Wedding venue, check. Wedding dress, check. Wedding cake, check. Oooops, nearly forgot the hen party! There’s so much to think about when organising your big day that this part of the proceedings can easily be overlooked. Big mistake! The hen party is an essential part of the preparation process. You’ve got to get all the girls together to discuss important details that might otherwise be overlooked – over a few bottles of Prosecco, naturally, and with some fun activities to ensure that everyone has a chance to bond properly before the main event.
What kind of activities, though? There are so many to choose from! Our event management team can provide you with some inspiring ideas – but here are a few imaginative ones to get you going.
Cocktail mixing masterclass
Don’t know your Mojitos from your martinis, your White Russian from your Moscow Mule or your Woo Woo from your Chi-Chi? There may be a test at the end but if you don’t remember a thing that just means you’ve got full marks for entering into the spirits of things. There’s nothing like a round of Sex on a Beach (vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice) or Between the Sheets (white rum, cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice) for breaking the ice!
Pamper party
Head to the spa for a few hours of indulgent, sensuous, and pleasurable chillaxing with your friends. What’ll it be – hot stones massage followed by a deep cleansing facial then champagne in the hot tub, a warm up in the steam room followed by an aromatherapy massage and a nourishing body wrap, or a full body chakra massage followed by an invigorating exfoliation then a pedicure? Afterwards, you’ll all be feeling, and looking, a million dollars – just in time for a night on the town.
Fun and games
Just a few miles inland from Clevedon Hall is Gatcombe Farm, home of West Country Games, a playground for grown-ups who want to rediscover their inner child. Hens can put themselves through their paces with nine different west country themed activities, including the cider run, drunk pub skittles, welly wanging, pitchfork duel, Vicky Pollard handbags, Wurzel knockout and even bar skittles with humans being knocked off cider kegs. Great selection of fancy dress costumes to make sure everyone looks and feels equally silly.
Let them eat cake
Treating everyone to traditional afternoon tea in a posh hotel is a wonderful way to add a bit of class to the proceedings. It’s also a great excuse for a good old gossip – while tucking into dainty sandwiches, gooey éclairs, sticky tartlets, yummy cupcakes and melt in the mouth macaroons. And if tea in a delicate china cup sounds a bit too…well, ladylike…the perfect accompaniment to freshly baked scones, home-made preserves and dollops of clotted cream is a glass or two of bubbly!
Cheeky - but all in the best possible taste.
Fake firemen, raunchy policemen and butlers in the buff – it’s all a bit passé. But if you fancy something slightly saucy, with a cultural and artistic twist, a life drawing class is just the thing. The organisers will provide drawing materials, an art teacher, and a finely sculpted male model. Grab a stick of charcoal, and a glass of what you fancy, then set to work on your masterpiece. You might find you’re not much of a Michelangelo but loads of laughs are absolutely guaranteed.
Get your diploma in flirtology
As the bride to be you don’t need any help in this department - but what about your mates? After a masterclass in flirtation, they’ll be positively dangerous, educated in the science of seduction and adept at the art of attraction. After some rigorous modules on body language, eye contact and conversational gambits, with expert input from a flirt coach, everyone will be given some assignments so they can put their new-found skills to the test. Perfect for those keen to come out ahead in the dating game, as well as anyone worried about always being a bridesmaid but never a bride.
We’re here to help hens!
These are just a handful of ideas for hen parties that are sure to go down a storm – and all of them are readily available locally. If you’d like some further details or have any questions at all regarding any aspect of your wedding, give us a call or pop in. Our expert event management team would love to share their experience with you.
Wedding reception seating plan closeup on table with decoration
You obviously want your wedding to be a joyous occasion where you and your guests celebrate the best day ever. But then you begin the seating plan for the meal and realise that this part of the proceedings poses a few problems.
Your parents have remarried, your sister has never found the true love of her life and is hyper-sensitive about any perceived attempt to introduce her to Mr Right, and your husband-to-be has invited a couple from abroad that only he knows. These might provide great plot ideas for a good Hollywood movie - but you could do without them at your own wedding!
In this post, we share a few thoughts that, with a little diplomacy and tact, should help you come up with a plan that has everyone sitting comfortably.
