The Essex Barn at The White Hart, Great Yeldham / Hedingham Castle and other Essex venues...

Congrats! I've shot Hedingham Castle, both these venues are very different in the overall feel of the day.

The Castle ceremony is candle lit and in the winter months can be tricky to take advantage of it's features. But in my case it was pretty extreme, (week before Christmas, 3pm ceremony, tea lights). My nose was put out of joint a little during the day and if you want to know my other personal experiences please contact me via email.

Frankly, have something you can afford and enjoy. Whatever you are planning to spend, add 20% and run those figures again. We started off with 10k, quotes came in at 20k and now we're at 14k.

Thanks both - interesting to hear that it's tricky to photograph Hedingham Castle, one of the reasons I liked it for a ceremony is because of the photos! We are now going to have a look at Smeetham Hall Barn too so thanks for the suggestion!

I'm looking at Crabbs Barns in Essex. The pictures look beautiful, No one I've spoken to has had a bad thing to say about it and it's not too expensive either

Ours is at Crabbs Barn in kelvedon. I'm a little biased when I say it's lovely as that's why we booked it really. We looked at the white hart barn too though. We were a little put off by the drinks prices being more at the barn for your guests than for joe off the street in the pub/hotel just across the lawn. They make sure the guests don't wander off to get the cheaper drink too. Bit sneaky we thought. Also after seeing Vaulty Manor and Crabbs barn it didn't look as 'barny' as we wanted, if that makes sense?

not sure of prices of the following but here are some venues you could look at in Essex...

Channels in chelmsford

forresters near maldon

Three rivers country club

Nayland golf club, stoke by nayland

la talbooth

vaulty manor nr maldon

crabbs barn kelvedon

prested hall kelvedon

spains hall

wivenhoe house

layer marney tower

braxted park

the Reid rooms

quendon hall

fennes

Boreham house

Leez priory

The swan at lavenham

woolston manor

Hedingham Castle was our second choice venue. We're getting married at Spains Hall in Finchingfield instead on Thurs 2nd May.

We are having similar numbers to you at our wedding and looked at literally 12-18 venues in Essex / Suffolk. I couldn't find anything that covered all our 'wants' from a venue! We didn't bother with Spains orignally as the website was still the old one and the pictures didn't look great but went one Sunday as we'd been pulling our hair out. It was amazing. The place is beautiful and will work in either rain or sunshine (hopefully we'll get the latter!!)

We narrowed it down to Hedingham and Spains and when it came down to it the figures for Spains worked out brilliantly! They have different caterers and we opted for Cambridge Dining Company who could do us a menu for £30 a head - Hedingham were £45 upwards. Spains also gave us an amazing deal even with us booking it 18 months ahead of time but they also do great last minute deals. They didn't seem put off by us asking for changing figures around and trying to get the price right for us. Hedingham seemed to make us feel bad for trying to get the price down or find ways of keeping costs lower. Hedingham is beautiful too if you want a castle wedding - you can't get any better in our area.

Thanks for your replies! We have just spent a busy weekend viewing venues (Smeetham Hall Barn, Essex Barn @ The White Hart, Hedingham Castle, Down Hall, Fanhams Hotel and The Lawns). I now totally agree that Hedingham + White Hart wouldn't work (and we weren't keen on it either) but we love Hedingham and liked Smeetham Hall so they go on the short list with Fennes!

I had discounted Spain's Hall as far too expensive but if it's comparable price-wise to Heddingham then I will try to view it!

This part of the planning process is surely the hardest?! X