Budget Nightmare

We're really trying to be sensible about our budget too and I can imagine it getting out of hand very, very easily! TBH one of the reasons we're going away to get married was to keep costs low but we're finding other expenses elsewher LOL!

If I were you I'd be practical; halve your budget and be sensible about what you want/need. Maybe keeping an extra quarter of your budget set aside for contingencies.

Have you thought about an out of season wedding (June will be megabucks for everything as it's peak wedding season obviously) Autumn/Spring in a Country House would be beautiful, as would a winter wonderland.

I really do want a Summer wedding - although can't guarantee the weather anyway!

We can purchase the alcohol from France to keep costs down as I'd like to be in a position to host free alcohol - it's just everything else that comes with it! And marquees are so expensive - well the stuff I would like with all extras etc certainly is.

Think I could just forget about feeding people -

Only joking! If only I had an easily available CHEAP stunning venue.

Big Sigh....

Hi

We're in London but would prefer to have something in the country - no more than 3 hours from London in any direction.....

Thought about hiring a house for a weekend and holding a marquee on the lawn but the houses large enough are extremely expensive, when on top of marquee rates make things extremly costly.

I guess it depends on your actual budget but there are a lot of lovely country houses in the south west in easy distance from London. Have you tried looking at https://www.uniquehomestays.com ? Do you want to hire it for the weekend or just the day?

Hi stupidlamb

I think I've viewed every website offering accommodation in the UK! Uniquehomestays being one of my faves! The houses are gorgeous but sadly the prices when attached to the word wedding become rather high (if not already too expensive) - we would like to hire for weekend and are able to offset some of the costs against some guests taking accommodation but usually working out at approx £3k at least plus the cost for a marquee - I've tried to get some quotes but they differ and I would imagine for what I'd want would be at least £4-£5k therefore that's £8k before I've even purchased a bottle of champagne. Or a dress!!!!!!!!!

Seems rather indulgent......

I'm not having a marquee so not sure how much they would cost, but what I have found is that because we are having our own caterers and there is no corkage , the cost of the food and drink has been vastly reduced and has therefore made what would be an expensive hire charge more reasonable, if that makes sense?

It may be worth looking at the package as a whole. This didn't twig with me to start off with and at first I couldnt justify the cost but after looking at the other elements it made is do-able ( is that a word?!)

How many guests are you thinking of?

Have you looked at "indoor" venues with gardens? I thought about a marquee but when I worked out how much it would be plus all the extras of flooring, lighting, heating, tables and chairs it was actually more expensive than having it in a hotel or manor house

We're London based too but using a hotel in the New Forest, not far from Lyndhurst.

https://beaulieuinn.www.newforesthotels.co.uk/

200 ish people big enough for you?

I would not spend your whole budget if it that generous... We had a big church wedding for about 70 day guests and 130 evening on the Herts/Essex border for about £10k and that was our upper limit!!!

We initially looked at erecting a marquee in the Abbey Church gardens and had permission from the church and the council to do so but would have had to had 4 days of 24 hour security as it is a public area which bumped up the costs too much.

There are loads of gorgeous venues in the Herts/Essex area, many with marquees already on site.

Where have you already looked at and ruled out so we aren't repeating work you have already done?

If you feel you want to do it cheaper than the average price then do it. Mr DWC and i have been looking for a venue for 2 and a half years because we decided the budget we originally had was just silly. Its marriage that counts not the extravagance of the wedding day.

We're going to see Clavelshay Barn near Taunton in Somerset at the weekend. It looks absolutely beautiful and is no where near as expensive as some of the others we've seen. We're also looking at having it a farmhouse restaurant near where we grew up. Their neighbours hold charity events in their gardens and the guy who owns the restaurant is going to see if they might do it for us. Think outside the box. Places use the word wedding to hike up their prices!

Do what you feel comfortable with x

We really want to do something in a venue where we could enjoy the next day also - such as a BBQ for half the guests - hence the request to hire a private acommodation venue......

We're Hertfordshire way of London therefore HERTS/ESSEX borders would work well if you have any good tips -

The only other venue I like is Leez Priory but I hate the thought of spending so much money on a venue for one day where I can't put 100% of my own stamp on things which is why the marquee really appeals to me! Plus we would like lots of drinking and dancing and more intimate feel which I think you lose in some of the venues where you haven't got exclusive use.....

If only I had a house with a HUGE amount of land -

I've found what I want but would mean spending around £25k - we could probably afford it JUST and meaning we'd be in debt for approx £7k however I just don't think I can justify it!

I'm sure it'd be amazing but months down the line when all forgotten - that could pay a huge chunk of the mortgage!

I wouldn't have a clue what the average bride would spend.....

Maybe I should try and look at farmhouse / barn style accommodation with alot of land - might be cheaper to erect marquee in their grounds than the houses I've been looking at currently.

If you feel that taking a loan out to have an extravagant wedding just feels a bit wrong then don't do it. There are plenty of ways to do it for less than £25K.

We get to completely put our own stamp on our wedding because our venue is 'dry hire'... you do pay a relatively hefty hire fee (£2500) but the upshot is that you can find the best deals on everything and you can do it all YOUR way... and I do mean all... we have even hired in lighting! There's no corkage fee and so we are providing a free bar which is something we really wanted to do.

It's https://www.landmarkartscentre.org/venue-hire/weddings/ if you're interested?

Hiya - obviously miles away from you so not much help but Guyzance Hall in Northumberland has a ballroom that will take 100. You hire the house for whole weekend, bedrooms and all. There are also extra holiday cottages on the estate that you can hire too.

I'm sure there was something similar down south that I looked at briefly - I'll dig out my notebook when I get home and see if I can find it.

Have you looked at the Fennes in Bocking?

There is also Buckettsland Farm near the A1 which is space for hire for weekends, there is accomodation for the bride and groom (with hot tub!) but thats it.

Notley Abbey I think you can hire the whole place too but I think that is expensive.

The problem is that most places would either have a stately home with accomodation or a marquee - I think trying to find a combination of both would be tricky and/or expensive.

Another source to try would be to ask the marquee hire companies for recommended areas, there may be fields that they have used previously that they could recommend.

Http://www.countywedding.co.uk/counties/Essex/choices/venues.htm

Have you thought about maybe an independent school grounds? I am in Hampshire so probably to far away for you but know of a local school that does cater for wedding marquees and you get the use of their cricket pavilion also. Just thought it could maybe prove slightly cheaper than country house grounds.

There's Slaugham Place near Haywards Heath, W.Sx? Its not a big house as such, its a ruin- but has beautiful gardens and is sold purely as a marquee venue (not sure if you have to provide the marquee or not though).