to serve to them, Andy the photographer drove past, then stopped and reversed back as he’d spotted a great photo opportunity, because behind the gate was a field of wheat.
The couple were persuaded to abandon their drink for a while and get into the field. Being creative and thinking on your feet is what makes some photographers better than others, it seems!
The Crow’s Nest has served us well and we’ll be back for more wedding fayres, and even more weddings in the future too!
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White Taxi Weddings 