When you work a full time job, spend time with family and friends, partake in your favourite hobbies, even hit the gym on a regular basis, finding the time to plan a wedding can seem almost impossible. That is until you’re introduced into what we like to a call a little lunch break wedding planning. That’s right! We’ve got the ultimate checklist to help you get things done on what can only be described as your only downtime during the day – your lunch break. Think about it, you’re at your most productive at your work desk so why not utilise that productivity a little when it comes to planning your wedding?
The Dress – for any bride, finding the dream dress is a hugely important, if not the most important, part of the wedding. Searching for the right dress however, isn’t without its fair share of stresses and let’s not forget the endless hours searching for the perfect gown. It can be made a whole lot easier however, by first understanding that what you think you want and what you’ll end up with may be slightly different but of course it pays to do a little investigative work. This is easily done from your smartphone on the commute, or from your office desk at lunch. Whether it’s Pinterest or your favourite boutique, choose your favoured dress style and find the nearest places that stock it. Gather a few questions to ensure you’ve got all the information from your very first boutique visit and you’ll have everything you need to make it quick, easy and done in your lunch time.
Finding Wedding Suppliers – while this may sound like a mammoth task, one that simply couldn’t be achieved without hours of phone calls and planning, we’re here to tell you it couldn’t be further from that. Why? Because we’ve gone out of our way to collate a full list of wedding suppliers from florists, to make up artists, entertainment to photographers. Having worked with these suppliers before, we can not only recommend them but we can proudly say we’ve seen and vetted the quality of their work for you. What’s more, all of these suppliers have spent time working here at our wedding venue already which means not only are they used to the venue, but they know what works best too. Now if that doesn’t make your wedding planning easier, we’re not sure what will.
Write Your Invitations – it’s a job that gets put off until the very last minute but one that doesn’t need to be. You’re already at your desk so why not write out your invitations. For those who dread the drudgery of such a task, why not start early and simply write a few a day. It’s a job that can be made so simple, it almost goes unnoticed.
Organise Your Seating Plan – once again, this is an area in which we can help make things a million times easier. Yes, they’ll always be guests you’ll want to keep apart or together, an extra plus one here and there that you’ll need to accommodate but for the most part, this is where we can take a lot of weight from your shoulders by showing a variety of seating plan options when it comes to seating plans, depending on your amount of guests. All that’s needed from you is to seat your guests exactly where you want them, which we think you’ll agree, is the perfect little lunch-time task.
While most dream of an unlimited budget for their wedding day, the vast majority of us realise that’s not quite the case. With that in mind, most spend our time planning weddings simply by shifting one part of the wedding budget from one part for the wedding to another…decided you want more roses? Then pinch a little from your invitation budget. Simple right? Wrong! Tipping the scale in the wrong direction could have dire consequences for your big day. Thankfully, we’ve got the lowdown when it comes to wedding budgets; where to spend and where to save.
Food – food is without doubt a hugely important aspect of any wedding. The problem lies here when people try to create over-adventurous meals that look better than they taste. That’s why we always recommend the fabulous Magpie Catering or Premier Crew who not only create beautiful looking food, but food that tastes amazing thanks to the high quality produce they use and the quality of the produce is most definitely an area in which you don’t want to be scrimping and saving. One way to save a few pennies however, would be to opt for seasonal meals and produce instead of requesting hard to source food, as this can of course mount up in cost.
Decoration – décor is an area in which you can save and splurge at the same time. By this, we mean avoiding overdoing it in numbers but ensuring the decorations you do have look amazing. Focus the decorations in areas your guests will be mingling instead of wasting money on décor in an area that won’t be seen. Think stunning floral arrangements from the likes of Joanne Truby or Gracie Day Designs. Using a quality florist to create fabulous pieces where you need it most can mean saving on cost in terms of “amount” but can mean you splurging on the quality of flower.