A plan is usually better than no plan
Why not keep everything loose and informal, let people go with the flow and just provide enough seats so it all feels free and easy? Although this may sound like a great idea it’s probably not so smart in practice, especially when you have more than 50 guests. People like to be led, and don’t want to make a faux pas by sitting somewhere they shouldn’t, or ending up amongst people they don’t get on with. If you provide no guidance you’ll probably end up with a crowd of people all stood around and puzzling over which tables are for family (which family?), for friends (of the bride or the groom?), for kids (and does that include those over 16 but going on 30?) and who qualifies to sit with the happy couple.
Do you need a seating plan if it’s a buffet? That’s probably advisable, for the same reasons – you don’t want the same melee and confusion when people are juggling plates and glasses, plus half your guests can’t even get to the food as the buffet table is ringed by those unsure of where to head next.
A final reason for having a seating plan, and place cards, is that it makes everyone feel special – it shows you’ve thought about them, and taken the effort to make them feel welcome personally.
Fewer guests give you more freedom
If you have less than 50 guests a detailed plan is less essential. You might want to pick one or two head tables for the two of you, best man, parents, bridesmaids and ushers (with name cards) then leave your other guests to seat themselves.
Or you could choose a cocktail party or buffet format so that people drink standing up, eat sitting down, and alternate between the two. If you opt for this format make sure you have enough seats and tables for older members of the party.
The Wedding Party Table
The newlyweds should sit at a long head table or round table, placed at the focal point of the room and usually identified by grander decorations and floral displays. However, if the style is less formal another idea is to leave a few seats empty at every table so bride and groom can leave their places to spend a little time with each group.
The groom traditionally sits to the bride's right and the best man sits to her left. The maid of honour sits to the groom's right. If the table is sufficiently large the other attendants can also be seated on this table. In years gone by their partners would sit on other tables but this is seldom the case now.
Where do close family sit?
There is usually a large table for the immediate family with your parents and the groom’s parents sat opposite each other, accompanied by grandparents, the officiant and maybe some especially close friends. Alternatively, each set of parents can host their own table, with their family members and close friends. When parents have divorced each may host his or her own table to avoid any possible issues or awkwardness.
Tips for guest tables
The dilemma here is whether it’s better to put groups of friends together or to split them up. Use your judgement but the best idea is probably to mix a group of friends with a few fresh faces. The chances are that a single bunch of good mates won’t fit on a single table so divide them into two and then add people they aren’t familiar with.
People are most comfortable when they are seated with those they know, so don’t ask an individual or couple to share a table where all the others are total strangers. Even the most outgoing will struggle in these circumstances so at the very least try to place them next to an acquaintance or two. In the case of guests who have never met any of the others try and pair them up with an individual or couple who share their interests or whose personalities are likely to be compatible.
Try to avoid creating a separate “singles” table as this might embarrass some guests. A “children’s” table, however, is fine.
We’re here to help
Whatever size or style of wedding you have in mind we have a wealth of experience we’re happy to share with you. Arranging a seating plan that works for your family and friends can be stressful - but with our assistance, you can be sure we’ll find a way to make it all go swimmingly!
Your wedding day will go past in a blur and be over before you know it – because you are the centre of attention and everything revolves around you. For your guests, however, there can be moments where not a lot is happening and it feels like there’s a bit of a gap, perhaps between the ceremony and the reception or between the wedding breakfast and the evening celebrations. In this post we provide you with some inspiring ideas to keep everyone entertained right the way through the day.
Wedding wizardry
A close-up magician always works wonders as an ice-breaker, drawing people out of themselves, getting them laughing and keep them chatting. Spreading amazement and entertainment at different times throughout the day they’ll really get the party going and create moments of magic that guests will treasure for years to come. They can mingle when people are enjoying a few drinks and are great for livening things up between courses when everyone is seated.
If music be the food of love
You’ll probably have a band or disco in the evening but you can also add a touch of class at other times of the day with a string quartet, solo guitarist, harpist, or cocktail pianist. The music won’t be so loud that it interferes with the conversation but it will create a sophisticated and relaxing ambience.
OMG, is that who I think it is?!
You can create a buzz, and a lot of laughs, by inviting faux-celebrities to your wedding. Is that really Posh & Becks, Johnny Depp or Kim Kardashian? This idea is definitely going to liven up the wedding photos and video!
Want some ice with that?
