wedding venue in east kent?!

angel13

thanks I am trying to cheer up. id like something along the lines of hestercombe gardens. so want to get married outside and then have a garden party so either afternoon tea or picnic style or buffet. needs to be all vegetarian and probably non alcoholic. between 30-50 guests some of which are children. we'd like midweek. only needs to be 3-5 hours so half a day so no evening bit or that stuff so that some guests can get back home without paying for a hotel and so we will just have party and then leave for honeymoon. the budget was going to be a £1000 but now increased budget to maximum of £3000 and still cant find anything. im looking at places further afield as i am from sw so 90% of guests will be travelling at least 200miles so if we can get nearer then less travelling for everyone else. but if we are further afield then we need to budget for where we stay etc as well then. this also means that due to the distance our numbers might drop dramatically so cannot use somewhere with a fixed expensive venue price in case we get 10 guests and still have to pay a lot of money. we will consider last minute deals.

so i think i am being flexible but i cannot find anything AT all thats ok for this as we dont match the "norm"

ive gone through everything on kent site and lots of places in sussex, essex, surrey, wiltshire, hampshire and so on and not found anything that would be ok. we have been looking and trying to get something sorted for 2 years so we are at the stage where we have lowered all of our requirements and increased budget just to get something and still cant find anything at all.

id like to get married in a field with animals if i had a choice and then a big garden party barn style. but in this country thats not legal so ive had to compromise dramatically. just depressing as most places are useless at helping or considering anything a bit different.

angel13

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

oh honey i know exactly how you feel with the parents being divorced we in the end decided that they can be grown ups and sit on a head table together as i wanted one and they have to like or lump it so they are liking it hehe.

how about this place http://www.dodevillage.com/The%20Venue.htm it looks a bit different maybe you'd like this

what place have you found 50 miles away honestly there is so much in kent its silly x

ive looked at that as its beautiful but too remote for guests and too expensive for us. as for divorces and family rifts a top table and speeches is out of the question for me. sibling did the same as you are doing but they had to lump it and caused major rows and upset for everyone and I am not doing anything like that. so for me to avoid all rows need outside area or something to distract and keep people busy to ignore one another, no or limited alcohol, short wedding about 4 hours, nothing whatsoever traditional. so guests will feel like they are just going to a relaxed party where they turn up get some nice food and leave. so that no one can complain or upset anyone. but has proved impossible to find.

fly_dragon_fly

you say you want a outside event yes how about http://www.tranquil-beacon.co.uk/ceremonies.html its in whitstable and again right on the beach but they can do what ever you want it has a maxium of 50 people so small and inside and outside its lovely and if you have any teeny boppers or fans of the saturdays they shot a video there

fly_dragon_fly

this page pretty much tells you everything and as it sleeps 10 people your guest would pretty much pay for your wedding but staying at the place once you went one so works out rather money saving http://www.tranquil-beacon.co.uk/faqs.html

frannyann

Angel, The Spa has an outside gazbo thingy that you can use as well! Ignore any prices on website, I was considering it as an alternative venue and haggled £500 of room fees off in one phone call!!

angel13

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

this page pretty much tells you everything and as it sleeps 10 people your guest would pretty much pay for your wedding but staying at the place once you went one so works out rather money saving http://www.tranquil-beacon.co.uk/faqs.html

thanks when we looked at this before i did not think we could have extra guests. i had ruled this out as partner does not like it all as he says its too small for guests that dont get along

angel13

frannyann wrote: »

Angel, The Spa has an outside gazbo thingy that you can use as well! Ignore any prices on website, I was considering it as an alternative venue and haggled £500 of room fees off in one phone call!!

thanks i will have another look at the website but I cannot see any photos of outside spaces. I really dont want a hotel sort of day as I just want it to be relaxed and informal but its worth another look. i had seen the wedding packages and they are far more than we can afford but i will have another read and then contact them.

ive heard back from some venues today as now emailed TONS that I had ruled out for various reasons to see if they can accomodate any of my needs. Turkey Mill is still too expensive even with midweek discounts for us and they are changing it so the ceremony is not inside so thats not suitable. hop farm have sent me prices for mid week with less guests so we could at least afford that option but I am not keen on the menus at all. partner and i will have to have a good read through and then maybe go and see what the hop farm offer. has anyone been to a wedding there so can tell me what it was like and the food etc? I think this is my main concern as I havent been to a wedding anywhere in Kent so I am really worried that I am going to pay all this money and everyone will hate it including me

if anyone knows of somewhere where IF you have to have main meal and not afternoon tea that they allow you to chose 2 or 3 starters, mains and deserts that would be great as I really need that option if I dont go for snack food so I know everyone has something i can eat. I know some places do do this as i have been to other weddings where you get sent the menus and you make your selection which is far nicer. with one of the wonderful menus i got through from somewhere where I thought it sounded perfect when I went through what some of the guests cant eat one guest would have ended up with coleslaw with potatoes and even then I am not sure if they eat coleslaw :eek::eek: i am not paying £40 and thats all someone gets as their main meal!

frannyann

Well. I can promise my friend is the LAST person for 'formal' stuff, and she wanted to spend as little as possible. The Spa fitted the bill perfectly as it was an informal afternoon tea style 'do' with guest able to mill about in comfort.
My venue offers guests the chose of three, starters, mains and desserts. Very small hotel and relaxed, but NO grounds at all. Fine for me as Oct wedding and the inside makes it worth not having the outside. Again its T.Wells, if you are interested, I give it my full recommendation. PN if you want to know anymore about that.

Spa piccies: http://www.spahotel.co.uk/photo-gallery/

frannyann

Just to add, I am not that keen of the Hop Farm myself. Its a bit scruffy and the area you would have, looks more like a council visitor centre!

Bruja_2

How about Howfield Manor, seems very flexible
www.howfieldcanterbury.co.uk/exclusive/weddings.aspx