subject: Remember That International Guestlist [print this page] One of the pitfalls for a Bride and Groom when looking for a venue is where on earth their guests are going to sleep. A guest list nowadays will likely have a very diverse mix of family and friends. The Bride may have old School friends from being brought up in Liverpool, though she now lives in Windsor, and her parents now retired to Cornwall. The Groom may come from a different country and therefore his family may coming over from France, The Netherlands, Germany, Estonia, Russia or even South Africa, Uganda or Hong Kong! Even if born in the UK, most guest lists nowadays have an international element.
As such, when choosing a venue for your wedding, try to think where people might be able to stay. Some of the most picturesque barn conversions are found in a spot on a map with no name and without much population around, and therefore accommodation will likely be extremely limited. Though coach ride from far flung towns is an absolute buzz on the way to the wedding with lots of chatting and the occasional nip from the infamous silver flask, a 40 minute coach journey on winding roads at 2am on the way back is possibly not the lasting memory you want your guests to have of your special day.
With this in mind, it is becoming increasingly important to check where your guests are likely to stay if choosing a venue that lacks in the accommodation department. Beware that many hotels may have weddings on that day themselves and as such their rooms may be filled with their own wedding guests, further limiting your options.
The alternative is to look at booking a wedding in a hotel yourselves. The accommodation being at your wedding venue has many advantages. You save on the coach costs, guests can change at leisure before the ceremony and then potentially change again before the dancing commences. Though a barn conversion bar ends at midnight for everyone to trundle home, a hotel bar, like the one at Stirrups Country House Hotel, remains open for any residents all night and therefore the party doesnt need to end. However, the best part about choosing a wedding venue with accommodation is that in the morning, all your guests can come down with you to the dining room to enjoy a hearty Full English Breakfast in the morning, and reminisce about your fantastic wedding the day before!
So do remember before choosing wedding venues, that accommodation matters, and getting it right by choosing a venue with accommodation can truly rewarding for you and your guests.