An ice sculpture makes a fascinating centrepiece for an evening buffet. Or you could go for a full-on vodka luge. A what? A vodka luge - an ice sculpture with a hole or channel carved through it, down which you pour your vodka or other spirit of your choice. By the time it trickles into your glass at the bottom it’s chilled to perfection – how cool is that?
Congratulations on camera
Guest books are a bit old hat. One of the hottest ideas for on-trend weddings is the video box – guests can tell stories, sing their hearts out or dance like no-one is watching and, of course, as the night goes on and the more drinks they’ve had, the funnier everything gets. It also provides hours of entertainment after the big day as everyone relives those moments in front of the camera.
You will meet a tall dark stranger…
Hire a fortune teller to read palms or tarot cards to keep people amused between courses during the meal or when guests are enjoying the drinks reception. Enthralling and entertaining, it’s a great way to get people talking as the predictions are sure to be a subject of conversation for the rest of the day.
Let the games begin!
Provide a range of traditional indoor and outdoor games to keep people occupied and amused for hours on end – great for the kids too (including the grown-up ones too!). Croquet, outdoor skittles, twister, ping pong, jumbo jenga or giant board games like chess, draughts, snakes and ladders, scrabble, mini golf. The list is endless (anyone for a penny chuffing competition, a spell on the bouncy castle, a bit of sack racing?!) and you can be sure there will never be a dull moment.
Service with a song
Add some extra fun to your wedding breakfast or evening meal by hiring a couple of singing waiters – see your guests fall about in amazement as the person who has just served their soup suddenly starts to serenade them! Definitely adds the WOW factor to avoid things getting a touch too formal.
Let’s do Vegas!
Hire a pop up casino, complete with croupier and give your guests a ton of chips to play with – roulette, blackjack, poker…everyone is a winner because it’s such a fun way to get people mixing, talking and laughing.
Get that festival vibe
Throw some street entertainers and wacky performers - stilt walkers, living statues and comedy jugglers soon get people into the party mood. And as the sun goes down and the night sets in there’s nothing like a fire eater, juggler or dancer to add a dramatic magical touch to the proceedings.
Inspired? Let’s talk
At Clevedon Hall we’ve seen it all – even a full on military enactment of the English Civil War! So, whatever kind of entertainment you have in mind to make your big day totally fabulous, we have the contacts, the gardens and a wonderful house in which to make it all happen!
Planning a wedding can completely take over a couple's life. There seem to be so many different and crucial things to do - yet never enough time to do them! Often, brainstorming sessions and appointments that are scheduled to take place outside of the office can intermingle with work commitments. This means that instead of focusing on sending emails and completing tasks, you're day-dreaming about catering and trying to fit in quick phone-calls with bands and venues. Here, Rebekah discusses some of the biggest concerns facing new brides and grooms, and what you can do to manage wedding stress in the workplace.
Know who to invite
By far, the most stressful part of planning a wedding is deciding who to invite. In the workplace, you're bound to be hounded by questions from people wondering if they're going to get an R.S.V.P to your big day, and many people simply don't know what’s best to do.
OfficeGenie.co.uk conducted a survey of 2,000 working people, and found around 77% would want their co-workers to be present, with 3% claiming that they'd invite everyone from the office. However, there were a significant number of people, 20%, who felt that inviting guests from the workplace was a bad idea. After all, the more people you invite, the more you pay (17% cited worries about expense), and having too many people from the office present can make the whole occasion feel more like a work event than a wedding. Around half of respondents (59%) felt work might end up interfering with their big day.
Only you can decide who you want to have at your wedding, but my advice is to go with whatever leads to less stress. If concerns about not inviting people wake you up at night, then expand your guest list and grab the invitations. If you want to keep your work and personal lives separate, that's fine too! After all, it's your big day.
Schedule planning time throughout the day
When you're planning a wedding, you often start with the best of intentions. You tell yourself you'll only think about the wedding when you're home from work in the evenings, or away from the office on a weekend. Of course, it's rarely that simple.
An easier, and more realistic way to keep your planning urges reigned in, is to schedule quick sessions throughout the day. For instance, you could get out of bed an hour earlier than usual to make a wedding to-do-list before you visit the office. Alternatively, make the most out of your lunch break! Studies show that only 30% of UK workers are taking ‘proper’ lunch-breaks, with 7 out of 10 Brits spending the time online instead. Lunch breaks are your time, so why not use them to get the wedding fever out of your system, so you can concentrate for the rest of the afternoon?
