WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET/WEDDINGSThe essential guide for the Bride and Groom to beThe essential guide for the Bride and Groom to be01.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:37 Page 1Lincolnshire´s Premier WeddingVenueCONTACT CONFERENCE & BANQUETINGT: 01522 793305 or conference@branstonhall.com From the moment you enter the long sweeping driveway leading up to the hotel, you realise that Branston Hall, nestled within the picturesque parklands, is the perfect venue for your special day. We specialise in weddings and with the help of our dedicated wedding co-ordinator, we help you to plan your special day with ease guiding you along the way to organise your perfect LIa?MLLQVO8PW\WOZIXPaWXXWZ\]VQ\QM[IZMMVLTM[[_Q\PQVW]ZOZW]VL[IVL_MKIVM^MVPW[\ÅZM_WZSLQ[XTIa[NWZIVM^MVQVO_Q\Pa special touch. Whatever you do, do not decide on your venue before you come and visit us at Branston Hall Hotel.www.branstonhall.comBranston Hall HotelBranston · LincolnLN4 1PDT: 01522 793305F: 01522 790734info@branstonhall.comallestlediiwithinallnstldddwithinBRANSTON HALL HOTEL • WEDDINGS • PARTIES • SPECIAL EVENTSSugar and Spice Bridal 2C Dixon Close, Lincoln LN6 7UB l Tel: (01522) 533466 www.sugarandspicebridal.co.uk l email: sales@sugarandspicebridal.co.ukStockists of: Bridal Gowns Bridesmaid Dresses Flowergirl Dresses and Bridal Accessories02.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:38 Page 1Welcome to Lincolnshire Today’s Wedding Guide – your complete guide to making sure your big day is remembered for all the right reasons. After the excitement of the proposal, planning the wedding can often prove to be overwhelming. Imagine organising a dinner party, a birthday celebration and kids’ entertainment all at once, attended by everyone you’ve ever known and completely unrepeatable – then double the pressure. What we’re not doing in our Wedding Guide is telling you to follow the suggestions to the letter – the very best weddings are those when the bride and groom put plenty of their own personality into proceedings and create a very special occasion. In these pages, however, our experts should ensure you avoid the most common pitfalls when deciding what will take place, and we also provide inspiration by meeting some couples who made their day extra special. Brides and grooms always tell us that their wedding day seems to be over in a flash, yet it takes months of planning to make sure everything falls into place, and to ensure that guests remember the magic of the occasion. With a bit of luck, you’ll only get to do this once so it’s vital you make sure the event is as you want it. No matter what you decide to do on your big day, in Lincolnshire the myriad of beautiful venues and dedicated wedding specialists means it’s certain to be a fabulous occasion. Let us know how it goes for you – send us a photo and we’ll feature it in Lincolnshire Today! Best wishes, Michael Fisher, Editor and all the Lincolnshire Today team Group Editor: Steve Fisher Editor: Michael Fisher Journalist: Dominic Cuthbert Sales Director: Teri Cooper Sales Manager: Angie Cooper Sales: Kerry Randerson Accounts & Circulation: Angela Sharman, John Downes Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson Advertising: Tel: (01472) 310302 Fax: (01472) 310312 Editorial: Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317 Part Of The Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE Email: weddingguide@blmgroup.co.uk Website: 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 permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, 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.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:39 Page 1ContentsWedding planners6 Planning a wedding has been likened to a military operation – but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the excitement of deciding what will happen Stag and Hen parties8 There are plenty of opportunities to let off steam during the build-up Featured wedding10 Everyone loves a wedding, so we leapt at the chance to chat with Stacey and her recent December wedding to Tommy held at Kenwick Park in Louth to discuss everything from the honeymoon, bridesmaids and dresses, to theme, music and photography Venues12 When you are planning your wedding, the most important question is where you’re holding it. In Lincolnshire, there are plenty of fantastic settings Finishing touches26 After months of planning, there’ll still be final things to organise and sign. It’s as true for the admin as for the wedding itself, and the finishing touches can add that final memorable touch of glamour Cakes28 With baking big news these days it’s perhaps no surprise cakes are becoming more elaborate Entertainment 30 The serious part of your day is over. Time to loosen those ties and get on the dancefloor! Bridal fashion32 The wedding dress is such an ingrained image in our collective consciousness and yet, chances are, taste and style will differ from bride to bride Menswear36 Although the bride grabs most of the attention, grooms are getting more stylish Occasionwear39 You can still make a splash at a wedding without overshadowing the bride Hair and beauty42 Every aspect of special day should be flawless – especially your look 201904-05.