My best friend got engaged recently, and I was just overjoyed that she asked me to be not only a Bridesmaid, but a Maid of Honour! What a privilege; we've been best friends since we met in the playground at the age of 5, and while other friends have come and gone, we've always been there for each other. I think her sister was a bit miffed that I got the honour but never mind, hey..!
I knew one of my duties as being Maid of Honour was to organise the hen party. I have had lots of time to think about this - always knowing that I was going to be involved - so I already had plenty of great ideas. What I wasn't expecting is that the Bride wanted my help in choosing the Wedding venue! Her job often requires her to work evenings and weekends so asked if I would go and check out venues for Weddings for her, and then she would go and see the ones I liked. She knew she could trust my judgement, and her fiancé was able to accompany me on occasion too.
Both the Bride and Groom's families are very local, and being real family people they were both keen to have a local wedding to ensure that everybody could come. So I was pretty much limited to looking at venues for weddings in Bracknell.. Now I wasn't exactly spoilt for choice. A lot of the Wedding venues in Bracknell double up as conference centres, with the emphasis being on conference centre. I knew this was not the sort of atmosphere my best friend would like, so I carried on my search and looked for something a bit different.
After taking many wasted trips to conference centres (isn't the Bride lucky she didn't have to waste her time doing that!) I found the perfect Wedding venue in Bracknell. Just north of Bracknell and near to Ascot, lies Stirrups Country House Hotel. This bespoke 19th century property has been beautifully renovated, keeping aspects of its original Tudor origins while bringing it up to date with modern features and fittings. Every element of the Hotel is just ideal for creating the perfect atmosphere, and being licensed for Civil Ceremonies it means that the whole day can take place there - no need for the family to travel far and wide!
I was completely sold after one trip there and urged the Bride and Groom to both go at their first opportunity. They arranged to visit this perfect Wedding venue in Bracknell that was hiding away, and fell in love with it instantly as I had done. They met with the Events Organiser and paid their deposit within a week of my first visit. Both she and I couldn't believe that I had managed to find this wonderfully perfect venue for a Wedding in Bracknell, never has a Maid of Honour outdone her duties so well!