Entertainment – while you may be shocked to hear it, entertainment is indeed an area in which you can save simply by taking advantage of our resident DJ’s, the fabulous Piano DJ. These guys are nothing short of amazing and what’s more, very reasonably priced to happy couples saying “I do” right here at That Amazing Place. From a fabulous pianist to an awesome DJ guaranteed to have everyone dancing, Piano DJ really do have it all.
Cake – your wedding cake is something everyone will be looking forward to seeing and no doubt tasting and as a result, is certainly not an area you’re going to want to cut corners. A wedding cake that looks amazing but tastes dreadful is only going to be a disappointment, well after the wedding itself. Ensure you employ a quality company who not only makes a great looking cake but uses the very best ingredients too. Save money but choosing a simple design and then simply decorate it with a few spare blooms from your florist. Simple yet elegant.
We understand planning a wedding, and more importantly sticking to a certain budget isn’t easy but it’s not impossible and with the talents of our events manager Angie, it’ll be easier than you ever thought possible.
Just because your wedding reception is taking place at our country house wedding venue, doesn’t mean you can’t make it your own. Every couple that steps through the door has, in the past, transformed our space. For a glimpse at what’s been done before, simply head on over to our “wedding stories” online. If you’re anything like any other happy couple however, you’ll want to look forward and create something totally different but unless you’re an interior designer, it can be a little hard to picture the transformation of your dreams. Thankfully, we’re here to help with our expert tips and tricks on transforming your wedding reception space at our country house wedding venue.
Hang extra lighting – lighting may seem an obvious choice but much like other décor, there are so many varieties. Simply hanging a little extra lighting than is already there can make a huge difference but it’s down to you just what sort of lighting you have. Will you opt for fairy lights or perhaps a statement light fitting? The choice is yours but ultimately; the right lighting can completely transform your space all by itself.
Matt Heath Photograhy
Bring the outdoors in – this year is all about bringing the outdoors in. While this may sound like hard work, it’s actually super easy as long as you have the right florist on your side. Think small trees, vines and any other greenery that compliments your theme. This will not only accentuate our country house wedding venue’s feel but will give your big day a more natural feel.
Drape the room – regardless of whether the room in question has wallpaper or paint, with the help of drapes you can quite literally create a room within a room. Create a new, dramatic look with the help of luxury fabric that not only matches your wedding colours but creates the sharp, classic look you’re going for. If you’re looking to create a new look on a budget, draping just the ceiling can have just as dramatic an effect as the entire room.
Accent with a little sparkle – there’s nothing quite like a little sparkle to make an occasion feel extra special and your wedding day is no exception, in fact, we don’t know a single bride that doesn’t want to sparkle on their big day. From crystal curtains to dangling centre pieces. Even a metallic sheen for those who don’t want too obvious a sparkle; there are so many options and so many ways to transform a room.
Introduce a lot of candles – candles are the epitome of romance and while many use them, how you display them and what candle you opt for can completely change the atmosphere. From groups of candles of varying heights, to hanging lanterns with tea lights; there are so many options to choose from.
If you’d like more help creating your own transformation here at our exclusive use country house wedding venue, you’ll be pleased to know that our events manager will be happy to help, every step of the way. For more information on our wedding packages, contact us today
As with every couple that passes through That Amazing Place, we’re always blown away by the amount of love for each other they so proudly display yet it has to be said, Sydney and Aaron could very well be the most loving pair we’ve ever met. When asked about their first meeting, Sydney had this to say, “Aaron and I have been together for around 8 years or so. We knew each other at school, admired each other from afar. Aaron was a little older, I would have been too shy to talk to him. I just threw him the odd smile now and again. He has such a beautiful soul; I knew there was something very special about him, even back then.” And so, we bring you our latest ‘real wedding blog’ of Aaron and Sydney, right here at our exclusive-use wedding venue.
Just What Drew Them To Our Exclusive Use Wedding Venue?
Photography by Jamie Cameron
The Venue – Living in the age of social media, so many of us now choose recommendations from friends so it’s no surprise that Sydney and Aaron actually stumbled across That Amazing Place, our exclusive use wedding venue, all down to a friendly recommendation, “We were actually recommended the venue by a friend. It was the first place we looked at. We came for a viewing, and were welcomed by Paul…the perfect host. It goes without saying, this venue is gorgeous!”
