WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET/WEDDINGSThe essential guide for the Bride and Groom to be01_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:47 Page 102_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:47 Page 1Welcome to Lincolnshire Today’s Wedding Guide– everything you need to know in the run up to thebig day. With a bit of luck, you’ll only get marriedonce, so it’s got to be the most spectacular ofoccasions.No matter what you decide to do on your bigday, in Lincolnshire the myriad of beautiful venuesand dedicated wedding specialists means it’scertain to be a fabulous event. The intention of this guide is not toprovide you with a list of rules and regulations to which you’re not todeviate from, but instead offer you a host of inspiring ideas to getyou thinking about what you’d like to happen.The very best weddings are those when the bride and groom putplenty of their own personality into proceedings and create a veryspecial occasion. You can always do with a helping hand, though, andthroughout these pages our experts should ensure you avoid themost common pitfalls when deciding what will happen.Certainly after the excitement of the proposal the planning cansometimes totally overwhelm. But we’ve arranged this guide inchronological order so you can work out your plans. The aim is toensure the day itself is trouble-free and you’re able to enjoy everymagical moment – and we hope our guide will help you achieve that.Let us know how the special occasion goes for you – send us aphoto and we’ll feature it in Lincolnshire Today!Best wishes,Michael Fisher, Editor and all the Lincolnshire Today teamGroup Editor: Steve Fisher Editor:Michael Fisher Journalist:Dominic CuthbertSales Director:Teri Cooper Sales Manager:Angie Cooper Sales:Kerry Randerson Accounts & Circulation:Angela Sharman, John Downes Design & Production:Gary Jorgensen, Mark CassonAdvertising:Tel: (01472) 310302 Fax: (01472) 310312 Editorial:Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317Part Of The Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street,Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE Email: weddingguide@blmgroup.co.ukWebsite: www.lincolnshiretoday.net/weddings ISSN No: 1366-1299© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permissionof the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first tothe publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher norits participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colourtransparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher.Welcome03_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:48 Page 1ContentsWedding planners6Wedding planners can help things run smoothlywhile staying out of the spotlightStag and Hen parties8Stag and Hen dos are no longer simply ‘drink asmuch as you can’ for many, some demand anadded sense of adventure in their last acts as asingleton!Venues10Lincolnshire’s top wedding venues and specialistscan help you put your big ideas into practiceFinishing touches26The finishing touches of a wedding help to addpanache, yet they are oft-forgotten until the lastminuteCakes28With the prevalence of designer cakes makingsomething once relegated to Willy Wonka bothachievable and affordable, the wedding cake isnow more than ever the centre point of anyweddingEntertainment 30The serious part of your day is over, and it’s timeto let loose on the dance floor!Bridal fashion32For many, the choice of a wedding dress allowsthem to achieve an ambition from childhood andfeel like a fairytale princess – and Lincolnshire’sbridal fashion specialists can certainly help makeyou find the right outfit for a totally romanticoccasionMenswear36It could be said that men have a limited choice forwhat to wear for their nuptials. Rubbish, you canbe as individual as you likeOccasionwear39You obviously don’t want to overshadow the brideon their big day – but that doesn’t mean you can’tmake a splash yourself when deciding on occasionwearHair and beauty42Accentuate the positive with subtle and sensualbeauty201804-05_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:52 Page 1Jewellery44One aspect of your wedding that stands the testof time is your jewelleryFlowers46Ensure everything’s coming up glorious with yourflower choicesTransport48The big entrance at the venue is one of the mostanticipated moments of the whole wedding, so it’sdefinitely something you’ll need to considercarefully. You’ll only get to do it once, so it has tobe done rightPhotography50Photographs of your big day continue to be bestleft to the professionalsVideography52Gone are the days of the shaky, amateur weddingfootage of old - videos of your wedding are nowsmoothly-edited, digital wonders!Stationery 54The joy of marriage lies in the formalities and thetraditions, so the excitement of sending andreceiving invitations remains a vital part of the build-upAccommodation56Top quality accommodation could make thedifference for potential guestsLegalities58Make sure you’ve dotted the Is and crossed the TsHoneymoons60What