Wondering whether a winter wedding is for you? If you’re unsure whether to book your big day in the summer or winter, read on to discover why the Manor By The Lake wedding planners love a seasonal celebration.

If you’re not quite convinced that a winter wedding is for you, we’ve rounded up what we think are the best reasons for getting hitched during the winter months.

1. No need to fret about the weather

If you have a crisp, clear day, you’ll capture some gorgeous photographs around the grounds during the wintery daylight. But let’s face it, if you choose a winter wedding, you can’t always count on the weather being reliable.

However, at Manor By The Lake that isn’t a problem. The Victorian Manor boasts a bright, stunning indoor environment were your guests will enjoy mingling in the warmth and relaxing. The impressive Library, Hall, Staircase and Rock Bar can offer a wide range of stunning backdrops for wonderful photographs without having to be shuttled outside into the cold.

2. Off peak date = off peak pricing

If you’ve chosen a date in January, you’re going to be paying a lot less for your magical day than if you’d chosen a date in August. Venues are in much less demand during the winter months meaning you can have the exact same venue, entertainment and food, for a lower price.

3. Brightening everyone’s New Year

January and February are often quiet months after the excitement and celebration of Christmas and New Year. What better way to brighten everyone’s January than by holding your wedding during the quietest month of the year. It gives everyone something to look forward to, and helps them avoid the post Christmas blues.

4. Dare to be different

With flowers in more limited supply in winter, this is the perfect excuse to embrace a more dramatic look and feel to your decor. Our West-wing Ballroom is offered with its Winter Wonderland theme included for your special day so why not enhance your own bouquets and arrangements with pine cones, feathers or even baubles. With no fresh flowers to wilt, your arrangements will look great for the days and weeks to come – a lovely reminder of your fabulous day.

5. Embrace the darkness

With much shorter daylight hours, you’ve got plenty of opportunity to create a magical atmosphere by playing up to the natural darkness. Candles, lanterns and tealights create a wonderfully romantic mood thanks to their soft glow. The Manor and lakeside paths are always lit beautifully through the winter months creating a fairytale castle atmosphere for your guests as they arrive. For an extra evening thrill why not enjoy sparklers in the garden, children will love them (and so will the adults!).

6. The gorgeous glow of a real fire

Who doesn’t love curling up in front of a roaring log fire? When the weather is cold and dark, there’s nothing better than escaping the elements and cosying up next to a splendid Victorian fireplace. Your guests will love the excuse to gather in front of the fire, and it gives you the perfect excuse to cuddle up to your loved one or get some wonderful candid photographs of friends and relatives relaxing in the warmth.

7. A comforting winter feast

Forget delicate dishes and go for all out comfort food. Your guests will love a hearty meal on a cold, wintery day and there’s no need to sacrifice style. Roasted Longhorn rib of beef with red wine gravy or braised lamb shoulder make wonderful choices, but if you’re after something different try some game, such as seared Madgett’s duck breast or seared venison Loin with all the trimmings. You can carry the winter theme over to your drinks choices too and enjoy mulled wine or cider, winter Pimms or even hot vodka cocktails to welcome your guests.

8. Last but definitely not least…

When your day is over, and the realisation that it’s the middle of winter kicks in, you’ll be able to jet off to a tropical paradise for your honeymoon. With many long haul destinations providing a warm escape during our winter, you will have plenty of choice for affordable guaranteed sunshine.

We hope we’ve given you some great inspiration for a wonderful winter wedding! For more advice on all things wedding related, why not give our knowledgeable wedding planners a call today. And while you’re at it, you could arrange a private tour of our stunning Manor house. Give us a call on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk to find out more about Manor By The Lake.

If you’ve set the date for a summer wedding then you’re hopefully going to benefit from beautiful blue skies, glorious sunshine and balmy temperatures. So, what you don’t want to experience is a makeup meltdown thanks to the gorgeous summer weather.

Our Manor By The Lake wedding planners have rounded up all the top tips you need to glow, rather than shine, on your big day!

1. Prep Your Skin

If you’ve got even the slightest hint of oily skin, then we suggest investing in an oil-free moisturiser to help keep any shine at bay. It may also be worth looking into a specific product to achieve a matte finish – No.7 do a brilliant shine-beating primer that you apply after moisturising and before applying foundation.

2. Blotting Sheets

Regardless of whether or not you suffer from oily skin, a pack of blotting sheets is essential. This genius invention allows you to do super swift touch ups at the first hint of any shine or moisture that might threaten to ruin your photographs.

3. Oil Free Foundation

If you’re blessed with gorgeous, youthful and blemish-free skin then you may be able to skip foundation altogether and simply use concealer to tackle any uneven patches. If however, you’re like the rest of us, then a base is essential! We recommend using an oil-free foundation and applying it with a foundation brush rather than your fingers, to reduce the risk of sweaty or oily fingertips ruining the finish.

