January is the time to look back on the year before and start a fresh. New beginnings, an exciting new chapter and anticipation fueled feels for what is about to come.

Surely there is nothing more poetic than using this time to begin married life?

Weddings in January are generally not as popular, as people want a summer wedding. However, there are so many reasons to choose a January wedding…

Planning and pricing

Ok, so first off, let’s talk wedding budget.

Winter weddings generally come with better priced collections. The availability during January is plentiful, meaning prices can drop dramatically.

You get all the perks of a gorgeous venue, for so much less than what couples will pay during spring/summer. Save some money and put it towards an exotic honeymoon.

As there is more availability during January, you can also be selective of what day you get married. Whether it’s a weekend or a week day wedding, it’s more likely that you will get the day that you require.

Here at Manor By The Lake, we offer our 12 beautifully decorated rooms complimentary for the evening of your wedding during January. Great for you and perfect for a handful of your guests.

Bold Wedding Colours

Deep reds, royal blues and glittering golds are all colours that can adorn your wedding party and really make a statement during your special day.

These beautiful shades can be used in the summer, but the brighter and lighter shades are generally more appropriate.

Along with these gorgeous colours, you can be creative with your fabrics and textures. Push aside the chiffon and explore a world of silk, velvet and furs.

There is so much room for creativity this time of year and real chance for a glamorous do.

Comfort food feasts

For foody couples, January is ideal! You can get creative with your menu choosing a delicious array of comforting foods to fill your guests.

Just think of oozing fondues, comforting hot chocolate and even a possible s’mores table! Warming and satisfying, such a yummy time of year.

Give the weather man a break…

Summer weddings are glorious in the sun. Outdoor games, picturesque summer shots and champagne in the gardens… bliss.

However, the moment you check your phone app and realise that your idyllic summer wedding is going to be a washout can be devastating.

Eliminate this worry by planning for wintery weather. Your wedding shots can be filled with quirky umbrella’s, guests can be provided with indoor entertainment and bridesmaids can be wrapped up with fury shawls.

Winter weather can also be utterly stunning, so if you are lucky to have a sparkling frost, a white wedding or even a bright winters day, then this is a wonderful added bonus.

Romantic winter evenings

Evenings during January are so romantic. The early nights lend themselves perfectly to decorative lighting and candle lit evenings.

One spectacular idea, that a few couples have opted for, are sparklers with their friends and family. This can be done earlier with the younger members of your party before they fall asleep.

So many events, so little time

Towards the end of the summer, events can become a bit of a chore. There are so many all crammed in, it can feel like every weekend has a party, BBQ or celebration going on.

January weddings don’t have this effect. Everyone wants a reason to beat the January blues and what better reason than to attend a fabulous wedding!

Something a little bit different

Weddings during the winter gives the usual look and feel to a wedding a little bit of a tweak. The variance in colours, styles and ambiance offers an edge and really makes your special day stand out from the others.

Why follow the crowd? Be alternative and have some winter fun!

Interested in a wedding in January? Contact our team on 01242 245 071 or weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk to discuss availability and find a collection to suit your budget.

The beautiful thing about weddings is, that every couple is different. They all have their own way of doing things from the style of the wedding to the day or season they want to get married.

Picture by Dan Morris

The average timeline for weddings is around 12 months from engagement to wedding. However, some may take a couple years to plan their celebration, others want to do it right away.

If you are looking to book a last-minute wedding, here is a guide line to follow, to help you organise towards your special day.

It’s decision time

A last-minute wedding can be a breath of fresh air. No time to over think decisions that can be made very quickly.

The main things you need to know at this time is where, when, who and …who?? Sit down with your better half and agree on the type of wedding you want, along with your ideal budget. You both need to be on the same page, so planning can run smoothly.

Where do you want to get married?

Couples generally have an idea of their wedding location, you just need to select a venue that suits your wedding size and character.

It’s always worth having an open mind regarding what day of the week you want to get married. Weekend weddings are usually booked way in advance. Mid-week weddings generally have more availability and can be more cost-effective

Book your venue

Just call/email your preferred venue with a list of dates in mind and get that beauty booked.

Once this has been done, leave the difficult bits to your wedding planner.

Manor By The Lake have a huge selection of preferred suppliers which handles everything from your food to flowers. Run through this list and check availability for the suppliers, as they already might have an event on that day.

Book your Registrar

The usual waiting time for a registrar is around 4-6 weeks. However it’s always risky with a last minute wedding to book the registrar last minute. Our suggestion would be to make it the first thing you do once you know where you are getting married and it’s all booked.

There is the option of booking a Celebrant wedding, which gives you more time. However with a celebrant wedding, it doesn’t make your marriage legal and you will have to make it official at a later date.

Who’s your Bridal Party?

This wonderful group of people, will be helping you prep for your day. There will be a lot to do in a short space of time so choose your bridesmaids and groomsmen wisely.

Create your Guest List

Aaaaahhh the guest list. Many couple’s nemesis. It’s always a good idea to keep a last minute a little more intimate. Invite your nearest and dearest to avoid too much stress.

Ok, so you’ve decided what you want, now it’s time to start making it happen.

Get Those Invitations Out

Once you have made a snap decision on who you want to come to your wedding, get those invitations designed and sent out. You will want a RSVP quickly, giving you an idea of numbers. State an RSVP deadline that works for you and the venue on the invite.

