Venue twins please! South Farm in Cambridgeshire?

I believe there is one venue twin - Rebecca2286, which is a regular on here. very close in terms of dates as well.

I love the entrance to the venue. with the tree lines.

Thanks so much greenleaf! I will contact her to double check! x

YEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im your twin!!! Did you go to the menu tasting last month?? AMAZING!! We changed from a buffet to sit down meal as the food was just so amazing!!!

Where abouts are you? We're in St ALbans, SF is half way between the two families.

Oh wow!!!

Yes, we did go there and everything was delicious! We decided to go for the trio of desserts as they were all so good!!

When are you getting married? We only booked this venue last month and now I'm in search of all the suppliers - cake, make up/hair, band etc etc! Just over 4 months to go now, I better get myself organised here!!

We're from Stevenage, although I originally come from Estonia, my fiance however has lived here in Stevenage for the whole of his life.

Ooh I'm going there next week for my work Christmas do - can't wait to see the venue you girls have booked :-))

Yep, we're going for the trio too, we couldnt decide! Though the cheesecake was phenomenal!!

We're not far after you!! 29th! Same day as Prince William, so he's made life easier for us by declaring it a bank holiday! Now noone has to take a day off!

Cant help you with the cake sadly as we're not having one, but in terms of hair there are several hairdressers locally, little village ones. I might use one of those unless I can find one that'll come to me without breaking the bank. We're using Gary the DJ that SOuth Farm suggest. We're after cheesy party music and a bit of old rock for my Dad and Uncle to head bang to!!

Have you got dresses etc? I've used Berkatex bride in Watford and Ann Bridal in St Albans. Ann Bridal have a great range of bridesmaid dresses!

Anything else I can help with? Hehe!! I cant wait now! I'm so looking forward to it and SF have been so so helpful!!

Hello Snowboardgirl82 and Rebecca2286!

I am your venue twin too! 30th April 2011!

Am massively disorganised - we booked South Farm in October - so have only just discovered hitched and am wading slooowly through wedding planning!

Anyways, just wanted to say hello and congratulations on your weddings, I hope your planning is going smoothly.

Very best wishes, Sarah

Sarah!! You're the day after me!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!

Its getting close now!!! What have you got left to do? What time is your ceremony?

What are you doing about decorations? You dont by any chance have a vintage birdcage do you? I want one for the ceremony table! lol!

Hi Rebecca,

How exciting that you're the day before!!!!

How organised are you? Have you sorted everything?! I have sent out invites, booked florist and band, and my mum is doing the cake. Still on the list are: find dress (yes, I know.... leaving it late.... But I have a couple of final appointments tomorrow and hope to make a decision at the weekend!), find a hairdresser, book a photographer (if we decide to have one - my partner thinks we just ask a friend) and decide what we'd like to do in the ceremony.

Writing that out, it doesn't sound too bad, but once I have the dress I'll be loads happier!

Have you found a hairdresser that doesn't charge too much? Everyone told me that having a wedding was expensive, but it wasn't until I started talking to suppliers that I realised just how expensive, compared to if you were hiring them for a normal party etc.

Our ceremony's at 3pm - because our booking was basically due to another couple dropping out, we had their slot with the registrar. I'd have liked it if it were earlier in the day, I don't think I'll be able to wait until 3pm, I'll be bursting with excitement!

I really hope all your plans are going well.

I'm afraid I don't have a birdcage, but I have seen them in a magazine, £14.99 at confetti.co.uk. Or if you go into the 'For Sale' forum (which I'm sure you're doing anyway!), some girls have been selling off a lot of vintage-themed items, you may find one there.

I hope that helps,

Sarah x

Hello Sarah!! Wow, you are also April bride in South Farm!!

I have organised most of the things by now(except flowers). I had the hair trial yesterday by Lisa's Brides (see contact details under Listed Suppliers on SF website). She's just few miles from South Farm and doesnt charge a fortune (£45 for the trial and £58 on the day, that is just for the hair).

Rebecca, btw did you get my private email which I sent you about a month ago? Not sure if you did as I haven't received a reply

Girls, please let me know who is doing your flowers...I have just received a quote from their local florist and it's pretty expensive!!!!

Adelin x

Hey girls!

I'm pretty much there now, just the little bits and pieces really!

We've booked photographer, DJ, Videographer, florists, have cake sorted, sorted readings and music (mostly), bought table centres. Now its just little bits like table plans and sweetie table.

I have now found a hairdresser yes. I am using a girl I went to school with. She has offered me several packages ranging from £400 to £250. I am going for the £250 one which includes.....

Hair for me, 3 adult BM's and my Mum

Manicure with nail art for me, 3 BM's, my Mum and OH's mum

Pediicure with nail art for me, 3 BM's, my Mum and OH's mum

Full make-up for me, 3 BM's, my Mum and OH's mum.

as well as bubbly and chocolates!

