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.
Back in the day, picking an engagement ring meant little more than finding a beautiful solitaire diamond and choosing whether to go with yellow or white gold. Today however, choosing an engagement ring can seem as baffling as picking the perfect mortgage over a thirty-five year term. What may seen like the right choice, could be the complete opposite of what your true love has always dreamt of. So, when you’re faced with a decision like this, just how do you ensure you make the right choice? Well, thankfully for you, this Essex wedding venue has seen it all. We’ve seen every single variety of engagement you could even dream of from huge coloured diamonds to cluster rings and even now the very popular halo diamond. So, who else better to offer you advice than the one’s that see a range of rings along with a range of brides passing through their wedding venue every day? Here’s the ultimate guide to perfecting the perfect engagement ring from That Amazing Place, a wedding venue in the heart of Essex;
Choose a budget – just as you would with a wedding venue or a wedding package, it’s important to choose your budget when it comes to an engagement ring. Remember, there’s no hard and fast rule about what you should be spending here. Try not to get caught up in what others tell you about a quarter of your wage etc. Simply spend whatever feels comfortable to you. Don’t forget, if you’re intent on spending more than you have in the bank account, there are always payment options but try not to jump in too deep.
Choose the gemstone – while most will opt for a diamond, don’t forget there are a variety of gemstones out there from sapphires to rubies. It could be that your wife to be would love an emerald surrounded by a halo of diamonds. Try your best to get an idea of this beforehand. While it may sound difficult, it’s rather easy, especially if they have a pinterest board; just look for the ‘engagement ring’ pin board.
Choose a gemstone shape – from princess cut to clusters, there are a multitude of options and once again, it’s down to you to speak with your betrothed and find out what their heart really wants. They may surprise you with something you’d never have picked out for them. While doing a little digging around may be stressful, we guarantee you’ll thank us in the end.
Choose a precious metal – from white gold to rose gold, yellow gold to platinum; the metal you choose will finish off your ring and mean the difference between ‘I do’ and ‘I don’t’ on your big day. The best way to get around this one? Look at the jewellery she’s wearing. Don’t buy her yellow gold if she lives in white gold, after-all, you wouldn’t marry in a city ceremony if she spent her time looking at country house wedding venues like ours would you?
Choose a ring size – last but most certainly not least, choose the right size. The worse thing you can do is choose a ring that’s too small and not be able to place it on her ring finger when she’s said yes! Take a peek at her current jewellery but if you’re unable to do that, it’s time to get imaginative. Is she a deep sleeper? Then place a piece of string around her finger while she’s sleeping…ok ok, so it’s not the best of ideas but it’s something!
If you have any hints, tips or tricks for picking the perfect engagement ring, then let us know in the comments below. Until then, from all of us here at our country house wedding venue, we wish you good luck and can’t wait to see you when you’re part of a newly engaged couple.
Wedding season is in full swing here at That Amazing Place and as always, we just can’t help but share the beautiful nuptials taking place here at our Essex wedding venue. Today, we’re talking about the beautiful couple that is Emma and Ronnie. Emma and Ronnie are the epitome of childhood sweethearts having met at primary school but love wasn’t to blossom just yet as they ventured off to different secondary schools. Fast-forward to the age of social media when they just so happened to stumble upon each other and it was a very different story…
The Venue – When it came to the venue, Emma and Ronnie were determined to find something that felt stylish and contemporary. In Emma’s own words, “That Amazing Place ticked all of the boxes. The building and the grounds were simply stunning, and the owners and staff were so friendly and accommodating. We knew as soon as we viewed it that it was where we wanted to hold our big day.” And so, our Essex wedding venue became the centre of their big day. Reviews for That Amazing Place have often left us speechless, but Emma and Ronnie left us with a lump in our throat after explaining, “Apart from being such a stunning venue, the owners and staff were fantastic. Angie, the Events Manager was super supportive and made sure everything ran without a hitch, and Paul and Jayne, the owners, were so friendly and accommodating it made the whole experience truly wonderful.”
