Reception Vibes 😎

[ApplePii]

Quick shout out to all the brides to be, where planning is taking over your life 🙌🏽 #lovingit

We are going an untraditional route. Think: No cake. No rings, no speeches (just toasts), trestle tables, no table cloths, fire pit, food van for evening food. But I can’t seem to find a venue to match our vibe. A festival/forest wedding feels TOO boho and the portaloo scenario isn’t going to be great for our older guests, yet hotels and barns with the ‘mod cons’ feel too rigid and out of the box.

We are looking to marry withirn driving distance of Birmingham and Cambridge (Northamptonshire, West Cambridgeshire, Rutland, North Bedfordshire, South Lincs)

The National Forest is worth a look. There are glades dotted around the Midlands where events such as outdoor weddings, concerts, theatre take place.

@ANameChangeAgain

The National Forest is worth a look. There are glades dotted around the Midlands where events such as outdoor weddings, concerts, theatre take place.

Oh I’ve not looked at that. Thanks very much i will Check that out definitely.

A village hall?

Have you had a look at 'the missing sock'?

There is a wedding barn place in Staffordshire that might suit your vibe

We had the exact same issue as you! Almost went for a DIY barn type venue until they showed us the loo situation (basically portaloos), which just isn't practical when you have guests who are 80+.

We've ended up going with a "posh barn" (which isn't really a proper barn, but is nice and has all the mod cons). As you say, they actually are quite rigid and struggled with some of our ideas around a more relaxed, non-traditional wedding. We want mismatched tables of different sizes, sharing bowls of food rather than being waited on, toasting marshmallows, that sort of thing.

We've had to have LOTS of conversations about it all, and have sometimes felt like we're being difficult not wanting their standard options, but we have actually got there in the end. They have tried really hard to accommodate us and wedding venues do tend to make a lot of effort to get things right for their couples. Even if the look of the venue isn't quite right, you may find the staff really helpful in getting the vibe that you're after.

It's just so much harder to plan a wedding that feels relaxed than one which is more formal! Some venues/ caterers just fall apart and don't quite know what to do when you say you want a casual feel. Most people don't realise formal can actually be easier when you're planning a big event!

You'll get there but it takes some work, but do give venues a chance even if they don't seem perfect at first glance. Good luck!