Finding an affordable venue!

Miss_Riot

That's not a hotel in the West Midlands! We've been looking at doing it outside but we have been quoted £1200 for a field - not including toilets, power, marquee or any of that lot, which doesn't leave much in the budget for food and entertainment. We're a very alternative couple and we're looking for a venue that would reflect that - nothing massive we only have 80 guests tops, but we've been struggling. I look in wedding magazines and hate everything I see! We have also has issues with catering, as we have friends with lots of different dietary requirements which has pushed up the prices of outside caterers. We found one venue which was nice but would have been £3000 just for food and venue hire. We're happy to do most of the work ourselves, including food prep, decorating, etc. The flowers and my dress are being paid for by my mother and both his parents have said they will help out in some way - but I don't want to spend more than £7k. I'm trying to cost up how much it would cost to do it all ourselves and if there's any short cuts we can make? Any suggestions of outdoor venues in the West Midlands or near by would also be great!

arbrighton

Have you considered village halls etc which often also have outside space?

Different time of year? Different day of the week?

Miss_Riot

Time of year means we can't use an outdoor venue and time of week (unless we go for August bank holiday and do Sunday) can't be changed because I feel it's unfair for people to have to take time off work for our wedding. We live in Birmingham so no village halls to speak of - we also wanted somewhere with camping space as we have people coming from all over the country and I'm fed up of having to pay extortionate rates for b&bs for other people's weddings. We need to find a farmer who has a field after harvest or on a fallow year/ grazing land etc.

firebird082

No halls? https://www.hallshire.com/halls/1/england/94/west-midlands-halls-for-hire

Any country pubs with large outdoor space?

cashewnut

£1200 for the use of a field with nothing else!?! The phrase "being robbed blind" springs to mind...

savvy

When I was planning, I looked at caves which were dead cool, and an old ruined castle that had a covered vault, so cool and like me, very alternative!!

flea72

A farmer isnt going to let you use his field for free. Also camping on stubble is very rough/uncomfortable. Camping also isnt cheap, unless all your friends/family already own all the gear. Best to book so far in advance that they have time to get cheap hotel rooms as soon as they are released (ie £29 travelodge/premier inn). There are lots of community rooms in Birmingham that you could hire (usually attached to places of worship)

As for catering for dietary requirements, Yes its nice to think of others, but you have to draw the line somewhere, ie one meat and one vegi option (most venues though will cater for medical dietary requirements on an individual basis)

If youre prepared to do the catering/decorating yourself and want an outdoor venue (and dont mind it not being exclusive), then i would just use a local park/ beauty spot and take over an area out of the way. Picnic weddings are quite popular and easy to cater for. Or take over the whole of a campsite and hire it for everyone and have a bbq and mini festival

missbiggles1

http://www.yha.org.uk/groups/special-occasions
http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/conference-and-banqueting/weddings/
http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/assets/Uploads/Wedding-Brochure-2016-2017.pdf
https://www.bclm.co.uk/visiting/venue-hire/66.htm
http://actonscott.com/wedding
http://trulyquirkyweddingvenues.co.uk/venues/woodland-tipi-yurts-camping-wedding-venue/

Sorry, I got carried away.

Owain_Moneysaver

Outside space
Car Parking
Showers/toilets for campers
Function room + bar + use of kitchen

... sounds like you need a rugby club or similar.

paddyrg

Cinemas, theatres?

Miss_Riot

firebird082 wrote: »

No halls? https://www.hallshire.com/halls/1/england/94/west-midlands-halls-for-hire

Any country pubs with large outdoor space?

We really don't want to use places of worship due to the fact that I'm pagan and we also could do with outdoor space to have the blessing. None of those places really fit the bill tbh.

Large country pubs I have already checked have charged a fortune for catering so I've been trying avoid places that we have to use their catering unless it's fairly cheap...most of the country pubs near us that have outdoor space are biker pubs - not an issue for me but might for others.