small London wedding

[mikey66]

Well, a few weeks ago I asked that question to my loved one and she said yes.

So, now we are planning the wedding. There will be a small civil ceremony in London next spring with about 16 family members - followed by a meal. This is where I have been scratching my head...

We are looking for a restaurant or other venue that offers private dining, allows children, and serves decent food for £50 max per head. We are looking in central London, Covent Garden, South Bank, and have thought of Rules, Browns, Chez Gerard, or if we push the boat out La Pont De La Tour.

Let me know what you think of our initial choices and am sure that you'll have some of your own.

Many thanks in advance...

Mikey

[Winot]

Is that £50 including booze? The trouble with getting married is that dollar signs appear in vendor's eyes and prices shoot up you so may have a bit of difficulty. RSJ on Coin St/Stamford St has a private room and is good value. Or how about booking the whole of Anchor & Hope?

[Hallie]

Well, a few weeks ago I asked that question to my loved one and she said yes.

So, now we are planning the wedding. There will be a small civil ceremony in London next spring with about 16 family members  - followed by a meal.  This is where I have been scratching my head...

We are looking for a restaurant or other venue that offers private dining, allows children, and serves decent food for £50 max per head. We are looking in central London, Covent Garden, South Bank, and have thought of Rules, Browns, Chez Gerard, or if  we push the boat out La Pont De La Tour.

Let me know what you think of our initial choices and am sure that you'll have some of your own.

Many thanks in advance...

Mikey

←

First of all - congratulations.

Second of all, unless you put your foot down quite firmly those 16 could quite easily expand to well over that number. I speak from experience. Be firm.

I can recommend Il Convivio on Ebury Street, near Victoria. My husband had his 30th birthday celebration there a couple of years ago. They have an upstairs room that is absolutely wonderful - its decorated in such a way that you feel as if you are sitting in a dining room in someone's home - it comfortable, spacious and very private. There is even a sitting area with overstuffed sofas and a CD player (you can bring your own music). The food is divine! Some of the best Italian food I've had.

I've also been to Rules (actually for my hen lunch) in one of their private rooms - very atmospheric, but more of an autumn/winter venue with its dark wood paneled walls.

[endless autumn]

If it's £50 without booze, Richard Corrigan might be able to do something for you.

They have a selection of private rooms but I haven't seen anything too complementary about the place recently.

You do have the fun possibility, though, of being served by an undercover reporter from the Evening Standard masquerading as an illegal immigrant.

[Janice]

You might want to think about the Almeida in Islington. They have a private dining room and their food is sufficiently reasonably priced to have no problems coming in under £50. The restaurant is very smartly presented which I think helps for weddings.

[tony h]

Chez Gerard

←

go there and I predict divorce will follow quickly

[Bapi]

Chez Bruce- we had an EG meal there about two years ago, in the small dinng room upstairs. Very conducive to a small happy gathering.

Congrats BTW

[mikey66]

Thank you so much for all your speedy replies.

I suspected that some of my initial suggestions were a bit iffy. Just to clarify the £50 would be exclusive of drink, and the wedding day really will be just for close relatives and their partners/children (thanks Hallie) We will be having a separate bash to cater for all of our pals and other relatives. This should keep the numbers down and, hopefully, the drink element under control..(well maybe).

We are more than willing to look a bit further west now - ie nr. Celsea, Victoria or South Ken. as it now looks like our original wedding venue we had in mind (in Chelsea) will be free for us on the day we want after all. I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

All of your suggestions look excellent btw, - and over the next few weeks/months we'll be road-testing some of them... This wedding thing keeps getting better...pl let me know if anything else springs to mind and I'll keep you posted

Regards

Mikey.

[nicola]

Pushing the boundaries on your price range to the top, but what about Roussillon. It has a private room for twenty and is doing a menu of 3 courses for £45, 4 for £55. More info on their website:

Roussillon

It has a Michelin star and is in the area you are now looking at, between Victoria and Chelsea. I've been a couple of times and think it would make a great venue.

[Suzi Edwards]

Moby had his reception at Moro in Exmouth Market. Could be worth a look.

Was just sent this by a friend. Is nothing sacred?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=5527273221

[PoppySeedBagel]

Tarka I've seen that too - it's obviously zipping round the world like that Claire Swire one - then the tabs will start ferreting, the true individuals will be exposed, and it'll all end in tears -

congrats to you and your intended by the way Mikey

[howardlong]

Just to clarify the £50 would be exclusive of drink, and the wedding day really will be just for close relatives and their partners/children (thanks Hallie) 

...

We are more than willing to look a bit further west now  - ie nr. Celsea, Victoria or South Ken. as it now looks like our original wedding venue we had in mind (in Chelsea) will be free for us on the day we want after all. I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

←

Congratulations on your impending marriage.

£50 just for food opens up all manner of opportunities.

My thoughts around Chelsea...

If it's a Saturday lunch, you might like to see if Aubergine would do something for you. They are not open on a Saturday lunch normally, but for a private 'do' they may well be interested. I've had parties of up to 18 in there (they even did a la carte for all 18 us, although chef Billy Drabble mentioned to me a few weeks later that it was pretty chaotic in the kitchen trying to service a table of 18 a la carte!). If you phone up, ask to speak to maitre d' Thierry Thomasin, and mention that I recommended them - this might help to oil a few cogs.

For a potentially slightly less expensive opportunity, La Famiglia on Langton Street has its own private facilities and specialises in Tuscan food.

Off the wall, what about an Indian and Bhatia's on Lincoln Street?

Racine in Knightsbridge/South Ken may be able to help too.

Cheers, Howard

[Andy Lynes]

The Belvedere might suit you well. Its a lovely room and the new chef Billy Reid is highly regarded and got a good review in this yesterdays Evening Standard. Plus its in Holland Park, handy for the kids to have a run around in when they get bored. There's 360 views of the main restaurant and private dining areas here.

[mikey66]

Thanks again for your replies. We had a look at Julie's in Holland Park the other day. The bar and restaurant looked great, but the private dining areas looked a little sad. They have a conservatory and another larger room. The conservatory looked very ordinary (it's painted white with hard wooden chairs and spider plants) - and the main private dining room looked bleak, with no natural light and bare walls, apart from a solitary stag's head. I am sure these rooms *could* be dressed beautifully, but nobody seemed to want to show us around, let alone extol their virtues. I thought that the indifference was a bad sign, as our visit was a pre-arranged one. Still, if I am ever in that neck of the woods, I would go to the bar there.

However, thanks to you, we have discovered a whole range of great possibilities. Rousillon and La Famiglia look the most promising. I have just seen Rousillon's £45 3 course menu and it looks fabulous. La Famiglia are also getting in touch and if it's anything like their website - it will be a sure fire hit with my Italian mother. Yes, I know that big the day is not for us really..

Just heard an update on that Ebay story - which kept me smiling all weekend- according to Metro, the ad was placed by the bride's ex- boyfriend - the plot thickens..

Thanks for your suggestions, I'll keep in touch,

Rgds

Mikey

[Niall]

Try Giardinetto on Charlotte St. It is a fantastic little Italian place.