Ahhhhh, i'm going crazy!!!! I can't find a venue i like, we're looking at venues in beds, herts and bucks but just can't find one that wows us both!! I'm a full time student and mummy so finding the time to look for places is hard too so double stress over here!!

We want to marry in October 2015 which is a fair way away but i just know it'll come round so quick.
We have about £6000 for a venue and really want a wow venue but can't seem to find one that does a good sit down wedding breakfast with decent drinks package that looks nice too.
They're are all either ridiculously priced fancy buildings but the inside needs a lot of decoration or they're just not fancy enough on the outside so there's no "oooohhh wow, look how nice it is" for our arriving guests. I know i sound picky and silly but i just want to find somewhere and be like "yes, this is it! i love it" it's just been "ohh this is nice" and we drive home not really buzzing about it after a viewing.
There's so many places to choose from around here as well and at the moment if we want a fancy venue then i think we'll have to compromise on food and maybe have a hot buffet for wedding breakfast then a cold buffet for evening guests but you know when your heart is set on the table waited sit down meal...
Does anyone know any places or have any ideas how we can have the vow venue inside and out and have a really nice meal...i'm so stressed, i just want to book it all and relax! I've been looking since August 2013..

Please help me!!! :-)

Laura xxx

I've googled lots of venues but some of the main wow ones are crazy prices!

I love barn venues or places that are quite modern with marquees inside (draped etc), i really would prefer a venue that doesn't need much decorating. Venues that have their own marquees would be good but not all of them do. As well i don't mind people recommending us places as we are quite open to see whatever is about.

The venues we've already seen haven't wowed us.

I really don't want a village hall though, even though they are cheap so we could decorate to a high standard it's not what i've dreamed about.

Laura xxx

Due to family and friends being split up and down the country we need a weekend date so again the price goes up! :/

Laura xxx

Agree with lala, our venue is £11k on a Saturday, the have a set weekday package which includes everything dj, cake, table flowers for just over £5k.

With the people being all over the place, I've got grandparents in Lincolnshire, uncle in Milton Keynes, uncle in Somerset. H2bs parents live about an hour away, his sister in Portsmouth, his brother is Cambridge. We're in kent. They are just going to have to travel. I think you'd be very lucky to find a venue with sit down meal on a weekend for £6k.

And because our venue is a barn, we are only putting fairy lights on the beams because it doesn't need any other decor.

I must have awkward family then!

I would prefer a weekend as well, due to my uni course i can't really get time off during the week (i know it's for my wedding but it's not that sort of course).

Ahh i feel even more panicked knowing how booked up places get so far in advance, i wish my other half would understand and really help me pick a venue (he just wants to turn up and say 'i do').

It's looking like i'm going to have to settle with a less glamourous venue i guess :(

Do you know any venues that do hot buffets for a wedding breakfast because i've heard that can bring the price down but not sure if most venues just want a sit down event?
Trying to explore all my options really.

Laura xxx

Or a place called Clayton, another national trust property x

Unfortunately i don't have half term off!!
I only get 7 weeks off a year on my course so we're doing it at the start of my third year as it won't be too hectic but also planning for my mum to be able to have enough time to do our cake (professional cake maker!) so i think we're looking at the last weekend in October as she will be off from her other job and can also help us with the last few bits in that week too.

We've found a few places for less than 6k, one of them is a 5 course meal and it comes to just over 4k but it's not a wow factor venue on the outside however it is a nice drive there!

Laura xxx

Hi.
We had our wedding reception at Hunt0n P@rk in Watford. Amazing venue and they have good packages too. The level of service is incredible, nothing is too much trouble for them. Have you looked there?
There's also H1gh E1ms Manor but there's more work needed in terms of catering, drinks etc there.

Oak barn is lovely but they are relocating in a few months so there are no weddings there :(

We are waiting to hear back from Hunton Park, are there packages good and reasonably priced?
i haven't looked at high elms manor..will take a look!

Thanks for the help ladies xxx

Are you basing these prices on whats online? I would go to one you really like, tell them your budget and see.if there is anything they can do. We got 2grand knocked off the price just for asking and tweaking a few things with them. Its always worth a shot??

I agree with Kirsty - definately find the time to go and speak to them or give them a ring. We loved a venue but couldn't afford the sit down meal - it was 11K for a reception package we both agreed on. We've now got it down to 4.5K as we're having a BBQ rather than a main meal. It's not everyone's cup of tea but it was an idea we loved and the venue was more than willing to accomodate.

Good luck and happy hunting x

never tell anyone what your willing to spend!!!

like some of the others posted, keep an eye out for special offers and deals, they tend to pop up at venues every now and again and also you can get some late availability spots for more than half the price. maybe even ring around and ask if they have any wedding deals x

Ours has the wow factor IMPO (gorgeous decor), and when we booked, the deal was basically that you had to spend a minimum of £6000 on food and drink, and all rooms have to be booked; so, it could work (it's The Forbury Hotel in Reading, Berks). Downsides are it doesn't have outside space (though there's a lovely park opposite; we're having most of our photos done inside though), and it's small.

I would probably look at websites where you can search for wedding venues, and fire off a standard email to any you like the look of. At the moment you have plenty of time, so maybe just set aside a small amount of time each week to email venues. I think I basically set aside a full day, and searched every surrounding county; took ages but by the end I had a shortlist of about a dozen which we actually visited.

Hope it all goes well xx