Consider remote/flexible working opportunities
Struggling to fit wedding appointments in around a hectic professional schedule? Remote or flexible working opportunities might be the answer. A recent survey undertaken by the British Chamber of Commerce and BT Business found that around 91% of polled firms in Britain have at least one employee working from home. The same research suggests that 19% of those businesses have more than 50% of their employees working away from the office.
Discussing even a temporary remote working situation with your boss could be a great way to free up some of the time you need to focus on wedding arrangements. Just make sure that if you are working remotely, you don't allow yourself to become too distracted from work. The chances are you'll still need to manage a pretty strict schedule if you want to be productive.
Involve and delegate
Finally, if you want to reduce the amount of wedding stress you have to handle, why not simply share the load? Perfectionists and control freaks are often in for wedding stress, but if you learn how to delegate and involve others - just like you would with a tough work project - you can relieve some of the pressure you might be feeling.
Asking friends and family to handle something you consider to be particularly stressful is a great way to give yourself a chance to relax, something that many of us forget to do when planning a wedding. Just be careful about who you ask for help. Surveys show that 24% of people consider overbearing family members to be a source of stress in wedding planning, while 23% note that mothers-in-law are the biggest issue.
Staying sane when planning a wedding
Planning a wedding around a hectic work life can be a stressful experience, but you don't have to let tensions and anxieties ruin the magic of your big day. The tips outlined above should help you to get a handle on some of the most trying aspects of planning your wedding, so that you can find your own perfect balance between creating a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, and staying on top of your career.
AUTHOR BIO
Rebekah Carter writes for the desk and office space marketplace OfficeGenie.co.uk.
Summer is the most popular time of the year for weddings, simply because the warmer weather presents so many delightful opportunities to create a magical occasion in the great outdoors. Clevedon Hall is the ideal venue for a ceremony and celebration in the fresh air and in this post we share some great ideas that you will hopefully find useful and inspirational. Tie the knot in the garden
Holding the ceremony outdoors, weather permitting, of course, is a wonderful way to wed – and at Clevedon Hall, we have just the right setting. As well as gorgeous gardens with a tranquil lake, sweeping lawns ringed with mature trees and dramatic views over Clevedon Bay, we also have our very own gazebo. You can exchange your vows in this most romantic of spaces with seating for up to 150 guests on the circular surrounding terrace. Brides can make a stunning entrance as they walk down the curved pathway through the grounds. And of course, it makes a marvellous feature for fabulous wedding photos.
Cocktails and canapés alfresco
There’s nothing quite like chilled drinks and delicious nibbles served on the terrace outside a quintessential English stately home – and at Clevedon Hall, we know how to do it in style. Just beyond the traditional Victorian orangery is a circular patio with a central fountain and immaculate lawns rolling down to the picturesque lake. Topping the fountain is a classical statue of Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth and cupbearer who served her elders with nectar and ambrosia. Nowadays guests prefer Pimms, Mojitos and fizzy Proseccos but the setting is hard to beat for sheer atmosphere and sense of occasion. It’s also a great spot for taking group photos and video from the vantage point of the house.
Afternoon tea with all the trimmings
Our Orangery, overlooking the terrace and fountain, is the perfect space in which to serve that most traditional of treats, classic afternoon tea. Some guest, of course, will want to continue with the alcoholic beverages (and who can blame them?!) but others will love the opportunity for a refreshing cuppa served with delicate finger sandwiches, sticky pastries, rich cakes and freshly baked scones with lashings of clotted cream and strawberry jam. Plus there’s nothing to say that a glass of bubbly cannot be enjoyed as a naughty but nice accompaniment!
Let do barbeque
The summer months, with their long warm evenings and clear starlit skies, just cry out for a barbeque – and our chefs don’t need much encouragement to oblige. Whether it’s classic case of burgers and hot dogs or a full on hog roast with mountains of crispy crackling and dollops of tangy apple sauce, a Tex-Mex affair with spicy chicken wings and racks of ribs, or a street food fest with the fresh flavours of the Caribbean, Far East or South America, the choice is yours.