If you want me to pass on details to you then I'm more than happy to!

Where re you staying the night before? Think we're staying at the Cambridge Belfry, about 20mins away. Its got a sauna and stuff for a bit of pre-wedding relaxing!

Our ceremony is at 3pm too! Im glad, it gives me time to sort things out like chair sashes etc in the morning?

SNOW - My florist is coming from St Albans, which is where I live. But she is BRILLIANT and will work to your budget. So I only had a £200 budget for flowers, but she's done everything I wanted in that, and I've seen her pat work which is stunning. Its a mother and daughter team and they consider everything, down to your height so they make the bouquet the right size for your proportions. I can pass those details on too!

I didnt get your email no. ANything I can help with?

Its getting close now! I'm in double figures in my daily countdown!!!

xxx

Hello again ladies,

Thanks very much for your hairdresser suggestions. Rebecca, if you could give me the name of your friend who's doing your hair, that would be really helpful. I will also try Lisa's Brides off the SF website too.

£200 for flowers sounds like an amazing deal!!! In case it helps you, Adelin, I went to three florists - Wildwood (on the SF suppliers page), Daizy (based in St Paul's Walden) and Carole Smith in Stevenage. The quotes for a handtied bridal bouquet were £55 from Wildwood, £70 from Daizy and £80 from Carole Smith. The Wildwood one may be cheaper because I spoke to her first and hadn't asked for roses in the bouquet, whereas the design for the other two florists did feature roses as a main flower. Quotes for reception table centrepieces ranged from £30 (Daizy) to £38 (Carole Smith). I said my budget was £300-350 and the overall quotes from Wildwood and Daizy were slightly over, and from Carole Smith, a bit higher than the other two.

In the end I decided on Daizy, based on a gut feeling really. All three were professional and I'm sure would do a brilliant job.

Hope that helps. Flowers are expensive, particularly when you think they won't last, but then I love them so I'm happier to splurge a bit.

I'm so glad I found hitched and your posts, it's a really good way of trading information!

Have a great weekend,

Sarah

Hey ladies!

I've now had my hair an make-up trial and was so pleased I thought I'd pass it on as you haveny sorted hair yet! They'll come to the venue and are really reasonable!

www.pinksandglitter.co.uk

Hope that helps!

Hey rebecca, thanks for the suggestion!

I am now having second thoughts over my hair trial. I was very pleased and now I'm looking back on the photos and I'm not 100% sure! Ahh...its a pressure to look at your best and I really dont want to be unhappy with my looks! I have searched for some more looks and just ask the hairdresser to change it a bit on the day as I can't afford another tiral for £45.00!

Have you found the birdgage yet? I bought one for the gift cards http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320647310253. There are lots of them on ebay and on florist suppliers websites too.

I have a little question about your wedding dresses. Are you getting it professionally ironed before the big day? I bought mine from ebay (brand new Ian Stuart dress). It's been sat in the dress bag for ages and it definitely needs some ironing. I haven't got a fancy steam iron (which I read would do a great job at home), what are you girls doing? I'm wondeing if my old iron would do the job or shall I leave it for the proffesionals?

...I'm hijacking this thread too. I'll be walking down the Old Dairy on Sunday the 25th of Sept 2011. Any tips / ideas would be much appreciated ? I hope your planning is going well Kelstars. Not long now...

x

Hahaha, yes...the OH told me off for being a wedding bore on Facebook by saying "4 months until..." I think we're the same - all the big things are sorted and we only have the little bits to sort out nearer the time. Sending out invites is next on the list - I spent 2 days cutting and assembling this week ? so we can write and send them out next week. I need to pull my finger out and arrange a dress fitting too - I'm excited but a bit worried because I haven't seen the dress since February and I hope it suits me still. Aw fingers crossed that the weather is good for you...and us 2 weeks later ? I can't wait ?

P.S. Did you go to the tasting evening back in March?

No way...if I had an iPhone I'd want that too ?

We struggled with our honeymoon because we're both not beachey, reading a book types and we wanted a bit of culture and sightseeing to keep us occupied. We toyed with Mexico, Peru for Macchu Picchu and then we plumped for 2 weeks in Japan (my ultimate destination), so we'll do Toyko, all the main temples, natural springs, travel around, see Mount Fuji and eat lots of sushi too ? We were really lucky...my brother has bought return flights for our wedding present, so wedding money will just go towards spending and hotels. It would have been difficult otherwise because of the unknown budget thing.

Ok...it would have been odd if you had gone and sat on the table next to us. The food was all amazing that night and I was very, very happy after tasting 40+ things.

Ah a fellow performer ? x

Hey all lovely South Farm brides to be!

