Going to see our first venue!

undercover_angel

Thank you for the replies and advice everyone, very much appreciated. I will post after we've been and let you know how we get on.

xxx

poppyscorner

Hi and welcome !!

This lot are great they'll give you stacks of useful advice

We've also just started planning and I went to look at a few venues last week but without appointments just calling in, anyway I fell in love with one of the hotels in the same chain as yours

this one http://bookings.oxfordhotelsandinns.com/hotel-details&hotel_id=61

If the way they treat potential brides is nationwide you will love it too they offered to show me around with no hesitation and were lovely to me they are having a wedding fayre on sunday and i'm going back then am excited to see the rooms all set up lol

My tip is to do what I did if you can and pop in without any appointments to other potential ones was a bit of an eye opener for me tbh one in particular that I really liked the look of on the internet was awful when I got there like they couldn't be bothered with me the place was empty and they grunted at me and said what do you want !! very bluntly and even when i explained I wanted a brochure and was looking at potential venues they were still snarly and unpleasant and then I discovered that person was the wedding planner !!!

Think i'll be giving that one a wide berth lol

Good luck and hayley those lists are really good thanks for posting them will be taking one with me on sunday
xx

undercover_angel

That does look lovely. I hope it lives up to your expectations on Sunday when its all set up.

We've been in contact with another few venues today and one it particular looks just beautiful, small and quaint and lovely and the attitude of the lady we spoke too was brilliant! Hopefully we'll go see that one next week sometime. I'm soooooo loving all this! x

undercover_angel

Well we have been and it was lovely. The lady who showed us round was really nice, easy to talk too and it didn't feel like she was giving us a sales pitch- she just told us the facts and answered our questions. The rooms were well proportioned for what we want and the room for the evening reception was really really stunning!

It was quite expensive though, well actually the meals were very reasonable compared to some prices I've seen elsewhere but the buffets for the evening were very steep and there was a room hire. But I'm thinking we can haggle because with the amount we would be spending I'm sure theres room for a little give and take.

The grounds outside were lovely and theres even a spa and pool onsite which would be nice for the following day if we stayed over.

Its definately in the running but we're making no decisions yet as it's only the first place we've seen. Got a couple more lined up for next weekend. I can't believe how much I'm loving this!

xxx

Dizzie77

Good Good- you are behaving very well, and being all rational...!!

Make sure that you keep your notes of each venue, so that you can compare when you've seen a few and get a list of fors and againsts!

There is always room to haggle, and when you've seen a few more venues, you can go back to your favourite one and say "we love your venue, but X venue is prepared to do the package a bit cheaper, what can you do"....!

Where is the next venue?? Is OH enjoying it too? x

undercover_angel

The next venue is a restaurant/country pub. It has a civil liscence and is very small and quaint. Very tradition exterior but modern interior.

Oooh, I tell a lie- that isn't the next one because we are going to see somewhere after work on Monday, its a conference centre. It's a HUGE art deco style building but has lots of small rooms, I'm not too sure about this one though but we have nothing to loose by looking.

OH is enjoying it yeah, he's giving his opinion and is very involved, looking over menues and brochures and such like. He asked lots of questions today and was very interested but don't think he's quite as excited as me! lol

xxx

Dizzie77

It's really nice that he is taking an interest though!!

Have you looked at the Peacock at Redmile? http://www.thepeacockinnredmile.co.uk/

This is where my friend had her wedding reception, and it was really nice

undercover_angel

Thanks for that link, it does look really nice. Unfortunately though, we really want somewhere with a civil ceremony liscence as I don't really want to get married at a registar office, I don't really know why I don't but something inside is telling me no. It's also a little bit far out for us as lots of the evening guests will be coming from Staffordshire and even Shropshire.

Shame though because it does look really quaint, maybe I'll persuade OH to take me for a meal there when we're feeling flush as the menu looks yummy!

x

Dizzie77

It is so much nicer in real life than it looks too - has OH taken you out to celebrate your engagement yet??? heheheee

undercover_angel

We went for a £3.59 carvery yesterday if that counts?! lol!
On a serious note, I have saved the link in my favourites for the next time we fancy something special, the menu is making my mouth water.