Newly engaged and have no idea...

Buy lots of magazines, google lots and hang out here. Plan NOTHING till you have started compiling your scrapbook and done a lot of research.....

and congrats

Hello, congrats and welcome!

Firsty dont fret - if your thinking 2011/2012 you have AGES to find the perfect venue.

Search the internet and then go see 3 or 4 places....also dont limit yourself to a particular area - alot of people 'expect' to go a little out of their way for a wedding.

Thanks!

The problem is our familys are so spread out that anywhere we choose someone is going to be travelling around. I went a bought a couple of mags on boxing day the OH nearly died when he spotted then "you don't hang about do you?!" LOL

I've started a small list, just hope I can find the right place!

Hello and congratulations!

i'd say the first thing would be to have the horrible money talk. setting a budget is important because then you don't waste time looking at venues that are out of your reach. this might take a while, looking at your funds and options etc, and it is obv might change alter if relatives become generous, but i think it is good to have an idea of the figure.

and then i would say venue is the second thing (or maybe dress!) but venues get booked up quite quickly. and once you have decided on a venue you can then look at photographers, florists, cakes, makeup ppl etc in the area... hope that makes sense?! also we ended up spending almost twice what we intended to on our venue so we're having to be very careful with everything else!!!

and yes you will survive - this is the first time almost all of us have done this so we're all on a steep learning curve together! enjoy the plannin, and good luck!!

xx

Congratulations and welcome to hitched!

As everyone else has said, do lots of research first and get ideas. Where abouts in Essex are you as we might be able to give you suggestions of venues?

WSS.

Get a good idea of the sort of wedding you both want and then set a budget.

Congratulations by the way!

My advice is to think money first. When you've got an idea of how much you can spend i would say roughly half it then look for venues at that prices. No point spending a fortune of a lovely hotel if you can't afford everything else. Also, magazines are addictive! Get hunting!

Thanks everyone!

I think my mum will pay for my dress, as she bought my sisters this year which would be fab! Im planning to make things myself, favours, invites etc. Venue, food and a good party are our biggest must haves!

I live in South Ockendon (near Lakeside shopping centre). My family live in Chigwell, and his family mostly in Grays. Im happy for most of essex, just not any further than Chelmsford. Preferibly close to M25/M11

I live in Chelmsford and we're getting married at Prested hall although this is in Kelvedon so too far out.

Have you looked at: Leez Priory or Hylands house?

There are lots of lovely venues around but look round lots to get a feel for what you both want. xx

Good luck with your planning, we have a nice wee place with loads of Gardens for ours, it's a bit out of the way for both sides, and i also have people coming up from wales and Devon for it, 110 in total for the ceremony and wedding breakfast and 150 in total for the reception. lol

My OH said I don' hang about either, we got engaged one week, bought my ring the next and booked the venue the following week. lol

Lxx

Congratulations

We're quite limited with venue because my OH wants to get married in the church where her parents got married, which is quite rural, so finding a venue for the meal/reception has boiled down to one place - just hope they're not ott expensive.

But if you don't have that kind of problem, as others have said, look at all your options before deciding on something.

Good luck

Do check out Tewinbury farm which is a firm favourite of many..or The Old Priory at Little Wymondley near Stevenage.....a bit further than you mention, although not by much and both have great road links and are really worth checking out.

The is also Quendon Hall that is worth a looksee.

For something a bit less costly, there is a great venue at Great Yeldham (White Hart) that would cover your numbers well. Images from all these venues are on my website....

Peter

Hello there, im essex to basildon in fact so not to far from you. welcome. have you looked at https://www.blakehall.co.uk/ havnt been there myself just no its a barn and in ongar so not to far from you.

x

Congratulations on your engagement & welcome to Hitched.

Congratulations and welcome to hitched!...my advice would be to sort out a budget for your whole day and how much you want wo spend on what, I have learnt that money goes very quick when the word Wedding is mentioned ☹️

Hi, congratulations and welcome to Hitched ?

I think there are 3 things to focus on in the beginning - budget, venue and number of guests.

As others have said the first important thing is the budget. You have to know how much you are able to spend - this will then determine the venue and also the number of guests that you can invite. Once you know your budget for venues I would start contacting some and going for a look - some venues can be booked up quite a bit in advance. If all you do in the next few months if manage to secure the venue then you can relax on all the other things for the time being.