4. Waterproof Mascara

Trust us, even the most serious brides are prone to the odd bottom lip wobble moment on their wedding day. Don’t run the risk of sporting unattractive panda eyes and use a waterproof mascara for your wedding day celebrations. You’ll be surprised at how emotional the day can be, and it will often be the most surprising and unexpected moments that take your breath away. Make sure your maid of honour has a pack of tissues on hand, and trust us on the mascara front!

5. Blush

If your wedding day turns out to be really hot, we know from experience that as the heat reaches your makeup, blusher can be the first thing that starts to slide. We recommend you steer clear of creamy products as these can streak on warm skin and encourage unwanted shine. A soft, powdery based formula will stay fresh for longer and will help to absorb any excess oil.

6. Lip Tricks

You’ll spend a lot of your wedding day kissing, drinking and eating so how on earth can you manage to keep your lipstick in one place for more than 5 minutes? Simple. Exfoliate your lips in the run up to your wedding day by using a gentle face scrub applied with a toothbrush. On the big day itself, apply lip balm to begin with and make sure you line your lips with a lip pencil in a complementary shade to your lipstick. Once you’ve applied your lipstick, blot with a tissue and waft over some face powder whilst the tissue is still in place. Finally, apply one last coat of lipstick and you’re ready to face the day!

7. Emergency Touch Up Kit

Finally, don’t forget to take a touch up makeup kit with you once you leave your home or hotel. Entrust the essentials to a bridesmaid if you’re not carrying your own clutch bag and make sure you’ve got a powder compact, blotting sheets, lipstick and a tiny concealer to hand at all times. Now you’re good to go.

At Manor By The Lake we’re complete wedding experts and love helping couples prepare for their big day. We’d love to help you plan your summer wedding so why don’t you give our fabulous wedding planners a call today on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk to book a private tour of our stunning country Manor House.

There are plenty of well-known traditions associated with weddings, but have you ever wondered where they come from, and if they should influence your own day?

Read on and we’ll reveal the truth behind these traditions.

Wedding Traditions – Name the day

There are plenty of practical reasons why couples choose to marry on a Saturday, but did you know that each day of the week has a specific meaning associated with it?

Monday for wealth

Tuesday for health

Wednesday for the best day of all

Thursday for losses

Friday for crosses

Saturday no luck at all

At Manor By The Lake we always encourage our couples to consider alternative day’s of the week to get married. Most venues will be booked up for at least a year or two in advance for the most popular Saturday dates, so why not heed the superstitions, and pick a Wednesday for your wedding?

And as for which month is the most fortuitous, the Romans believed that marrying in the month of June would mean your union would be blessed by Juno – the Queen of the Gods and protector of married life. We personally believe that there are positive reasons associated with every month of the year, whether you dream of a spring wedding, or winter wonderland nuptials.

Ringing the change

The giving and receiving of an engagement ring is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. In Ancient Egypt, betrothed couples signified their intention to marry by wearing a ring on the 4th finger. The belief is that a vein in this finger runs straight from the hand to the heart, a wonderfully romantic reason to seal the deal with a ring. The tradition exists to this day with most couples still choosing to celebrate their engagement with a ring.

Diamonds are the most popular choice for engagement rings, although coloured gemstones are experiencing something of a resurgence. Diamonds are loved due to their durability as they are the hardest precious stone and therefore make a sensible purchase as they are going to be worn every day. And of course, the genius marketing by De Beers stating, “A diamond is forever” hasn’t hurt their sales figures over the years!

Courting the cook

Did you know that the word ‘bride’ comes from the Teutonic word meaning ‘cook’? We’re not sure how relevant this is in today’s society – we’re thinking perhaps this could be considered a little sexist in our 21st-century world! This is one tradition we think can be left well alone unless of course, the bride-to-be just happens to be a chef, in which case, it’s a happy coincidence that this association exists!

Favoured favours

For hundreds of years, couples have followed the tradition of giving their guests a small gift as a memento of their wedding day. In high society weddings in the 17th century, it was common for guests to receive luxurious gifts of scarves, gloves and even jewellery. Later, it became popular to give 5 delicately coloured sugared almonds, with the 5 signifying health, wealth, fertility, happiness and long life. Today, we find couples are much more creative with their choices of favours, handing out everything from homemade jam, to personalised playlists.

Whether you’re planning on sticking with tradition, or breaking free and doing things your own way, our expert wedding planners at Manor By The Lake can help guide and advise you on every detail. To arrange a private tour of our beautiful Manor, call Manor By The Lake on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk

At Manor By The Lake we realise that, although it may not be the most inspiring aspect of planning a wedding, setting the right budget before you begin is extremely important as it can affect the decisions and choices you make about every part of your wedding. A small budget doesn’t mean you should have to compromise on quality though.

