The familiar phrase “something old, something new…” is an adage that could just as well apply to the wedding planning as the outfit. Okay, maybe not the blue bit (save that for the stag night) but you can certainly cherry pick plenty of ideas and craft a unique mix of the traditional and the contemporary.
There’s now a great sense of informality around weddings than ever before. Rather than simply following the familiar template that has been passed down through the generations, modern marriages are happy to dispel with a few traditions, bring in a few new ideas and end up with their own special day that better represents the happy couple, their tastes and, perhaps most importantly of all, their relationship.
Throughout any wedding day there’ll be numerous opportunities to stamp your own personality on proceedings, whether that’s with the décor, your choice of menu or indeed the make-up of the ceremony itself.
Of course, the wedding ceremony has a special dignity all of its own – especially because the law forbids weddings being hosted outside or in temporary locations, so bungee jumping brides are out – but that doesn’t mean it has to dominate the day and if you want, you can get that out of the way and concentrate on the party.
If you want tradition, though, Lincolnshire’s got it in spades and you can absolutely pile on the romance. We’re fortunate to have dozens of beautiful venues, set in stunning surroundings, which will create a very special atmosphere and look fantastic for the photos.
Although you may wish to be completely creative and come up with an exhaustive timetable of entertainment and unique experiences, there is something to be said for at least a bit of tradition – if only for your guests. It’s likely that your wedding guest list will be far more diverse than any other event, with guests’ ages ranging from nine months to ninety years. That doesn’t mean everything has to be blanded out, but it’s worth bearing it in mind to make sure there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Although the big day is, of course, all about the happy couple, the experience of the guests is all-important – you want their memories of the day to be the beauty of the bride, not the awful or non-existent food, and you want to keep the party going as long as possible rather than everyone making their excuses as soon as is politely possible. It’s likely that some of your older guests may well expect at least some traditional aspects and, while they might be a bit familiar, that doesn’t make them any less special, so it’s worth considering who you’ve invited before you decide to go for any wild diversions from the norm.
You may even think of opening up a separate room away from the band or disco so that some of your older guests, who may not appreciate the music, are able to talk and relax in comfort and peace. You don’t have to shut them out, but they’re unlikely to spend very long at the reception if the speakers are pumping out relentlessly all night.
Similarly, if you’re planning to invite lots of children, it’s probably worth thinking about setting space aside for them to play later in the evening, and if there’s a whole army of pre-teens you could even take the step of hiring some kids’ entertainers to keep them occupied. Okay, you’re not organising a children’s party but the other alternative is a bunch of hyperactive children running around the dancefloor all night, which some of your guests may not appreciate.
Lincolnshire’s venues can provide the perfect setting, with many fine stately homes and luxury hotels. But you don’t have to plan your wedding’s colour scheme or theme purely around the venue’s existing décor. Many venues offer up marquees to provide you with an absolute blank canvas, ensuring you can enjoy all the convenience of a top hotel with food and drink on tap while also having the flexibility to transport your guests into a host of imaginative settings. They’re also safely enough away from the accommodation to ensure the party can carry on into the night without annoying those who aren’t attending.
Making use of a marquee also allows for a valuable change of scenery, meaning your guests won’t spend the whole day staring at the same four walls. You could, of course, plan the event to take place at a number of different venues to have the same effect but then you run the risk of guests getting lost when travelling – and you can be sure that if there’s any chance of that happening, someone almost certainly will.
As long as you don’t overwhelm the setting with too much design, and make guests feel like extras, being creative and imaginative will certainly ensure your big day sticks in people’s minds. Take inspiration from wherever you find it, from Hollywood to Bollywood, and Lincolnshire’s wedding specialists will help you make it a reality.
