WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET/WEDDINGS The essential guide for the Bride and Groom to be The essential guide for the Bride and Groom to be 01.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:28 Page 1The Cross Keys Fine Ale - Good Food - Great Pub –––– THE PUB WITH THE VIEW –––– To make a booking please call us on 01652 628247 The Cross Keys Inn, Brigg Road, Grasby, Lincolnshire DN38 6AQ Email: info@crosskeys‐grasby.co.uk www.crosskeys‐grasby.co.uk Outstanding views across the Wolds with Lincoln Cathedral being seen on the horizon on a clear day! The Cross Keys Inn is a traditional style pub that prides itself on delivering an excellent food and drink offer in comfortable surroundings. Located at the top of the pretty Lincolnshire village of Grasby we are just a few steps away from the Viking Way and the view from our restaurant has got to be the best in Lincolnshire! The perfect place for your wedding reception. Deliciously Deliciously Lincolnshire Platinum Awarded for outstanding quality and service by award WWW.LINCOLNSHIRE- TODAY.NET Located in the picturesque village of Messingham, North Lincolnshire, Grange Park offers the ideal venue for your wedding and the grounds provide wonderful, romantic scenery for those all-important photographs. Choose Grange Park as your wedding venue and from beginning to end you will be looked after by our in- house wedding coordinator dedicated to making your special day a truly memorable one & our friendly, professional events team will be happy to offer help & advice to ensure your celebration runs smoothly & put together for you a tailor made package. Come & see what hundreds of other couples have experienced over the years; book your appointment with our wedding coordinator today to view the venue and see how perfect a Grange Park wedding really can be. Contact our events co-ordinator for availability and book your special day today! Telephone: 01724 762945 Email: rebecca@grangepark.com Grange Park, Butterwick Road, Messingham, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire DN17 3PP Packages from £1845 NEWLY REFURBISHED VENUE 02.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:29 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. Welcome 03.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:30 Page 1Contents Wedding planners6 There’s a reason why so many couples include the services of a wedding planner in their preparations. Stag and Hen parties8 Whether you stick with tradition or opt to combine both days into one blowout, no wedding would be complete without the stag and hen parties. Venues10 There’s a lot to consider when selecting the perfect venue, not only for the wedding ceremony itself, but the reception. Finishing touches24 There’s plenty of finishing touches to add a final flourish to your reception from the usual name cards and table decorations to something a bit more out there. Cakes26 A wedding without a cake? Inconceivable. But that doesn’t mean you need to stick with tradition. Entertainment 28 Everyone loves a wedding, so after the ceremony it’s critical to make sure there’s plenty of entertainment for guests to enjoy. Bridal fashion30 There’s not so much rules as guidelines when it comes to wedding dresses, and it’s always better to follow your own instinct than to begrudgingly follow someone else’s advice. It is, after all, your wedding. Menswear36 A wedding might still be billed as the bride’s big day, but the groom is expected to make much more of an effort with his outfit. Occasionwear39 Just because you’re a guest and not the bride or groom, doesn’t mean that’s any excuse not to put the effort in and find an amazing outfit. Hair and beauty42 A wedding dress can transform anyone into a fairy tale princess, but without the right hair, make-up and jewellery, the effect is only half finished. 2020 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:31 Page 1Jewellery44 Wedding jewellery can last a lifetime, so ensuring both parties are happy with their choice is important. Flowers46 From colour to style, season and scent, wedding flowers can convey style and meaning that can define the pallet of the event. Transport48 Arriving in style to your wedding can bring the event together, and in today’s age of Instagram and social media, is more important than ever. Photography50 Photographs are more important than ever in today’s online world, which is why it can be tempting – but not always a good idea – to leave it to a smartphone. Videography52 Why only have still memories saved forever when an entire show can be made of your special day? Stationery 54 There’s a certain pleasure in the formalities, even the invitations, gifts and stationery available at the tables. It’s all part of the charm. Accommodation56 Considering how far people may have to travel nowadays, having accommodation close by for friends and family can help save time and stress. Legalities58 It’s possibly the least exciting part of a wedding, but still the most important. Don’t take anything for granted when it comes to ensuring everything goes off without a hitch. Honeymoons60 The day is over and the rest of your lives together are about to begin – bur first, a little fun and relaxation. New buyers62 It’s not uncommon for couples to already be living together before marriage, but nor is it to look for a new family home – especially if additional family members are expected. Cover photo shows Lourdes from Blue by Enzoani available from Belle & Bouquet, Lincoln 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:31 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide WEDDING PLANNERS 6 The prospect of planning any wedding can be understandably daunting. After all, with