****2016 Brides**** 326 brides (and 3 grooms!) so far!

Just a little woe is me post - just needed to get it out.

Found our dream venue been in talks with her since Jan, have visited the venue etc. Just worrying myself as don't want to lose the date but only way to secure it is with a non-refundable deposit. I totally understand why venues have to do this. Just saving as hard as possible and still a way to go before we reach the deposit amount.

Sorry rant over its a very selfish silly rant sorry x

Sorry to hear this, I know exactly how it feels. What our venue have done is say that they will hold our date for us. Because it's in advance, they haven't had any interest in our date (or much for 2016 at all) yet. So what we've agreed is that they will hold the date for us until we can afford the deposit, with the agreement that it will be end of this year at the absolute latest. And then if they get any other interest for our date, they will give us first refusal and give us the chance to pay our deposit before anyone else can book our date. This was actually the lady at our venue's idea, without us suggesting it, which I thought was really helpful.

Hope that makes sense, feel like I rambled a little! But I wonder if this is something you can try to suggest to your venue? At this point if nobody else wants the date, they aren't losing anything by holding it for you, but you get the peace of mind of knowing that you're pencilled in. Just an idea

Thanks for replying Laurafish .... Is made me feel a bit better that I'm not the only one that needs to save. I thought maybe I was being unrealistic and that I should of somehow been able to find the money.

That's a really nice suggestion of your venue, and like you said it's 2016 so there is a while. When we were viewing the venue they hadn't had interest for March 2016 yet so I wonder if maybe we could talk to them and see if they would do something along the lines of your venue.

its not that we are going to change our mind or mess them about its just finding that amount of money isn't always easy.

Thank you for replying

Can i ask, how much deposit are they asking for is it a big portion of your overall total?

That's a great suggestion from your Venue Laurafish. Mrs RM could you maybe suggest this to your venue?

Jen-Lou. The deposit is £1500. It's the same deposit for anyone no matter the cost of wedding etc - does that make sense? X

LiverpoolB2B - I think I am going to speak to them and see if they can. Would it come across as rude or cheeky do you think? X

Wow, that is one big deposit.

I don't think it is rude or cheeky, you don't know unless you ask. If they are not willing to hold it and give you first refusal if someone else enquires about your date how about asking them if they could give you a couple of months to pay the deposit in instalments as you really want to have your wedding there and see if you can come to some other arrangement. Maybe it being a while off still may give you some leverage to negoiate so to speak.

I hope they give you a reasonable time frame to pay the rest off too.

I don't think it's rude/cheeky at all! You aren't asking them to do anything that will cause them a problem - they wouldn't be losing out on any money if nobody else is already interested. All they would be doing is helping you feel a bit more at ease which is what their customer service should all be about anyway

We've not spoken to his parents about it at all yet (and while I dont have a problem with them I'm reluctant to start asking their opinions as it's our day and my mum knows that while her opinion is welcome its our decision, and i dont mind if it annoys her a bit, but I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable having the same conversation with them, and H2B certainly wont stand up to her!) To be fair to her, I'm sure she wouldn't be a problem at all, OH has a tendancy to worry too much about what his parents/other people will think when actually I'm sure she'd be supportive of our plans for the day (to our face at least, and I couldn't care less what she says to other people so long as I dont have to hear it!) Although I suspect it will be important to her mum for it to be that particular church. They have offered to pay for our photographer for us though which we're very grateful for!

The venue have just phoned and left a message on my mobile, counting down the minutes until my official lunch break so I can call them back (16 mins to go!)

Not that I'm on hitched when I should be working. No. Not me. Ever **shifty eyes**

Did it work out? You're very considerate thinking about your parents' opinions, we literally did it all on our own, like you say it's your day and no one else's. We just paid £3240 deposit - skint!

Going to a wedding showcase on Thursday evening at what I think may be 'THE' wedding venue... fingers crossed!

I am getting married 12/03/2016!

I am so excited, but it seems so far off!!

only booked the venue & registrar so far, but i already want to get planning!!

Welcome, I've just added you to the list No harm in planning, the time will fly!

Welcome :-)

So after all my fretting and excitement about going to look at 'the' venue in a couple of weeks, we popped to a wedding fair today, feel in love with it sat with the wedding co-ordinator for about 3 hours (way after the fair ended!) and long and short of it we've made a provisional booking for 10 September 2016!! Its only provisional as I was still intending to go and look elsewhere, but now I'm not so sure if I should stop now.. I'm off to start a new thread to ask advice from all you lovely hitchers!

So we've officially booked the venue & the deposit is paid!! Can't wait now for 03.06.16! We tried to get 2015 but just nothing suitable at all next year!

30th May 2016 for me

Welcome to haideee

excited to see people have booked their venues !!

No compromise on the deposit front for us ... Waiting for her to send over the terms and conditions before we make the final decision xx

P.s if anyone is West Midlands area and money is no object .. Look at The Belfry.. Truly stunning!!

Ahhhhhhhhh!

We are booking our venue on Wednesday, well its already provisionally booked but we are paying the deposit to secure (the wedding co-ordinater isnt back in until then). We have booked the registrar, things are becoming so real!

Morning ladies, hope you all had a good weekend!