Here at Manor By The Lake we have collated 5 simple ways to save money on your wedding without having to settle for second best!

1. Set the budget

We know that setting a budget isn’t quite as exciting as shopping for your wedding dress, deciding on a theme or choosing your shoes. However, it’s an important decision that will have a big influence on all of those things so it’s the job that needs to be done before anything else.

Once the budget is set you’ll be able to dedicate more time and energy to the fun parts of planning your wedding!

2. Shop around

Weddings are a huge industry and there is plenty of choice when shopping for dresses, cakes, photographers and everything thing else that goes into creating your perfect day.  This also means that there is a lot of competition out there with shops and suppliers becoming skilled at persuading you to buy their particular product or service.

Make sure you spend some time shopping around to ensure that you are getting the right product for you for the best price.

3. Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Many wedding providers will be willing to do a deal on the price of their venue, service or product as long as you are reasonable and realistic.  Although some costs are fixed, such as church or registry office fees, there is a chance that everything else can be negotiated.

Some providers also add a premium for weddings so it can be beneficial to try and get an event quote and then mention it’s a wedding once you have agreed on a price.

4. Ask friends and family for help

Think about whether you know anyone who might be able to offer their skills or services for your big day. Perhaps you have a friend who makes a great cake? Or a family member who loves arts and crafts and can make your invitations or table decorations?

Friends and family love to be involved so including them in your wedding preparations with these meaningful handmade touches will make your wedding more personal and save money in the process too!

5. Get creative

There are lots of ways that you can get creative with your planning to help save money.

Get creative with – the wedding date. Choosing a midweek wedding can save money on venues and other services that the average wedding requires.  Ask about the different Collections and special offers that we have here at Manor By The Lake or consider a cancelled or last minute date as these can provide huge savings too.

Get creative with – your wedding theme. Vintage weddings, using second-hand mix and match items, are a great way to achieve a stylish, eclectic wedding theme and save money at the same time.

Get creative with – wedding items. Why not get really creative and make your own table decorations, invitations and wedding favours? Suits, wedding dresses and jewellery can also be hired or purchased second hand, for reasonable prices, which means you can save money without having to compromise on quality.

Get creative with – your expectations. It’s important to keep your budget in mind when planning your wedding and to set achievable goals and expectations.  Just because you don’t have an ‘A-list’ budget doesn’t mean you can’t have a fantastic wedding.

Have fun thinking about the simple ways to make your wedding memorable and unique.  This could be adding meaningful handmade elements to the tables instead of wedding favours, a BBQ or Hog Roast instead of a formal dinner or a tower of cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake…the options are endless!

For more advice on all things wedding related, why not give our knowledgeable wedding planners a call today. And while you’re at it, you could arrange a private tour of our stunning country Manor house. Give us a call on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk to find out more about Manor By The Lake.

With seemingly everything available for budget-conscious brides and grooms on the High Street, you don’t need to look far to source everything you need for your big day.

This week our Manor By The Lake wedding planners have rounded up their top tips for wedding favours that are easily and cost-effectively purchased from your local High Street.

1 Packets of Seeds

We know that you can order personalised seed packs that make great wedding favours, but if time or budget doesn’t allow for a bespoke option, we love the idea of giving all your guests a simple off-the-shelf packet of seeds that they can take home and grow.

Whether you go for wildflower mixes, or maybe a specific plant or vegetable, there are literally hundreds of options available in your local garden centre.

We Love:

Basil Seed Cell from Dobbies Garden Centres, £0.99 each (currently £0.50 in summer sale)

2 Charity Pin

Wedding favours are a good way to raise awareness of a cause or charity close to your heart. Most of the larger charities sell pins and badges and ask for a donation of around £1 per pin, but if you prefer to support a smaller or more local charity, you could simply make a donation to them and then print cards for each of your guests explaining what you’ve done.

We Love:

Alzheimer’s Society Forget-me-not pin, £1.25 each or £9.99 for 25 tent cards.

3 Gourmet Popcorn

Edible favours are always popular so why not opt for a guaranteed crowd pleaser such as popcorn. There are loads of different flavours to choose from, and these can be easily bought from all the major supermarket chains.

We Love:

Tyrrells Poshcorn, £1.79 for 5 bags (mix of sweet and salty)

4 Jam

Continuing the edible theme, what about leaving your guests a jar of jam or honey to take away with them? We defy you to find anyone who doesn’t love a slice of hot buttered toast with lashings of jam. Choose yours and your partner’s favourite flavours to add a personal touch.

We Love:

Tiptree Strawberry Conserve, £2.09 a jar

5 Sweets

If you’re not splashing out on a sweetie cart, then giving your wedding guests a bag or packet of sweets is always going to be a winner. Stick with the romantic theme and hand out packets of Love Hearts, or maybe go retro with a Sherbet Fountain.