Fun and Games
A popular summer wedding theme is the mini fete or festival. You can let the guests (and we’re talking grownups here, not just the kids) entertain themselves with everything from a coconut shy to giant Jenga and treasure hunts to space hopper races. When you have acres of lovely lawn, as we do at Clevedon Hall, the possibilities are endless – rounders, croquet, apple bobbing, boules, horseshoe tossing, limbo dancing, twister, lawn scrabble… It’s a great way to break the ice for friends and family who might be meeting for the first time, and certain to get everyone involved and having fun – plus you’ll get loads of priceless photo moments too.
So if you are thinking of getting hitched in the summer make sure you think outside the box a bit and pick a venue that isn’t going to cramp your seasonal style! Clevedon Hall has it all – and if you are quick we may even be able to find you a date this summer.
The photography is only a part of your big day – but very important none the less. Obviously, you want to focus on enjoying the occasion itself, as do your family and friends. However, it’s also about creating memories that everyone can return to, as well as preserving the moment for future generations. The photographs shape the story, so you want to make sure they tell it in a way you are happy with. As the famous photographer, Ansel Adams once said “You don’t take a photograph, you make it”. There are conscious decisions to be made, and the biggest one is to settle what style you want.
It’s important to think about this early on, as you need to find a photographer who offers the approach you’ve chosen. And when talking to photographers they’ll be anxious to know exactly what you have in mind.
Formal portraiture
Do you want classic staged shots of the two of you, posing against a variety of different backgrounds – in front of the altar, signing the register, cutting the cake, on the lawn or kissing in the gardens before the reception starts? And do you want formal group shots where everyone is neatly arranged and smiling to camera – the bride and bridesmaids, the two of you with your parents, the groom with the best man and ushers, including a few of the entire party? There’s a lot to be said for this approach – but you might want to consider some others as well.
Documentary
Perhaps you’d prefer a more relaxed, candid and spontaneous style with shots that are not posed but catch fleeting moments - people talking and laughing, champagne corks popping and glasses being raised, tears being brushed away and confetti being tossed into the air? This style is more akin to photojournalism and you’ll rarely see people staring directly to camera. It’s about telling the story of the day as it happened, with all the emotion and energy, laughter and fun, that made the occasion so magical.
Fine Art
This approach is similar to documentary photography but the photographer is given greater artistic licence to add their own interpretation and vision. While they shoot what actually happened they may use filters, effects or different colour tones to heighten the sense of drama or mood. Objects or people in the foreground may be sharply in focus, while those in the background may be slightly indistinct. Quite often there will be motion blur, as people dance, children run about or glasses are raised in a toast. Some photographers who lean in this direction may still shoot on film, and they may favour black and white pictures. If you go down the more artistic and creative route be aware that the photographer may not shoot formal portraits – so if you really want some of those (or your parents do!) be sure to get someone who can do both, or hire a separate person to provide those shots.
Edgy and Brave
This style is a more extreme form of fine art photography. This approach is characterised by unusual compositions, tilted angles (called Dutch angles) and unconventional framing. So instead of a straight-on shot of you exchanging vows at the altar the whole thing will be tilted, with an object like an altar arrangement or a candle in the foreground. Or you might have a picture where you are having your makeup done, but shot from above, perhaps with an emphasis on the eye shadow brush rather than on your face. Then again you might have a portrait of a bridesmaid, but cropped so that her face only fills one corner of the shot and the rest is taken up by the background.
Some wedding photographers specialise in just one approach, but many are more flexible. They might blend formal portraiture with documentary style shots, or do the conventionally posed stuff mixed in with images that are a bit more imaginative and surprising. The important thing is to be absolutely clear about what shots you want to end up with, and the style or styles you’d like. It’s your day, your life, so you decide then find a photographer who can do exactly what you want!
The choice of venue is perhaps the most important decision you have to make when planning your wedding – that’s because it sets the tone for the entire event. So what are some of the key things to consider when comparing the different options? Atmosphere. Does it have enough character? There is nothing worse than a venue which is soulless, as no amount of decoration and effort on your part will disguise the fact that it is bland and dull. You want somewhere with sufficient grandeur and majesty to immediately create a sense of occasion. And yet at the same time it’s important to that there’s a certain warmth and homeliness so that everyone feels comfortable and at ease. What’s more, your wedding is a historic occasion, so it’s nice to hold it in a setting which has a bit of history itself.
Photography. It’s vital to pick somewhere that’s going to provide a suitably romantic and picturesque setting for the photographs. Weddings are about many things but one of the most important aspects is about making memories. The photographs capture and shape these so you need to make sure the venue provides a range of ready-made backdrops and scenes, both indoors and out, for pictures you and your family can treasure for a lifetime.
