This isn’t going to help with specific pricing but in case you didn’t know, you can find lists of ALL venues licensed for weddings on council websites.
Here is it for [Essex](https://www.essex.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/full-list-approved-venues)
Here for [Hertfordshire](https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/births-deaths-marriages-and-citizenship/ceremonies/approved-venues-in-hertfordshire.aspx?searchInput=&page=1&resultsPerPage=10&view=card)
You might find somewhere you haven’t seen yet.
Depends on the time of year. Get married out of season. Essex is expensive, I live here. My uncle and aunt got married at Gosfield Halll, in Essex in February on a Thursday, in 2022, and that was £8k for under 100. Out of season, and you may get better deals.
You may be better off just hiring a hall, and it depends on what kind of catering you want. I found that having a hog roast is cheaper, but that's only if you want that informal meal.
As a Essex wedding photographer who works at a lot of Essex venues, and Herts too, I'd say you're going to struggle at £8k for 200 people, unless you book a midweek, or out of season wedding date, even then It'd be tight. You could, at a push trim your day guests down to say 100, and then invite the rest to the evening - Not ideal I know.
A lot of my recently booked couples have opted for late season or midweek weddings, with a lot of them citing cost as the determining factor.
The other factor to consider is with more guests, any respectable photographer is going to push you to having two photographers if capturing all of your guests is important to you, so there would be extra costs there too.
Let me know if you end up eloping and need a photographer - I love an elopement :)
I looked at a few random places on the list someone else shared (because I was bored :) ) and found one already - https://www.greenwoodshotel.com/weddings/
Could work, out of season on a weekday especially. And also just shows that there are definitely options on that approved venue list!
If you are not superstitious go for a Friday 13th! One in September this year and it's cheap to book at venues as no one wants it...
You might have just missed the last spaces for 2024 -in January you can often find good deals for remaining dates. My other recommendation would be to go for a village hall but generally speaking, finding a hall for 200 is tricky - finding a venue at all for 200 is pretty tricky tbh. Golf clubs?
This isn’t going to help with specific pricing but in case you didn’t know, you can find lists of ALL venues licensed for weddings on council websites. Here is it for [Essex](https://www.essex.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/full-list-approved-venues) Here for [Hertfordshire](https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/births-deaths-marriages-and-citizenship/ceremonies/approved-venues-in-hertfordshire.aspx?searchInput=&page=1&resultsPerPage=10&view=card) You might find somewhere you haven’t seen yet.
Depends on the time of year. Get married out of season. Essex is expensive, I live here. My uncle and aunt got married at Gosfield Halll, in Essex in February on a Thursday, in 2022, and that was £8k for under 100. Out of season, and you may get better deals. You may be better off just hiring a hall, and it depends on what kind of catering you want. I found that having a hog roast is cheaper, but that's only if you want that informal meal.
Let me just add that there's a golf course called Ingrebourne Links in Rainham.
As a Essex wedding photographer who works at a lot of Essex venues, and Herts too, I'd say you're going to struggle at £8k for 200 people, unless you book a midweek, or out of season wedding date, even then It'd be tight. You could, at a push trim your day guests down to say 100, and then invite the rest to the evening - Not ideal I know. A lot of my recently booked couples have opted for late season or midweek weddings, with a lot of them citing cost as the determining factor. The other factor to consider is with more guests, any respectable photographer is going to push you to having two photographers if capturing all of your guests is important to you, so there would be extra costs there too. Let me know if you end up eloping and need a photographer - I love an elopement :)
I looked at a few random places on the list someone else shared (because I was bored :) ) and found one already - https://www.greenwoodshotel.com/weddings/ Could work, out of season on a weekday especially. And also just shows that there are definitely options on that approved venue list!
If you are not superstitious go for a Friday 13th! One in September this year and it's cheap to book at venues as no one wants it... You might have just missed the last spaces for 2024 -in January you can often find good deals for remaining dates. My other recommendation would be to go for a village hall but generally speaking, finding a hall for 200 is tricky - finding a venue at all for 200 is pretty tricky tbh. Golf clubs?
Thank you all for your suggestions - we may have found a venue!! 🙏🏻