Finding a Unique Wedding Venue Continued

While searching for a beautifully different backdrop for my upcoming wedding, I noticed something that I walk past almost every day, and decided to take a closer look.  Set in the stunning surroundings of Sefton Park, the Victorian structure of The Palm House is definitely unusual.  The thing that appealed to me was it's similarity to an antique birdcage - perfect for a vintage wedding!  Due to the amount of light allowed in, and the exotic plants inside the Palm House, your photographs would look amazing, even on rainy days. (The weather wasn't the greatest when I visited, but the building and surroundings are so pretty, it the photos still look good.)  And if good weather conditions are kind enough to RSVP on your big day, there are plenty of photo opportunities around the park, including statues, boating lakes, and of course, views of the park itself.  Due to it's age, the building has lovely original features, which were carefully restored in order to return it to it's former glory.  This venue seems pretty flexible when it comes to planning your wedding, and a full price list is even available online.

http://www.bluecoatoccasions.co.uk/1.html

 Not too far down the road, just past the iconic Penny Lane, is The Blue Coat School.  The building had caught my eye a while before, but from the outside, just looks like a school really... a nice school, but a school nontheless.  However, upon entering the Grade II listed building, an entirely new perspective is gained.  The chapel is breathtaking, with coloumns, an organ, and domed ceilings.  As I'm opting for a non-religious ceremony, the room that I was escorted to was very blandly named "The Boardroom."  The events organiser explained to me that it is an actual boardroom, but it is used for civil ceremonies.  I was ready to fake excitement when the door was opened, but found that my acting skills weren't required.  The room has a very classic look, chic and grand, without being flashy or tacky.  An amazing fireplace is situated at the end of the room where vows are taken, and floor to celing length wndows are dressed with dramatic drapes.  It's not hard to picture how lovely the wedding photos could be in these amazing surroundings, but the events team are keen to show me anyway! The team were really friendly, and keen to show me photographs of all of the different types of weddings that they have catered for, pointing out that they are very flexible, and will be on hand to help with all of the aspects of your wedding day.  I would reccommend arranging an appointment to view this amazing building, as I really think it's a hidden gem.  Pricing information is available here.

http://www.ainscoughs.co.uk/Racquet-Club

http://www.ainscoughs.co.uk/Racquet-Club

Another hidden gem that I discovered on my journey is The Racquet Club.  Situated near to the business district in Liverpool City Centre, the exterior looks just like that of many offices, apartments and bars in the same area.  Although it does seem grand, I think I have been somewhat desensitised to the buildings in this area, as they are all similarly beautiful.  That being said, it does have some pretty distinctive doors (I'm a bit of a sucker for a good looking door!).  Once inside, the most beautiful red carpeted staircase came into view, forcing me to stifle a squeal of delight (imagine coming down those stairs in a wedding dress!).  There is a real mix of classical and modern features, but this has been orchestrated so delicatley, that it works really well.  I particularly loved the mounted moose head (despite being a vegetarian) and it gave me some ideas for fun wedding photo props.  I was told that some brides try to hide them in their wedding photographs, as they consider them ugly - each to their own I suppose.  I really liked the flexibility that this venue offered, as there are a variety of rooms available to choose from, each with different surroundings in order to cater for different parts of the day.  There are a limited amount of hotel rooms available upstairs, and children are not only allowed, but activley welcomed (if that is what you want!) which takes the pressure off when planning the guest list.

Unusual Wedding Favours

The tradition of handing out tiny boxes or bags filled with sugared almonds at weddings was to represent; "fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. The bitterness of the almond and the sweetness of the coated candy exemplify the bitter sweetness of a marriage."  Which is a very nice sentiment.  However, modern couples will often want favours which are more useful, quirky, or reflective of themselves and their own personalities.  After all, wedding favours can actually cost a pretty penny, wouldn't you rather they were admired, taken home and used, instead of being left behind, put into a drawer, or even thrown away after your big day?