Space. Is it big enough to accommodate all your guests? You don’t want to choose somewhere then find, when you’ve agreed the guest list, that the venue is going to struggle to squeeze everyone in – the last thing you want is somewhere that cramps your style. By the same token you don’t want somewhere so large that you rattle around in it, or which intimidates people. It’s not just about the building as a whole, but about the proportion of the individual rooms that you will be using for welcoming guests, for the ceremony itself, for the wedding breakfast, for partying and dancing in the evening, as well as quieter and more intimate spaces where people can relax and chat. You need to think about how you’ll be using the different spaces during the course of the day and night and consider how well they are going to work.
Gardens. This is an especially important consideration if you are planning a wedding in the warmer months. You don’t want your guests cooped up inside if it’s a gorgeous day - so pick somewhere that provides the opportunity for drinks on the lawn, photographs in the gazebo, for kids to run around and let off steam and for guests to stroll and stretch their legs. Having said that, even in the colder seasons we often get gorgeous days and if your wedding is fortunate to be blessed with one of those you’ll be delighted you had the foresight to pick a venue that allows you to make the most of your good luck.
Cuisine. The wining and dining experience is incredibly important as wedding celebrations have traditionally revolved around some kind of feast. In many ways we’ve become a foodie nation and guests’ expectations are much higher than in years gone by. You not only need to provide a magnificent multi-course formal dinner but canapes and snacks at various different stages throughout the day and on into the evening. Perhaps you fancy a barbecue or hog roast, street food or a garden party tea service? It’s important to find a venue capable of carrying this off with aplomb.
Whatever you decide to do in the way of food everything must taste fresh and delicious. However, the presentation is equally important. On the one hand a wedding celebration is a theatrical occasion and the food plays a huge role, while on the other we taste food with our eyes before it passes our lips – so it has to look dramatic and tasty at the same time!
The drinks offering is equally important so you need a venue that can provide everything from vintage champagnes to fruity cocktails and fine wines to exciting mojitos, martinis and pina coladas.
Accommodation. Ideally you want a venue that provides accommodation for the bride and groom, as well as the most important family and friends. What’s more, the rooms need to be to the same standard as the rest of the venue. You want your wedding night to be totally romantic and utterly magical – so the room must be grand yet cosy, impressive yet homely. Equally, you want those who are staying with you to feel really special, and so their accommodation needs to suitably luxurious. A further consideration is the availability of ample local accommodation for other guests – you don’t want to pick a venue out in the middle of nowhere where they’ll have a long taxi journey before getting to bed.
Wedding planning. There’s so much to think about and organise that you want to pick a venue that employs experienced staff who can genuinely give you all the advice, help and support you need. Ideally you want somewhere that is not so busy that those helping don’t have time to really get into the spirit of the unique event you have planned. You want people who are as excited about the day as you are and who can make it even better by sharing their wealth of knowledge, contacts and ideas.
If you’d like to see just how well Clevedon Hall ticks all the right boxes arrange a time for a visit - it will be our pleasure to hear your plans and discuss how we can help create the most magical day possible!
Anticipation is a big part of the pleasure with a wedding. Visiting different venues, attending wedding fairs, choosing the ring and the dress, deciding on a theme, selecting menus and tasting different wines all add to the fun – and of course the stag and hen celebrations really ramp things up. But what else can you do to heighten the sense of expectancy? Watch a wedding themed movie – and there are plenty to choose from! Here’s our pick of the bunch: Four Weddings and a Funeral. No list would be complete without this classic starring Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell. Charles, a good-natured but socially awkward man living in London becomes smitten with Carrie, an American whom he meets at four different weddings and then a funeral – you probably know the ending already, but in case you don’t…our lips are sealed!
Bridesmaids. Annie’s singleton life is a mess, and things go from bad to worse after being asked to serve as maid of honour for her best friend, Lillian. A painfully funny journey through all the stages of the wedding planning process, more raunchy than romantic, perfect for your inner ladette.
Mama Mia. The action revolves around the arrangements for a wedding on a Greek island, most especially the guest list. The bride to be, unsure of who her real father is, invites all three candidates to see if she can solve the mystery. A lot of fun if you love musicals, and ABBA, but are able to ignore the fact that Pierce Brosnan can’t sing!