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:41 Page 1Jewellery44 Considering a wedding ring can last for a lifetime, it’s worth taking some time on the choice Flowers46 Everything from the bouquet to the buttonholes can help create the mood Transport48 Whether it’s a horse and carriage, a stretch limo or a vintage car, getting to your ceremony and perhaps to your reception is an all-important element of your day Photography50 The availability of photo-technology has made anyone able to take a few quick snaps, but there’s a lot of difference between a photographer and your cousin with an iPhone Videography52 Go back two decades and video camera footage was a lot less than what it is today. So why not create more memories of the big event? Stationery 54 Marriage is a ceremony steeped in tradition, so it’s worth being a little more formal than you normally would Accommodation56 Offering advice on accommodation can ensure more guests make the trip Legalities58 Dotting the Is and crossing the Ts can solve a lot of potential problems Honeymoons60 The wedding may be over, but now is the time to make unforgettable memories New buyers62 Getting married is a new chapter in the life of many, and can often mean a new home is on the horizon Cover photo courtesy of Enzoani04-05.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:41 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding GuideWEDDING PLANNERS6Plan to succeed Thankfully, Lincolnshire is home to a host of fabulous venues and wedding experts who have the knowledge and experience to turn your plans into reality. Some people are wary of making use of wedding planners and specialists, though, envisaging they’ll become bit-part players in a standard wedding template recycled for every other couple. But that’s almost never the case. The role of a wedding specialist is to help make things happen, not tell you what those things are going to be. They’ll be able to let you know if one of your big ideas is likely to be unworkable before you’ve made a commitment to it – or think of a more effective way to do it that will be just as glamorous but less expensive. One vital role for the wedding planner is that of an impartial voice. It’s likely that it won’t just be the happy couple-to-be who’ll have ideas about what they want to see but also their friends and family, and they won’t be shy in pitching them. Often it can be hard for unsuitable ideas to be rejected without looking as if you’re favouring one side over the other, but the wedding specialist can offer their unbiased opinion on why they won’t be able to do everything they wanted. Best of all, the wedding specialists can dot all the Is and cross all the Ts during the build-up while leaving you to look after the more interesting aspects. Certainly, deciding on the dress, the menu and the entertainment can be great fun and you’ll certainly want to keep control of those aspects. But what about the tedious business of making sure all the entertainment licences are up to date, or the caterers have all the facilities they need? They’re vital aspects of the day but they’re not always the most fun, so the wedding specialist can take care of those mundane aspects while you concentrate on the bits that require your input. That’s when they justify their role as an extra pair of hands. Planning a wedding has been likened to a military operation – but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the excitement of deciding what will happen 06-07.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 12:36 Page 1© Shutterstock / oliveromg06-07.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 12:36 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide8The big night out There are plenty of opportunities to let off steam during the build-up © Shutterstock / Roman Samborskyi08-09.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:43 Page 1www.lincolnshiretoday.net STAG AND HEN9First things first, the golden rule for stag and hen events these days is not to hold them the night before the wedding! This staple of TV sitcoms may have been common in the seventies, when a hungover groom would find themselves legging it to the ceremony at the last minute having been removed from a lamppost, but today virtually nobody does it. This has gone hand in hand with stag and hen events becoming increasingly elaborate and for many the stag and hen night has ballooned into a whole weekend. Many see this as the opportunity to cross something of their bucket list and decide that if this is going to be their last great adventure they’re going to go out in style, and schedule it around a big football or rugby match, or some other once-in-a-lifetime experience, possibly involving extreme sports or adventure. If planning the wedding has left you baffled and exhausted, however, you may well just want to relax, and head off to one of the county’s fantastic hotels and spas for a weekend of pampering. Clearing your mind of dress designs and seating plans for a few days while you enjoy massages and beauty treatments is a great way to relax and come back to the planning suitably refreshed. Such is the increased informality of stag and hen events these days it’s not that unusual for the bride and groom to go on them together! Well, the whole idea of it being your last night of freedom seems pretty old hat anyway – you may well already have been living together for years and have similar tastes, so why not? Across Lincolnshire, there are fabulous hotels, fantastic sporting facilities and loads of heritage and countryside to explore, so whatever you’re planning as a special event, the county will have something to offer.© Shutterstock / Vanoa208-09.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 11:43 Page 2Next >