Keep It Sweetly Simple!

Simple easy service with one of Canberra's most experienced celebrants. (I have married over 1400 couples.) Your beautiful, memorable and personalised alternative to a Registry Office wedding. Only one one-hour meeting required and the next time we meet, it's your wedding day!

29 September 2009

Lovely country wedding locations around Murrumbateman NSW

Hello, and welcome.
I have just returned from a delightful interlude in the local countryside with my darling husband David. We stayed at the Royal Tara Motel in Binalong. Marilyn and Tom Duffy are the proprietors, and Tom is chef. In the Yass/Canberra region, Tom is the best caterer I know. If you want him to cater for your country wedding, you’ll have to book a long way in advance.
On the way home through Murrumbateman, we passed Springers Rest cafe/restaurant. It's in an interesting building from colonial days, right on the highway. (That's Springers Rest in the photo above.) Jenny is the owner/chef  of Springers Rest and I highly recommend the service that she and her staff provide.  I have found them to be thorough and thoughtful, and very cheerful.


Here are photos from the happy family wedding of Dyan and Andrew in late September last year. Jenny tells me the family of five has been back recently to celebrate the first anniversary of their most special day.






Coming home yesterday, David and I turned off the highway into Hillview Drive to check out Country Guesthouse Schonegg. I have always wanted to go there, and it’s as good as I imagined. Manager Kirsty showed me through the guesthouse. There’s a small courtyard with a backdrop of open fields. It would be perfect for a small quiet wedding. The dining room caters for about 35 guests and 6 couples can stay the night. Richard and Evelyn, the owners/chefs take great pride in producing memorable meals in a casual elegant atmosphere.
We returned to the highway, turned into Murrumbateman Road, then into Nanima Road. Travelling along Nanima Road, we passed  Redbrow Garden. I visited this large garden once during drought and even when it was stressed, it was beautiful. I am sure it's returned to its normal beauty after the recent rains. I have seen lovely settings there for small to medium sized weddings, and there’s accommodation as well. I haven’t had a wedding there yet.
A driveway of blossoms at Redbrow Garden
Next we drove past Poachers Pantry. I’ve been celebrant at several weddings at this unique location.  There’s an old homestead with a garden where weddings are held, and a new restaurant area. The large gardens mix traditional and bush. The staff takes great care to make guests feel welcome and well-cared for. 
I've been invited to stay a couple of times for the reception after a wedding at Poachers Pantry and had a jolly good time. You can make as much noise as you like as there are no neighbours to disturb! Guests usually arrive and leave by bus and that’s another plus for this venue. If the guests stay in Civic, no-one has to drive after the party.
(Wish I could show you more wedding photos from Poachers Pantry but I didn't ask for the necessary permissions from the people in them.)


Springers Rest, Country Guesthouse Schonegg and Poachers Pantry – these are just three of the excellent wedding venues in our local countryside that I can personally recommend. I'm confident you'll get a very friendly welcome, good service and great food if you choose any one of them for your wedding.

It’s good to see the countryside near Canberra looking green, lush and vibrant again. The local country wedding-scene, is, so I’ve been told, mostly uneffected by the Global Financial Crisis. If you want to hold your wedding at one of the places I've mentioned, you’ll probably need to book well ahead. 


If you'd like me to be your celebrant at a country wedding, I'd be delighted to accept. There'd be an extra fee for travel, but not from my home in Weston. I only charge for return travel beyond the edges of Canberra. For instance, the return journey Hall to Poachers Pantry is 25km. That's an extra $30.



Through my weekly blog I am glad to be able to promote local wedding service providers and the good work they do. Please note that I have no financial or business connections with any of them.


If you'd like to email me about your wedding, please click here.
If you'd like to ask me a question, or leave a comment, you'd be most welcome to do so. 
Just click COMMENTS below.


Till next time
Sincerely
Michele

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