We got married there on Easter Sunday this year, the venue is absolutely fantastic, the food is divine and South Farm is super helpful all though the wedding planning. I have no bad word to say about them, everything was well organised and our event manager Lisa on the day was very helpful and managed our 70 guest very well!

I can flash some of my photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/110668588453567542343/WeddingPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCNWxquq_hJOo9gE#slideshow/5610735352720395730

Best of luck with the planning! x

Mrs L.

Belated congrats Mrs L ? Thanks for sharing your pictures - you looked stunning in your Ian Stuart dress and so radiant too. There were so many big smiles throughout your album and I LOVE your cake topper - it made me chuckle. I'm so glad to hear that your day was fantastic. I hope married life is treating you well x

Hello ladies and thank you for your lovely comments!

The monkeys on top of my cake were handmade, I made them from the pair of socks, and the clothes are also hand sewn to copy our outfits on the day. I got the idea from the US website and they are very happy stuffed sock monkeys! My husband is obsessed with monkeys and it was a little personal touch.

My side tiara has been ordered from Starlet Jewellery website: http://starletjewellery.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=133_15_70_108 (see first one on the page 2), Monaco Side Tiara. Hope it helps!

x

Hi everyone! I am also getting married at South Farm, on 9th September this year. We are so excited, it is such a beautiful venue and it's coming round so quickly!

Have you all had your planning meetings at SF yet? xx

Hey,

We decided not to get married in the summerhouse although the weather would have been perfect! Just purely due to extra cost and not so good looking green garden chairs (maybe not an issue for most of you, but I personally think they should get something prettier!). We considered the idea and our florist Alison(Wildwood floral Events, their recommended supplier) suggested having something which could later be moved to the barn as the wall decoration. I have also seen on the photos that some brides have used thick white ribbon/fabric to decorate the edges of the summerhouse.

This is what was done the day before us: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fyXFq_Tt3LrveUpnq-15F0xx9uSJ6Hc8ny7w_GWvoKQ?feat=directlink

Hi Kelstars

Oh really, did I read that you are the following Monday? We'll both be watching the weather forecast closely leading up to that weekend then! We're hoping to use the summerhouse too, and I know what you all mean about the chairs but we're not fussed and as soon as people are sat on them they won't be seen anyway!

We had our planning meeting at the beginning of May too. They really are lovely and so helpful. I can't believe we're now less than three months away. We booked March 2010 so it has been a long countdown that seems to now be flying past!

What time are you all having the ceremony?

Xxx

Hey...60 days to go for us, eck!!!

We've got final payments, info to registrars too (vows/readings/songs), favour / place name / table plan buying & making, creche arrangements, some thank you presents to buy and first dance practising. Thankfully, we're only chasing 1 day invite and we have 1 evening invite that hasn't replied (wont chase them). I've got my surprise hen do on the August Bank Hols weekend and my final dress fitting at the beginning of September (btw I saw your dress on another thread and it's beautiful!!!)...where are the weeks going?!?

Exciting stuff indeed ?

x x

Hi everyone!

Sorry to drag this old post up again.. but I was wondering if anyone had any budget advice specifically for South Farm. I fell in love with it.. but need to find ways to cut costs! I am American and he is British so we need to have two ceremony/receptions so that some of older and less wealthy family members and friends can be part of it..

I'm already looking to have it mid-week mid-season and playing around with drink options (i.e. is is more economical to go for own bottles with corkage or the caterers drink).

Unless anyone else has farm / barn venue suggestions for a simple rustic wedding near Harpenden! Or knows someone with a farm that would let us use it for an evening :-) We'd like to hold the ceremony at the Flamstead church.

Thanks for listening!

Hi TanyaBee

No worries...have you had your initial meeting / cost breakdown? It's really helpful and you get the spreadsheet emailed to you, in addition to the hard copy.

We went for the SF wine for the sit down meal because it worked out pretty much the same as bringing in our own with the corkage fee added (which is quite high in my opinion), plus the SF house wine's quite nice and we didn't have time to source a budget bottle that didn't taste like vinegar!!! Also, they recommend half a bottle per guest during the meal but you could offer one glass only or maybe just jugs of fruit juice and water? We had our wedding on a Sunday and we actually got money back on our alcohol because people didn't drink as much wine as expected. For toasting, we got champagne from Tesco on special offer (they worked out at £10 per bottle, with the wine festival discount and a borrowed staff discount card) and with SF corkage, it worked out cheaper than buying the SF champagne. We also got money back on our projected corkage costs because people didn't drink as much as expected.

I would say do your research - go to the supermarket, look online for special deals and play around with the SF spreadsheet to see what works best for you. Oh and I can highly recommend SF because they're helpful throughout the planning stages, very organised on the day and the food is amazing - it beats your bog standard hotel catering 10 times over!!!

Good luck with the sums x