It's hard to find the right words to do justice to a wedding weekend at Deer's Leap. As a venue it is beautifully tucked away in its little valley corner of Exmoor. Unspoilt and (until we got there) serenely quiet, it really feels like you are cut off away from the hustle and bustle in your own little bubble of happiness with your special people. People is one of the things that makes Deer's Leap so very special. Heather and James have created a venue that just exudes the joy they bring to their work. They are wonderful people, kind and attentive, all geared to helping create a celebration that works perfectly for you, and their team all follow suit in going above and beyond. Through all this, they create an experience that is totally authentic and personal. No idea is off-limits, but they have the wisdom of experience to guide you in the right direction, which certainly saved our bacon a few times... For a stunning venue with the most unique personalised experience, Deer's Leap can't be touched. We miss it already and can't wait to go back and see everyone very soon.
Amazing!
Review submitted on Mon, 19 Aug 2024
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
Heather and her team were amazing! She could not have done more for us. So helpful and informative and what a truly beautiful space she has. Thank you for everything!
Our dream wedding thanks to everyone at Deer's Leap Retreat
Review submitted on Mon, 29 Jul 2024
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
We viewed many wedding venues, but after visiting Deer’s Leap Retreat, it was the top of our list. We are so happy we chose to get married there earlier this month and can’t thank Heather enough for making it the best weekend of our lives from start to finish.
The venue is stunning and having everything on-site was a huge bonus. We stayed there with our guests in the main farmhouse, the separately housed bridal suite, and the glamping tents. This was brilliant as it allowed us to share the night before with our nearest and dearest, but also host a post-wedding BBQ for everyone on the Sunday. Getting married next to the lake had a very special feel to it and the scenery is incredible! The large patio area attached to the barn is right next to the ceremony enabling a seamless flow from ceremony to reception drinks. Then, the barn and bar for the wedding breakfast and party afterward was exactly the style and feel we were after!
All the staff at Deer’s Leap Retreat were incredible. We live abroad, so planning and organising was a little harder, but Heather was always just a phone call away and really helpful with everything. You can tell she has a lot of experience planning weddings and has great connections with the local vendors and suppliers!!
A huge thanks again to everyone at Deer’s Leap Retreat for truly making our wedding everything we could wish for, and more! Dean & Nina x
Amazing! Don't hesitate to book
Review submitted on Tue, 11 Jul 2023
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
Cannot praise Heather enough for making our wedding day so perfect! From our initial enquiry, to booking to the actual day, Heather was super friendly, helpful and supportive and ensured our day went smoothly. The venue is beautiful and well maintained, the accommodation immaculate and comfortable. We were there from Friday to Monday and enjoyed every minute. It's the most beautiful place to get married and we couldn't be happier with Heather and our venue
Bashford Wedding
Review submitted on Sun, 04 Dec 2022
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
From start to finish Heather and her team at Deer's Leap was always on hand to offer advice, answer any questions no matter how trivial and helped us create our bespoke wedding. The use of the Bridal cottage and farmhouse for the duration of the wedding weekend was massively beneficial and meant that guests could socialise and those travelling from far away had somewhere homely and comfy to stay.
Having access to all of Deer's Leap wedding store, sole use of the venue, being able to be married under the pagoda and the chance to tailor make the wedding day meant that costs could be kept down and reduce unnecessary waste and travel.
The staff were friendly, helpful and during the day all went the extra mile to ensure a wonderful day was had by everyone.
The most perfect wedding.
Review submitted on Sun, 09 Oct 2022
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
Well, where to start with this review. I can't even begin to put into words how amazing our wedding was. Heather and the team made it the most special, smooth and personal experience and we honestly can't think of a thing we would change or have done differently.
From the day we came to view Deer's Leap Retreat, we knew instantly this was the venue for us. The initial meeting with Heather was very exciting as the way this venue ran things was exactly what we were looking for. She told us we could have any suppliers we wanted, provide all our own booze if we wanted (with no corkage charge) and we could have a truly bespoke wedding day that they would make a reality.
Heather clearly loves what she does because there are no hidden costs and she truly just wants your day to be perfect.
Throughout the planning process, Heather was incredible. She was so accommodating and made us feel like anything was possible. She made excellent suggestions as to what worked really well at Deer's Leap Retreat - all the way from hiring a bubble man and face painter, having unlimited ice cream via their ice cream bike, sharing platters instead of a three course meal, having a starter buffet instead of canapes and recommending a wide-range of suppliers for us. Her daughter Jess was also really quick at responding to emails throughout the planning and we never felt like what we were asking for was too much trouble.
They also let us stay in the bridal suite for 3 days earlier in the year which meant that we could re-look at what we had planned, meet with our suppliers and enjoy being at the venue. This meant that by the time our wedding weekend came around, we were super clear on what we wanted.
I am so glad we listened to Heather's advice and guidance around what works well at Deer's Leap because, wow, what a truly perfect wedding day. I don't think I have ever planned something (in work or personal life) that went absolutely perfectly - nothing went wrong, there were absolutely no hiccups - it was a such a smooth and slick operation.
