I need a new reception venue in the NE

Can you give an idea of what you were paying?

Before you choose not to go with the venue, can you not see it set up as a wedding soon?! I just think that a wedding and an engagement party is different things, and possibly you don't know how much the other people are paying and might of skimped on some of the decorations etc etc.. Don't rush into changing venue's over this unless you haven't been happy before and this is the icing on the cake?!

Yeh, sorry. That might've helped. We were all in for about £2,100. I know it's asking a lot to get the same, but we are willing to work some extra to get the money for somewhere better. At a complete rough guess, I'd say no more than about £3,500.

For how many people?

Whereabouts do you live?

Also, does the ceremony need to be there too?

Thats what I was about to ask

We haven't actually cancelled yet, just want other options so I'm not stuck doing a butt load more work making it look good. We're going to see it set up for a wedding tomorrow, but the room still has less room than they made it sound and it would've been horrendous at that temperature and humidity with over 100 people in there.

I live in Jarrow, near Newcastle and Sunderland, but willing to travel a bit. Would prefer to still have my church wedding, and probably 80 max daytime and another 30 max for the evening.

Oh did you not see it before you booked it?! Also do they not have air con? alot of places now have air con etc and maybe just hadn't turned it on??

Good luck with your search

Ahh I know Jarrow - my mam was born in Hebburn.

What church are you currently having?

Hiya

Whereabouts is your church and how far would you be willing to travel for the reception? Will then suggest a few places ?

Ali x

We've booked St John's in Hebburn FMIL knows the verger (sp?) so she's going to help us with decorating and flowers etc.

We did see the room, but it was set up with less tables and no where near as hot. We mentioned the heat and just said it is warm today isn't. Couldn't see any obvious air conditioning system, but it's not too reassuring when you mention how bad it is and OH wiped his brow and she is fanning herself with some paperwork and doesn't mention anything. Admittedly, we didn't think to ask though.

I wouldn't want to travel more than about 20 -25 mins if possible, maybe a bit further if all the guests can stay over as we have a lot of people travelling from South Wales and West Scotland and are already paying enough without a huge taxi fare to get to their hotel.

Hi

A couple of places that might be worth a try - although I don't know what kind of prices they'd come in at. The Vermont, The Royal Station Hotel, As You Like It (really quirky but doesn't have accommodation although is Jesmond so not far from city centre), The Marriott near the metro centre - actually nicer than you'd expect & an ok outdoor area too). Is there anywhere else you've considered? What kind of place are you after?

Ali x

Thanks. I'll have a look at those. I'm currently looking at Best Western Roker Hotel and the Marriott in Sunderland and metro centre. I don't know what sort of place really. Somewhere that won't need me to do masses of dressing o make it look decent.

The Grand Hotel in Tynemouth is worth a look too. They're all fairly blank canvasses though so I'd think you'd need to do a bit of dressing with them. The venues with more character tend to have a bigger pricetag unfortunately! Is the place you have booked at the moment a chain type venue like the marriott?

Ali x

No it's not a chain. I don't mind place not having too much character as I knew all along they would be out of budget, but I don't want somwhere that's going to need any sort of drapes etc to make it look decent.

Where have you looked so far? I've been to two receptions at the Angel View Inn (over-looking the Angel) - very nice bank-friendly venue.

Have you looked at the Sea Hotel in South Shields?

Customs House?

Ah right I see ? Those are definitely worth having a look at then. If I think of any others I'll let you know!

Ali x

Thanks girls. I'll have a Google and look at prices

Gosforth Park Hotel

Grand Hotel in Tynemouth

That other hotel...parks? beside the blue reef aquarium in tynemouth

Marriott Hotels

Local Masonic Hall?

community centres, sports centres, local golf clubs, rugby clubs etc that cater for weddings

I would just google a lot and see what you can find xx

OH is now kicking off about the cost of other places, even though, for our numbers, the original venue was only a bit less. Now he's saying we need to tell half our family, all but 2 of mine are travelling for nearly 6 hours to be with us, that they are only invited to the evening and will just have to fend for themselves. I really don't know why I bother sometimes. Thanks for your help. I'll keep looking and who knows maybe someone will take pity on me and offer to do it for £50. I might be allowed to have a nice wedding then

You can have my garden in Felling for £50, if you're desperate. Not sure if I've missed it but did you say where you have the reception booked at the moment? Or did you not want to say?

A couple more ideas around Gateshead way, though I must say i've never been to any of them!

Lancastrian Suite

Gibside Hotel

Elephant on the Tyne

I liked the look of the Angel View Inn, though didn't go to see it in the end as we split it between Cafe 21 on the Quayside, and The Central in Gateshead.

Thanks for all the ideas. I've had a look at them all and most of them were round about the same sort of price, so really good work there girlies. OH wasnt happy about any of them though. I think he got totally blind sighted (??) by the price of the first place, but failed to realise the extra we would be paying for the extra guests as the package was only for 40 daytime, and that doesn't even cover my family! His parents rang and asked us to go to theirs, at 9pm! Went round very confused and they said they'd give us £2,000 or pay for the sit down meal, whichever is more expensive Happy Tiny!

We're going to have a look at Elephant on the Tyne later today. FFIL has been there and thought it was fab. Unfortunately, he then mentioned the Stadium of Light. OH and his dad are BIG Sunderland fans, so they made me look at prices and it's actually really reasonable. OH is now not interested in looking anywhere else and is trying to hijack my planning. Rude! I've told him if we go there, then he can't have a say in anything else lol. (I did actually laugh out loud, so is this ok?)

I didn't want to mention the name of the original venue because we haven't seen it fully set up and didn't think it was fair. It's nowhere special. Just a function room above a pub. It's honestly much nicer than it sounds and is totally separate, even in the daytime we couldn't hear any noise from the bar and it has it's own toilets

Sorry for that huge post

Ha ha thanks. It better be a big garden though

Bless l feel for you as l know what my OH can be like about the cost of stuff. Don't get me wrong l am cost concious but OH literally obsesses about the price of things and it's always his 1st question rather than is it nice or will we like it?!

He's a stroppy so and so anyway. He's now decided he wants to invite more people and fit in a cruise down the River Tyne in the middle. Jekyll and Hyde or what?!

You could fit at least 80 in my garden. 80 cats, or something though, not people.

Oh a friend of mine hired one of the River Cruise boats for her evening reception, it was fab! From the Quayside down to Tynemouth and back, and a cracking BBQ on board. Loved it.

I also know a couple who got married at the Stadium of Light; he was a mega fan and although she wasn't keen initially she was really happy with it in the end. A lot of venues aren't that different once you actually get into the function room so if you can be happy with the inside and he gets his Stadium that's wins all round.

I knew he should've listened to me. I said we should only invite cats, but nooooo he wants people there!

The cruise is £650 for 2 hours, so that plan is on hold for now. Maybe if we have some money lying around closer to the date.

I'm not really bothered about it being a football stadium. I'm quite into sports myself, watching, not playing! I know how much his team means to him and the room we want looks amazing, with full length windows looking out onto the river. Extra bonus for me that I can use this as ammo any time he tries to stick his hooter in the rest of the planning