AIBU to ask for your help in finding a wedding venue?!

[ConkerGame]

DP and I are struggling to find a venue for our wedding next Sept/Oct. So many places are booked up already! Can the MN hive mind help us in our quest?!

We live in London so don’t want anything crazy far away to avoid people having to travel too far but also wouldn’t want central London. Ideally it would be in Surrey/Berkshire/Middlesex/Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire/Wiltshire/Somerset as these should be the easiest counties for our guests to travel to (none live east).

We are inviting 150 guests, are looking to have a sit down meal followed by dancing and want somewhere that at least immediate family and the bridal party could stay on site/very nearby.

We would also prefer a church wedding but don’t want to cart everyone for miles so ideally a pretty church would be nearby.

Our budget is £25k all in so I think venue hire, food and daytime drinks budget is around £17k. We are also only interested in a Saturday wedding (this seems to be the thing that is causing us difficulty atm but too many people would be annoyed if we put it on a week day!)

In terms of vibe, we are hoping for somewhere pretty but not too “grand”, although tbh my searching so far suggests that our budget removes us from most grand venues anyway. We would be happy with a marquee as long as the venue sorted food, drinks etc and we could stay onsite - we wouldn’t be up for just hiring a field and then having to find all suppliers separately.

Can anyone help?! Thanks very much in advance!

YABU, hire a wedding planner with that budget

25k!!!! 😱 I'm no help I'm only spending around 3/4k on the whole thing including dress and suits etc. I know you say you dont want everyone to travel too far but maybe if you look for something a little further and could hire a coach for everyone so people aren't out of pocket for travel?

Have you looked at The Great House at Sonning? Lovely venue and there are a few pretty churches nearby.

Seri get a wedding planner as they will know of lots of venues that are suitable. I used to work in the industry and with that budget and amount of guests it’ll be worth it.

Thanks @CopperTrolley, we have actually! Lots of pretty churches round there! The only thing about The Great House is that it had quite a modern hotel vibe, whereas we are much more into a barn/country house / marquee type vibe.

But thanks very much!

@Claphands do you know how much they normally are? We’ve worked out our budget breakdown and didn’t think we’d have spare for a planner (we want to pay for everyone’s drinks and with 150 people the food and drink bill adds up quite quickly!)

Bisham Abbey, that's where we had our reception! 150 might be a bit big for them, we were 100 and I think that was their limit but you could look.

Thanks @DappledThings - looks very promising!!

Can you get married in a church these days if you don't live in the parish? I'm old but when I got married I had to move back home for 2 months so I could be classed as 'resident in the parish' and therefore have the right to marry in the church!!

Maybe rules have changed now?

@Blobby10 you often can do but need to attend services in the 6 month run up to the wedding

I had my wedding reception here: www.landmarkartscentre.org/about-hiring/wedding-receptions-and-private-events.php we had a civil ceremony at a town hall but there is a pretty little church opposite you could use. No on-site facilities but loads of hotels nearby - we stayed in the Lensbury.

Any more suggestions welcome! Keep ‘Em coming!

I went to a lovely wedding here OP

www.thepriory.net/

Sorry - posted too soon. Its in Hertfordshire so not too far? Closest station is Hitchin which is on the line from Kings X

As someone who works at a weddings venue, I worry your budget is not sufficient for your envisioned day.

Banwell Castle if Somerset is in the mix?

Thanks @pinkrockinghorse , such a cool venue! Did you have access to any outdoor space at all?

Clevedon Hall, Yarlington Barn, St Audries Park, Rookery Manor

@ConkerGame I did at another place because of the way our day was structured, but there isn't a huge amount of outside space directly included with this venue. There is a park right next door. We did the formal photos indoors (my choice!).

By the way our wedding was about £20k all in but that was almost 10 years ago now! 200 people for a sit-down dinner.

Highly recommend http://www.deliciouslondon.co.uk/weddings/ to plan your wedding. Very, very reasonable cost. If you use them ask for Lauren and say T&S (loft studios wedding) sent you

Oh and we had a free bar - this worked out pretty cheap as the venue does dry hire so you can just buy up booze at a supermarket (or pay a bit more for nicer wines etc if that is your thing!). No corkage.

Notley Abbey. Bucks/Oxfordshire border. Pretty but not “grand”. I went to a lovely wedding here.

Ash Barton house in north Devon; further than you specified but amazing venue. Website does not do it justice. My relative, who lives in London, had an amazing wedding their this year.

Thanks @loobyloo1234 - it looks lovely! I’ll see what availability they have!

Thanks @Weedsnseeds1 the castle looks cool! I’ll see if they have availability!