To be upset about my wedding venue?

[IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow]

Name changed
Basically have a tiny budget. We were going to cut our guest list but we don't want to. We love everyone on it.
Have been offered The British Legion as a venue for free. Best man works evenings there.
We have decided to take it so we can afford to give everyone a nice time. Its bloody ugly inside. Has lovely big field though/n pretty outside etc.
I know I chose this, and I am not wanting to save up for few years as I just want to marry dp and have all our friends and family there. And would be stupid to not accept such a generous offer.
Just venting I guess... and wondering what to do about the fading carpet, chipped paint, arcade machine...

Good idea from starball^^

After Christmas you may find some love plain white fairy lights, gold/silver branches, feathers etc in the sale. In the meanwhile have a good look at your friends/families decorations when they put them up, am sure they won't need them in the summer and would be happy to lend.

Glad everything is coming together. It all sounds brilliant.

mummyplonk Love this^ Will do plenty of sale shopping

So I have pretty much the chips sorted.. Any suggestions for the afternoon tea? Will have about £200 for it.

Is everyone local? Have a Bake Off! and get sandwich platters from Costco.

How about seeing if you have a local Bake Club? I'm a member of one up here, they are everywhere at the moment, thanks to TGBBO! Or see if your local WRVS/WI might be interested in baking for you?

A local Bake Club who might want to bake for you in return for club funds or for charity, I meant to say.

Most people are very local. Same/ next village. Bake off is a great idea!
I've never heard of a bake club..

The [[http://clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/category/horley-east-surrey/
Clandestine Cake Club]] is in Surrey - not sure if it's anywhere near you?

Or - is there a local catering college who might be interested in doing some baking for you? Or maybe some of their students?

I love the idea of the chip van, but not everyone likes fish and chips - veggies and coeliacs for instance, so you do need to have veggie/gf/df alternatives lined up.

For the afternoon, I'd ask people to bring a dish (cake, scone, biscuit or savoury thing) plus the recipe so that you can start your marriage with an amazing recipe book where you will remember them and their food.

I did my own wedding flowers, as did some friends, and we all used silk flowers as you can pick them up way ahead, and then take your time arranging them as you like. One friend had fake calla lillies that she then threaded white fairy lights through and they have been a decoration in her sitting room ever since

Your wedding sounds lovely btw

For the afternoon, I'd ask people to bring a dish (cake, scone, biscuit or savoury thing) plus the recipe so that you can start your marriage with an amazing recipe book where you will remember them and their food

That's such a lovely idea. I think I will do this. Do you think people would mind?

What savoury things do you think? I could order some staples; Sandwich platters, glass bottles of lemonade, fizz etc

I think some will be fine about it, others might see it as something else to worry about if they are not bakers or cooks.

Sari fabric on Ebay can be really cheap. I had my birthdayparty at the local Legion, and we did the room with lots of bunting (amazon) posters of the film theme, and decorated the tables with baskets of oranges (the baskets were chip baskets from the sale at Aldi - no one noticed!) and on the rest of the tables I filled glass jars with flowers (also Aldi) as they only need to last the day. We did have a buffet, and I covered the tables with sheets and some fancy curtains from a charity shop! Several people asked who had done the decorations. I was very proud!

SirChenjin Yes, true.

Greydog So you should be! Do you have any pics of how you done the tables?

done= did

IME, people love to share food. And for those with dietary requirements, it means they know there will be things that they can eat for sure. And those that don't bake can buy things if they wish - veggie and dip platter, naice crisps, cheese, bread, salami etc. Savoury bake suggestions would be sausage rolls, mini pasties, cheese scones, mini quiches - oh, and chutneys!

Personally, I think that nice bread and ham/cheese/chicken separately is better than premade sarnies which are always a bit sad looking. Also lets people pick what they want

If you bought tea, milk, lemonade/dandelion and burdock/cream soda in glass bottles, jam, clotted cream, butter and made scones ahead of time and froze them, you'd have a bloomin good start to the tea. Oh, and poncey plates and cardboard cake stands.

Don't underestimate how much people like helping out at events. If I knew you, I'd be delighted to loan picnic blankets/ outdoor games/ decorations and to help organise the tea. And bake hugely. I love to bake, and its fab to get to do more

Perhaps pitch it as "we don't need presents but if you'd like to bring something then an edible contribution to our afternoon tea would be very gratefully received - please contact bride for details of where/when to drop off".

Then they contact you and say "shall I make my chocolate pavlova?" or "I could do a plate of cheese twists" and you say "yum, yes please, can you drop it off at the Legion by 10am on the day or is the night before more convenient?" or even "oh that's so kind but actually Auntie Gladys is doing one of them - any chance I could cheekily ask you to make some of your legendary rocky road instead? I enjoyed that so much last time we had coffee together"

cross posted but agree about separate bread/rolls/ham/cheese/salad rather than sandwiches - better for allergies and fresher and less work

Oh dear I'm so easily swayed
Can you get dandelion & burdock and cream soda in glass bottles? If so where? I love them.. They are childhood memory inducing drinks..

Do you have a core group of friends who you know would be happy to bring food rather than a present?

I'm glad people have suggested alternitves for sandwiches.. I'm always a bit disappointed when I'm at a function and by the time I get to them , they are hard edged. Or soggy

I think I'm going to take every ones tasty food suggestions and cater it myself. I'm not quite mad brave enough to tackle it myself, however will just buy it in. I'm kind of with SirChenjin in that I personally would be stressed out if it was requested of me, so would not want any one to feel like that.
I am going to take all those gorgeous ideas though and use them. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it all.
And the games.. fab idea.. on the law of the church.

This is all so great..

SirChenjin the cake club is about 20mins from me..

I haven't read all the thread but churches do have a bit of discretion as to what they charge. It might be worth having a chat with the vicar to see if they could help you out. I know our vicar would waive a bit of the fee for a local who was struggling. If someone offered to say, strim the churchyard or something that would also go down very well.

Might be worth a try.

lilystem Thank you. Dp is a gardener probably outed myself now so that's good to know.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how the actual tea part would work? Do I use tea leaves/ urn/ teapots/ teabags?