Cheap venues in Hertfordshire?

daisiegg

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I agree with daisiegg - if you're on the border then Essex is bound to be cheaper than Herts, isn't it?

I was talking a little while ago to a real Essex lad whose entire wedding was costing 12 grand - which sounds a lot, but it was a ridiculous-sounding wedding with five different fancy cars and 500 guests and 8 bridesmaids etc etc....so in the middle of all that was probably a venue that was actually pretty reasonably priced. Afraid I didn't find out where it was as I had already decided on Down Hall for mine but it does sound like Essex is cheaper!

deecy

Off the top of my head

Churchgate Hotel, Harlow (licenced for weddings)
Stanstead Manor Hotel (licenced for weddings)

https://plus.google.com/photos/107726199651228637613/albums/5663470544260966513

Blakes Golf Club (licenced for weddings)

https://plus.google.com/photos/107726199651228637613/albums/5667885398204872257

Hunters Meet, Hatfield Heath (licenced for weddings)

https://plus.google.com/photos/107726199651228637613/albums/5664501224840598513

The Reid Rooms, Margaret Roding (licenced for weddings)

https://plus.google.com/photos/107726199651228637613/albums/5661931173780690177

Mayflower Place, Hertingfordbury (not licenced - marry at hotel below?)
White Horse, Hertingfordbury (licenced for weddings)

https://plus.google.com/photos/107726199651228637613/albums/5664496331683743169

College Arms, Hertford Heath (not licenced)
Panshanger Aerodrome (not licenced for weddings)

https://www.facebook.com/outoftheboxcafe

Old English Inns (Feathers, Wadesmill - The Sun, Hitchin) did a brilliant £999 deal a while ago. I've seen it advertised in their hotels so worth a phone call.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2785447314154.149607.1197394369&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3727028093085.169167.1197394369&type=3

Good Luck

claireyfairy83

Thank you for the venue suggestions, I have added them to the list and contacted some of them as well.

As a bit of an update, we have had a look at who we want to invite (and who is realistically going to turn up!) and we reckon it'll be about 40-50 for the ceremony and 80-ish for the afters, so not as bad as we first thought.

We reckon it's doable for under £5,000 but if anyone has any more suggestions, that would great as the ones so far have been very helpful.

Also any tips on how to save money on the day would be great too. So far I've figured that we can do our own table decorations, invites, orders of service, favours, name cards, videography, cake and entertainment (for some reason, I really fancy hiring a bouncy castle!). We're also looking into doing our own booze, getting in a hog roast or burger van and maybe a sweet buffet with pick n mix etc.

double_mummy

if you want to do so much yourself could you not just find a nice village hall and do it all yourself there and have the weddingy bit at the registry office as there are some lovely ones around

then you could have it exactly how you want it and they are usually much more flexible than wedding venues about you sorting out your own food and own booze

claireyfairy83

double_mummy wrote: »

if you want to do so much yourself could you not just find a nice village hall and do it all yourself there and have the weddingy bit at the registry office as there are some lovely ones around

then you could have it exactly how you want it and they are usually much more flexible than wedding venues about you sorting out your own food and own booze

We are looking into the possibility but as it's early days, we are looking at venues who do food, booze etc as well. Just trying to weigh up the pros of saving money vs the cons of giving yourself a lot of work...

Skintski

I'm not sure how much it cost but I attended a friends wedding at Boxmoor Lodge in Hemel Hempstead. It doesn't look much from the outside but they had done a lovely job inside and having the rooms on site made staggering to bed from the reception nice and easy.

Dinner was good, there was a dance floor and bar plus they were allowed a hog roast and chocolate fountain.

claireyfairy83

Leaning more towards a DIY wedding - does anyone know of licensed venues in Hertfordshire where you can do your own booze/catering etc? Is doing a DIY wedding an absolute headache?

double_mummy

its not a headache my sister is doing hers DIY she is involving all her friends and getting each person to do a job so that it can all come together on the day

she is having a tea party theme and she is asking each person to bring things to feed 5 - 10 people eg cakes or chicken drumsticks etc

she has a venue with a bar and a big table and everything else she is doing herself - we are collecting doilies to make pretty bunting out of

it seems to be working out very well

our friend had one last weekend that was a BYO food and drink and it was wonderful but she had done everything herself (except for her dress which was made by her friend)

[Deleted User]

Check out local council-owned venues - many county/district councils own beautiful old buildings, and let them out for weddings etc, at a much lower cost than private venues (generally! I'm not familiar with Hertfordshire)

eg Hertford Castle? http://www.hertford.gov.uk/Venue-Hire-Hertford-Castle---as-a-venue-4435.asp?page=4435

List - http://www.hertsdirect.org/your-community/register/marriages/weddingday/bwedrec3y/

JimmyTheWig

claireyfairy83 wrote: »

Leaning more towards a DIY wedding - does anyone know of licensed venues in Hertfordshire where you can do your own booze/catering etc? Is doing a DIY wedding an absolute headache?

I'm going to reiterate my earlier post (#5) and suggest Hertford Castle. It's small, but if you want something bigger for the reception then you can use Castle Hall next door.

The only alternative, from memory, was to get married at a registry office then have the reception wherever you want.

This is going back 7 years (and two days!) so things might have changed. We don't even live in the area now.