Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be upset about my wedding venue?

996 replies

IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 13/10/2013 16:16

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...

OP posts:
SecondStarToTheRight · 19/11/2013 21:21

Do you have a colour theme?

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 19/11/2013 22:02

No colour theme SecondStar Do you think I should pick one?

OP posts:
SecondStarToTheRight · 19/11/2013 22:10

Only if you want to. Sometimes a colour theme can help unify different elements easily.

I like the idea of mismatched china, wild / country flowers etc. it makes me think of ivory, dusky pinks & chocolate browns.

My colours were white, silver & bluebell blue - the blue was used for my bridesmaids dress, boys ties, on the ribbons for favours, invites etc and was a cheap way to make things match.

SecondStarToTheRight · 19/11/2013 22:11

(Also blue is my favourite colour)

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 19/11/2013 22:30

makes me think of ivory, dusky pinks & chocolate browns This sound gorgeous!

OP posts:
poppycarew · 20/11/2013 17:50

IfIdontknow

May I pm you
A friend has a load of wedding decorations left over from her daughter's wedding , garlands , vases , candle jars etc .

You would be welcome to them .

PC x

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 20/11/2013 18:28

poppycarew That's very lovely of you. Flowers however, is your friends daughter going to be happy with this idea?

OP posts:
Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 20/11/2013 20:43

Any ideas on what to do for the little guests? We have a lot coming. Ranging from about 6months to 14yrs. Confused

OP posts:
HoratiaDrelincourt · 20/11/2013 20:59

Glow sticks are 8p each bought in bulk. I haven't met a child yet who doesn't love cake and glow sticks.

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 20/11/2013 21:38

Glow sticks are a great idea! Perhaps also skipping ropes/ hoops/ footballs?

Games for adults? I don't know, maybe like giant jenga/ space hoppers or something?

OP posts:
WeAreSix · 20/11/2013 22:54

I can't remember if I still have it, but I think I have an ivory dress you can have. Will have a rummage.

ancientbuchanan · 20/11/2013 23:20

Bubbles . Small tubes for each child. Plus flagon b of washing up liquid to top up.

A football and several ping pong balls. We kept a whole load of multi aged children happy by teaching them blow football with ping pong balls. Hours of happy fun.

Pencils and paper. If you get a roll of lining paper they can all draw themselves at the wedding for you as well as having lots to draw on.

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 20/11/2013 23:54

WeAreSix Do you mean a flower girl dress?

YY to lots of bubbles. Lovely thought for the picture drawing. Smile

OP posts:
poppycarew · 21/11/2013 00:27

IfIdon'tknow

I have just rather embarrassingly pmed the wrong person Sad however given my internet skill , may be not surprising . However the offer stands , friend has a load of stuff from her daughter's wedding . Will try to PM you again and get it to you

PC

WeAreSix · 21/11/2013 14:30

Yes, of sorts. If i find it I can take a pic. It was bought as a back up christening gown for DD but never worn.

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 21/11/2013 19:31

Lovely WeAreSix Thank you Wine

OP posts:
Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 25/11/2013 22:18

I am now thinking of 1st night hotels. We aren't going to be having a honeymoon for a while, so would ideally like to stay somewhere the night of the wedding.

Obviously can't be too much of the budget. Does anyone know of any nice places in that area?

OP posts:
Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 25/11/2013 22:52

Perhaps a B&B would be cheaper, & nice too.

Would love to hear what others did on their wedding day. Hotel/ B&B/ straight to honeymoon/ etc.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 25/11/2013 23:12

Could you run to 2 nights somewhere?

I only ask because we didnt have a honey moon until a few months later and the night in the hotel was a bust! We were knackered when we got to bed so just fell asleep and in the morning we were getting everything packed up, presents in the car, dress away, suit packed, quick breakfast and out by 11! I wish we had had 2 nights so we could have pottered around, got stuff organised, nice lunch, afternoon mooching, dinner out that evening etc.

I have always said we should have gone home the first night and then had our "first night" on the second night!

Bogeyface · 25/11/2013 23:12

But YY to the B&B, ours was lovely, a bargain but still got flowers and sparkling wine and a lovely wedding card from them.

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 25/11/2013 23:20

Just wondered if anyone had a largish box that I could kindly have.

If you are in the Midlands with said box, even better.

A lovely MNetter is sending something down to me, however no boxes to be found.

Virtual Cake & Wine for whoever can do this. Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 25/11/2013 23:30

Bogeyface Not sure I could. I see what you mean though regarding the times.

Your B&B sounds lovely.

We I did, over the weekend, discuss moving the wedding times around. So a lot earlier.

As in have ceremony earlier, have a brunch type buffet in the church rooms. Then on to the Legion. The games discussed up thread, music (Ipod I expect) , then the ploughmans or afternoon tea.

Then leave earlier, so it doesnt run into the evening. Go off for us in the evening. DP wasn't so sure. I'm not now either, was just an idea.

Thought it may be cheaper. Still same plans, just switched around a bit.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 25/11/2013 23:41

I dont want to put you off but I went to a wedding that was due to be done and dusted by no later than 8pm. Which was fine. Except that the B&G didnt want it to end so a lot of us ended up staying having an inpromptu evening party anyway. It cost far more than either they or us had budgeted for as we had to order some food! Bearing this in mind, I got married at 4pm, fed everyone at 6:30pm so only one lot of food, worked out masses cheaper than 2 lots of food and everyone was invited to the whole thing rather than day and evening guests.

We had an area with giant Jenga (not good if you are pissed, those bricks hurt! But fun for spectators!) and giant Connect 4 which we borrowed from the DC's school and an iPod disco. We had a three course meal with lots of wine for 60 people and with decorations and (sorry!) chair covers, it came in at £750. You could do it for waaay less than that with your ploughmans.

Original poster
IfIDontKnowAndYouDontKnow · 25/11/2013 23:45

So stick to the afternoon into evening timings?

Giant games sound good. Your food sounds like a bargain price! What did you eat?

Grin at chair covers.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 25/11/2013 23:49

We had.... cant remember the starter, might have been soup!

Chicken in cream white wine sauce and veg main (with the most amazing concoctions for the allergies/vegans/veggies!) and profiteroles for pudding (the vegan didnt do puddings so went without!)

We got a deal via the hotel owner on the chair covers so got them at cost for £1.00 per chair and they did look lovely, but wouldnt work in your venue I dont think, it would look overdone iykwim.

The hotel did a deal whereby they made no profit on the food and minimal profit on table wine. But......it meant that they had a function room full of people putting money over the bar which otherwise they wouldnt have had. It worked, they were booked up 2 years in advance within weeks of advertising it. We only got a Saturday because it was the end of January!