Bridal accommodation

I would ask your guests what they would prefer to do. But, it seems like the hotel is the better option as the men can easily get ready without having to travel to a different location and pay even more for the privilege!

I would however recommend speaking to your venue before booking anything. Mine has limited accomation with only 5 rooms in total. I have already arranged to get ready there in the morning, but they said that they can decorate the restaurant as a dressing room for me - they put out lots of mirrors etc. It means that I/we get more space. Anyway, my point is that they might allow you to get ready at the venue in a room that won’t be in use the day of the wedding or one that won’t be used until mush later in the day so they have time to turn it around. This might give you more options if they allow it.

Thanks for the advice, i think you are right just worry about the amount of space available within a small hotel room for 6 women to be getting ready in! Unfotunately the venue is a Barn, with no additional rooms so there is no option of staying there, so it will be the hotel or cottage. Will need to have another rethink, and have a look at some of the closer other local BnB's.

If you don't like the decor of the first option then by all means don't do it, but I wouldn't worry about the decor for the getting ready photos, nor the lighting. A skilled photographer will avoid the bad colours and can certainly deal with the room seeming dark or gloomy. Whilst we love it when we get a huge room with a lovely large window, we're quite used to dealing with worse. In summary, I wouldn't include the photography aspect of each option in your considerations. Hope that helps!

If it was me I'd go with the hotel just because it's easier and sod the photos ? But I can see why the cottage sounds appealing too. Personally I don't think the difference in price is that much (for breakfast you could just bring some bacon and baps from a supermarket and quickly fry it up in the morning) and I would have thought most men would understand that the women want to get ready in peace without them hanging about, also men don't take as much time to get ready so that wouldn't be as big an issue for them (maybe they'd enjoy hanging around the hotel bar... who knows! But probably best to just suggest it to them and see what they think.

Thanks for the advice. On further discussion it turns out that the hotel will actually work out more expensive as it is per night, not for two nights as I first thought. In one way that makes the decision a lot easier, just need to see what everyone prefers really and go from there!

I wouldn't worry too much about the photos because any decent wedding photographer will be able to cope. Also all the other half's lads should be fine sorting themselves out and you defiantly don't wont them around in the morning and if they are needed to ferry around then that is part of their job as the bridesmaids partners.

An option that I have seen a few times before when there is nowhere at the venue to get ready is that you get 80% ready at one venue, hair,make up and then just use a room at the venue to finally just put the dress on. That way you are not sitting in a hot car for 45 mins creasing your dress.