Spring

With the daffodils popping up, and the days getting longer, spring is always a lovely time of year. And it seems our Brides & Grooms agree, with March to May weddings being some of our most popular.

 

The warmer days see a move to the gardens where we once again enjoy drinks receptions on the Gun Terrace and down by our beautiful Lily Pond. The warmer air and the sheltered lower lawns create the perfect ambience for a springtime reception.

  

Our guests enjoy a selection of seasonal canapes, whilst drinking a wonderfully cold prosecco or Pimms. The beautifully tended terraces which lead down to the Lily Pond are starting to flower, with the scent of roses in the air and the sound of bees floating on the breeze.

 

 

The Great Hall is adorned with hundreds of pale pastel blooms with flickering candles dotted between the budding flowers. The warm sun shines through the large windows, creating a soft golden hue. There is a hint of promise in the air, making it the perfect time to say I do.

  

 

With the longer evenings, our guests can enjoy a beautiful sunset from the Gun Terrace, whilst enjoying a post-dinner coffee or perhaps an espresso martini. The music drifts through the air from the Great Hall creating a wonderful party atmosphere both inside and out. And as the sun sets, the evening reception continues in earnest.

 

The Ultimate Guide To...Speeches

Every few months we will be featuring an ‘Ultimate Guide to…’ post. These will range from dress picking to slashing your guest list and so on.

 

This month we are dealing with the Wedding Speeches.

 

The traditional format for wedding speeches is that the Father of the Bride speaks first, thanking guests for coming and toasting his daughter and her new husband. The Groom follows, thanking everyone who has helped with his special day, and toasting the Bridesmaids. Finally, the Best Man speaks about the groom, often regaling amusing and embarrassing stories.

 

 

It is most common that speeches happen after the wedding breakfast. However, some couples will choose to have them before, or even dotted between courses.

 

Although traditions have a very important place during a wedding, sometimes it can be nice to go ‘off piste”. Here are some quirky ideas to mix it up a little:

 

-          Why not do a song or a rap if you are musically gifted? One of the most famous examples is Tom Fletcher (McFly) whose 15 minute song speech is a YouTube sensation. Check it out for inspiration! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27WufdasQYs

-          A flash dance. Persuade your bridal party to perform an energetic dance routine – that’s sure to get the party started.

-          A Bride’s speech – it is still considered unusual and is a lovely surprise for your guests. It is also rather nice to have a ‘female’ voice where you can thank who you would like to thank, rather than someone doing it on ‘your behalf’.  Your husband will love it too as it takes the pressure off him, and he will be full of pride when you can get his mates giggling, and his mother teary-eyed!

 

 

-          Props – these can be a great addition to a speech and be incredibly entertaining for your guests. A flip chart of photos (from cute baby pics to embarrassing stag do photos) or even a video link to guests that can’t be there are great ideas.

 

 

-          Host an interactive ‘game show’ style speech…asking the audience to participate is a fun way to keep everyone interested.