Renting out a field for a wedding

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
I’ve been approached to rent out a field for a wedding party. I vaguely know the bride’s mother as she lives in the village but don’t know the couple at all so no great desire to offer ‘mates rates’.

140 guests. Use of three phase electric. Some camping.
Will need it for 4 days in early September. In Hampshire.
How much should I charge? I’ve never done it before.
 

bobk

Member
Location
stafford
I’ve been approached to rent out a field for a wedding party. I vaguely know the bride’s mother as she lives in the village but don’t know the couple at all so no great desire to offer ‘mates rates’.

140 guests. Use of three phase electric. Some camping.
Will need it for 4 days in early September. In Hampshire.
How much should I charge? I’ve never done it before.
20 grand plus clean up
 

Pennine Ploughing

Member
Mixed Farmer
I’ve been approached to rent out a field for a wedding party. I vaguely know the bride’s mother as she lives in the village but don’t know the couple at all so no great desire to offer ‘mates rates’.

140 guests. Use of three phase electric. Some camping.
Will need it for 4 days in early September. In Hampshire.
How much should I charge? I’ve never done it before.
Well I think you have some very informed answers above,
So tell them it's going to cost the earth, put it way out of there budget, I mean 20k has been mentioned for 4 days, plus clean up wow think of the tax on that, or is cash better 🤔
and get talked about, as the miserable tight fisted farmer up the road, that is to busy to busy making lots of dosh feeding the world to bother with us in the village 😉,


Either do 1 of the following,
Say you have looked info it, and there is problems with the government scheme your in that ties up the land for other uses, and insurance is not covered for the supply of electricity and other liabilities etc, so sorry I cannot help on this,
Or ask them what there offering 🤔, take it and 1k deposit to be returned if field is left as clean as it was when they got it,
Don't lower yourself to look like Robin Hood without a mask
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
Well I think you have some very informed answers above,
So tell them it's going to cost the earth, put it way out of there budget, I mean 20k has been mentioned for 4 days, plus clean up wow think of the tax on that, or is cash better 🤔
and get talked about, as the miserable tight fisted farmer up the road, that is to busy to busy making lots of dosh feeding the world to bother with us in the village 😉,


Either do 1 of the following,
Say you have looked info it, and there is problems with the government scheme your in that ties up the land for other uses, and insurance is not covered for the supply of electricity and other liabilities etc, so sorry I cannot help on this,
Or ask them what there offering 🤔, take it and 1k deposit to be returned if field is left as clean as it was when they got it,
Don't lower yourself to look like Robin Hood without a mask
Except, they have looked into wedding venues, and realised they will cost £7-15k. They have visited their mum and Seen a nice field and thought “that looks lovely, we will probably get that cheap”.
I would say £1-2k per day would be sensible.
they want it for the best part of a week after all. I don’t see the problem with charging money to people you don’t know.
If you knew the nuptials well, then it would be a different story, but they are just strangers with a link to the village
 

Bogweevil

Member
£800 plus a £1000 deposit for cleaning up. People don't value what they don't pay for but it is only field. Throw in a modest bag of barley for a sustainable confetti alternative!

No glasses, only plastic or better paper cups and plates.
 

theboytheboy

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Portsmouth
Make the deposit much more!

That way they have a bigger incentive to return the field as it was found. Think about glass, fag butts, ring pulls.

Can you ensure you won't have people exploring elsewhere, I had people sitting in my hay barn smoking!

Attempting to get into tractors for a picture!

Snorting coke of stable doors!

I've done this before and have recently said no to a friend as it's not worth the grief. The problem is unless you know everyone attending very well (like you would at you own or another family members wedding) they don't give a sh!t.....add booze and or drugs and you have no hope.
 

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
Don't forget the savings they could be making by not paying hotel/ wedding venue markups on the booze and catering.

I doubt there would be many venues under £5k and they will be kitted up and all singing all dancing. But you have something they want, it's local and personal. I would say much more than 5 and they will walk, much less and it's not really worth getting out of bed for. Good luck and don't forget to add insurance.
 

puppet

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
sw scotland
You will need to speak to your insurers and for E coli 0157 you need to have the grass clear of livestock for 3 weeks before and remove visible muck. You may need to cut it the week before whether it is raining of not.
Tent/camper £20 a night for starters. Cash. Make clear boundaries. £10 a guest and £600 for a deposit if it is tidy afterwards so looking around £2500 total.

£500 to £1000 per day for a film location shoot?
 

farmbrew

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North Notts
We once did it for a friend at mates rates. Thought it could be an interesting diversification for the future.
That experience has convinced us to never try it again. We were traumatised by the event. Tent erection team, generator people, catering people, visitors behaviour and attitude, parking for guests. Intrusive noise, clear up and guests that think they have license to use the whole farm and farmhouse.
My advice is enjoy the peace and quiet and maintain your sanity;)
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
I’ve been to two weddings in fields this year so far. Amazing tents and exceptionally professional caterers, no litter, no mess. One was erected in their own large garden and the other behind a village hall which doubled as a reception hall and entry to the main tent. Electricity was provided by large silent diesel generators for both events.
Don’t be too hard on them financially because the cost will probably be semi-crippling as it is. Say £500 and a returnable deposit of another £500 for litter. All in advance and litter deposit returned if they leave the field in the condition they found it. If not, all will be forfeited.

A7307732.jpegA7307739.jpegA7307856.jpegA7307866.jpegA7307869.jpeg

In the second picture you can see the hall roof in the background which is where we entered and socialised while bride and groom pictures were taken. The gable end tent was the bar area and the main tent had the large windows, some of which could be opened for ventilation. Around 200 guests during the day in this one plus more in the evening. Couldn’t fault it and saw zero litter or mess. Dry weather though.
 
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Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
We once did it for a friend at mates rates. Thought it could be an interesting diversification for the future.
That experience has convinced us to never try it again. We were traumatised by the event. Tent erection team, generator people, catering people, visitors behaviour and attitude, parking for guests. Intrusive noise, clear up and guests that think they have license to use the whole farm and farmhouse.
My advice is enjoy the peace and quiet and maintain your sanity;)

I suppose it does depend on the location and on the type and standard of people expected at the event. There’s a lot of work for the organiser and no doubt some are more capable than others at setting a high standard and getting things done.
As a landowner I would assess the people involved and if apparently capable, I’d leave them to it, both to organise and clear up. Just inspect the clear-up and DIY [Don’t Involve Yourself] otherwise.

Make sure that they and yourself as landowner are properly insured and if as a landowner it involves a cost to insure the event [public liability] then make it known in advance to the organisers and bill them for it.

Otherwise, as you say, the easy option is to totally DIY and politely refuse the use of the location. It’s the easy option and, let’s face it, there’s nothing in it for the landowner really.
 

Cowabunga

Member
Location
Ceredigion,Wales
£10/head plus a deposit of £20/head and recommend they use https://nomadicwashrooms.co.uk/ for their facilities. £20/tent/ campervan Don't do it if the field is near any farm buildings... and as above, check with your insurance broker if extra cover is required.
I would not agree to anyone staying overnight on the field unless inside the main event’s tent. If they can’t afford hotel rooms then they might not be the type of people you want there. A low budget event full of riff-raff is not something you need host on your field. You can generally tell by the bride and groom and any relatives and their reputation in the neighbourhood whether they are the kind you would cater for.
 

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