so much to get right, there’s a lot that can go wrong. A wedding is often more than the sum of its parts – there’s the ceremony itself to consider, as well as the reception and everything that comes with it. With all that in mind, the fact that most couples opt for the stress- saving services of a wedding planner is hardly surprising. The planner works in the couple’s best interest, taking on as much or as little as required. More often than not, this just means appropriating the ‘duller’ parts that nonetheless need attending to. That way, the couple can still have all the fun of choosing the entertainment, the menus and the location, without needing to immerse themselves on the admin side of things. If it’s needed, a planner’s expertise is always on hand for guidance and opinion, providing options and troubleshooting when required. A wedding planner is also able to take the difficulty of choice out of the equation. If, for example, the bride is torn between two dresses, or the groom can’t decide on a seating plan, a planner can help you make choices, or at the very least provide a fuller explanation of the options on offer. This way, choosing one style of cake over another, or wondering what font to use on the invitations is suddenly a lot simpler. One of the planner’s greatest strengths, though, is helping to achieve the dreams of the soon-to-be bride and groom. Sometimes, what the couple want might not always be achievable, but drawing on the planner’s network and industry knowhow allows the couple greater opportunities than they perhaps would have had otherwise. It’s testament to the profession that a wedding planner worth their salt won’t often be noticed, working instead behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly and without incident. A wedding is very much a personal event, one which couples invite their friends and family to witness. The planning stages can sometimes put up hurdles to overcome and sharing the workload can mean the difference between a relatively stress-free affair and worrying over everything on the day. Of course, planners aren’t to everyone’s taste as many will want to intricately plan every detail themselves, but for those that want the help, guidance and companionship, wedding planners are worth every penny. Stick to the plan There’s a reason why so many couples include the services of a wedding planner in their preparations. 06-07.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:32 Page 1© Shutterstock / oliveromg 06-07.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:32 Page 2Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide STAG AND HEN 8 Building up a sweat seems to be the consensus among the bridegroom and his friends, and while the pub might be non-negotiable, there are plenty of exciting options to get the blood pumping before the tipple starts to flow. Paintballing has long been a firm favourite, and the beauty of the skirmish is in the numbers needed. Not only can the groom rope in his friends and family, but chances are there’ll be others looking to play on the day. Because of the competitive element and physicality, paintballing is very much an activity to hold at least two weeks before the wedding – stiff limbs and bruises are hardly ideal for tying the knot. For an altogether more immersive experience, the groom can opt for Airsoft, which offers added realism with much less of the pain factor. Other activities can range from quad bikes and go karts, to even more adventurous options such as skydiving, jet-skiing or zorbing. There’s an undeniable catharsis in having a run around before getting the pints in, but a stag do offers the groom-to-be the chance to tick off an activity that’s topped the to-do list for years, whether it A fond farewell to pre-married life Whether you stick with tradition or opt to combine both days into one blowout, no wedding would be complete without the stag and hen parties. © Shutterstock / Africa Studio 08-09.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:34 Page 1www.lincolnshiretoday.net 9 be kayaking or a 4X4 experience. An increasingly attractive option is to opt for a weekend away, one packed with activities and pub crawls, though here in Lincolnshire we’ve almost everything you could want for on your doorstep. Any choice is likely to give the best man fodder for the inevitably embarrassing speech. Pampering is a welcome pleasure at any time of the year, but before a wedding it can be complete and utter bliss. A spa treatment is a tried and tested means of alleviating the stress and tension of planning, and setting it closer to the wedding is almost advisable. Dance, clubbing and pampering haven’t lost any of their appeal, but some of the most popular options for hen dos are action-oriented outdoor activities. The temptation might be to bring mobiles and tablets to capture every moment, but giving the selfies a miss might be advisable when it comes to storming an assault course or gunning it round a race track. © Shutterstock / Monkey Business Images © Altitude 44 Marriage is evolving and odds are couples will have been co-habiting long before the big day, so combining both options into one big blow out might be the best way to bid bon voyage to pre- married life. Many venues and activities will already cater for his and her options, whilst others actively encourage it. From spa treatments to archery, combining both events into one can double the fun and leave some lasting memories. Whatever option, Lincolnshire’s enduring variety of hotels, facilities and heritage sites ensure that everything you could possible need is only ever a stone’s throw away. WWW.LINCOLNSHIREAIRSOFTCLUB.CO.UK 08-09.qxp_Layout 1 27/01/2020 09:34 Page 2Next >