This country house wedding venue in Yorkshire is Instagram perfect

That’s why Nic Marshall leapt at the chance to make an offer on Carlton Manor in Aldbrough when the owners decided to sell up.

He says: “It was a farm with 15 acres and a big house in a beautiful setting facing due south in the middle of open countryside, in easy striking distance of Beverley and the East Coast.

“A gridlock here constitutes three cars and the nearest neighbour is a mile away, which is important because then the wedding party doesn't have to be conscious of making a noise. It’s a real haven and that’s rare.”

While the previous owners had hosted a few weddings to supplement their income from farming, Nic and his business partner Simon Spinks had a much grander plan in mind.

It involved a radical revamp both inside and out and a whopping £2m spend with no expense spared, which included hiring award-winning building company Gem Construction.

The first must-have was a ceremony barn made from green oak where couples can marry and have up to 150 guests.

“It’s one of the things we are most proud of. It feels like a church inside,” says Nic, a Yorkshireman who couldn’t resist adding a circular window in the gable end of the barn featuring a Yorkshire rose.

Then came the Carlton Tipi, which seats 200 guests and is used for wedding banquets and other events.

To create extra accommodation,12 insulated cabins have been built in the property’s wood but perhaps the most remarkable transformation is in the eight bedroom manor house, also used for retreats, meetings and corporate events.

The property was treated to a new roof, a re-render and replacement of the uPVC glazing with accoya wood sash windows.

“It’s amazing what a difference replacing the uPVC has had. It gives the rooms a different feel,” says Nic.

The interiors have had a complete makeover and Nic hired interior designer Michele Wraith, founder of An Eye for Design, to help him, though he added his own must-haves.

The latter included a handmade kitchen by York company House of Elliott and the pheasant motif wallpaper in the snug.

“I knew what I wanted in some rooms and I have put my stamp on the house but getting a professional in was so worthwhile because what Michele has done is amazing.”

It’s certainly inspired guests who regularly ask where they can source the wallpaper, furniture and decorative accessories.

The enormous kitchen now has insulation, underfloor heating and a newly-levelled floor. Nic also replaced all the fireplaces in the house.

All the bathrooms were fitted out with sanitary ware from Hull based MKM and were good value, which allowed a bigger spend in other areas of the house.

Michele concentrated most of her efforts in the guest bedrooms, the reception room, the wedding barn and the cabins.

She says: “We set a different theme for each of the bedrooms so no two are alike. We felt that was really important as was adding texture, which is why we added panelling to some of the rooms.”

The reception room is sumptuous with deep blue walls and velvet chairs and curtains to match.

“It’s largely in one colour to create a calm space as this is where the bride has conversations with the registrar before the wedding.

“It’s also used as a place to sit and relax,” says Michele, who cleverly hid the radiator behind fretwork panels with backlit shelving above.

Upstairs, the Foreman’s bedroom was designed to work both as a family bedroom or for the groom and his best man.

Michele commissioned a bespoke Chesterfield sofa bed and added deep teal blue panelling behind the main bed to add interest and conceal wardrobes, while the low hung pendant lights at either side bring drama.

The addition of a wood divider between the bed and sofa bed works brilliantly and says Michele: “It creates some privacy but it also helps to make this room feel more like an apartment.”

Even the rooms with the least square footage have been given the full VIP treatment with one tiny cloakroom looking a million dollars with gold panelling and taps and decorative tiles and a small shower room looking splendid and quite big enough, thanks to salmon pink metro tiles and a sumptuous wall hung sink with gold rails.

“We love to include elements that will get guests saying ‘I’ve not seen that before’ and where’s that from?’,” says Michele.

While the project as a whole went 20 per cent over budget, Nic was not concerned.

“We wanted to achieve a high-end finish and we have and the feedback from guests has been amazing .I’m really proud of what we have achieved.”

Useful contacts: Carlton Manor, www.experiencecarltonmanor.co.uk; An Eye for Design, Michele Wraith, www.aneyefordesign.co.uk