If you hire Deer's Leap for your wedding, the bridal couple can arrive on the Thursday and start setting up. This was such a blessing because, by the time people started to arrive on the Friday, we had already unpacked, worked out what needed to be done and could easily delegate tasks to our friends and family who were staying on-site. This meant that the Friday evening was stress free - pretty much everything had been set up, (we only had a few things to do on the Saturday morning) and therefore, everyone staying on-site had a fantastic evening eating, drinking and catching up. This also meant that we could catch up on the wedding day with people who were staying off-site as we had already had lots of chats with those staying on-site. Additionally, everyone staying on-site can stay until the Monday which was fab because as a newly married couple, it was so nice to have a day of being on-site together, not having to rush around and pack everything up, we could just relax and use the private hot tub in the bridal suite.
All our guests kept saying that ours was the best wedding they have ever been to. It was sooo relaxed and felt like a summer festival. We felt so lucky that Deer's Leap had availability on the weekend we wanted and that meant we could have the wedding of our dreams. It was honestly so incredible.
The relationship we built up with Heather across the year of planning was extremely special. At the end of the wedding weekend, I was so emotional because I was sad that it was over and we wouldn't be liaising with Heather in the same way again. They put on couples weekends where they invite couples who have got married at Deer's Leap back to the venue. We definitely want to do this and are planning on staying in the bridal suite on a special anniversary (like an airbnb) as Deer's Leap, Heather and the whole team will always mean so much to us.
I wanted this review to cover all the most important bits that made our wedding day the best day of our lives - this has turned into the longest review ever but hopefully, we have put across how glad we are that we chose Deer's Leap and how grateful we are to Heather, Jess and the rest of the team and all our suppliers for making it so perfect.
A very magical experience
Review submitted on Wed, 15 Jun 2022
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
Our wedding at Deer's Leap Retreat was so special and magical. The location of the venue is incredible, nestled in the rolling hills it feels both snug and expansive at the same time. We were fortunate to visit the venue a number of times and seeing Deer's Leap in Winter and Autumn, Spring and Summer, the experience kept transforming offering something new and beautiful
The constants are Heather, James, Jess and the rest of the Deer's Leap Team. Always willing to help, offer advice, ensure everything runs smoothly, going above and beyond to enable us to create exactly the wedding we wanted. We can't thank you enough, we had so much fun because we knew we were in safe hands!
Wedding
Review submitted on Fri, 22 Oct 2021
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
Wonderful owners and staff. James took the photos and heather and maddie where our witnesses.thank you
Amazing…….
Review submitted on Mon, 13 Sep 2021
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
We cannot recommend Deers Leap enough Heather, James and their team are amazing humans nothing is to much trouble and have a great way of calming an very nervous bride. The support and advise was invaluable. Setting is perfect with lots of freedom to use the space in your own way and just enough advise to not fall down a rabbit hole!! Our guests were wowed and lots of questions on how we found them. Perfect day perfect venue perfect hosts. Thankyou is really not enough xxx
We had a special evening celebrating an engagement at Deer's Leep
Review submitted on Thu, 09 Sep 2021
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
4.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
We were staying in the farmhouse and had the wonderful news that our son, and the daughter of one of the other families we were with had got engaged.
Heather and James very generously allowed us to use the wider facilities for a celebration party - and the barn and outdoor area provided great facilities. The lighting gave a wonderful feel and you could see that any event held here would enjoy a very special and pretty setting - we certainly had a memorable time. Thank you!
Incredible wedding venue
Review submitted on Mon, 02 Sep 2019
4.8
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
4.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
A very special place, that will forever stay in our hearts. Heather and James and their children (& poppy!) are all such lovely, warm and kind people to be around, and made us feel so at home and relaxed, we can't thank them enough.
Such a beautiful memorable wedding
Review submitted on Mon, 12 Aug 2019
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
We had the absolute best time getting married at Deers Leap. The venue is stunning, looks amazing before you even start, and is the perfect location for a wedding.
Heather is the most incredible human being. She helps you craft your perfect day, giving you ideas and lends a hand in every way possible to make sure that you get the most out of your wedding day. She's full of amazing ideas, and is very inspiring. Nothing is too much trouble, and her and James handle everything, leaving you able to have such a lovely and relaxed day, knowing that they have any problems covered. We had such a lovely time, celebrating with our friends and family.
Couldn't thank Heather and James enough for everything, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Deers Leap for the most magical and memorable wedding.
Wonderful Stay and Wedding in blustery October
Review submitted on Mon, 29 Oct 2018
5.0
out of 5
Guest recommends this property
Cleanliness
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Condition
5.0
Location
5.0
Value
5.0
Customer Service
5.0
We booked our wedding at Deer's Leap Retreat and was not disappointed! Heather and team were absolutely fantastic from day 1.
Wedding couldn't happen outdoors due to the typical unpredictable English weather but still, managed to move all sits to the games room for all our guest to be safe and dry! Last minute panic but still, it all worked out in the end! Really cant thank you enough for accommodating all our gests (who had tents blown and soaked!). Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the stay at Deers Leap!
We loved the place! Thank you for making our wedding a day to remember! X
Ana & Keith Duffy