Theme and Colours – Sydney has described herself and Aaron as notoriously last-minute and as a result, their theme simply came together by itself, “Our theme was loose and sort of grew organically as we got closer to the day. We knew we wanted as many friends involved as possible; we are blessed with so many creative people in our lives. So, all music, hair, make-up, flowers, stationary, dresses and suits were all from family and friends. The ‘loose theme’ included traditional British winter, rich reds, vintage 1950’s Jackie Kennedy/Audrey Hepburn and a little Dolce & Gabbana s/s 15 collection.”
Photography by Jamie Cameron
The Dress – Perhaps one of the most attention grabbing parts of any blushing bride’s day has to be the revealing of the dress and with it giving Sydney, “that feeling” as she describes it, her dress was certainly no exception. The dress itself was made in London by another friendly recommendation, Alan Hannah. Originally she found around four to five dresses that she fell in love with but only one really gave her that special feeling when she put it on, making her feel, “just the best I had ever felt!” But in spite of what the majority may say, a wedding isn’t just about the bride. When it came to the groom and his groomsmen, Ted Baker came to the rescue offering a mixture of separate pieces and differing textures with Sydney explaining that the fabulous mixture, “just seemed to sum up Aaron’s personality really. Great quality and individual pieces.”
With a traditional, heart-warming British theme for food and flower arrangements created by Sydney’s mother, this really was a truly British, traditional wedding and we couldn’t have been more pleased to play host here at That Amazing Place, an exclusive use wedding venue.
When it comes to booking your dream wedding, choosing the ultimate venue can be incredibly difficult especially when there are so many to choose from. For the vast majority here in the UK however, a country house wedding is the ultimate dream. With an environment that feels like home, away from the hustle and bustle of the city – what could be better? For those who may never have considered a country house wedding however, we thought we’d share some of the benefits of our Essex countryside wedding venue.
Why should you choose our Essex countryside wedding venue?
Location – when it comes to searching for the perfect wedding venue, one of the biggest attractions of That Amazing Place is its location. Away from the rat race of the city, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the glorious countryside and endless rolling hills. The views just don’t get much better. Clean air, a peaceful and calm feeling will surround you, not to mention the stunning architecture of our country manor house.
Sweeping landscapes in our Essex country house wedding venue. Photo credit: James Rouse
Exclusive use – unlike many country house wedding venues, here at That Amazing Place, we offer you total exclusivity and by that we mean exclusive use of our entire venue for your big day. Our exclusive use venue will guarantee that not only will you enjoy the entire venue without the hassle of unexpected visitors but you’ll also enjoy the full attention of our staff for the duration of your celebration. With our countryside wedding venue, you’ll enjoy complete privacy and a wedding venue that’ll feel like home.
Accommodation – here at That Amazing Place you can enjoy everything and everyone, all in one place. Not only do we have the perfect setting for your wedding, be it a summer wedding in the sunshine or an intimate twilight wedding in the evening, but we also have a limited number of deluxe rooms, which means a select few of your guests can enjoy staying in the luxury surrounds of our beautiful manor house. Add to this the fact that you get to enjoy breakfast with all your loved ones the next morning, a second celebration for some, and it’s quite simply perfect.
Wedding Photography – last but most certainly not least, we have your wedding photography. There’s nothing quite like the backdrop of the Essex countryside to really finish off your wedding memories. Whether it’s the frost filled meadows or the sun shining on the surrounding trees, such a natural and green filled backdrop creates the perfect setting for those all-important memories.
An Essex country house wedding Photo credit: Harvey Collard
If you’re in search of the perfect countryside wedding venue then you need look no further. Nestled in the heart of Essex, That Amazing Place offers a range of wedding packages to suit any budget but don’t just take our word for it, come along to our wedding venue open day Sunday 30th April to see for yourself.
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