Venue in North London/Hertforshire

MrChips

My fiance and I are making plans to get married at some point later this year. Ideally it would be in August/September but we are relatively flexible.

We're just getting started and there seems to be so much to do! Our logic is that our first priority should be to find a venue for the reception that we like and can afford, and is reasonably close to where we will get married. This is likely to be the most expensive part of the day so if we get the venue right, then everything else can be planned around that!

I was raised in Barnet in North London and the ceremony is likely to take place in a church there. I also lived in St Albans for a while and so I know my way around that part of Hertfordshire (which is also reasonably close to North London).

We have arranged to view some potential venues tomorrow but there seem to be so many to choose from! Can any kindly people out there suggest things we should look out for/be wary of during our forthcoming viewings? From preliminary conversations with some venues, it seems that they are very keen to get bookings (lack of weddings/credit crunch?) so I thing a lot of the high prices are negotiable. Any other general advice (venue or wedding planning) would be lovingly accepted too!

If anyone out there is able to recommend any good venues in this area that they know of, we would also be very grateful for the tip off Alternatively, if anyone can recommend any good websites where we can look for potential venues, that would also be great.

p.s. we would probably be looking for somewhere to host about 100 people.

Rosie75

Years ago, in my student days, I used to work at West Lodge Park (between Cockfosters and Potters Bar) during the summer holidays, and they did a lot of weddings. You would need a marquee for 100 people. The hotel is a lot nicer than it looks on their website.
If you do get married there, don't bother leaving a tip for the waiting staff, since the management used to pocket it all when I worked there :rolleyes:

ringadingding

St Michaels Manor on Fishpool Street in St. Albans was one we looked at- lovely and extremely reasonably priced but they can only do up to 90 guests.

kte

Ware Priory in Ware, Hertfordshire is LOVELY!! and has different rooms available to hire to accommodate different sized weddings. If you go for a civil ceremony their Priory Hall has stained glass windows so feels a bit like a church...

MrChips

Well, we actually made it to two wedding fayres yesterday (the Hertforshire, and Sopwell House). Most of the exhibitors seemed shocked we hadn't arranged a date or venue yet considering we were planning for August/September this year. We only got engaged just before Christmas so I thought we were making reasonably good progress. Hopefully this was just part of their sales patter!

Thanks to all for the suggestions above. We managed to get about another dozen from the various people at the fayres so that will occupy my next few lunch hours with phone calls and downloading brochures. Please keep them coming however

I'll update the thread if there is any progress!