Almost Mrs D I've added you to the list, welcome

Exciting to see a few of you getting venues sorted!

As for me I feel like we've taken a bit of a step backwards. OH's mum sent him a link to another venue that he now wants to go and see. I thought we were sorted going to see venue 1 this weekend again, but he needs to book to see this 2nd venue if he wants to see it. I'm not as keen so hopefully this won't change much... fingers crossed!

Oh no Laurafish! Sounds like it's going to be quite a decision to make what do you think about the other venue from online? I wasn't sure on our venue until we got there & I just knew it was the one for us so it's worth seeing as many as possible! You'll know when you find it!

Im im not sure when to book our registrar! I thought it couldn't be more then 12 months in advance... Looks like I might have to do some reading!

Book your registrar now! (If you can as some counties are different) Its your notices that cant be done until a year before.

We have booked now as there were only 2 time slots left for the day we are getting married and I didnt want the late one. I did want a 1.30 wedding. But that time slot was gone. So we have gone for 12.30 as otherwise it would have been 4pm and thats too late for us.

So its definatley worth enquiring whether you can book now or not. We have just had to pay a £45 deposit for the registrar and then pay the balance the weeks before the wedding.

Our first venue has lots of grounds and is really beautiful, this second one doesn't look like there is much at all. Being in July I really want to have some time outside before the meal so having nice grounds is quite high up on our list. I'm sure the photos don't show everything, but it's around £2k cheaper and they're only a mile or two apart so I'm thinking there must be a reason for them being quite different in price. But then I also think that because I'm expecting not to like it, that I'll be really critical of it. But we'll see, I suppose! Turns out OH did book a viewing at the 2nd one on the same day (this Sunday) so we'll find out soon enough!

I don't have any experience with registrars - church wedding here - but daisymoo seems to know what she's talking about I think all counties are different about their rules - my friend who's getting married in August couldn't book until a year in advance I think.

Oh wow! I had no idea, did you just call to book or did you have to go in? We want to get married at Blackpool registry office as this is where my parents got married, but we both live in Liverpool now. Does that matter at all?

We are getting married at the hotel we are booking. So we have booked the registrar to go there. The hotel is in a different district to where we live so a different registry office and they let us book no problems. Just had to ring up and confirm names and day/time wanted.

Each county is different tho, so ring your registrar office and see if you can book now, you dont want to be disappointed. It took me a while to get hold of the registrar (a few days) so perservere (cant spell!) if you dont get through straight away. Its worth an ask at least.

When it gets to 1 year to go we will have to go to our local registry office to do the notices etc but at least I know that we can have the ceremony on our date

We can only book our registrar 2 years in advance so counting down to make sure we get the date we want (everything crosssed). Luckily we can make our inital booking online and then the registrar emails final confirmation. (I already know i'm going to be sad and stay up until midnight so I can get the day and time we want te he he)

Luckily our registrar did take a bookings this far in advance, BUT at first she would only do 2pm or 3:30pm, which wouldn't suit as the room we eat our meal in needs to be vacated by 5pm! Our wedding co-ordinator at the venue rang the registrar on our behalf and haggled (she's good) and we're now marrying at 1pm, phew! Still think it might feel rushed but 1pm definitely an improvement. Your venue will confirm which registry office to call, then it's just a case of calling them to see if they will take a booking. If not, no harm done and at least you know you need to jump on the phone at precisely when the lines are open on the 12 month mark.

September 17th!! Outdoor wedding, beautiful country manor.

In the meantime..

LOOKING FOR PINTEREST BRIDES

If you love Pinterest please fill out my survey below.I'm in the final year of my degree and for my dissertation i am looking into the efficacy of Pinterest within UK weddings.It's a short and easy survey, would be much appreciated. Thank you x

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Welcome Hanna, I've added you to the list How is your planning coming along?

We are now at 25 brides!

Hi! Just started really, recently booked my venue down in Kent. Started a Pinterest board to try and generate some inspiration. Thinking about colour schemes, definitely want gold but i''m so undecided.

Need to finish my degree first and then I can give the planning my full attention.

If you love Pinterest please fill out my survey below.I'm in the final year of my degree and for my dissertation i am looking into the efficacy of Pinterest within UK weddings.It's a short and easy survey, would be much appreciated. Thank you x

https://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=1d9b9288-efad-418f-9014-6ee21cc1f10e

Please can everyone do my survey below! I'm doing my dissertation on Pinterest Brides within the UK. I only need 19 more responses, it would be wonderful if you guys could help. Many thanks.

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Morning ladies, hope you all had a good weekend? Did any of you get up to much wedding planning?

We went to look at what I thought was our wedding venue. We then went to see another venue OH's mum found that she has convinced him is better. So now I really don't know what to do, I feel like I am going to end up giving in and going with what they want - 2 against 1 and all that... but I'm just so annoyed. We already found a venue last year until his mum decided she didn't like it, and now the same has happened again. OH says "you are both so stubborn and I'm stuck in the middle". Yes I will completely admit I am stubborn, but I think in this case I have the right to be, and she definitely doesn't! But now it's too late, the idea has been put in his head and I'm not going to be able to change that. Sigh Feeling like just not talking about it for a long time. Please say I'm not the only one with FMIL issues!