< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWEDDING FASHIONAbove - Augusta Jones:Light and sophisticated, dreamy and elegant, the AugustaJones design is inspired by the Great Gatsby and Old Hollywood glamour. Top right:Intricate patterns work to add depth to a gown, giving the bride that littleextra to make them stand out from the crowd. This piece is available from Jdezire inLincoln.Right - Phil Collins:Designed by Jennifer Anne Gibbs, this piece offers signatureeye-catching detail with for a wedding with a varied colour palette. 46-50_Layout 1 18/08/2015 07:58 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRETODAY51WEDDINGS - GROOMS FASHIONWhile the bride is likelyto steal the show at awedding, it’s stillimportant that thegroom proves he isworthy of her attention.The goal is to keep itsimple, yetsophisticated andstylish – while alsomatching the colourpalette of the bride andwedding itself. Here area few selections fromsome of Lincolnshire’smenswear providers. Standing upto scrutiny PHOTO COURTESY OF HOUSE OF FRASERPHOTO COURTESY OF PERFECTION BRIDAL & MENSWEARPHOTO COURTESY OF PERFECTION BRIDAL & MENSWEARPHOTO COURTESY OF PERFECTION BRIDAL & MENSWEAR51_Layout 1 17/08/2015 12:54 Page 152-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:51 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53WEDDINGSMarriage is one of the most traditionaland ancient rites still practiced by peopletoday, and perhaps it’s the history andsignificance behind it that make it suchan exciting moment for the happycouple. For a long time, the vastmajority of weddings were carried out ina traditional and formal fashion – you’dget engaged quite early on in yourrelationship as it was the done thing todo, the couple would still live in theirrespective family homes before theceremony, which was almost always heldin a church and the parents wouldgenerally pay for most of it - having amajor say in the way the day worked out.Nowadays, this could not be furtherfrom the truth. Of course, traditionalapproaches are still followed today andfor many the idea of anything other thana church wedding would be out of thequestion. But, increasingly, people aregetting married later in life – or indeedmore than once – and that means theygenerally have more money to spend onthe big day. In addition, it’s highly likelythat a couple have lived together forseveral months, or even years, before thebig day and could be already consideredcompletely inseparable. The actualformalities of the marriage ceremonyitself therefore take on decreasedimportance, with the day now serving asa celebration of the relationship.As such, you shouldn’t have to feel youneed to follow all the wedding traditionsto the letter. If you want to go forsomething out of the ordinary, then thereare certainly plenty of options to choosefrom – whether you want to forego thetraditional breakfast for an informal party,or introduce a special theme toproceedings. Across Lincolnshire, the topvenues offer a blank canvas as the settingfor the special day - as you want it.The top venues in Lincolnshire makeuse of their own team of wedding co-ordinators who can help make your dayrun like clockwork. This doesn’t meanthat your plans will be homogenised, orthat you’ll have to follow the never-changing plans wheeled out for everyprevious couple. The role of the weddingspecialists, at the venue, is to help turnyour dreams into reality. The best wedding co-ordinators willlisten to your ideas and work out howbest to realise them on the budget youhave. They usually have vast experienceand will know what will and won’t work,ensuring you don’t spend time on a flightof fancy that would be impossible toarrange. They also have additional valuein helping to dot the I’s and cross the T’son the day. Even if you want to makesure the big day goes exactly as youplanned it, it’s likely you won’t want tospend time worrying whether the tablesare correctly laid out or the sound systemfor the entertainment will work properly.The nuts and bolts of the day can belooked after while you concentrate onthe more enjoyable aspects of theplanning.The increased informality of weddingsexplains why many venues now offer54 ÁMakingit magicalPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MILA SUPINSKAYAA ceremony thousands of years in themaking, and yet still exciting enough to getthe heart racing, we break down some ofthe points that need to be handled whenarranging your own special day. Makingit magical52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 254 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWEDDINGSmarquees to host receptions. This doesn’tmean that the venues themselves aren’tattractive – quite the reverse, and indeedthe law still requires the actual ceremonyto be held in a permanent building ratherthan a temporary structure like amarquee. What it does mean, is that theyoffer an empty space entirely at themercy of your imagination, withouthaving to work around existing fixturesand fittings. So if you want to introduce aspecific colour scheme, this is your bigchance.When it comes to the actual day, thebride’s beauty should be what many arefocused on, and with a wide arrange ofgowns and dresses available throughoutLincolnshire – you’re really spoilt forchoice. However, it’s also worth takingthe time to work on the foundations too,and as such there are many beauticiansand salons that cater to weddings,offering specific packages. One thing tokeep in mind however, is that it’s oftenbest to keep it simple.After all, given the time and expenseyou’ve invested into your wedding dress,the last thing you want is to detractattention from it with an over-elaboratehairdo or excessively dramatic make-up.