Weddings at Steam Railways

I can heartily recommend the Talyllyn, our wedding was there 2 years ago. Very helpful during the arranging stages (very important if your distant from the site), and the whole day went very well, staff all friendly and good humored, if you can don't mention the train to the guests, the look on their faces when you tell them whats going to happen is worth it.

The railway are fairly flexible and were able to accommodate us completely disrupting the afternoon timetable, but on the upside we got to see some interesting shunting moves. Footplate rides were available for guests, I had to return a week later for mine "Your NOT getting your suit dirty before the wedding, once where married you WILL travel back with me in the train I'm not being on my own while your in the cab etc.etc."

The Corris coach is a great for taking the bride,groom and wedding party, if your other half doesn't want you too see her until the ceremony, then that can easily be done.

I will also add that the cost I personally thought was very reasonable, we enquired and got the info from the railway, but it was never a serious enquiry more to cross the idea off the list as too expensive, when we saw the price we jumped at it.

Your one problem maybe that the tea room only has seating for around 40 people, but the platforms at Abergernolwyn are rather large.

I will highlight some problems, none of which are directly related to the railway, locations for the evening meal/reception can be challenging to find close to the railway, we ended up in Dollgethau about 30-45 mins drive away, I found weddings cars in the area difficult to source (but as the train was the "real" wedding transport, hired a people carrier and got my father in law to drive).

 

Bucks Railway Centre at Quainton do licenced weddings with facilities for the reception and train etc as desired.

See:- http://bucksrailcentre.org/weddings.html

 

Weybourne can do weddings.

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/weddings.htm

 

Talyllyn Railway weddings

Regarding suitable locations for a reception/meal after the wedding The Tyn-Y-Cornel Hotel at Talyllyn Lake is only a few miles from Abergynolwyn station and regularly holds wedding receptions. Another option might be the Trefeddian Hotel between Tywyn and Aberdovey. :smt001

 

True, I should have perhaps added, for our budget, Tyn Y Cornel, is very nice but £££ were being watched.

 

Well if you are on the ThamesLink part of the railway you want a preserved line or mainline wedding trip so to speak to remember? Correct? So look for mainline trips such as an A4, like Bittern hauling a mainline trip and call them to enquire about cost etc....

 

The MHR do wedding functions. I came out of the MHR AGM a few years ago and found a Routemaster bedecked in Wedding decorations in the car park at Alresford. The Wedding party then transferred to a dining train behind 71000 which I think they had requested. I raced up to Medstead to catch 71000 arriving:[attachment=1:13w7wk7l]duke power.jpg[/attachment:13w7wk7l][attachment=0:13w7wk7l]duke pose.jpg[/attachment:13w7wk7l]

There were some pictures of the Wedding party on the MHR site but can't find them. Unfortunately my batteries (didn't have any spares with me as I didn't expect much to be on at the line ](*,) ) decided to give up and I didn't get any shots of them.

 

Great shots Green Five and very fitting name for a wedding ceremony!! =D>

 

Houston

You may find this link helpful. As you will see there are many option of venue and types of facilities.

http://www.dartmouthweddings.co.uk/

 

NRM at York.

We had ours there 4 years ago, with the ceremony by the Royal Saloons. With the ceremony at 5.00p.m., most of the public were leaving and we then had the museum to ourselves for the whole evening. After the ceremony we moved over to the Great Hall for a drinks reception by Mallard and on the turntable with all the photographs before moving back across site for the Wedding Breakfast and dancing until midnight.

NRM staff could not have been more helpful and the catering was probably the best I have ever experienced.

We got all the guests to dress up in Evening Dress and everyone said how different and enjoyable the wedding was. And by the way, it was my wife that suggested the venue in the first place!

 

Thanks for the replies. Have gathered alot of info and making decision based on location and price. I must say that there is lots of choice and most railways are very flexible to whatever we were wanting to do, and how much we had to spend. It has been a pleasant experience.

 

Let us all know what you decide, won't you?

Good Luck and every happiness to you both.

 

Whatever you both decide to do, I hope you both have a wonderful day and a memorable experience. All the very best from Mr & Mrs FC.

=D>

 

Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway are now licensed for weddings. See www.dartmouthweddings.co.uk

Paignton station and Churston Station are now capable of holding weddings, we can cater for various numbers, if required we can incorporate the boats too. They are perfect for the reception with room for food and a dance with live music.

 

I'd like to have a railway involved in my wedding somehow but unfortunetly my girlfriend doesnt understand the love for them...she doesn't understanding driving somewhere, to then pay to sit on a train which goes somewhere, then goes back...then you just get back in the car and drive home! I mean when you put it like that it makes sense...but its the mechanics, the smell etc! She does still visit them with me, she says she enjoys it because I enjoy it! And I do try and do something at the 'other end' so its not a "wasted" journey!

Ooooooh well, she is worth it

 

SpudUK - if she's not interesting in a steamy wedding, you'll just have to have your Stag Night on a steam railway instead.

With all these railways offering weddings, how about adding overnight accommodation to the package as well? Just like the old camping coaches. Maybe they shouldn't offer their volunteers' sleeping car, though!

Richard

 

I guess I am lucky as my fiancee loves the industrial revolution and the impact it had on our lives. She did not know much about trains until she met me and likes to go to heritage lines with me and we do a Xmas Cathedrals Express every year. Plus we bring our dog which is welcome at heritage lines. As for driving to a railway and taking a ride nowhere... how many times has she gone shopping, bought something, taken it home, decided she don't like it and taken it back. In both cases it is the experience that matters. Might start an argument as as least she would get her money back.