wedding venues :-( no luck

Let's see if anyone can suggest anything here ?

Have you seen here https://www.oseaisland.co.uk/

If you haven't seen them in the flesh, then I think you need to book up and see a few.

I live in Brentwood and there are some gorgeous venues in the area - we're not getting married here as we have chosen to marry in my home town (as the church we're marrying in is where my parents married so means a lot, and OH doesn't really have that sort of a connection with churches here).

Crondon Park in Stock is lovely, Gaynes Park in Epping is brilliant (and had they had availability, it would have possibly swayed me!). Boreham House in Chelmsford is really nice, as is Ingatestone Hall (you hire a marquee to go in the grounds).

I think you need to see some before you discount them totally.

Have you actually gone to view any?

I found in some cases the ones I loved online were not so great in real life and the ones I just thought were just ok online I loved in real life.

I actually quite liked viewing venues and if nothing else you usually get a free drink/fizz or 2 out of them!

This! One of my couples had completely dismissed a venue because they hated the outside of it. They went for a viewing just to eliminate it. They have now booked it because they love the food and the layout. Their request was for me not to take a picture of the outside though ?

I think there are loads of fantastic venues in Essex some of which have been mentioned by other posters but another two that I think are fabulous are Leez Priory and Gosfield Hall.

We've been to 9 different venues in person, im going to see another 3 over the next couple weekends aswell

Which have you seen, and why didn't you like them? It wasn't at all clear in your post that you had already viewed some.

I loved Fennes. We live down south but i made OH drive me out there to view it and we completely fell in love. its in Bocking - gorgeous place.

This. Which ones have you seen. I know that there are tons of venues in Essex. I'm looking in Essex myself and had to reduce it down because there were soooo many! Yet to see any of them yet.

Ok so i have drawn up a list and the reasons why they are a no....

Venues

I have listed below a list of venues and the reasons why they are a no for me…

I don’t want to get married in a golf club or hotel because they are not exclusive and will have the possibility of people wandering into photo shots or into the rooms etc (heard horror stories). We want an exclusive venue.

We are also looking at spending an absolute max of £6000!

Stoke by Nayland Hotel Golf and Spa – 2 reasons it’s a golf club and a hotel

Forrester Park – Golf and no accommodation

Stock Brook Manor – Partner has his work Christmas do there every year

Blakes Golf Club – golf

Greenwoods Hotel, Spa and Retreat – looks lovely by again open to public

Prested Hall – too far away

Marygreen manor hotel – it’s a hotel on a main road that has all music turned off by 10.30pm

Coach House, Marks Hall Estate – too far away

The barn, Colchester – too far away

Crabbs Barn – No children allowed to stay on site

Valentines Mansion – Ilford – partner a police officer and says it would be like going to work

Three Rivers country club – too far and also golf

Park inn, southend – hotel

Newland hall, Chelmsford – on the short list but expensive

Spains hall – too expensive

Braxted Park – Too expensive

De Rougemont manor – is a hotel

Gaynes park – his cousin got married there in july

Maylands – nice but again a golf club

Parklands – too far

Fennes – too expensive

Gosfield Hall – too far and expensive

Leez Priory – friend got married there

Mulberry House – on the short list

Boreham house – too expensive

Crondon – friend was married there in july

Eastbury manor – as before he thinks would be like going to work

Stapleford Abborts golf club – golf

Mangapp manor – on short list

Maidens barn – too expensive

Creeksea place – too expensive

Ye olde plough house – partner put off by the view when you arrive

Ashwells sport club – my Christmas work do held there

Friern manor – work events held there

The lawn – on short list but no accommodation

The reid rooms – on short list

Met police hall in Chigwell – he said would be like being at work

I really dont know what I'm looking for :-(

Wow, you have been busy. The Reid rooms is a nice venue. I've done many events there and it sounds perfect for you. Have you visited the ones on your shortlist yet? Good luck, I hope you fall in love with one on your shortlist.

£6000 for venue hire, or for all your food etc too?

Yeah have been to see them, the reid rooms was the first venue i went to and completely fell in love, but i dont know if that was more heart than head at the time as it was the first venue i went to, i went with my best friend and we were really excited... now as time has gone on the head has kicked in with regards to finances and practicalities etc....

Ok, the first thing is, you have to make compromises.

You say you don't want a hotel but you want accommodation? There aren't many venues that offer accommodation in this way, and the ones that do, are expensive.

I think you need to list three things about the venue that are top priority, and revisit those that tick those boxes. And then go from there.

Try Channels in Chemsford, it's a golf club but you're not near the golf part I believe.

We are looking at £6000 max for everything! Tight I know...

It is, but there are people on here doing their entire wedding on less.

Are you wanting a church or civil ceremony?

I agree with KB. You need to compromise. Exclusive venues with accomodation are often in the region of £20 grand up! Another way of getting an exclusive venue is doing up a village hall etc (but obv no accomodation). Or compromise on the exclusivity. Sorry I'm probably not helping, but I think you're a tad stuck if you don't compromise xxx

I'd agree that you're probably going to have to compromise on either the exclusivity or the bedrooms.

If it helps, I was pretty set on having bedrooms at the venue but I couldn't find what I wanted. I ended up somewhere that had a big Ramada 5 minutes away. Everyone stayed there and it was absolutely fine.

I would not completely rule out hotels, our weddings in a hotel and we have our own private function rooms so no other hotel guests will be around.

The only advice i would give is look at al ot of different options.

when i started looking i knew i wanted a castle or stately home, but after about seeing 8 of them i was soooo angry cause none of them made me say wow, they were all nice but nothing that i could imagine getting married in, so i decided to look at other options, hotels and barns and fell in love with something that i never imagined.

so try and look at a few different places, ones that you wouldn't have thought about originally just incase.

Have you considered/seen Room in the rodings? It's the sister venue to the Reid Rooms.

The photos on the website (in my opinion) do not do it justice or showcase it very well, but I think if you like the Reid Rooms, give it a visit

https://www.roomintherodings.co.uk/

Reid rooms is also a great venue though and alot can be done with it. If you'd be interested in seeing a full wedding gallery or two there so you can see exactly what it's like for a "real" wedding, just send me over a PM and I can link you to a few weddings we've shot there.

Best of luck finding a venue, i'll have a think for you and see if there are any others I can come up with.