Anniversary Wedding Venues

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This year in April my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Having never really bothered making a big deal over little anniversaries over the years we thought, as it was a really special year - why not have a really big celebration? Surrounded by friends and family at a really special venue would make up for all the times we left it too late to organise anything special and just ended up ordering a takeaway!

It had to be at a venue of course, if we were going to make our wedding anniversary really special! Our family is a large one and I don't think I could handle catering for and entertaining a lot of people in my own home. No - I was going to find a really special Wedding Anniversary Venue and let other people do the hard work for me! To my surprise, my husband was very keen on the idea, (I knew he was an old romantic at heart!) and soon we were searching for wedding anniversary venues together. I've got to say, it wasn't easy finding our perfect venue. We had a few things in mind of what we wanted - it had to be nearby to home so it felt personal yet easy to get to for friends and family travelling from further afield, and I wanted a certain amount of control in choosing menus and the order of the evening while still feeling assured that everything was being taken care of for me. So many chain venues churn out the same type of function week after week, and places like this didn't feel personal enough for us. We wanted somewhere intimate and traditional where we could celebrate our love in a beautiful environment. I don't think I was being too choosy! I just wanted everything to be perfect.

It was my husband who found our ideal anniversary venue, thanks to a recommendation from a friend. It was perfect. Stirrups Country House Hotel in Berkshire had everything we wanted, and more! Sat in 10 acres of beautiful countryside, this charming hotel is decorated with a luxury modern finish while still maintaining its traditional style. Their largest function room, the Floyd Suite, was perfect for our wedding anniversary venue as we had chosen to have a dinner dance. The events team were amazing, willing to work with every request I had making our celebration perfectly tailored to us. As organisers of the event, my husband and I got free Bed & Breakfast accommodation on the night as well, in a really beautiful room with a 4 poster bed! It really topped the night off well. Our closest members of family also stayed at the hotel so it gave us even more time to spend together. The night ran so smoothly and everybody had such an amazing time. I'm so pleased we found our perfect wedding anniversary venue, we're wanting to celebrate the next one already!

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Luxury Hotel Near Ascot

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For one week in mid June, Ascot is at the forefront of everyone's mind. Whether you're into racing or not, there's no doubt that everyone's heard of Royal Ascot and the week of racing that follows. People come from far and wide across the country to spend the undoubtedly sunshiny day in luxury, sipping champagne in the sun, placing bets on horses chosen purely because you like the name, and having best and worse hat competitions.

Last year I travelled to and from Ascot on the same day. Big mistake. I was hot, tired, sunburned and, well, let's just say - more than a little bit tipsy. Add this to my bitter mood at not winning anything in the races while my friends had, and my journey back on the train was not a comfortable one... So this year I thought, why not turn the luxury of Ascot into a mini-break rather than a day trip? Why not continue my day of extravagance in a luxury hotel near Ascot? Once I got this idea in my head I could think of nothing else. My head was brimming with ideas of what I wanted from this luxury hotel - a 4 poster bed, a beautiful view manicured lawns and gardens, luxury furnishings with a traditional style, fabulous restaurant with a wide range of foods and more importantly, an extensive wine list, and staff who are more than happy to pander to my every need... All this was starting to sound a little expensive, and I was getting worried I wouldn't be able to find such a luxury hotels near Ascot that I could afford.

However... I did not give up hope in my search, and I'm so pleased I didn't! Just 3 miles from Ascot tucked away in the Berkshire countryside I found a little gem of a hotel called Stirrups Country House Hotel. After, speaking to some very helpful and friendly staff on the phone and looking at the website, I could clearly see that this was the place for me. It simply had everything I had asked for! What's more, I could afford it. I was surprised to learn that 4 poster Junior Suites are available from just £80 a night! At this price I just had to try it out before Ascot week. I've just returned from my stay there and I have to say it lived up to all of my expectations. Travelling from London was so easy as it's so close to both Bracknell and Ascot station, and it's easy to get to from the M4 if you are travelling from further away. I had such a peaceful weekend and I certainly was very well taken care of. I can't wait to come back during Royal Ascot Week!

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