At a wedding fair recently, I was given a promotional organza bag with a tiny individual heart shaped soap inside, made by local business Sutton Soap.  This seemed like an excellent idea for a wedding favour.  The soaps are handmade, and can come in a variety of colours, textures and fragrances, they would be easy to tie in with your colour scheme and express your own personality.  Just add matching organza bags and a typed or handwritten message, and you're good to go.

As there has been a little bit of a retro revival, why not go all out with retro sweets? A small packet of love hearts like these ones from Sticky Fingers Retro Sweets will go down a treat with both old and young guests alike, and since they are arguably the most romantic type of confectionery, they're very appropriate for weddings.  And why stop there? Sticky fingers retro sweets offer a huge array of sweets from your childhood, so a pretty paper bag filled with a selection would be like a grown up pick'n'mix.

While searching Etsy (my new favourite website since I stared planning my wedding) I came across these button badges, which I think would make excellent favour for a music themed wedding.  Some guests may choose to wear them afterwards on their bags, jackets, ties etc, or some could attach them to a pin board at home, but either way, then could be kept as a lasting memory.  These particular badges are from buttonempire on Etsy, but you could even find a seller who will customise buttons to your own design, or using the names of your partner and yourself, and the date of your wedding.

Because I'm such a sucker for anything vintage, pretty and handmade, I have to mention my favourite wedding favour at the moment is teacup candles.  Using mismatched retro teacups and turning them into beautiful candles will give the tables at your wedding a classic look with a modern twist, and your guests will love to take them home and adore them forever - well, they will if they are anything like me.  These are readily available in most vintage and craft fairs that I visit, but you can also order them from Etsy, or have a go at making your own.  Here is an easy to follow tutorial that I have found.  If you choose this option, ensure you leave enough time to actually make them before the wedding.  You should probably volunteer your maid of honour and bridesmaids to help you too!

So there is now more variety than ever when choosing wedding favours, and the only limit is that of your imagination - or your wedding budget!  Why not opt for a more creative alternative, to help add a bit more personality to your big day?

Memory Lane Fairs at Holiday Inn, Liverpool

In search of some inspiration, I headed out on Saturday to the Holiday Inn.  Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised at the bucks fizz on offer upon arrival (I believe there was also an orange juice option, but I was planning a wedding - fizzy wine was required!)

Photos from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Wonderland

The first stall that caught my eye belonged to Vintage Wonderland, a company that hires out vintage props for weddings and other special events.  A beautiful birdcage on a stand was used to hold cards recieved from guests, which is a unique twist on the printed caed boxes that can be ordered from invitation companies.

Other items for hire included union jack bunting (perfect for a jubilee party!) beautiful vintage crockery, and a retro camera.  Another unusual item on offer was a typewriter to be used as a quirky alternative to a guestbook.  If you're looking for a pretty, romantic, vintage style wedding, then Vintage Wonderland is the perfect place for you to start.

Photo from http://isabellesices.com/

Another idea with a classic twist is to hire an ice cream trike.  Isabelle's ices offer a range of traditional 1940s ice creams, served from a classic loking cart.  Not only did I get to sample the delicious ice cream, but I also was allowed to sit on the trike - far too exciting!  This would make for quirky photos, and offer a fun alternative to a formal dessert at your reception.

photo from www.hannahbhodge.co.uk

Possibly the hardest part of planning a wedding (well, for me anyway) is choosing a wedding dress.  Especially since I'm extremely picky, it is proving very difficult to find something that will cover all bases - the right length, colour, shape, material - there is a lot more to think about than one might initially think!  For this reason, I was excited to find a bespoke wedding dress designer Hannah Bethan Hodge, who promised to work within set budgets to create the perfect gown for each bride - perfect for fussy brides to be.  A range of bridesmaid's dresses with a modern twist were also displayed, which was a refreshing change from the average gowns available.

www.carriealisha.co.uk

  And once the perfect dress has been chosen, why not have some unique jewellry designed to complement your gown, and your individual style?  Carrie Alisha offers just that.  I was struggling to think of suitable bridesmaids gifts to give, this seems the perfect solution - personalised necklaces, a gift that they can keep and use forever, but that will always remind them of my special day.