Quirky wedding venue in Norn Iron?

wifeforlife

You need to think completely outside of the box. When I was considering venues, I thought first of all about the sensible stuff, is there catering facilities and will my guests find it, what numbers can it hold, can i get public liability insurance.

Have you considered Marble Arch? An old school? Museum? Library?

I loved magnakata, however couldn't or wouldn't pay the money the national trust wanted for the use of their grounds.

You'd be safer taking a drive around and if you spot something you like approach the relevant people.

wanchai_2

sandraann wrote: »

http://www.knockninnyhouse.com/weddings.asp
Aughakillymaude mummers are just up the road and are amazing at weddings

Thanks, looks gorgeous!!!

p.s. what are mummers?

cathy2702 wrote: »

You need to think completely outside of the box. When I was considering venues, I thought first of all about the sensible stuff, is there catering facilities and will my guests find it, what numbers can it hold, can i get public liability insurance.

Have you considered Marble Arch? An old school? Museum? Library?

I loved magnakata, however couldn't or wouldn't pay the money the national trust wanted for the use of their grounds.

You'd be safer taking a drive around and if you spot something you like approach the relevant people.

Thanks, good advice. Hadn't even considered MA Caves! :T

The only thing I am worried about is cost - the NT doesn't really charge that much for site hire tbh and the caterers' lower costs offset that, it's the marquees and tipis themselves that seem to cost the earth. A colleague paid £7,500 for Magna Kata to erect a tipi for 140 guests. :eek:

p.s. never even thought of public liability insurance!!!! We are really on a budget, I am starting to think that we may not be able to 'go quirky'.

Where did you have your wedding?

wifeforlife

We wanted somewhere in the transport museum, don't want to say too much for privacy reasons, however the museum wanted to charge us upwards of £2700 with VAT on top for a wedding service no longer than 30 mins long. They told us the terms and conditions have not yet changed but will be changing in 2013 the year I'm getting married and basically put lots of barriers in place. It was as much a no as they could legally get away with.

So instead of going for a quirky venue, I'm having quirky entertainment and making the reception as fun as possible! In addition it keeps costs down for my numbers by going to a hotel, I got a great deal!

Instead of a tipi, and dependent on time of year would you consider a marquee? Put it somewhere nice?

Forgot to say, haggle!! It's amazing that everything for weddings start at £1000. I've haggled and saved on loads so far. Oh and I have wedding insurance, if you nip over to the wedding board there is loads of advice regards it.

wanchai_2

cathy2702 wrote: »

We wanted somewhere in the transport museum, don't want to say too much for privacy reasons, however the museum wanted to charge us upwards of £2700 with VAT on top for a wedding service no longer than 30 mins long. They told us the terms and conditions have not yet changed but will be changing in 2013 the year I'm getting married and basically put lots of barriers in place. It was as much a no as they could legally get away with.

So instead of going for a quirky venue, I'm having quirky entertainment and making the reception as fun as possible! In addition it keeps costs down for my numbers by going to a hotel, I got a great deal!

Instead of a tipi, and dependent on time of year would you consider a marquee? Put it somewhere nice?

Forgot to say, haggle!! It's amazing that everything for weddings start at £1000. I've haggled and saved on loads so far. Oh and I have wedding insurance, if you nip over to the wedding board there is loads of advice regards it.

I get what you're saying - we will probably end up doing the same, going to a country house style hotel but doing some little vintage style decor bits to make it quirky. Even marquees are shockingly dear.

Eek @ £2,700!!!!!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: We are only looking for a reception venue as we're getting married in my beautiful local church, but Parkanaur Manor House (for example) is only £500 to hire for a reception.

We will haggle as much as possible. We have seen a lovely venue that we might go for. How much discount can we realistically get? It is a very popular venue. What else can we haggle on?

wifeforlife

wanchai wrote: »

We will haggle as much as possible. We have seen a lovely venue that we might go for. How much discount can we realistically get? It is a very popular venue. What else can we haggle on?

Haggle on everything, I got 10% off everything my Hotel. So I'm asking them to do all the extra's aswell to capitalise on this however I got the prices of the extra's before getting the discount so they couldn't knock the prices up a bit.

Haggle on a band, cars, photographer, dress, everything! I usually ask for 10% minimum reduction off everything I make enquiries about. If I dont get it, I walk away with my cash in my pocket.

We're doing without a lot of things like photographers, cars and we are spending money on the things people and we will remember i.e Food and entertainment

Parkanaur is beautiful and does get lovely reviews for weddings, the only thing I would say is ask about footwear and if you book it make your guests aware Stilleto's usually arent allowed.

wifeforlife

I think if you look through the gallery here, it'll give you ideas and I think the Marquee wedding is what your trying to convey to everyone!

I've never used this company and it's not in the same part of the country to me, however I loved the site when I came across it looking for ideas - so hope you get ideas from it too!!

The other thing is, if you know a good reception venue I'll share what I'm doing to quirky things up a bit. Let me know if you want to use this thread or the one of the wedding thread, as I notice the respondants on it don't understand the NI way of doing things and prices! :rotfl:

wanchai_2

cathy2702 wrote: »

Haggle on everything, I got 10% off everything my Hotel. So I'm asking them to do all the extra's aswell to capitalise on this however I got the prices of the extra's before getting the discount so they couldn't knock the prices up a bit.

Haggle on a band, cars, photographer, dress, everything! I usually ask for 10% minimum reduction off everything I make enquiries about. If I dont get it, I walk away with my cash in my pocket.

We're doing without a lot of things like photographers, cars and we are spending money on the things people and we will remember i.e Food and entertainment

Parkanaur is beautiful and does get lovely reviews for weddings, the only thing I would say is ask about footwear and if you book it make your guests aware Stilleto's usually arent allowed.

Where are the wedding reviews?

Good for you, I will take a leaf out of your book and negotiate like mad!!!

We are getting a friend to drive us (would love a fancy vintage car but they're too dear!!) but we are going to have a really good photographer, I love pics and these will last forever so we are prioritising it over other stuff.

wifeforlife

wanchai wrote: »

Where are the wedding reviews?

Good for you, I will take a leaf out of your book and negotiate like mad!!!

We are getting a friend to drive us (would love a fancy vintage car but they're too dear!!) but we are going to have a really good photographer, I love pics and these will last forever so we are prioritising it over other stuff.

You see in my last post, the word HERE is highlighted blue, it's a link to another website that I think you will like

wanchai_2

Oh God, I had a big reply typed and it's gone!

wanchai_2

cathy2702, the upshot of the long post was that I just wanted to say thanks very much for sending that link.

I have a vintage wedding thread on the Weddings Board so come on over - it would be great to hear from another NI bride! Everything seems so cheap in England.

Also, check out this fab venue (again, England). I want this type of thing!