More Wedding Venue Stuff...
This really ought to go in an FAQ - except that every wedding enquiry seems to be slightly different...
Sarah asks:
We'd really like to have our civil wedding ceremony in Greenwich then put our guests on a boat from the pier for the recepion. Everywhere I ask say they will only do a ceremony if we book the reception with them too. We would like appox 80-90 guests and think the registry office is too far from the river.We'd like to get married this summer and need the ceremony to cost under £2000.Any suggestions?
The Phantom replies:
Your problem is that there are only a few places that are registered for a civil ceremony and the buggers know it. They know they've got you over a barrel and make you do the whole kit and caboodle with them. I'd be tempted to avoid them on principle. If only a few would be a little less greedy and just make themselves available for lovely little standalone civil ceremonies, they'd do a roaring trade. Maybe a few more of the smaller venues should apply (though I'm assuming there are a lot of hoops to jump through and fees to be paid. When it comes to weddings everyone has their hand out...) Sadly The Phantom Back Garden just isn't big enough, even if it was decked out with some fabulous plastic flowers and the gnomes were dressed in their Sunday best with little carnations in their buttonholes...
What friends of mine have done is two separate events (on different days.) They've had a quiet little 'official' ceremony at the town hall with a minimum of fuss and relatives, then, on another day, they've created their own little unofficial vows ceremony for the people that matter somewhere lovely (usually woods or Neolithic forts, though of course the latter is in short supply around here...) before moving on to yet another venue for the big kneesup.
Hmm. Somewhere near the river. One of these days the Cutty Sark will be available again (though a word to the wise - don't book a peripatetic jazz band with a sousaphone if you're going below decks, ok?) but until then the others know how to charge. The Trafalgar will be way over budget - the Admiral's House is slighty better, I understand, but they make you have Leith's catering and judging from the just-about-ok meals I've had in the King William Restaurant it's nothing to write home about. The Silver Sturgeon is a fine ship for your boat idea; I believe the company has some smaller vessels that may not be quite as prohibitively expensive.
I'm beginning to see a gap in the market. If only I had the cash...
Maybe the good burghers of Greenwich can come up with better suggestions than me.
Do let me know what you come up with. I would genuinely like to know...
Sarah asks:
We'd really like to have our civil wedding ceremony in Greenwich then put our guests on a boat from the pier for the recepion. Everywhere I ask say they will only do a ceremony if we book the reception with them too. We would like appox 80-90 guests and think the registry office is too far from the river.We'd like to get married this summer and need the ceremony to cost under £2000.Any suggestions?
The Phantom replies:
Your problem is that there are only a few places that are registered for a civil ceremony and the buggers know it. They know they've got you over a barrel and make you do the whole kit and caboodle with them. I'd be tempted to avoid them on principle. If only a few would be a little less greedy and just make themselves available for lovely little standalone civil ceremonies, they'd do a roaring trade. Maybe a few more of the smaller venues should apply (though I'm assuming there are a lot of hoops to jump through and fees to be paid. When it comes to weddings everyone has their hand out...) Sadly The Phantom Back Garden just isn't big enough, even if it was decked out with some fabulous plastic flowers and the gnomes were dressed in their Sunday best with little carnations in their buttonholes...
What friends of mine have done is two separate events (on different days.) They've had a quiet little 'official' ceremony at the town hall with a minimum of fuss and relatives, then, on another day, they've created their own little unofficial vows ceremony for the people that matter somewhere lovely (usually woods or Neolithic forts, though of course the latter is in short supply around here...) before moving on to yet another venue for the big kneesup.
Hmm. Somewhere near the river. One of these days the Cutty Sark will be available again (though a word to the wise - don't book a peripatetic jazz band with a sousaphone if you're going below decks, ok?) but until then the others know how to charge. The Trafalgar will be way over budget - the Admiral's House is slighty better, I understand, but they make you have Leith's catering and judging from the just-about-ok meals I've had in the King William Restaurant it's nothing to write home about. The Silver Sturgeon is a fine ship for your boat idea; I believe the company has some smaller vessels that may not be quite as prohibitively expensive.
I'm beginning to see a gap in the market. If only I had the cash...
Maybe the good burghers of Greenwich can come up with better suggestions than me.
Do let me know what you come up with. I would genuinely like to know...
Labels: Weddings
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
20:27
6 Comments:
The Docklands Sailing Centre on the Isle of Dogs is licensed for weddings. While out sailing there I have seen wedding parties come to the boathouse for the ceremony then head of elsewhere for the reception so the management (nice folk all round in my experience) don't seem to mind if you don't have your party there. The centre is not five minutes walk from Masthouse Terrace Pier (one stop from Greenwich) so could easily be combined with your boat party.
It sounds tricky all this wedding planning. I think the Phantom is right in that you break it up into 3 sections, paperwork/ceremony/knees up. The best weddings I have been to are the less formal ones. I went to one in a disused bank in Toronto which still had all the bank furniture in it, great fun and very memorable.
I often imagine renting out the roof terrace on top of the Rangers house at the top of Greenwich park and having cocktails at sunset, but I suspect it would cost a fortune. Failing that try renting the cricket pavilion near the house, then your guests could have a drink without having to put their champagne flutes into brown paper bags and use the "facillities"
Congratulations and good luck.
I've no idea of how it much it cost, but friends of mine had their ceremony at the Queen's House. It was beautiful - and we all spilled out onto the gravelly bit just in front of the park afterwards. It was lovely. They then had a reception at a pub, so obviously the ceremony was possible without committing to everything on site. Whatever you decide - have a wonderful day!
I should point you to an old venue for parties and celebrations which is currently undergoing a full rennovation...
The Trafalgar Rowing Centre (which houses Curlew and Globe Rowing Clubs) on Crane Street is undergoing a full refurbishment, it is back open in the autumn of 2008.
It has some fabulous views over the Thames and its own private riverside balcony...
http://www.trafalgarrowingcentre.co.uk/
I think the bandstand in Greenwich Park is licensed as I saw a wedding there a few years back. Surely they can't force you to have the reception there as well??
Take a look on the royal parks website...
Have a look at www.sassy-parties.com. They are fantastic wedding and party people who are Greenwich based and have organised many weddings in and around Greenwich with lots of fab ideas. They organised a friend's wedding 'at home' which was simply stunning!
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