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...

The reception venue we chose had the most hideous carpet in the main room. It was lavender and lime green in big 70s pattern, I thought.

The bloke in charge said to me "once you have all the tables draped around, and the dance floor in place, I guarantee you won't notice the carpet."

He was absolutely correct - people remembered our wedding for lots of (good!) reasons, but not one of them mentioned the hideousness of the carpet, and I didn't even notice it on the day myself.

If you dress tables nicely and have focal points, people will absolutely not notice chipped paint and faded carpets/hangings, so long as they are not actively dangerous. And if by some tiny chance they do, they are unlikely to mention them - and if they are rude enough to mention them, then they are not friends of yours.

A friend of mine got married in the local Scout hut after being let down by her preferred venue; it was very plain indeed but we prettied it up with greenery and crepe streamers. I'm sure you can find somewhere to acquire greenery from? Your garden, your parents' gardens, your friends' gardens? Doesn't have to cost anything and can transform the place.

I think you've def made the right decision OP, don't worry! Marriage is not about The Wedding, it's easy to get caught up in decor and fluff, but it's not the point of the day.

One cheap idea that could work for you is crepe paper streamers kind of like this - if you choose a strong colour and use them at each end of the room they'll draw the eye towards them and distract away from the less pretty stuff.

Def get the fruit machine turned off and covered up, unless you have lots of teens coming and don't mind them congregating there?

If the venue is still bugging you nearer the big day, make sure you set up a photo area with a pretty or plain backdrop (and maybe a basket of daft props etc), so there will be lots of pics of you and your loved ones without the venue in.

Also, say yes if people offer to help! Get them booked in for early on the day so they've got time to get changed etc later, but don't try to do it all yourself.

For our Big Gay Gay last year we had a beautiful venue, well upstairs was!! A converted church!!
But we ate and had evening do in the downstairs room which we decorated to look like a old style church hall tea! And used lots of Shabby Chic stuff, fr. I'm our home as we like twiggy shitnstuff!!
Charity shops for
Voile or lace or net curtains to drape over ugly things, over tables.
White or pale coloured sheets for table covers
Odd and quirky china that we mixed with plain white plates etc.
Vases for couple of large flower arrangements

Cheap shops ie B&M for fairy lights
Disco lights

eBay
Bunting and lights

Another friend had a club house room like yours on the shore and did the same sort of thing with a beach/sea theme using shells and pale turquoise voile, it was lovely.

So was ours, I loved it though will not cater when we do it all again to celebrate an anniversary, it was very tiring.

Get rolls of cheap chintzy fabrics off the internet and make it look like the inside of a morrocan tent like the second picture here . My friend did this for a party and it looked fab. You could hide the whole ceiling, cover the fruit machibe up and then dim the lights, put in fairy lights, get in cheap booze and fish and chips and have a lovely time!!

Without wishing to be a terrible killjoy, aren't acres of polyester combined with tea lights a bit of a fire hazard?

If it is free then can you buy a couple of tubs of cheap paint from B&Q & paint the hall & lobby area as a donation in lieu of the hire fee? That way both parties benefit, you get a freshly painted hall which will look lovely & the BLwill get a mini refurbishment that they couldnt otherwise afford. 70

www.diy.com/nav/decor/paint-woodcare/emulsion-wall-paint/-brand-Colours+by+B%5Cu0026Q/-size%3E5l/-colourderived%3Ewhite/Colours-by-B-and-Q-Matt-Emulsion-White-10299438

Try dry cleaners for sheets from hotels (my local one sells hotel towels that haven't come up the brightest white, the huge bath sheets for 50p for dog towels. They are pristine to my eyes).
These could be pinned/draped.

Also agree with seeing if legion would let you re-paint the room.
Basic cream/white is very cheap!

If no dimmer switch, go in one evening when room is empty and experiment with removing various light bulbs for different effects.

There was some do or other going on in our High School's dining area the other day. Not sure what, but someone had transformed it with lots of muslin drapes, fairy lights, balloons, table flowers etc - it looked amazing.