We Love:

Retro Candy Wrist Bracelets, £1.15 for 3

6 Lottery Ticket

If you can bear the thought that they might win big, then why not gift your guests a lottery ticket each? You can opt for the traditional Lotto draw ticket so there’s time to build up anticipation, or alternatively get everyone into a frenzy with their own scratch card for instant gratification!

We Love:

National Lottery Scratchcard, £1 each for the chance to win £100,000

7 Kinder Surprise

There is no one alive who doesn’t love a Kinder Surprise egg! Who can resist that creamy white chocolate bonded to a milk chocolate shell and then the added fun of a surprise gift nestled inside. As far as we’re concerned this is a complete winner of an idea.

We Love:

Kinder Surprise Egg, £2 for a pack of 3

8 Spices

Add a little spice to everyone’s life by gifting jars of herbs or spices. Perfect gifts from a couple who love to cook, or those who love to travel as you can inject a little personality through the spices that you choose to gift.

We Love:

Tesco Own Branded Spice Range, from £0.85 a jar

We hope we’ve given you some great inspiration to source some fun but cost effective wedding favours for your guests. For more advice on all things wedding related, why not give our knowledgeable wedding planners a call today. And while you’re at it, you could arrange a private tour of our stunning country Manor house. Give us a call on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk to find out more about Manor By The Lake.

The thought of organising a large wedding, with a long guest list, endless preparations and the cost of a nice venue sometimes has couples giving up on the idea before they even start. If this is you, we have an answer that might just fit the bill. The Manor By The Lake Intimate Wedding.

The Intimate Wedding allows you to enjoy your special day in the exclusive surroundings of one of the Cotswolds’ most prestigious venues, in complete privacy without costing the earth. Here’s why it makes so much sense.

1. Guests

As the name implies the Intimate Wedding keeps your ceremony and wedding breakfast list to just 24 people. No more worrying about offending friends, as people do understand when they’re told it’s just going to be a small family event. You will be able to invite a wider circle of friends to the evening reception, but keeping the ceremony and wedding breakfast small will allow you to relax with your chosen guests at the Manor and really enjoy the spectacular food we have to offer.

An intimate Wedding also allows you to have your wedding breakfast in one of the other palatial rooms in the Manor House, each with fine furnishings and splendid views over the gardens, you will be spoilt for choice. By keeping things small you can reduce the amount of work involved in planning, sending invitations and decorations. Let us help you with the details and this could be a planning dream come true.

2.  Cost-effective

If you are watching your budget, obviously, with smaller numbers, considerable savings can be made. This is perfect for you if you thought Manor By The Lake was out of reach. Yes, you get the use of the whole Manor, Gardens, Rooms, the West-wing Ballroom in the evening, the Rock Bar suite and all of the bedrooms and suites just as you would for a larger wedding, but with the smaller numbers it will feel more like a luxurious home from home.

Saving on budget may allow you to treat yourself to that very special honeymoon destination you thought was out of reach, or you can put the savings towards setting up your new home together. Whichever you choose you know it’s a great option.

3.  Relax and Enjoy

With the Intimate Wedding celebration you will have more time to spend with those really special people who mean so much to you. Indulge in some quality time with family in the finest of surroundings or really enjoy the company of special friends who you may not have seen for some time; unlike a large wedding, which can be a very busy affair, if you have guests that have travelled a great distance, this is a great opportunity to show them what they mean to you.

With an Intimate Wedding your day will feel even more luxurious, with our staff on hand to wait on your every need. Put your feet up, have a walk by the lake, relax in the Manor’s beautiful gardens or on the outdoor terrace in the sun. It’s your day so enjoy it to the full.

4.  Flexibility

Having a smaller guest list at an Intimate Wedding allows much greater flexibility with room layouts. Enjoy the ceremony in any of the Manor’s beautiful rooms, under the ornate Arches or at the Lakeside Pavilion. Arrange the rooms how you wish; the Maximilian lends itself to a gorgeous lounge, the Lyderick a fine alternative as a ceremony room and the Library a superb drawing room. Your day – your choice.

When your evening guests arrive, you can choose to continue in the Manor House, party in the Rock Bar or take the celebration to a whole new level in the West-wing Ballroom – ask about evening entertainment and our creative evening food options.

5.  The Overnight Experience

At the end of your day retire to the Library or the Rock Bar for late night drinks then you and your closest guests can enjoy the luxury of 12 fabulous bedrooms and suites in the Manor House, each one decorated in a different style to suit a variety of tastes. In the morning wake up to fabulous views over the gardens and enjoy time with your guests again, this time with a Full Cotswold English Breakfast. What better way to start your future as a newly married couple!

The Intimate Wedding at Manor By The Lake is a fantastic alternative for your wedding day. To arrange a viewing and discuss other special offers please call 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk.