In true typical Terry form, budget was the number one consideration for getting married. I argued, wrestled and struggled to push the budget higher than the £1000 he orignally planned and managed to squeeze £3000 our of him.
So a wedding on £3000, is this do-able? This will definately be a little less than flash, but I will use all of my creative powers to glam the day up as much as I can. I already have so many creative ideas flowing, from charity shop tea cups and saucers for the favours with luggage tags memorable date cards attached, maybe some seeds inside them to grow to buying christmas tree lights in the January sales to light the venue in the evening with a romantic sparkle.
Last Sunday, Terry drove my mum and I to Brockenhurst Village Hall, thats right Village hall it is to save on the budget limitation. Brockenhurst had everything required on the inside; large rooms, kitchen; a D-I-Y standard, however the outside was less than flash and even had dumpsters with chairs, sinks and matresses for friends. So after more planning and thinking and brainstorming, we came accross Damerham Village Hall. Damerham is very close to our hearts in the King side of my family. My nan and Grandad had a house in that area when they were just married, my mum's cousin owns a huge farm there and we spent many-a-day as kids playing on the 'criptum factor' assault course when we were younger. The hall was perfect, a large room full of old beams for the reception, a seperate room for people spillage, leading out onto a lovely grassed area with a wipping willow and a beautiful stream complete with a white bridge. We had access to plain cream plates, lovely silver-wear, a huge kitchen with a large freezer, fridge and cooker. There was a bar, equipped ready for action for an extra £50 for the bar staff. Other added extras were using the round shaped tables (able to fit 10) and the ivory, plain table cloths would set us back £15 each.
We took a walk accross the street to check out the local pub, the Compass Inn. The Compass Inn has 8 rooms and 2 cottages and a lovely area for the wedding breakfast (the actual breakfast, not the first meal as I quickly discovered). The conservatory with huge glass windows and tudor style wooden beams, leading out onto a beautiful garden with views of the surrounding fields.
So for £440 the reception venue was complete.
As we struggled on to work out where we would marry, it became apparent to me how important the actual ceremony was. On first thoughts, I thought we could just get married in a registry office and do a 'fake' ceremony at the reception venue, asking Terry's cousin Hayden to give us a family blessing. However, after watching numerous wedding shows on TV and watching how beautiful the aisle was, with all eyes on you and the words being said meant something so real and passionate, I wanted that too. I wanted the time I got married and the words, 'You are now husband and wife', to be that one special moment that I would never forget, and have the beautiful surroundings to match of course.
We found that the Tudor Merchants Hall in Southampton was a reasonably priced venue, with absolutely beautiful interior. However, when you get married outside of a registry office, it costs over £300 to have the registrar come out and marry you, so any price that the ceremony venue costs, add £300! I requested the price of the hall and found out it was £355 for 2 hours. I was blown away by the interior, the dark beams and the natural, old style, adding candles, a red carpet and some flowers should make it perfect. Okay, so adding the £655 to the cost of the venue, we are already at £1095...hmmm how will we do this..what about my dress!!? We are going to look at Sopley Mill tonight to see a different style of venue for the ceremony and maybe we will venture over to the registry office, as mum keeps telling me, 'they have done it up really nice!'..hmm I am yet to be convinced!
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