Best thing about it was this - get long garden canes and tie into a wigwam (use quite a few canes and don't have huge gaps between each cane), then interweave with white fairy lights. They had quite a few of these around the room, they looked amazing.

I honestly think it will be possible to do amazing things with the venue on a budget. Have a great day

Bunting. Loads of bunting and when it is full of people you won't be able to see what it looks like.

Honestly.

When is the wedding? Can you plant some bulbs now so that you can fill the place with flowers?

We had bacon and sausage butties and veggie burgers for non meat eaters. We served with curly fries and all the guests raved about the 'buffet'.

You could do some salads etc with it too for cheap enough and still have enough cash for pudding :)

TBH your wedding sounds great - loads of guests, a hog roast or barbecue is fab food, outdoor space, emphasis on who is there and your marriage, not saving up until you can afford the perfect favours or some such rubbish. It'll stand out as having been a wedding that people actually enjoyed.

What time will you be at the venue - the dark hides a lot of paint chips!
Other than that, balloons, bunting, cheap muslin draped about, party stuff - and don't knock the arcade machine, there'll probably be a queue for it!

When's the wedding? If it's summer and outside is pretty, could you move the tables outside, decorate with bunting and wild flowers and only move inside when it gets cold later and everyone's too pissed to notice the decor?

I once went to a wedding where the reception and night reception were held in an old miners club . The room was absolutely massive with a big stage and they were able to invite more people than they would have had it been in one of the fancy over priced hotels in the area.

People spend ridiculous amounts on weddings these days and I think half of the time it's showing off and trying to out do others. My mum and dad's reception was held in the back room of their local pub!

Thank you.. What a lovely response. Some good ideas there.
The wedding will be in July. Am thinking possibly a 3pm wedding than an early (ish) meal at 6pm.
Mot sure that I would be allowed to paint or that it will fit into budget.. but will keep it in mind. Fresh coat would help. However, need to buy dress( another nightmare in itself) suits etc.. Only have about £200/£300 for all outfits
There are picnic style benches outside, probably not enough for everyone though. Loving these ideas.
I feel slightly better. Just focusing on fact have family and close friends there.

than=then

Re your dress and bridesmaids - can you sew or know anyone who can make dresses from pattern? I made wedding dress for sis and was a fraction of shop bought.

If not, BHS etc have some lovely elegant dresses for surprisingly low cost.

Yy to hog roast & cheap drink. Getting everyone nicely tipsy always good

What size are you op? I have two unworn wedding dresses upstairs - indecisive - which I would happily give to a good home.

OP we were invited to an evening do recently where the invite advised us to bring 'your dancing shoes and money to buy your supper from the fish and chip van'. Unfortunately we couldn't go but I thought that was a great idea. They were up front about the fact they couldn't afford to cater it and were concentrating on having a good time and a celebration.

People get very het up about weddings but what's really key is the warnth in the room for the bride and groom. Get launched on your married life with fun and laughter and best wishes. It's a good beginning.

Google oxfam wedding dresses too

How about placing 2 box ball plants by front door (markets sell them £8 each) to give a smart first impression?

Go with everything White? Terracotta pots with white gypsofilia in them?

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged What a lovely offer. I am a size 14/16, am losing weight though(just dropped a dress size) am hoping to be 12 maybe even a 10! by the time of wedding though. Would you be able let me know prices/ location. (pm if you prefer)

Have afternoon tea? I would be v happy to have neat sandwiches, scones, cakes tea and fizz. If it's good enough for the ritz

We had our wedding reception in a very ugly hall. We chose it, rather than the fancy hotel up the road, on the basis that the dance floor was massive. Very important to us that we could dance.

It was 1985 and decorating halls was not really done. It was a fantastic wedding reception because of the people not the venue. Our friends still talk about his good it was. I think people these days spend far too much money on what is basically just a giant party. I am sure it will be a great wedding.

I would honestly have to prefer for my meal myself than have to buy a wedding gift, it's def about celebrating the occasion with the couple