Oh yes, another thing.  A big thank you to my parents for going to Swanmore Wedding fair on our behalf.  For anyone planning a wedding this is definitly the way to go! Send someone to go for you, while you swan off for a day at Chessington, all the information and none of the walking around! 

In all fairness, they said it was a really good show with a lot of good exhibitors and they came back with a lot of ideas including a really lovely open top car.  (I didn't catch exactly what car but details will follow) It is cream with a red lining and looks like a big open top morris minor.  So hopefully we have a car sorted out!  Thanks Ma and Da.

Morning all,
I had a terrible attack of bloggers guilt last night so I am up early to update you on yesterdays discoveries.  We went to visit the remaining three venues on the shortlist yesterday.  One gave us food for thought and is a contender, one definitly isn't in the running and one although nice is not available on  the right date and is not worth changing the date for. 

So where do we stand now? Dave really likes Botleigh Grange and feel that is the place for him.  The first place we went to see yesterday is Chilworth Manor.  It is a large Manor house, similar in size to the Botleigh with a very impressive entrance and Bar area.  The room we would hire is a bit dark but the curtains and blinds could be pulled back to sort that.  It has its own private terrace and a separate private bar which people could sit in in the evening and have quiet time.  The rooms to stay in were very nice and clean but without the character of the Botleigh.  Much more travel lodge style.

The debate now is that Dave feels the Botleigh was brighter, fresher and to a higher standard, I thought the same about the Chilworth so we are at a bit of a stalemate.  I have no huge preference either way, Dave is decidedly with the Botleigh.  So today we have a meeting with the Botleigh to get confirmation on costs etc and we are going ot have another look around, we will then have to do the same with the Chilworth. 

So after all this, we met my Parents in Southampton to go and look at suits.  We have decided to use Moss Bros.  Andy and Kate used them for their wedding and they we very good and are able to tailor to a range of size.  I won't tell you all the details but the boys will be in tails and the colours of the wedding party will be Silver and Aubergine.  All I've got to do now, if find either fabic or some premade dresses to match the colour too, that shouldn't be too hard!!!!!

So things are progressing well.  We have the colours sorted and hopefully by the end of the week or so, we should have a venue sorted.  Only the Church, dresses, flowers, cake, favours...... to go!

Date: 4th July 2009 (hopefully)
Venue: TBA, somewhere in Southampton area.
Best Man: Andy Bush
Bridesmaids: Vicky Conway (nee Bateman), Louise Marsdin (soon to be Knight), Lauren Evans, Charlotte Evans, Lizzie Conn.
Ushers: Jim Fyrth and another (yet to be asked)
Reading by: Jenny Conn

There will be good food, good wine, cheese, plenty of rooms at a reasonable price to stay over and we hope lots of good fun!!

More details will follow.

So today we needed to be a bit more level headed and thoughtful.  We have booked to see the remaining venues on the shortlist and will see them on Sunday.  We have also made an appointment to see the Sales person for the Botleigh Grange on Monday to work through figures and options etc. 

We still haven't talked to the Church, but I am thinking that if we find the church is booked we can always do the deed with a Registrar at the hotel.  I really want to get married in Church but also recognise that I am not a regular church goer and think that therefore maybe that is a little hypocritical. 

Really excited that we have found somewhere that we both really like and at first look is not going to cost the earth.  As Dave has said, we need to get the full costs from the Sales woman on Monday and compare to the other places we are seeing on Sunday and then make a decision. 

Check all the options and make an informed decision.  Unfortunatly Dave is so often right.  It's very frustrating :)

When we returned home to send the email to book an appointment to visit the New Place, I had a number of emails from other venues we had scouted and liked the look of.  3 out of 5 were booked on the day we are looking for.  However, so spurred on by seeing the New Place and finding out that it was relativly cheap I sent an email to them asking if they were available on the right date and asking to book an appointment to see more.

The following morning I recieved a reply.  "I'm sorry we are fully booked from April 09 to September 09"!!!!  All they could offer was a Sunday in mid July!
So I was totally deflated.  Dave was disappointed but in his usual matter of fact style just said "nothing we can do, there are other places".

So back to the drawing board and we got on with looking back at the shortlist and chasing people we had not heard of and contemplating changing our prefered date.
So Dave made an appointment to see the Botleigh Grange Hotel for last night.  I was dubious to say the least, I have driven past it 1000 times and not really liked the look of it.  However, when we went in and saw the lovely bar, terrace, lawns and lake I was sold!

And best of all the guy showing us round (James) was fairly sure they were available on the right day.

The main dining room is large, airy, a slightly dusky pink colour but had lots of space and light.  If you book that room you get full access to the lawns and terrace outside, an extra "cocktail lounge" with big sofa's and dim lighting for quiet conversations and chats and the Bar, all for use for the whole day.  The Bedrooms are large and look out over the gounds and basically it is lovely.  There is a Spa as well, with a pool, jacuqi and sauna which is free to hotel guests.  So at the end of the tour he asked if we wanted to make a provisional booking but did say that it was unlikely to get booked up very quickly.  However I tapped Dave on the back and he looked at me and yes we made the booking.  We have not signed anything in stone or paid any money, but it is such a lovely place and its available on the right day so we would be mad to let someone else sneek in there.

So we came away with their wedding pack and told to talk to a Sales person and I couldn't have been more happy.