The Farmhouse at Redcoats

Dating back to 1480, The Farmhouse at Redcoats is an AA 4-star Silver hotel with 2 AA Rosette dining, set on four acres of private grounds outside Hitchin. The adjacent Grade II listed 18th-century Barns provide the wedding venue, with the beam-filled barn seating 120 for the day and expanding to 200 for the evening. The Victorian Room offers a more intimate option for ceremonies of up to 24. With 27 individually designed rooms, from characterful farmhouse bedrooms to stylish barn conversions and a luxury honeymoon suite, your guests are well looked after. Dog-friendly rooms available too.

The Barns

The Grade II listed barns are the heart of the wedding day. Original beams, exposed brick, and that feeling of stepping into a building with genuine history. The barn seats 120 for the wedding breakfast and opens up to 200 for the evening, which gives you a noticeable shift in energy when the evening guests arrive and the room fills out.

The timber frame and brick walls create naturally warm acoustics. Sound stays controlled without needing heavy-handed volume management, which means the transition from dinner music to dancefloor feels smooth rather than jarring. I set the speakers to work with the length of the barn, filling the dancefloor area with proper energy while keeping the far end comfortable for conversation. Uplighting along the beams and brickwork adds depth to the room. The warm stone takes colour well, and by evening, with the right lighting, the barn feels completely different from how it looked during the daytime.

The Victorian Room

This is where The Farmhouse stands apart from its neighbour, The Barns at Redcoats. The Victorian Room is a genuinely intimate ceremony space for up to 24 guests, and it has a character that no marquee or modern function room can replicate. Period details, rich furnishings, and the proportions of a room built for private gatherings.

For micro-weddings and smaller ceremonies, I adapt the sound completely. A full PA system would overwhelm this room. Instead, I use a compact setup that fills the space gently, with ceremony music that feels like it belongs in the room rather than being projected into it. The acoustics are close and warm, which suits the emotional weight of a ceremony perfectly. Every word carries clearly, every piece of music lands.

The Cowshed Bar and Gardens

The Cowshed Bar serves the same role here as it does next door at The Barns, a separate social space where guests can relax away from the dancefloor. The gardens and wildflower meadow give you options for outdoor drinks receptions, and during summer I run background music outside that keeps the atmosphere going while your photographer works. The transition from garden to barn as the evening begins is one of those natural shifts that sets the tone beautifully.

Fine Dining and the Guest Experience

The 2 AA Rosette dining is a genuine distinction. Couples who book The Farmhouse tend to care about the food as much as the party, and the quality of the meal sets the standard for the whole day. I match the music to that standard. During the wedding breakfast, the playlist is carefully pitched to complement rather than compete with the dining experience. Nothing too loud, nothing too obvious. Just the right feel for a room where the food deserves attention.

The 27 individually designed rooms mean your closest guests are on site for the night. As with The Barns next door, that makes a real difference to the evening. Nobody leaves early, the dancefloor stays full, and you get the kind of sustained energy that only happens when everyone is properly settled in.

Location

The Farmhouse at Redcoats sits just outside Hitchin in North Hertfordshire, sharing the Redcoats Green site with The Barns. Easy access from the A1(M), around 30 minutes from London King's Cross by train. Stevenage and Letchworth are both within 10 minutes by car.