A great way to do this is by paperless invites. Design and send out your invitations all online, avoiding high costs on printing, envelopes and stamps.

Sort out the Fiddly Bits with one List

It’s time to book your preferred suppliers! If they are still available this late on in the year, this is the time to enjoy a cheeky deal.

Final Numbers for your guests

By now you would need to have received all your RSVP’s. Put together your final numbers count and do the final checks for dietary requirements etc. A smaller wedding party will make this easier, but it is possible for a larger party if you are super organised.

Shopping Time!

Now for the fun bit! Time for the wedding dress and suits. We would suggest choosing these now, as it can take a few weeks for alterations.

You can either book a couple visits to Bridal Shops in the week or if you want to be super chilled, find your dress/wedding suits online for home delivery.

Whilst you are shopping for your outfits, take a look at the jewellers for your wedding rings. This would be a great time to buy your wedding jewellery as well.

This is an important week, as it is the last chance for you to have a final planning meeting with your venue.

At this point you will need to finalise everything with your wedding planner to make sure everything is in place for your big day. Set up a meeting so you have this planned to perfection.

More Shopping

Bridesmaid dresses, these can obviously be purchased at anytime during the wedding planning process. However, with other legalities and time limited jobs to do, it’s probably better to do it when things have been decided and booked.

Party Time!

At this point, you can also find some time to spend with your bridal party and enjoy your hen/stag parties.

If you are doing anything activity based, it might be worth booking this for around week 6… you know… just in case.

Now it’s time to enjoy the finishing touches. Those little added extras that make your wedding that little bit more personal.

Get you creative juices flowing with extra decorations, favours and gifts for your bridal party.

It might be a good idea to start thinking about the speeches, give the best man time to think of all those funny moments that every groom wanted to forget.

You’ve made it through, all you have to do is beautify, any waxing, haircuts, tanning etc is now needed to make you feel extra special for your big day.

Oh, and one last thing… try and relax! Last minute weddings are so exciting and so quick fire, it’s impossible to get weighed down with silly details that in hindsight don’t really matter.

Make time to go for a walk or a meal out with your partner. Enjoy a sunset or relax with a movie, and avoid all wedding conversation. Remember, this is your last few days as an engaged couple so take some RnR time before the busy day.

Have a wonderful day and focus on the important things…. The start to your beautiful marriage.

Does this sound like your kind of wedding? Call our team to discuss last minute availability on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk. 

Have you ever wondered where all those quirky wedding traditions and superstitions came from? Like the age-old ‘something borrowed, something blue’ rule that even today, most every bride partakes in on their wedding day. We’re taking a look back into the folklore behind these sometimes sweet, sometimes odd customs!

Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

This wedding tradition is one that we are all well acquainted with, but what does it really mean? This British tradition took root from an Old English rhyme – “Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe”.

The four elements carried by the bride as she walks down the aisle all represent good luck charms for a happy marriage. The meaning of each charm has changed over the centuries to suit the modern era however the original connotations stem from the Victorian era.

During this period, The ‘something old’ was used to protect the bride against evil and the curse of infertility. Something new represents the journey you are about to embark on as a newly married couple. “Something borrowed” usually came from a woman who had already given birth to boost the chances of pregnancy which folklore claims will confuse the curse of the Evil Eye into thinking the bride was already with child and counter the misfortune. The “something blue” was often a garter which represented the purity of the bride.

Wearing a Veil

Often just thought of as an accessory for the modern bride, the tradition of wearing a veil is said to pre-date wearing white. Before religion, the ancient Greeks and Romans’ used veils to protect and disguise the bride for fear evil spirits and demons would bestow a curse before wedlock.

Seeing Each Other Before the Wedding

Following on from the tradition of wearing a veil comes the superstition that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride prior to the wedding. A veil hiding the bride’s face also ensured that the groom would not see her face until at the altar.

Unsurprisingly this tradition dates back to when arranged marriages were a common occurrence and the veil would shield the bride’s face until after the marriage ceremony had taken place.

Another reason behind the tradition of the father giving the bride away, other than the antiquated exchange for a dowry, was also to guide the soon-to-be betrothed down the aisle as the veil stopped the bride from being able to see! Today this tradition is solely symbolism for a sweet exchange between the bride and father.

Tossing the Garter

Dating back all the way to the 16^th Century, the garter was presented to friends and family. This was evidence that the marriage had been consummated! Quite an embarrassing feat in today’s world.

It was also said to be good luck to receive a piece of the bride’s wedding dress. Close guests of the newlyweds would wait outside the bedchamber for the bride and groom to consummate the marriage. This is where the garter came in.

As the custom evolved the tradition became more of a fun wedding reception game. Guests would playfully acquire the piece of fabric. Tossing the garter into the crowd to a group of single men was a way to finish the game. Whoever catches the garter is believed to be the next to marry.

The female equivalent to this tradition is the tossing of the bouquet. Single women would group together and whoever caught the bouquet was next in line to get married.

Cake Topper

It’s no surprise that we take heed of the royals when it comes to our wedding day. It’s every bride’s dream to be a princess on her big day. So when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert opted for a miniature sculpture of themselves to top their wedding cake in 1840, the cake topper was born!

In the midst of planning your wedding day? Get in touch with our expert wedding coordinators here at Manor by the Lake. We will be happy discuss your plans and help brainstorm more creative ideas for your big day!

Give us a call on 01242 245 071 or email weddings@manorbythelake.co.uk