So the wait is over...
I know you've been waiting patiently for this oh so important news!
Where are we going to party after getting married at St James'?
That's where!
Where's that?... I hear you say!
Well here it is!
75 - 77 London Street,
Reading,
Berkshire
Berkshire
RG1 4QA
Right in the heart of Reading, walking distance from the Church, all the hotels and more importantly the After Dark! The after after party venue! I'll explain more about that in a different post.
Why Shehnai?
Here's why...
We have a very large number of guests attending our wedding, mainly due to my Irish side of the family being over sized and slightly mad. This has left us with the task of finding a venue large enough to fit our guests and also large enough to fit our after do guests too!
OK so it doesn't have the beautiful gardens of a Mansion or Castle or the entrance or driveway of them either but as you walk in the doors you are transformed somewhere completely out of Reading and into your own little wonderland.
We also had specifics about distances from the church and hotels as we want to keep the costs down for the guests. We have had to think about where our wedding is based so we and our guests have options for each aspect of the wedding.
The venue is so beautiful, with a Marble floored entrance and plenty of space I instantly fell in love. I looked around and the team showed me several options of lighting and placing and discussed with me and told me that I could have it however I liked it, as it was my day. Music to my ears.
They have a design team who will source specifics if I wanted them and help my vision and dream to become a reality! I explained my ideas and they just got it instantly. I was so taken a back by the professional yet creative approach that they had that I pencilled in our names on our chosen date there and then.
We are really lucky to have found such a beautiful wedding venue with every tiny detail of my MUST HAVE list. This is often not the case, with brides having to sacrifice areas they've dreamed of for other areas they deem less important just because the venue won't accommodate their needs.
It was also important that we had a local, homely vibe, that meant something to us as a couple as part of the chosen venue and as we live not far from there and the nightclub opposite has played a huge part of our relationship it seemed like the location was also perfect for us. I remember many moons ago when the venue was a dingy nightclub and I was about 13, my cousins and I went to an under 18's disco there. It wasn't a fabulous as it is now as it has been refurbished. We had a brilliant time though and I'll never forget it. When we walked in to the building I was instantly thrown back to that moment. It was so strange. Hoff went to the club a few times too he said and he felt the same it was like a weird flash back I'd never really thought of before.
The History of the Venue
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| Here are The Birds, featuring Ronnie Wood, pictured in 1964 outside the Olympia Ballroom on London Street, Reading, where the band had a residency. |
Formerly known as The Olympia Ballroom and the Matrix this amazing
building is now home to the Shehnai Group. Throughout the 60s The Olympia Ballroom hosted a number of amazing acts
among them is Rod Steward, The Who and the Rolling Stones.
Yeah that's right our band will be playing on the same stage as the greats!
How amazing is that!!
I bet most people of Reading didn't know that!
Most people think of Shehnai as an Asian wedding venue as it has been used by so many amazing Asian weddings!
But it has so much more to it than that.
One of the positives of this wedding blog is that I will be showcasing this amazing venue for what it really can do and be, to an audience that can spread the word.
What they say about Traditional weddings at Shehnai!
If you’re looking for a traditional wedding venue with character,
style and a long established history as the setting for your wedding,
The Olympia Ballroom, at Shehnai is the perfect wedding venue for you.
Here, couples can hold their wedding in uniquely designed and themed
Suites, while enjoying exclusive use of all the rooms, including the
exquisite marble lobby and bar.
Shehnai is licensed for civil weddings and partnership ceremonies in
all its three Suites, which can accommodate wedding parties from 50 to
700 guests. In order to make your guests most comfortable, whatever the
party size, why not use a combination of Suites for your celebrations?
The various event spaces can be used for banquets, lounge set ups,
music and food stations, themed bars and stylised dance floors, all
dependant upon whether you wish to have a traditional or more informal
event set up.
Our team of world cuisine chefs can help you select a menu for your
guests that will tantalise their taste buds, serving up your choice of
Continental, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican or
African Cuisines.
Local historic and town locations within short distances serve as the
perfect photographic locations to add yet another twist to your wedding
day, including the historic Forbury Gardens and picturesque Caversham
Court.
As soon as you are ready to discuss your wedding arrangements a
co-ordinator will work with you to design your special day, whilst
helping you to take full benefit of all the features of The Olympia
Ballroom.
I hope you are excited by this as me!
I can't wait for the next meeting about my wedding and all the food tasting and creative brainstorming I have left to do!
I'm actually 'Whooping' loudly as I write this!
If you need any more info on the venue, the team or for hiring Shehnai for an event please visit their website
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