better way to relax after the stress of the bigday than with a romantic break?New buyers62Getting married is a new chapter in the life ofmany, and can often mean a new home is on thehorizonCover photo courtesy ofshutterstock.com/Dneprovsky04-05_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:52 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding GuideWEDDING PLANNERS6UnsungheroesWedding planners can help things run smoothlywhile staying out of the spotlightEntertaining though planning the wedding can be, there areaspects which aren’t quite so much fun – if you think choosingthe dress and deciding on the music for the first dance ischallenging enough, requiring extensive study, what about someof the less thrilling logistical aspects? Is the venue licenced toplay music or serve alcohol? Are there going to be facilities tocook and store the food or will you have to hire someequipment? Might you need insurance in case something cropsup at the last minute?It’s not surprising, therefore, that most people decide to makeuse of specialist wedding co-ordinators and planners to farmout the least romantic aspects of planning the big day. Indeed,most venues now offer this as part of the package. The best ofthese play a vital role in the smooth running of the big daywithout taking the more creative decisions out of your hands.The co-ordinators at the venues aren’t in the business oftaking the most exciting aspects of the wedding off your handsand simply casting you in the role of extras in their never-changing script. The fun aspects of planning a wedding –choosing the menus, the guest list, the entertainment and thetheme – will still be down to you, though they will doubtless beable to offer a host of sensible suggestions that should helpreduce the final bill.It may be the case that in their experience your ideas can’t berealised on the budget or in the location you’ve chosen andthey’ll tell you – but they’ll also be able to adapt these conceptsso you can still put plenty of your own personality intoproceedings. At the end of the day, they’ll disappear and you’llget all the kudos!The bride and groom are always the most important peopleat the wedding and it’s entirely up to them what takes place onthe day. Yet it’s hard to imagine even the most hands on coupleget quite so enthused about some of the duller aspects ofhosting an event, so wedding planners can play a vital, thoughusually unnoticed role.06-07_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:53 Page 1© Shutterstock/oliveromg06-07_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:53 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide8Cry freedom!Stag and Hen dos are no longer simply ‘drink as much as youcan’ for many, some demand an added sense of adventure intheir last acts as a singleton!© Shutterstock/Pressmaster08-09_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:56 Page 1www.lincolnshiretoday.net STAG AND HEN9Whether hen or stag, you will nodoubt have something in mind foryour last big celebration before yourbig day. The choice is ultimatelyyours, but some inspiration for yourbest man or maid of honour isalways welcome.As packed with stag and hensolutions as it has wedding venues,Lincolnshire is a perfect area to letgo if you don’t want to travel too far.For stags, the manly pursuitsmarket is teeming with options, youcould don the mask, load up yourgun and spend a fulfilling afternoonfiring round after round of paintballsat your mates, race round a mudtrack on quad bikes or even attemptsomething crazy like skydiving.Brewery tours are a great way to start off,especially with the amazing beer that’screated within the county and some evenoffer accommodation for those who havepartaken of the hop and grape a bit toomuch!For hens, pampering and relaxation is thename of the day, followed of course by anight on the tiles. Why not arrange to goaway for the weekend and take a bit of thestrain off arranging the big day? Forget theseating arrangements and invitations for awhile and have a great time with your bestfriends, you only get the chance to go for itonce, so really go for it! If you manage to pullit off with any sort of style, then you couldhave an event to rival your wedding! Justremember the golden rules these days is tonever head out on either event the nightbefore your wedding - this isn’t the 1970s! Agood night’s sleep and a fresh as a daisylook first thing is what is required.All of this proves you really don’t have toventure too far from home to have a greatcelebration with your friends, it’s all withinthe county’s borders. Why would you goanywhere else?Cheapside, Holton-Le-Clay, Grimsby DN36 5DZTel: 01472 823823www.karting.ccStag and Hen partiesWhy not organise a group booking -we can tailor events to suityour requirements!Chequered Flag Karting is the ideal venue forcorporate and team building events, social, stag andhen parties. We can provide buffets and pre-bookedevents are guaranteed exclusive use of our venue.© Chequered Flag Karting08-09_Layout 1 26/01/2018 08:56 Page 2Next >