So I think we've narrowed our wedding venues down to two.
There is £1000 difference between them but its within budget so could get either.

Thing is the accommodation for guests is very differently priced.

Venue 1 - £85 per room (2 people)
Venue 2 - £165 per room (2 people)

I mentioned this to my parents, best friend, work collegues and a few people who have to travel far for the venue and they all said they would pay the venue 2 prices if thats where we want to get married.
Said things like "its 21 months away thats like £3 per month to save per couple" etc etc

Now I think £165 per room is quite a bit, and my ohs family have made a massive deal about having to pay this much that they'd just not stay over if we chose that venue.

Me and h2b are gutted about this as we'd hoped for like a big breakfast on the morning after with both of our families and closest friends. But his family just wnt budge. Its not as if they couldnt afford it, cause I know they can *shes prepared to pay £240 at her daughters future wedding for a room as its her dream venue* bla bla bla

I just dont know whether to go out of our way to accommodate everyone room wise and go for the kinda 2nd best venue or just go with our hearts and if people cant afford it then theyve got the option to use the coach we're putting on to go home?

What do people think?

I certainly dont want to come across that we're picking this venue knowing people cant afford to stay over - so im worried!

xx

True I think if we choose either venue there would be at least one person that complains!

Just wanted to make sure that i wasn't being nasty lol x

No not at all hun, just think that at the end of the day this is always going to be the place that you had your wedding, so surely you want it to be the best place that you can get that both you and h2b like? People seem to forget that weddings are about the bride and groom and what they want, not about the guests xxx

You do what makes you happy, don't choose the venue and rooms to suit others, choose what venue you will me most happy in celebrating you and h2b's day, If they don't want to stay over then that's their loss.

It's your wedding at end of the day, if that's where you want it go for it! You only get married once :)

Have you looked into local hotels to your first choice, I've provided an option for my guests for a local cheaper hotel then my venue incase of those who can't afford it x

Theyre both out in the middle of nowhere!

Im going to research hard though and see if there is any alternatives :)I think it people do want to stay over then they'd have to save up :) x

Exactly! It's not like you've dumped it on them last minute, just let people know in advance and at least you can say you were certious to give them chance to save there pennies xx

Do whatever you want to do hun, we have had 4 families book rooms through us and there was a bit of a mix up with rooms (venues fault) I ranted and raved at them because of it and got all their rooms cheaper and all their breakfasts for free (in these 4 families there are 15 people and at £10 a head for breakfast thats alot of money) and just after i had sorted all this out for them every single one of those people have cancelled their rooms and are staying elsewhere. So i would just pick which venue you want hun...if there is one thing i have learnt about organising a wedding is that you are never going to please everyone so just do what you and h2b want, its your day and at the end of the day your paying. I too wanted what you want...a big breakfast the morning after with all my family and closest friends but now ive got my sister, neice and nephew, my maid of honour and god daughter and about 4 aunties and 6 cousins all going home :-( xx

Ive found a tiny b&b right smack bang in the middle of the two hotel, and its £90 per room, but looks AWFUL!
But at least the option is there!

Yeah tbh if someone asked me to spend that much on a room id be a little like WHAT?!?!?! but then it think id end up doing it anyways just for easyness on the day!

x

Just had a scout on the web, there seems to be a fair few options within a 20 mins taxi ride, I don't think anyone could have any cause to complain about that really. Go for it!

PS: Just had a nosy at your venue... it's lovely!

Understood, we're lucky in as much as our venue is city centre, no problem in finding cheap accommodation! I'd agree that £15-£20 is about as much as I'd want anyone to be spending on taxis, but it's really not much, especially if 4 people club together and share! I hope your venue (haha, see, it's already "your venue"!) can accommodate your wheelchair user, I'm sure they will be able to, it would be silly to have a hotel without that facility!

It's your wedding hun and so you have to go with the venue you want, don't worry about the cost of accommodation, unless you're paying for the accommdation you don't need to worry about how much it will be.

You've got to be 100% happy with the actual venue for your wedding day xx

We got married at Matfen and had similar worries but everyone chipped together to work out costs to stay elsewhere cheaper. For example everyone from washington (about 40 mins away-16 guests) got a mini bus which cost them £10 pp return). those who stayed in cheaper hotels 1 person drove there, they all shared a mini bus home, then one person drove them back the next day to pick up the car. I know both hotels quite well as I have done some work with them at some point with my job plus looked round as options to get married in. I was really torn between longhirst and matfen for the price but had to go with my heart at the end of the day-and it was by far the best day of my life! xx

Just like everyone else above, I have to agree its your wedding day & it should be the venue you prefer!

We had the same situation, 2 venues both within budget but 2 diff prices & we were trying to work out who would say what, but at the end of the day, there will always be at least 1 person who disagrees with whatever choice you have so why stress over everyone else? Which one do you and your h2b prefer?
Also have you found out if either of the venues will do discount for guests of your wedding staying the night? With ours we get 10 rooms within the contract at a discounted rate, and they will be held till 2 months before our wedding, and if they havent been filled we let them know and then they are 'released' back to the public, however if someone rings up once they are released or we have used all 10 allocations then as long as they have the space and the guest mentions who's wedding they are attending they will do their utmost to accomodate the guest and do some sort of discount on the room. Not sure if your venues will do this but from what I was researching majority seem to do some sort of guest of wedding rate.

Or if you feel that the prices are too much for some people ring around local hotels and see if they can sort out group booking discounts? When my cousin got married she had her reception at a venue with no accomodation for overnight so rang around a few of the local hotels, some more expensive than others, and got allocations for each hotel so then when invites went out and on their wedding website, their were details of all the hotels they had 'registered' with and how to get a lower rate, but also said that if these werent suitable there were many more hotels available.

You just need to focus on the fact its YOUR day, where YOU want to be, where YOU will be happiest and where YOU and your H2B can start celebrating your wonderful future together!
xx

30 mins or so is not unreasonable... I have driven that to go to a normal restaraunt. Hold your own and get the venue YOU want x Dont give in to demands as you will find it never stops.

We didn't meet with the guests for breakfast the morning after our wedding. Most people were busy packing and checking out early ready for the drive home. Some of our guests did call into the hotel to speak to us before they left and so we could give them cake to take with them for family that hadn't been at the wedding etc.

We originally thought of inviting everyone for Sunday lunch the day after the wedding - but again some people had already left and were on their way home, some were waiting for trains and tbh we were the ones who were there the latest so it wasn't really practical.

Choose which venue you want not what others want. I was stuck between 2 venues and that was teh price. Same as the dress. But everyone said go with your heart, you will only regret it otherwise. Which is what I have done and have no regrets.

You can give them alternative accomodation, or let them choose their own.

xxx

people will complain but a lot of people will sort themselves all you can do is supply a name and number of other hotels nearby and they will sort it between themselves huni, its your day and your are entitiled to have it how you want so just do it!

just do your own thing and unfortunately your going to have to stick up for yourself before they will stop. the sooner you do it the sooner it will be smoothed over by the wedding. if you don't stick up for yourself they will walk all over you

Yeah hun, stick up for yourself and make people realise that what you says goes!
x