Wedding Blog UK ~ Wedding Ideas ~ Before The Big Day: Venues

Showing posts with label Venues. Show all posts

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Wedding Trends of 2014 - Chill-Out Areas

I don't know about you, but I've been known to get a little tired at weddings. If you think about it, they're something of an endurance test - take in their duration...at least 12 hours, and what you're wearing....sky-high heels and a glamorous {breathe-in!} dress, then throw in the fact you're fed copious amounts of champagne and food.....and it's not surprising some of us might want a little rest half way through the celebrations. I'm not suggesting you supply comfortable mattresses for your guest, but maybe a little chill-out area? I started spotting them at weddings a few months ago, and now they're everywhere. Definitely a trend for 2014 - all you need to decide is your style of chill-out zone. Will you go shabby chic with your mum's old Laura Ashley sofas? Or how about Gentleman's Club style - with lovely vintage leather Chesterfields? Or a zen beach vibe, with lots of squishy bean-bags? Either way, take pity on your friends' feet, and provide a little comfort. More ideas on my Pinterest board & Facebook page.

Friday 1 November 2013

Introducing St Michael's Hotel & Spa for Your Wedding

One of the best weddings I've ever been to was in Cornwall. It was extraordinary - it almost felt like we were in a different country. The weather was beautiful, we were by the sea, and palm trees were growing everywhere.... plus the cream teas were to die for! That's why I'm delighted to recommend St Michael's Hotel & Spa for your wedding venue. This luxury hotel in Falmouth is right on the coast, with stunning views across the sea, and a sub-tropical garden {yippee - palm trees!}. I've fallen for the airy dining rooms, and the chic nautical decor, not to mention the amazing spa. With St Michael's Hotel you have tonnes of choice - you can either celebrate a civil wedding at the hotel, or have your ceremony at a nearby church, and then follow up with a fantastic reception and dinner at the hotel. All your friends and family can stay {make sure you get the Atlantic Suite for your honeymoon night}, and of course you can have plenty of pre- {and post-} wedding spa treatments! They'll even do your make-up in your room on the morning of your wedding, and you could sneak in a quick St Tropez tanning session the night before. It's the perfect location for a destination wedding without the airfare!

{Photo Credit} Kirstin Prisk Photography, more from this wedding on Kirstin's blog

{Photo Credit} Ross Talling Photography, more from this wedding on Ross' blog

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Wednesday 2 October 2013

An Enchanting Vintage Fairy-Tale Wedding Shoot

Take a dreamy summer's day, a gaggle of pretty bridesmaids and a stunning wedding venue, and you're talking some serious wedding-shoot excellence. I've fallen for the fairy-tale orangery at St Clere as the perfect location for your vintage-style wedding reception. There's something about the beautiful garden setting that invokes a dreamy fairy-tale theme, and I love the styling of this Snow White-style wedding shoot. Inspirational ideas to steal include the lace-themed wedding stationery and favour cards, the gauze-wrapped bridesmaids' balloons and the silver-burnished wedding cake. Other loves include the mix of mercury glass and clear crystal vases, and the pretty pastel bouquet by Florist in the Forest. Huge thanks to Jennifer Sue Weddings for her expert styling, and Kay Young Photography for her beautiful pictures. P.S. The private estate and house of St Clere are being offered for weddings in 2014 for the month of July only.

Thursday 9 May 2013

Fabulous Wedding Marquee Inspiration

When it comes to wedding venues the marquee is king. They're the perfect blank canvas for your wildest dreams, and as long as you've got a field, or a decent sized garden, they can be thrown up pretty much anywhere. I'm a huge fan, particularly because a marquee hire wedding usually means the bride and groom get to choose their own wedding vendors - so you can pick a caterer and not pay a corkage charge, saving you money in the long run. But the most exciting element is the endless decorating options! With a little bit of cash and a lot of dash, you can DIY almost any wedding theme, from vintage, to carnival or shabby chic. Just add lanterns, swags, linings, bunting, chandeliers, ribbons, and my favourite, DIY tissue pom poms! Last summer was all about the rustic tipi, and they're still on trend for this year's weddings, but if you're looking for a more modern look, Bees Marquees supplies marquees with transparent roofs. These 'crystal' tents are hugely popular, as you can recreate the feeling of dancing under the stars, even if it rains! Here are a few of my favourite marquee looks - many more on my Pinterest board!

