The venue - Where the hell to start?!

#JGDROVERSWED19

We weren't entirely prepared for this part- We had an idea of what we'd like the site of have...but hadn't considered the little, technical [pain in the arse] things - Drainage, access, parking issues etc..

Our essentials:

• The site had to give the feel and experience of glamping, whilst providing the majority of normal day conveniences - No composting loos etc (Fussy friends!)
• We love our dogs and had a strong desire to have them celebrate with us. **Woof!!**
• Suitable accommodation for both the younger and older guests. We had grandparents staying so considered the majority of glamping units on most sites not appropriate for them - Ideally we needed somewhere with cottages and standard accommodation. 
• Parents. Both Joanna and I knew that our parents wouldn't want to be staying in a glamping shack/unit/tent - At this stage we didn't know what we'd have so considered alternative accommodation essential for them too.
• The younger guests - We had kiddies as young as 2-weeks old. Alternatives for them was essential.
• Something more than a basic bell tent or shepherds waggon - We wanted a group experience in something that would really show our family and friends what glamping is about - and why we love it.
• Isolated, picturesque, fairly local and secure
• Somewhere with options - We initially planned the ceremony depending on the weather - Outside if nice... inside if horrid. (this changed - logistical ball-ache!)
• Enough space/accommodation for approx 50 guests.
• Ideally - Onsite catering. We wanted decent grub! BBQ felt like the perfect option because you can eat most of standing and without a knife & fork.
• No wedding venues - Or as we call them, "wedding factories". We craved something different. We didn't want everything to match - Stress.com. We wanted fun, vibrance, colour and ..just to chill with friends around a fire with a beer/wine and catch up. Even the latest "glamping wedding venues" are a little too... weddingy for our liking. 

Turns out there aren't any sites that meet our criteria - We're fussy buggers!

After extensive searching online we came across two sites which gave us the majority of what we wanted:

• Spring Park - Cornwall. (Friggin awesome glamping site!- One of our favourites)
• Drovers Rest - Herefordshire (Our venue - The closest match to our criteria, which we'd never stayed at before)

Spring park offered a variety of wagons and cottages, though on discussion with the owners couldn't accommodate 50 people without significant cost;

• Consideration for their drainage - Not appropriate for 50.
• Electrical supply.
• Space. Where the ceremony would take place etc - Limited.
• Access - Not ideal.
• Food. Catering would need to be brought in - Not ideal/cost++

Drovers Rest - Cool Farm Stays In The Sticks. 

Our winner!

Drovers Rest or Drovers as we came to call it had almost everything we needed, plus a few extras:

• Flexible, "go with it" owners - Kesri & Paul. Awesome.
• x7 safari tents (The glamping units!) - The perfect balance of glamping, with the right vibe!
• Proper loos and adequate drainage for 50 guests.
• x2 cottages (A third on its way - Unfortunately not available for our stay)
• x2 barns - A communal barn and rustic outdoor/open/traditional barn
• Good access - Though parking was made difficult due to restrictions placed on the venue by the local authority.
• Isolation and space - Drovers is located in an amazing area of Herefordshire with no close neighbours and enough land for our woofs to roam free.
• Local off-site accommodation (x3 cottages) available to book - Walkable distance to Drovers (Just!). These can be booked separately or together here.

We decided to stay at Drovers in September 2018, exactly a year before our wedding - Just to "check it out" and see if we liked the vibe, owners and the place... 
This isn't a wedding venue so we didn't have a formal food tasting - Our food tasting consisted of the Friday pizza night - Choose your own topping then have it cooked by Paul on the wood fired pizza oven. Tasty.

Decision made.

Drovers Rest's Welcome sign and the #JGDROVERSWE19 welcome sign.