Going to see our first venue!

Dizzie77

me......I'm just hopeful...!!!
Not engaged, in fact, my OH isn't divorced yet (but will be this year!!) but I love planning things, I do a lot of charity events, and I'm considering (with help from Horace) becoming a wedding planner, as my current job is looking scarily likely to be made redundant in the next few months.

I do love weddings/parties though -and it's so nice to share the journies with you lot as you pick your way through your own plans.

undercover_angel

You'd be a really good wedding planner, you seem to know so much about it. And what a fab job it would be too! I hope it works out for you and that you get your own wedding to plan for soon

I requested a catalogue from confetti last week and its arrived today so that will be tonights "bedtime reading", see what ideas I can pinch and make for cheaper!

x

Dizzie77

Thank You - it's something I would love to do.....but I don't really know if people would pay me to do it?!

The confetti books are really good - they have some fab ideas. Don't discount them totally - they have a great sale sometimes, which brings things down to a "normal" cost...!!

OH and I have spoken about getting married, but I think he wants to be divorced before he asks me.....don't worry, I will be shouting from the rooftops when he does!!!!

undercover_angel

I'm sure some people would pay you to do it, I would imagine you would have to aim yourself at the higher end of the market though because some people (such as me) just don't have the money to hire a wedding planner even if they want one. But some people with good budgets would probably love to be stress free in the run up to their big day by paying someone else to worry for them.

I am loving the confetti book so far, going to take it to bed in a mo with a nice cup of warm milk and have a proper look. (I sound like I'm 90!)

Lol, I'm sure you will and I bet your wedding will be brilliant when it happens! You certainly give everybody else fab advice so your own wedding will be a real winner!

Dizzie77

Thanks Angel - that is really kind of you to say so...
I'm going to do a bit more research this week before I take the plunge though...!!

Oddly enough, our wedding is going to be very tiny and secretive - maybe that is why I like everyone elses big plans!?

Dizzie77

Come on then Angel, how did you get on with todays' venue??

undercover_angel

Hi Dizzie

I'm at the In Laws to be at the moment, staying overnight hence me not being on sooner but they're all having a chat in the front room so I've sneaked on the PC for my daily MSE fix! lol

The venue today was beautiful, honestly and truthfully beautiful, the setting couldn't have been anymore idyllic and the pricing wasn't too bad at all to be honest excpect that you have to hire a marquee for the evening reception which is £1200!
Besides from the costs...it just didn't feel right. Seeing this place today which I know is gorgeous and realising that I didn't love it has just reaffirmed to me that the first place we saw is right. Does that make sense?

We have a couple more places on the list to see and MIL to be has suggested a couple of other venues that look nice but the more I think about it the more I want the first one we looked at.

To be honest, I'm feeling a bit down this evening as I'm just not sure we're going to be able to afford what we want. Our budget is just over 5k and totalling everything up is coming in nearer 7.5k. I've tried to look where we can cut costs and its just not happening, I don't know what we're going to do really.

My mum and dad are contributing £3000, and we are putting in the other £2000 (we can't save any more than this is 2 years). OH's parents aren't contributing anything, which is annoying me a bit as they are more well off than my parent's but I think they see it as my Dad's duty to pay for everything, but I don't see it that way. I don't expect them to pay, just like I didn't expect my parent's to pay but I guess I thought they would want to contribute towards some aspect of the day, OH is there only son and I just thought...I don't know. I'm sounding like a real cow now so I'm going to shut up.

I'm sure my Dad would find the extra money from somewhere if he knew I was upset about not affording exactly what we want but I don't want him to overstretch himself as him and my Mum are both coming up to retirement age and I know money is tight for them at the moment.

Lots of thinking to do...

Sorry for ranting and being on a downer, its not a good night tonight for me and not helping that OH is drunk as a skunk on redwine with his mum and dad and I'm as sober as a judge (my choice) I just find him frustrating when he's had a few and I haven't.

Hope you're ok Dizzie and sorry for whinging.

xxx

Dizzie77

Morning Angel - I hope things look a bit brighter this morning and that you can happily laugh at OH and his hangover!!

Firstly - good news about the venue - although still go and see some others just to make sure.
What was the price of the original venue and what did that cover?

Secondly, don't worry about the budget....this is MSE!!! Your £7500 costs can EASILY be squeezed into £5k budget!!!
Remember that when you book the venue, you can haggle the costs there down a bit.
But also look to see if you and OH can make any additional money - have you got stuff to sell that you could ebay or car boot? Do you use the cashback websites? (I've only just found these and already I'm addicted!!)

Do you think that OH's parents would pay something towards the wedding if they were asked? and would you and OH feel comfortable asking? (I'm thinking that maybe they could pay for the cars or the photographer - things that aren't directly related to the bride side of the wedding!)

I hope that things look better today -tiredness and irritation aren't happy friends of wedding plans!!
:beer:

undercover_angel

Thank you Dizzie, I do feel much better and laughing at OH with his hangover this morning really helped with this! haha!

We went to see two more venues today, one was in a beautiful setting but the inside was very shabby and the other one was too big for what we want really.

I am quickly coming to the decision that the first one is for us, it's all I can think about and all thats in my head when I am viewing other places is "It's just not xxxxxx". OH feels the same, he says he can picture us there and I can too.

Total cost for the venue we love is £4000.
This includes:
- Room Hire (3 separate rooms)
- DJ
- Bridal Suite for Wedding Night
- Wedding Breakfast for 16 (Each person gets to choose what they would like to eat, no set menu)
- Evening Buffet for 100
- Welcome Drink, 2 x Glass Wine and Sparkling Wine for Toasts for 16
- Wecome Drink for 100
- Ceremony/Registrars Fees
- Red Carpet Reception
- Cake Stand and Knife
- Wedding Co-ordinator
- Master of Ceremonies
- Private Bar/Lounge Area
- Ivory/White Table Linen and Napkins

I know its expensive but nothing else we are looking at can compare, its just so perfect for us. The venue have already reduced the room hire charges by 700. I have just sent an email to the wedding co-ordinator asking if we can go in and have another chat about prices etc.

Apparently, last night after I went to bed, OH's Mum told him that if they have some spare money nearer the time, they will be happy to contribute a little but they can't gaurentee that.

My Mum went to have a look at the venue today from the outside and has just popped round gushing about how beautiful it is. My Dad and her have said that if it is what we want we should book it and we'll pull together and afford it.

I've overbudgeted on some things I think, like my dress and photo's I am hoping to get cheaper than what we've said so hopefully we can manage and I will get the wedding of my dreams! (And OH's dreams too of course)

Thanks so much for your support Dizzie. xxx

Dizzie77

Angel
Glad you are feeling better today - and that OH had a hangover too!!!

When you go back to speak to THE venue, I am sure that they can reduce the costs a little bit. Regardless of whether they have already discounted the room hire (they overinflate the original costs anyway!!)
Maybe ask them if a different date would reduce the cost (unless you specifically want that date) or if reducing the number of choices on the menu would reduce it (maybe if guests have a choice of three starters, mains and desserts?)

You have plenty of time to plan the wedding, and get things at bargain prices...
So I am confident that your dream wedding will come in on budget.

If you have your dream venue, how are you getting there? Would you need car hire too?

I am trying to think of ways that I can help too...I am sure that there are ways!!

Let us know when you get to go back to the venue xx