Late curfew / no curfew venue ideas

Just out of interest, why do you want your party to go on so late?

Hi Ollyo,

I get this question over and over with my clients, always trying to extends the time limits, saying we are party animals, and want to party into the small wee hours of the next morning.We want lots of alcohol at low cost, because we are big drinkers.

The reality of this is, its a very long day for the bridle party and guests, some travelling up on the day travelling from great distances, the bridle hair and make up, and all the preparations the day before.

The reality for the venue is, they have licensing laws, and this must be endeared to, otherwise they will lose there licence. some time they can get an extension of the licence for an extra charge, but not guaranteed, this can be applied for a few weeks before the big day.

In my experience with my previous clients all wanted the above, by 9pm guests with children, and guests who had been travelling up on the day, was asking for taxi so they could go to the hotel, and was too tired to wait for the coach You also have to think that the staff at the venue have to stay up until all guests are gone.

I think its a lovely idea though taken over a venue for a weekend so you can relax, and enjoy the big build up to the big day.I get of lot of interest in just that. and couple love the idea of the close family and friends joining them the next day for breakfast.

What area's are you looking at for your venue?

Elizabeth

We're not necessarily 'party animals' and I know that many people will want to go to bed around midnight, but the last thing I want to be doing on my wedding night is telling everyone to leave / turn the music off when things are just getting started. I've been to several weddings that have gone on well past midnight and they've been great fun. Most of them have been in private residences out of the way of neighbours who might get upset by the noise. Unfortunately we don't have family or friends who own such a place. So, I guess we're looking for the next closest thing: a large house with plenty of land around it that we can simply take over for the weekend, and feel relaxed about when we go to bed - really make the day our own. The ideal would be to find a self catering place that would be happy for us to hold a weddding there - we can do the organising ourselves. I've been looking in Suffolk and Essex because they're near to Stansted, but I come from Somerset originally so somewhere nearish to Heathrow would also be possible. Any ideas greatly appreciated. xx

You don't need to be "telling people to leave" - generally the newlyweds will leave the venue in their decorated car (or head upstairs as appropriate) with everyone waving them off, and that signifies the natural end of the event. Leave half an hour or so after that for people to chat and finish off their drinks and then off they go too.

Nobody will think any the worse of you if your celebrations don't go on till 4am - if you've got relatives or those with children they'll probably have had enough long before midnight anyway.

If people aren't "getting started" in enjoying themselves till midnight, then something's kinda wrong with the 4-5 hours that have preceeded it, whether it's a live band or a DJ.

Of course it is, their day and all that, I just don't understand why the evening needs to go on so late that's all. 11pm is going to be late for what I'm used to...

It's not late - it's only the same as the nightclubs shutting late before they could open all night.

Our evening reception finishes at midnight, but most of the guests have said they'll carry on drinking in the bar afterwards with us.

Hi Ollyo,

Some friends of ours got married at a nearby church but then had their reception at my OH's prep school. They didn't have it for the whole weekend but they got to use the accommodation over night. All their own catering, booze and they were still up dancing with their friends at 3am (rather than heading off to their nice hotel!) as they were having so much fun! Those guests who were tired left the 'young 'uns' to it!

https://www.oratoryprep.co.uk/

It might not be the right place for you (Heathrow is nearer than Stanstead) but I wanted to suggest the sort of place you might not have considered yet. Good luck with your search!

same as us, they cant take cash post midnght but can charge your room card in the jazz bar for those that want to stay up..they even said theyd chuck in a complimentry snacks if it got too late and people were still up drinking....im guessing this is the elftovers from earlier but still, people are drunk and wont care lol

Hi Ollyo

I just wondered if you had considered looking at venues such as pubs? We are holding our reception in a marquee out the back of a country pub. Because it is a pub with a full license there are no time restrictions at all, they will carry on serving till 4am if we have any guests still standing!

They only have 3 rooms at this pub so it wouldn't fit all your guests in but they did say people could camp out the back if they really wanted to!

I was going to suggest a kind of festival wedding - I've seen a few where the B&G have set up tipis or huge marquees on some rented land and had people camp etc. I'd have LOVED to do that but my family would have hated it ?

Does it absolutely have to have accommodation? If you were relatively near a hotel you could book a bus to take guests back there later, or a number of taxis or whatever. Then you could approach farmers or something to hire some land for a marquee.

Otherwise, the only option I can think of is a hotel - maybe a smallish boutique place - where you could take over the bar afterwards. I can't think of anywhere else that wouldn't be restricted by licences for serving alcohol, and even then you'd probably still have to end the music by midnight or whatever.

Hi, we are renting a private holiday property for one week and having the wedding mid-week. Getting married at the nearest registry office (which happens to be in a lovely market town) Then back to the house (which we will have decorated etc) for a knees up! I'm getting local caterers to make food and we will just plate it up and we provide all the alcohol. Having said that, although the house is large and houses 22 there are a few other properties nearby, so we won't be having music until early hours. The owners have gave their permission for this and it really would be a good idea to ask if you find somewhere similar.

Hey all, thanks so much for your tips, and apologies for starting a bit of a row about what's late and who counts as a party animal! I found somewhere today - Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk - which looks lovely and will let us have music until 12:30am (will try to push it to 1am) and then stay up as long as we like in the house, without loud music. Sounds good to me, so fingers crossed it works out. It's a similar idea to Marylou's, renting out a self catering holiday house, and I've done a lot of searching for these kind of residences, but a lot of them don't allow weddings in the first place. I also looked into the festival style wedding, but similarly it's something I'd love, but most others wouldn't be able to cope with (including the groom!). If anyone's brave enough for a festivally wedding though, check out Featherdown Farms and Vintage Vacations on the the Isle of Wight - amazing caravans at the latter, and a lovely woman who'd make everything extra special.