Hertfordshire Venue Tips and Prices

I would agree that the Bobsleigh is nice, although I havent been there for around 4-5 years.

Another thought is mix and match....perhaps St Albans Register Office and a local reception venue such as St Albans Golf Club..... The register office is actually the front gatehouse for an old prison.......best known for the opening shots of the tv programme "Porridge" with Ronnie Barker. The Golf Club has strong links with the Ryder Cup

Then again, there are always these....;

http://www.weddingvenues.com/civil-wedding-Hertfordshire-0.html

Hi!

Bobsleigh came up at around the £6.5k mark so I've emailed them to see if we can go and pay them a visit this weekend.

I have also emailed the Watermill and Shendish manor. South Farm also looks quite reasonable and really pretty but its right on the other side of Herts so an hour away from us looking on the route planner. I've dropped them an email anyway!

My email box is a big disorganised wedding mess at the moment!

Hi Maris1111

I hope the bobsleigh turns out to be perfect... let us know how you get on.

Kim x

Another one which is quite reasonable but slightly further than Hemel is Pendley Manor in Tring. https://www.pendley-manor.co.uk/Weddings/

A few thoughts:

-Brocket Hall in Welwyn - but ££ I think - but prettiest church round the corner in Lemsford village

- St Micheals Manor in St Albans

- Knebworth Hall

-Hatfield House

Good luck!

How did it go?

Hi

This weekend we went to see Hitchin Priory and Sopwell House at their fayre yesterday. We put down a provisional booking at Sopwell to keep for two weeks as it was our favourite so far but nothing set in stone yet, just in case we do decide on it and someone else comes along. HItchin Priory was absolutely lovely, need to ask a few more questions there as well as by the looks of our numbers we'd need to be upstairs for the ceremony and the sets of stairs would be quite a lot for Grandparents etc, I know my Grandma has not long had a knee replacement. I didn't see a sign of a lift but we can ask these things.

Also at the fayre at Sopwell yesterday was chatting with some DJs who are preferred at Tewin Bury, they said that they are shortly to launch a really amazing deal as they seem to be recognising that most people find them expensive. I might drop them a cheeky email to see how much of a reduction they are offering. They also said that a couple of others will imminently be coming up with more competitive deals.

Going to see South Farm and Bobsleigh Hotel this Saturday coming quite hopeful on these.

I spoke to a bride a few days ago who said that South Farm had literally zero dates left for 2010, they ran a special weekday deal recently that was too good to miss, so their year is sorted bookings-wise. I think the deal is being modified for future clients. With South Farm and The Bobsleigh you get exclusive use, with Sopwell you could be one of 4 couples marrying that day - they also have conferences, parties, funeral wakes etc it's a busy place & the rooms they use for the functions tend to be all near each other.

If you're visiting South Farm, why not call Bluntswood Hall, they are close by.

I recently visited The Node, which is based in Codicote, Nr Welwyn Hertfordshire...i was very impressed, went for a showround the other weekend and was immediately made to feel welcome. It is a beautiful venue, with amazing grounds...staff very friendly and willing to accommodate to your needs.

Their website is www.chartridge.co.uk

Looks like they have more than one centre throughout the UK, so are part of a group.

Laura xx ?

Hi All

Went to South Farm and Bobsleigh today, South Farm is rather more expensive than we thought, we hadn't realised that their online prices don't include VAT, they charge £150 + VAT for the dancefloor, and other little extras like that. Also I hadn't put in the £4k venue hire as so high.for some reason otherwise we wouldn't have driven all the way over to Royston this morning.

Weren't as keen on Bobsleigh at all it looks really dated compared to some of the other places that we'd been to.

It looks like we are still on Sopwell which was booked provisionally last week, I would rather have a nice place than pay an absolute fortune for a completely exclusive venue, they said they are very careful about the timings so as long as we're enclosed in a function room I don't mind, still need to ask a few more questions before confirming properly though.

Hi Maris1111

Shame about the Bobsleigh... Hope the Sopwell answer all your questions and it turns out to the be the one.

Happy Planning

Kim x

If you do end up choosing Sopwell, I would advise being wary of the on site hairdressers. I have had a couple of weddings where the brides had a not great experience (and had to return to the salon to have the problem fixed during what was supposed to be the photography time)

The rooms are quite nice, although the registrars close the curtains during the ceremony which robs the room of natural light which is a pity for the photography. Their reasoning is that they don't want a passer by peering in......although a member of staff placed outside during the ceremony would perform the same function and allow decent light in to the room rather than the tungsten lamps....worth asking if his can be done....it is much more pleasant....

Peter

Thanks Peter

I very much liked the views out of the window in the room with the ceremony in so I'll make sure I check that.

I already told them that I wouldn't need their recommended hairdressers, my mother in law to be is a mobile hairdresser and already does my hair so we're asking her to do mine and the bridesmaids on the day which saves some hassle. We said that if we went with Sopwell we'd see about getting her a room the night before and maybe some spa treatments as a thank you, she is also doing the cake which she does just as a side hobby but they are amazing!

Hi Maris1111

Did you go for Sopwell in the end?

Kim x

Hi Kim!