Paul Grace Photography
Theme and Colours – When it came to theme and colours, Emma and Ronnie kept it minimal, contemporary and romantic, “We took a lot of inspiration from how the venue had been styled previously and the neutral décor lent itself well to what we wanted to recreate.” When it came to the flowers, they used Joanne Truby Floral Design, “She had decorated the venue previously and we loved the romantic, sophisticated styling she had managed to create. We were going for quite neutral whites, creams and pinks for the colour scheme, and Joanne was able to capture that beautifully in the arrangements chosen by using a lovely mix of roses, peonies and ranunculus, amongst others.”
The Dress – As anyone knows, one of the most important aspects of any brides big day is the dress (aside from marrying the love of her life of course) and Emma’s bridal gown was of no exception. Her dress was by Pronovias and according to Emma, “Was always going to be – had loved the brand for years”. As with her theme for her big day, Emma wanted something simple yet striking and her dress achieved that look perfectly. Ronnie wasn’t to be left out either with his grooms suit coming from the contemporary designer that is Ted Baker, with the groomsmen following suit.
Emma and Ronnie’s big day really was a day to remember and one we’ll cherish taking part in forever. Thanks to this wonderful couple, our Essex wedding venue will always feel that little extra bit special. Emma, Ronnie, we wish you all the love in the world and thank you for choosing our venue.
There’s nothing we love more than talking about the weddings we’re lucky enough to host here at our Essex wedding venue, That Amazing Place. Today we’re looking at the nuptials of the wonderful Tania and Matt. Tania and Matt have been together since 2011 after crossing paths on a fateful day in a backpackers hostel in Christchurch, New Zealand. It’s here where one simple conversation led to their relationship and of course those all-important “I do’s” right here in our wedding venue.
The Essex Wedding Venue To Love
Photo Credit: Scott Miller
The Venue – when it came to picking their venue, Tania described it as no different to picking her wedding dress or even the realisation that Matt was the one stating, “We just knew. Both of us could picture ourselves getting married there and the intimacy of the wedding venue was perfect for our small winter wedding of 45.” One of Tania’s special memories includes our ceremony room, with the beautiful view of the grounds. She describes it as the “perfect size to include the pianist as well as everyone else, and Eugene Portman, our pianist, was truly fantastic and extremely talented at what he does!
Angie and Paul were superb too and it really felt a home away from home – they could not do enough to help us and it felt like the perfect wedding venue in Essex to celebrate our marriage.”
Photo Credit: Scott Miller
Theme and Colours – as they met in New Zealand, the theme was of course…that’s right you guessed it – travel. Tania explained, “Since we have done enough within our relationship to be with each other, our theme was of course, travel. Matthew and I put together table settings with small suitcases, travel tags and postcards and the staff at That Amazing Place did a fantastic job of dressing the tables and bringing our vision to life!”
Flowers – With colours of purple, white and green to stick to, Sarah from The Little Flower House did an amazing job. Tania and Matt were thrilled, “She created the most beautiful bouquets, buttonholes and centre pieces, which helped to create a breath taking picturesque atmosphere. We went for purples, whites and greens for our winter wedding, as my bridesmaids were in lilac. We had a bit of thistle as a feature in the buttonholes and my bouquet, as we made our home in Edinburgh, Scotland over the last 3.5 years before recently moving to Essex. I went for a hand-tied bouquet too.”
The Dress – just as Tania happened to meet Matt on one fateful night, she also just so happened to find the perfect dress thanks to her then future mother-in-law, “I didn’t stress too much about finding the right dress and just happened upon one as my mother-in-law suggested I try a few on while we were looking at chair and table decorations. The service at Martels Bridal Boutique was brilliant – really friendly and they have dresses off the rack. My dress was a simple yet beautiful ‘Debut’ dress with heavy lace. The dress was really ‘me’ and I felt fantastic.”
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Catering – the happy couple decided to source their caterers through the Essex wedding venue they’d fallen in love with. As such, they hired the fabulous Premier Crew Hospitality. Tania was so pleased with the wonderful service from Sarah, “Sarah was great in getting the preferences and details right for our wedding party as we had several guests with food allergies! With a winter wedding we wanted warm, wholesome, tasty food – and plenty of it! We had a beetroot salad starter, lamb for the main with a mushroom Wellington as the vegetarian option and a trio of desserts. Devine!”
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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