Interview with the Wedding, Events and Sales Manager at The Rosslea Hall Hotel
Overlooking the Firth of Clyde in the picturesque village of Rhu, close to Helensburgh, Rosslea Hall Hotel really makes the most of its stunning seafront setting. Set in a Victorian mansion overlooking Gare Loch, Rosslea Hall Hotel sits in beautiful landscaped gardens with breathtaking views over the River Clyde. Their beautiful hotel accommodation and romantic setting makes Rosslea Hall Hotel simply perfect for a fine Scottish wedding. Whether you are looking for a small and intimate ceremony or a larger traditional wedding in Scotland, they will work with you to ensure it is exactly the day you have always dreamed of.
The unique wedding venue fought off competition from luxury locations across Scotland to take home both the The best wedding venue over £6000 CONFETTI AWRADS 2019 and Best Overall Wedding Venue categories at VOWS 2018 . Hundreds of brides and grooms nominated the Helensburgh hotel for the accolade, recognising the wedding venue for its personal customer service, luxurious menu and distinguished location.
I have had the pleasure of photographing weddings at the Rosslea Hall hotel for the last TEN years, and so I met with their dedicated wedding co-ordinator Mark and general manager Lynn, who has played a big part in their success and recent growth, to find out a little bit more about her and this award winning venue.
How did you become involved in the wedding trade?
“I was previously a Health Club manager for twenty five years before taking up part-time work with the hotel. I loved the weddings they delivered, became more involved with that side of the business and decided that this was the job I wanted to do. Working with the couples and seeing the events through to the end became a passion and here I am, five years later!”(lynn)
What attracted you initially to the wedding industry?
“Coming from a sales background, dealing with club memberships, and taking great satisfaction from working and interacting with people I knew this was a role I could enjoy and do well. Getting to know the couples, advising on vendors for them to help deliver their special day, then pulling everything together is all very fulfilling. We even organise weddings for couples from abroad which is tremendous fun, and through the working relationship, which can sometimes be 2-3 years in the making, when you finally get to meet these couples, you feel you know them inside-out.”(lynn)
“What did winning an award mean to you?
“As a team we felt great! Also having reached the final three years in a row, from a venue that previously hadn’t even been on the map, was a great achievement! In five years we had gone from doing twelve weddings a year to approximately eighty. This credit is due in great part to the General Manager, Lynn , for his hard work & determination. On a personal level he has been like a mentor to me. Also as a team we’re almost like a family and we all gel which is tremendously important!”(Mark)
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What are the popular wedding trends?
“It’s difficult to say! Certainly our winter weddings are as popular as our summer weddings. Fashion-wise: centre pieces change; popular colours come and go; clothes fittings change; but in the end a wedding is a very personal thing and everyone wants something different and unique to make their day special.
Can wedding guests stay at Rosslea Hall hotel?
“Wedding parties are given the opportunity to book all thirty rooms for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We often have families that stay for the whole weekend, who thoroughly enjoy the whole experience.
Describe your most challenging wedding?
“Probably organising the wedding for a couple from Hong Kong, with both the language barrier and time difference to overcome, knowing that they would be walking down the aisle 2 days after arriving at the hotel. We had to have everything ready, from kilt size to cake & flowers. Absolutely everything you can think of! Practically everything had to be done by email so it left me a little apprehensive as emotion can’t always be expressed well by email, especially with a language barrier thrown into the mix. We couldn’t be a 100% sure exactly what they were expecting. In the end it was all heartfelt gratitude, hugs and appreciation for what we had been able to deliver, which made everything worthwhile. The experience was a positive one as it gave us confidence that we could even deliver at a cross-cultural level. As a result we now deal competently with couples from all over the world!”( lynn)
Have you ever had to do more than what was expected for your couples?
“There are occasionally last minute problem-solving issues, such as having to stitch the mother of the bride into her outfit, or steaming wedding dresses at 7am in the morning for brides who have forgotten to unpack their dresses the night before. You always try and go above and beyond what is expected, it all comes with the territory!”
What advice do you have for couples looking to the Rosslea Hall hotel as a venue?
“We want our clients to know that we treat each and every wedding like it is the only one we are here to deliver. We want to make every couple feel special and let them know that their wedding is at the forefront of our hearts & minds and that we want to make their dream day come true. We also let them know that we believe that no question is a stupid question, and not to be scared to lean on us. We do this work day in, day out. That’s what we’re here for!”(Mark)
Have you booked the Rosslea for your wedding looking for a photographer to shoot your memorable day? Fairytales photography images are fun and relaxed. Here is some picture from a recent wedding I photographed .
Check out my favourite rosslea hall pictures
www.rossleahallhotel.co.uk/weddings
The new Fuction Suite 2016
Changing Lights
Dressed by Events by TLC
Check out Louise and Adam rosslea hall hotel wedding blog
Check out my favourite rosslea hall pictures