Casual bbq afternoon after church service - has anyone done this?

[kirkland1]

Struggling to work out what we want and can afford! Were thinking church service…
I don’t really fancy and nor can we afford the big packages at the lovely venues. The food packages seem to be £5k sometimes more! And that’s on top of the hire.
Is there a cheaper way to do it?

Being fussy, I would like a nicer venue than somewhere like a village hall or community space, so it fees more “wedding”, but do these exist or are they all already ring fences as proper wedding venues where the only real option is the full package?

I like the idea of bbq food/buffet, drinks, some music, space for people to socialise. Not fussed about a sit down meal, speeches, a full evening affair 🙈

No, but it's my dream. Just the people I actually love and value back to have a good BBQ, eat good food, drink too much and shoot the breeze into the night. Not sure about venue though I'm afraid - in my head I've always done it at home!!!

Have a look at local rugby/ football/ hockey clubs and church halls/ community halls.

We have a couple of places in villages near us that hire out barns, I definitely know wedding receptions have taken place in those. Something like that would be perfect for what you want.

The best wedding I ever went to (and I have been to many) was close friends and family only - a registry office, followed by a casual meal in a local restaurant and then back to the happy couple’s house for drinks, dancing and late night pizzas.

We had a registry wedding in a venue we both liked then a meal at our favourite reservation then in the evening a bbq in our garden - bit squashed but relaxed. No long list of speeches, no formal photographs, and a relaxed day

DIY weddings can be a lot of work and village halls can really add up if you need glass hire, chair and table hire, caterers, bar and wait staff, decor. Sometimes a venue that has all of that hosting just an evening do can work out around the same cost wise - one casual meal is so much cheaper than a formal 3 course affair. It helps to get married at 3-5pm then eat just dinner.

I could have used the church hall and had a buffet/bbq though we opted for the upstairs of a (good) pub, cost is £3k all in for the pub, food, drinks and live music.

Remember it's not how fancy the venue is that matters, it's what suits you, a lovely homespun feel wedding are some of my favourites, a memorable one the church offered to do the food for the couple and it was an amazing BBQ and buffet with delightful cakes

This is a good point. And also about the afternoon wedding! I’d be thinking earlier ceremony and then wrapped up by early evening but actually a later service and a dinner might be better

£3k sounds more what I was thinking! Perhaps a pub is a good shout. Was that a buffet or set meal or other?