We have spent the past 3 days visiting every country hall/hotel in about a 40 mile radius trying to find the prefect place for our wedding breakfast & evening reception.

We have narrowed it down to 3 yay, so tomorrow we are taking our parents to see 2 of them then we are all seeing the 3rd on sunday! Then we just have to decide which to go with!

Each venue would mean a wedding on a different day (one place would be saturday, one place sunday and the 3rd place a bank holiday monday hehe) The church isn't a problem as the church we are getting married in is the church i have attended for the past 19 years so basically been told i have free choice of any date or time including bank holiday mondays!

It is such a tough choice though, they are all beautiful, all set in truely beautiful grounds and lovely inside, price wise there is about £1000 difference beween the cheapest and most expensive so that doesn't even really help swing it!

Also got a great deal at 1 place, children aged 5 and under eat & drink for free ......... we have 22 children aged 5 & under so that saves alot of money when your talking about £30 a head for the children (for wedding breakfast, drinks & evening buffet)

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh how to decide which to go for!

Cost every time as they all sound fab so you're on to a winner either way xx

22 children aged under 5? *whistles*

To swing it I would go by:

The Event Manager: do they offer tea and coffee when you sit down? Are they friendly and approchable? Do they make you excited? Do they sell the venue well?

The staff you see in the hotel: Are they well presented? Well trained? Good manners? You don't want a receptionist chewing gum, or a porter smelling of fags.

Added extras: do they offer complimentary accommodation for the bride and groom? A changing room for the bridal party? red carpet on arrival?

Decor: Is the venue well maintained? Bushes and flowers trimmed, grass cut, dusted, hoovered, etc

oh, and remember to ask how many high chairs they have

You might also want to look at doing goodie bags as favours for the kids to keep them occupied during the meal.

I had no end of trouble trying to find somewhere, places are few and far between here!

I think you need to post us the links petal so we can have a gander at them! xxx

What are the three?
Theres quite a few Teesside girls on here and we might have been to some of them at some point.

what a nightmare it's been!

we took the parents round the 3 then all chatted about which we liked and why. 1 was crossed off right away after we read a review about a meggot in the wedding food just last month ewwwwwwwwww

so we were left with 2!

The first one DP prefered, it would be on bank holiday money may 31st 2010, We would have the entire of 1 building to ourselves which would give us 1 large room and 2 smaller quiet rooms.

The second one I prefered, it would be saturday june 19th 2010. We would have 1 very large room with the use of a quite lounge a minute walk away.

After much much talking we settled on the 2nd one. For us the price of the reception is no different at either but for our guests to stay there the 1st one proved to be alot more expensive.

Also we are getting married at my family church, if we went for the 1st one the vicar I want for the service is away so would have had to have a cover vicar.

So yes, last night we settled on the venue and therefore the date!

I am getting married Saturday June 19th 2010 woohoo

Glad you've got it sorted sweet x