Crabbs Barn Essex

Crabbs Barn is lovely, I photographed a wedding there last month ?

My friend got married there a couple of years ago. It was a really hot day so we spent almost the whole time sitting outside so didn't really see the inside that much, but they were very pleasant gardens to sit in.

I think it's really lovely. Not sure if it's got the wow factor though. Have you looked at Gaynes Park in Epping? In my opinion that defo has the wow factor!

Gaynes is lovely!! But way over our budget!!!

I agree, not sure if it's WOW enough but you could make it wow with decorations?!

We found one called copdock hall barn, near Ipswich just the other side of colchester! It's amazing very beautiful & just opened.
We were going to book there but decided on marquee at my parents but still kind of wish we were having it there!
Houchins is not far from crabbs barn and is also lovely!
Then moreeves, smeethem hall barn & dove barn but they may be too far.

I went to a wedding there a few years ago and it was just brilliant, best wedding I've been to. I loved the gardens especially. I looked at it for my own wedding but there was just too much to think about in terms of catering etc.

Gizmo, what do you mean, too much to think about in terms of catering?

OH it wasn't actually Crabbs Barn lol - sorry!

I was thinking of Priory Hall.

Ah do we have someone else in Chigwell? Hellooo We're in Chigwell too!?

There are lots of lovely barns in Essex fortunately.

Crabbs barn is really nice if you get good weather and is really well run. Paul is brilliant!

Within the hour mark some of the ones you have are

Reid rooms, Maidens Barn, Crondon Park, Channels, Blake Hall, Gaynes park, Creeksea place barns, High House (new venue)

For me, the only thing about Crabbs is the ceremony room. It can be reaallly dark and orangey at times. There's also a big window on one side so you can end up with a strip of light hitting/cutting through the bride on a bright day.

That's the thing that I'm doubting. Is it too dark for the ceremony part of the day?

I ain't particularly keen on the black curtain during the ceremony, the groom in photos tends to blend in, so going to try and see if can put the screens that on the stage in front of it?

Where are you getting married?

Mall of the other venues are lovely but over budget unfortunately... Going to look into Creeksea place...

Too dark? This is one of those venues where you need a pro that knows what they are doing with a decent camera, I never found it to be too dark, the black curtain wasn't a problem and the groom didn't blend in to it, its how pros work all the time and know how to over come things but the ceremony room isn't too dark. You should see some of the venues I have worked at, no windows, dark oak paneling and no use of flash to pick it up a bit but its still doable.

Bruce is right,and the advice for anyone booking atmospheric venues like this is to ask the potential photographer to show you weddings that they have shot in the same conditions.If they cannot then you should be able to find a photographer who can, try to avoid adding extra light or changing the backdrop as you risk spoiling the ambiance that it is set up for.

Too be totally honest with you, When I walked in to the ceremony room I didn't think omg its dark and I might have trouble getting any thing decent, it was bright and quite nice lighting.

Do either of you have any photos I can look at from weddings here?

I do think this is the one,, you know you just got to make sure lol

And your right, some photographers work from here looks awful where they've lightened it too much, got to find the right photographer....!

When the blackout curtains are drawn front back and side, it's dark and very tungsteny...but that's why you book a pro as the guys above said. There are lots of shocking galleries from Crabbs, but that's true of any venue, so don't let that put you off.

I do think personally they could do with sorting out that side window curtain as when a bit of light comes through it does cut right through the bride, which isn't the nicest. So instead of using the screen at the back, maybe place it in front of that window?

We have an album at Crabbs barn itself, and online galleries which i'm happy to share if it'll help put your mind at ease. If so, you're welcome to pop us an email. Details in our signature below.

I actually looked at booking this venue, but got the same feeling about you as it being quite dark - we ended up booking Smeetham Hall Barns, which has some lovely grounds as well, but the barn itself is a little lighter, and has a marque attached as we'll. If you haven't looked at this venue I would suggest it.

We looked into smeethams barn but it was over our budget.

we took some family members to Crabbs barn and they absolutely loved it, so I think that's helped us make our decision.

lets see what dates they have available... Eek!!!

When are you getting married at Smeetham? Are you having a package deal?

I lie, it wasn't over budget, they have no available Friday dates until November 2016. Also, the OH didn't want people to see the reception room at se time as the ceremony, and if I remember right, it's one long barn, so would have to use drapes to try and section it off.

So didn't really for what we was after also.