{Photo Credit} Matt Miller of Our Labour of Love - see the full wedding on Ruffled Blog

{Photo Credit} Unknown

{Photo Credit} 1. Red Floral | 2. Blooming Photography - see the whole wedding on Rock n' Roll Bride

{Photo Credit} Fiona's Wedding Photography and FO Photography - see the full wedding on Before the Big Day

{Photo Credit} 1. Unknown | 2. Paul J Andrews Photography - see the full wedding on Boho Weddings

{Photo Credit} We Love Pictures - see the full wedding on Before the Big Day

{Photo Credit} 1. Unknown | 2. Toast of Leeds - see the full wedding on Boho Weddings

{Photo Credit} 1. Victoria Phipps Photography - see the full wedding on Before the Big Day

More posts like this one:

✽ Real DIY Boho Wedding

✽ Glamorous Alice in Wonderland Wedding

♥ Want to see marquee wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more garden weddings? ♥

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Friday 1 March 2013

Introducing Wentbridge House Hotel Wedding Venue

Out of all the decisions you'll be making as you plan your wedding, the biggest is bound to be your wedding venue. Not only will it be the largest chunk of your budget, it'll set the mood for your big day, and could even inspire your wedding theme. That's why I'm thrilled to introduce the Wentbridge House Hotel. This gorgeous four-star country house hotel is set in the beautiful Went Valley in West Yorkshire. Set in stunning {and super-photogenic} gardens, the Georgian-designed, historic hotel, has grandly decorated dining rooms, making it the perfect venue for your wedding. I've fallen for the gorgeous snowy picture - imagine a cosy winter wedding! The hotel is independently owned, and the managers only allow one wedding a day, so you can be sure to have exclusive use of the venue, whatever your wedding size. Celebrate your ceremony in the hotel, or choose the pretty Wentbridge Church, which is only a five minute walk away. For more information, take a look at their wedding brochure and website.

{Photo Credit} Allan Scott Photography

{Photo Credit} Alex & Janet Durasow

♥ Want to see real wedding ideas? ♥ Or how about more wedding theme ideas? ♥

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Tuesday 17 April 2012

Choosing Your Wedding Venue - 6 Questions to Ask

You're engaged! Congratulations! So where are you getting married? If you don't have an obvious venue, this can be the question that strikes fear into a bride's heart. If you're finding it really hard to choose where to celebrate your wedding day, don't worry, you're not alone. I have two newly engaged friends, who are right now tearing their hair out over where to get married. They're both very different - one couple are looking for the perfect field and farm, the others are on the search for the best London landmark, with Kew Gardens high on their list. The venue is key to the type of wedding you'll be having, and that's why it can be the hardest decision. Until you know your wedding style, it's hard to pick your wedding venue. And until you pick your wedding venue, it's hard to pick your wedding style. Argh!! But fear not, help is at hand thanks to Before the Big Day. Here are five questions to help you make a decision.

{Photo Credit} Caught the Light

1. How many people do you want to invite?
2. Home or abroad?
3. Urban or countryside?
4. Decorated or empty?
5. Smart or casual?
6. Budget - big or small?

Or there is the Lucky 7th option....have two weddings like we did! One in France, and one in London. One large and one small. One expensive, one budget. One countryside, one urban. One inside, one outside. One casual, one elegant. The best of both worlds!

♥ Want to see some wedding theme ideas? ♥ Or how about wedding decoration ideas? ♥

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Friday 19 August 2011

Introducing Country House Weddings

When it comes to planning your wedding, the most important decision you make will be your venue. Our guests are still talking about the incredible château in Provence that we hired for our wedding, and there's no doubt the grandeur of the ruins, and the gorgeous gardens created an exclusive feel to our big day. UK brides looking for a similar experience should definitely check out Country House Weddings. They're one of my recent discoveries, and they have four amazing {and award winning} venues - each with its own personality and style. The best thing is that they're totally set up for weddings, unlike my château, where we had to bring everything in for the day, including tables and chairs. What's more, you get exclusive access of the house and gardens for your wedding, and each venue has at least fifteen bedrooms, so your bridesmaids and family can stay the night. With ballrooms, and chapels, and coach houses, and towers and lakes, you'll be blown away by these fairytale venues. The only question being, which one will you pick?