I asked them about the closing the curtains issue and they said that they have only had to do that once or twice due to photographers with other wedding parties overrunning outside, so she doubted that it would be an issue.

I booked the registrar for 3pm on the day but we've not yet signed on the dotted line, I'm finishing work early on Tues so we can go along and see what can be negotiated. Nothing set in stone as yet but we'll probably go with them if they can be nice and flexible with us.

Thanks, where have you gone for?

Clare

Hmmmm, they have certainly done it more times than that and there were no wedding parties outside, let alone photographers.....

With the time slot allocation for the bridge area, they simply need to manage these to avoid having to close curtains. At least you are aware of this now and can discuss this through with the venue and registrars......

Peter

I'm a wedding planner... so love to hear about weddings.. especially if they are in my area... Debbie from Wedding Wonders (another Planner) probably knows more about your venue than me so probably can give you tips etc.

Have you got your dress yet? If not there is a fabulous shop in Ware I can highly recommend...

Happy Planning

Kim x

The last wedding I did at Sopwell was in November 08. Here are some of the pictures: https://www.photobox.co.uk/album/83652720 We didn't have a problem with the curtains, but then it was the end of November!!

I hope that DebbieD doesn't object to me linking this image,,,,,,,,You can see how nice the room looks with the curtains open and how them being closed would spoil the ambient light.....

[View:http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?album_id=83652720&photo_id=1543836686:550:0]

I don't mind at all! That was while we were setting the room up (hence some of the sashes not being on yet)

The registrar said she had never seen the room look as lovely as it did that day when we had finished with it! ?

We've done chair covers in that room too and having the curtains open makes all the difference. x

Thanks all it's so helpful! They are clearly under-exaggerating how much that goes on then! Will certainly be able to go and have a chat on a more informed basis!

The pictures do look gorgeous, its really lovely, like I said to them the view outside while saying vows etc was the main reason I liked that room so we would not want to go there if we couldn't have it!

Although I'm looking at the number of chairs in the pics and wondering if our numbers will fit in there anyway to be honest. About 80-90 to the day.

Thanks again

There were a total of 20 guests at that wedding so we had the smallest room available! There are other, bigger rooms so you'll be fine.

I hope they all face the outside too! Thanks

From what I can remember, they all face the same way as they are all on the same side of the building.

DebbieD is spot on.....All rooms face the gardens.

Hi!

Bit stuck now, they agreed to write into the contract about the curtain being open and they've sent over the full details, having a few problems negotiating them down they seem completely unwilling to budge.

I asked when we were there if they can reduce their room rates at all due to the sheer number of guests (I told them about 30 rooms), they have recently reduced it to £115 so they said no. We called back today and told them there could potentially be 90 guests in need of rooms but they are still completely unwilling to move.

Also the actual costs now we are looking at a few more guests are coming to £7,525 which is well over our original planned budget of £6,500. We could potentially extend to this but would very much rather not if we can avoid it. My other half called today and also asked if we can include an extra 3 guests at that price, again they were completely unwilling to budge an inch, even for three guests never mind reducing prices on the whole.

We even offered to pay a higher initial deposit (we can afford about £2,500 now if absolutely necessary)

Its still going to go up if I have to pay for rooms the night before and we were talking about paying for treatments for my Mum in Law to be as she will be doing the cake and hair but now we're not sure what we can stretch to.

Any tips on this as we are getting nowhere?

Thanks

Clare

I would recommend going to see them rather than deal by telephone or email. face to face discussions nearly always gets a better deal. They don't need to budge as they are a business, although that business is also about dream making and in my experience this is best brokered directly face to face with a person.

It would have been easier to ask for deals before agreeing to book the place..they are then always hungrier for your business......

Peter

Hi

Have you looked at the Royal Chase in Enfield? That's not too far from you. Maybe not as impressive as Fanhams etc but still very nice and very popular for weddings. I have photographed a few weddings there and the pictures came out lovely.

Good luck.

Evelyne

www.epwphotography.co.uk

We've not signed anywhere confirming yet so its still not technically booked we could decide to pull out. Their wedding people are only there til 6.30, I could only go last time as I had a half day so maybe I could send my other half down there after work as he works nearer there as opposed to me in Finchley.

What time of year are you booking for? If it's summer then they are unlikely to budge on prices.

As Peter said, it's easier to negotiate before you show too much interest so it's going to be difficult to get them to come down on the price now.

I know you really like Sopwell, but I honestly think you would like Shendish Manor as much and it has a number of advantages - there will only be a maximum of 2 weddings (Sopwell can have around 4 functions going on at the same time) you can get married outside - weather permitting - and in my opinion the food is better!

I have managed to get prices reduced at Sopwell for a bride,but only before they showed too much interest in booking it. Most venues will offer a discount of up to 8% if you push them which is why some companies offer 'free' venue finding - 8% is a nice fee for the venue finder!

Please let me know if you are interested in Shendish Manor. I'd be happy to help you negotiate with them (or any other venue for that matter)

Thanks Debbie

I think I downloaded the info pack on Shendish and their lowest packages were 85 per person, or the deals they had were for 50 people, if we could include all our guests for less than Sopwell now are for 90 in the day and 130 total in the evening then I would definitely consider switching it over.