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KHZ57 Áthe bridal collection at colonia of bailgatecoloniaof bailgate18 bailgate, lincoln, ln1 3an www.colonia-jewellery.com52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 3PLUSTying the knot in style...Priding ourselves on our experience, professionalism and friendliness, we are on hand at all times to make sure that your big day goes off without ahitch (no pun intended), whether it be a small family affair or grand social event. The combination of exemplary service and excellent food ensures a trulymemorable day and rest assured there are no hidden charges or venue hire.Our Wedding Brochures are designed to offer guidance on civil ceremonies andpartnerships, pre-reception drinks, wedding breakfast menus, eveningcelebration and overnight accommodation. If you require any furtherinformation or wish to view the hotel, please do not hesitate to contact amember of our management team who will be happy to assist.BEST WESTERN PLUSBentley Hotel Leisure Club & Spa Newark Road, South Hykeham, Lincoln, LN6 9NH. To find out more call 01522 878000 or visitwww.bentleyhotellincoln.co.ukemail: conf@bentleyhotellincoln.co.ukBentley Hotel Leisure Club & Spa52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 452-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 5You should be aiming to complement thedress and it’s likely that the outfit willplay a part in your thinking.A few weeks before the wedding youshould be able to try out your ideas withone of Lincolnshire’s many hair andbeauty specialists. A good trick is to weara white T-shirt – or whatever colourmatches your dress – and bring anyaccessories you’d like to incorporate onthe day. This will make it much easier forthe stylist to visualise what they areworking towards, and will also make iteasier for you to see if it works. When it comes to the actual day themost important people are obviously thehappy couple themselves. However theexperience of the guests is a major factorif you want to make sure the guests stickaround for all the proceedings ratherthan nip off to a local pub. You wanttheir memories of the day to be thebeauty of the bride, not the awful foodor embarrassing spectacle they werecoaxed into participating in.Catering therefore plays a major partand, if you’re using a hotel then it’s likelythat’ll be included in the package and it’llbe of the highest standards. They’ll havea host of options to choose from, usuallyeven if you’re thinking of moving awayfrom the traditional wedding breakfastTHE OLD PALACE HOTEL | MINSTER YARD | LINCOLN | LN2 1PU enquiries@theoldpalace.org | www.theoldpalace.orgCelebrate your wedding in styleThe Old Palace is one of Lincoln’s most charming and picturesque wedding venues. Situated next to the city’s historic cathedral it has a private chapel, elegant reception facilities and beautiful gardens with spectacular views.For more information please contact our Wedding Coordinator who will be delighted to discuss the requirements for your special day.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY57WEDDINGS59 ÁPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/SERGIY ZAVGORODNY52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 658 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYA perfect wedding venueTRULY MADLY DEEPLYSitting proudly in the medieval splendour of Lincoln Cathedral, the White Hart Hotel is the perfect wedding venue. Your bespoke wedding will be perfectly tailored to your every wish by our dedicated team of professionals.With inclusive packages to suit your ideas, your dream wedding day at the White Hart Hotel could be closer than you think!For further details contact our Wedding Manager onT 01522 563 298 | E weddings@whitehart-lincoln.co.ukBailgate | Lincoln | Lincolnshire LN1 3AR | www.whitehart-lincoln.co.uk52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 7and instead hosting a buffet or justcanapés. If that’s the case, though,make this explicit on the invites toensure guests know what to expect –most wedding guests will assume thetraditional fare will be provided so ifonly canapés are on offer the musiccould end up being drowned out byrumbling stomachs.Most venues will offer choices froma set menu and usually hold a tastingsession in good time for you to samplethe fare they usually offer and plan thedesired menu. You shouldn’t be tooadventurous when deciding on this,though, as your guests may not shareyour tastes. If you’re planning onserving up just one menu, for practicalreasons, make sure it’s something thatwill be acceptable to most. Even ifyou’re going for a Bollywood-themedwedding, it’s probably not the rightplace to serve up the hottest curry youcan find.The skills of the wedding co-ordinators at the venue,together with the flexibility and quality of the facilities, meansyou shouldn’t have to worry too much about the sheerlogistics of the event, but if you’re pondering over how manyguests you should invite to the reception, the general rule is toallow eight square feet per guest if there’s a buffet, and fifteensquare feet if a sit-down meal. If you start inviting morepeople then the chances of dancers constantly tripping overdiners is increased. Obviously if you’re using a live band, too,they’ll take up more space than a disco would (and they’llneed to be fed as well!).Last, by no means least, a wedding is also a time to createunforgettable memories – and for what you’re going to wantsomeone to record the whole experience in some way. Withthe increased level of technology we all have at our finger-tips,it might be tempting to let Good old uncle Joe handle thephotography – he’s a dab hand on the iPhone, even puts hispictures on Twitter sometimes – but this is a perilous decisionat best. Considering the expense that has already been putinto a wedding, going that little bit further to get aprofessional photographer, or maybe even a videographer (orboth!), can help to immortalise the day for many years tocome. Chances are that the parents of both the bride and thegroom are also going to want some pictures for their familyphoto albums, so don’t leave this aspect to chance. By taking advantage of the skill and knowledge of the co-ordinators and planners at Lincolnshire’s top venues, you canbe sure that the day you’ve been looking forward to, for manyyears, will live long in the memory for all the right reasons.A picture perfect setting with elegant surroundings and stunning groundsExcellent attention to detailLicensed for Civil Weddings & Civil Partnerships including outdoor ceremoniesDelicious menus and excellent winesVisit our Wedding Fayre on Sunday 20th September 11am-4pmTo arrange an appointment please call 01526 352411Petwood Hotel, Stixwould Road, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, LN10 6QGwww.petwood.co.uk events@petwood.co.uk Wedding dates available for 2016patrickleverton.co.ukLINCOLNSHIRETODAY59WEDDINGSPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JONAS THUN52-59_Layout 1 17/08/2015 15:52 Page 8Next >