Orsett Hall hosts The Only Way is Essex engagement party (From Thurrock Gazette)

Orsett Hall hosts The Only Way is Essex engagement party

12:31pm Monday 18th April 2011 in News

TOP wedding venues across the county must have been “well jel” after the Orsett Hall got to host the engagement party of two stars from The Only Way Is Essex.

The hit reality TV show’s most talked about couple, Mark Wright and Lauren Goodger, chose the four star hotel in Thurrock as the setting for their lavish engagement party on Thursday.

Mark Wright and best friend Arg were filmed arriving at the party on horseback, in scenes shown on ITV2 last night.

Mark’s fiancee Lauren, who wore a white sequined dress, arrived in a white limousine shortly after.

The party was held in the venue’s gold room, and there were about 80 guests, who filmed at the hotel from 10am on Thursday.

Sarah Vaughan, a manager at the Orsett Hall Hotel, said: “It was fantastic to have the TV show filmed there, we got to meet the cast, and they were all really nice and down to earth.

“We only had a week’s notice for the party.

“We actually called the production team about another event, and they asked if we would be willing to host the engagement party.”

Sarah said the venue was hoping to host the couple’s wedding as well.

She said: “I would like to think we would get the wedding as I think we have built up a good relationship with everybody.

“I think the hotel was shown in a really good way, and you may get to see more of it on Wednesday’s episode.”

Speaking about claims that Mark and Lauren’s relationship is staged for the cameras, Sarah added: “I don’t think so, they seemed genuine.”

Thurrock got more air time on Saturday night as Grays-born comic and actor Russell Brand appeared on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.

The star talked about his childhood in Grays, and his “oscillating” popularity as a pupil at The Grays School.