APPROPRIATELY for a former religious retreat, Stanbrook Abbey in south Worcestershire is turning into something of a wedding magnet.

The old Benedictine convent at Callow End, near Malvern, which was converted into a luxury destination venue five years ago, recently hosted the West Midlands regional event of the national Wedding Industry Awards and this week staged a major wedding fayre.

Couples wandered the cloisters of the Grade II listed property, built in 1871 and designed by Pugin in Gothic Revival style, to be met by wedding planners and suppliers ready to help host their big day.

Stanbrook's general manager Martin Page said: "We were delighted to meet couples and talk over plans for their big day. We always enjoy meeting with them because it is a major day in their lives, which we are privileged to be a part of.”

Visitors to the fayre were able to walk around the historic setting of the abbey, which has a backdrop of the Malvern Hills, and get help and advice from a photography team and disc jockey among other specialist services.

There will be future wedding fayres at Stanbrook Abbey on Sunday, January 3, and Sunday, February 21, from noon to 4pm.