Cousins. In this American remake of the popular French romantic comedy "Cousin Cousine" wedding guests dabble in marital infidelities both real and pretend. The pretenders, played by Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini, become friends, then fall in love – with awkward consequences. Great cast and very romantic.
The Princess Bride. Classic fairytale fare, it tells the story about a farmhand named Westle, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. Described as an intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh, it’s a film that few will fail to fall in love with.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Toula Portokalos is 30 years old and still not married, which means as a nice Greek girl she’s a failure. Then she meets the ultimate unattainable guy - tall and handsome but definitely not Greek. Cue a courtship that’s a hilarious culture clash.
Runaway Bride. Starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, who had such success with Pretty Woman, keep the chemistry going in this slightly off the wall romantic comedy about a girl who likes to jilt her partners at the last minute….so what’s not to like?
Muriel’s Wedding. Socially awkward Muriel fantasises about the unlikely prospect of a glamorous wedding and moving from her dead-end home town, the fictional Porpoise Spit, to Sydney. A fun reworking of the classic ugly duckling story, with ABBA songs for good measure.
The Five-Year Engagement. One year after meeting, Tom proposes to his girlfriend, Violet, but unexpected events keep tripping them up as they look to walk down the aisle together. A hilarious cautionary tale for those that find it hard to stick to a schedule.
The Wedding Crashers. John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, a pair of committed womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of all the romance that’s in the air, find themselves at odds with one another when John meets and falls for Claire Cleary. It successfully manages to be both raunchy and sweet, and features top-notch comic performances from Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
Those are top 10 picks but what are yours? Let us know if we’ve missed some off that you think should be included!
Your wedding is a celebration of your love for each other as a couple and a huge day for the two of you. However, it’s not just about that – it’s also an excuse to throw an amazing party that absolutely everyone enjoys and talks about for years! With this in mind we’ve come up with a few tips for making sure all your guests get truly involved and you really ramp up the fun.
Keep the ceremony short
The ceremony is obviously a hugely important part of the proceedings, and adds to the theatre of the occasion – but your guests, many of whom will have travelled a long way, want to spend time with you, not watching you. Aim for a ceremony of around 30 minutes (not including entrances and exits) and nobody will feel the time is dragging.
Make sure you greet every guest
This might strike you as obvious but it actually takes a conscious effort to accomplish – the day and night will pass in a blur and it’s all too easy to get caught up in events. Every so often during the course of the celebrations you have to mentally step back and ask yourself “who haven’t I talked to yet?” Whether it’s chatting over a drink, visiting their table of circulating on the dance floor, you must make every individual feel personally welcome and appreciated.
Don’t let the speeches drag on
Speeches are an essential part of the proceedings and add to the fun – provided you don’t let people go on and on! Keep the toasts brief too, upto 10 minutes for each should suffice.
Be smart with the music
You and your partner have your own musical tastes, and you want the occasion to reflect your unique personalities, but you also have to consider your guests. Heavy rock might be your thing but that probably won’t be appropriated early on when people are chatting over cocktails. Likewise, if you have a penchant for soft jazz that’s not going to get people up and dancing.
The best way to encourage your guests to strut their stuff is to play the songs they actually want to hear! Arrange for your DJ to make an announcement that they'll be taking requests, then watch the dance floor fill up as the favourite tunes just keep on coming!
Get social media savvy
Use a Wedding App or Hashtag to ensure every last moment is captured and shared to best effect. There are some interactive apps that make it easy for everyone to upload their shots into a single curated location, while others keep your friends and family up on any wedding-related news. An even better idea is to create a crafty hashtag and ask guests to tag all of their photos using it.
Get the seating sorted
Put some serious thought into how best to group people so that everyone gets along. Try to create a seating plan so that people with shared interests, similar ages or well matched personalities are next to each other. Likewise, if you know certain characters are unlikely to gel make sure you seat them well apart! Then have a very clear seating plan so it’s easy for people to see where they are supposed to go.
Don’t let the bar break the bank
If you have a budget for the drinks keep things simple by just offering beer and wine, possibly with a couple of signature cocktails. This will keep the costs down and speed up the service. As far as cocktails are concerned don’t go for anything too way out (or lethal!) – try to pick ones that will appeal to almost everyone, like mojitos or margaritas.
Late-night nosh
Your guests have been well fed earlier in the day but it’s surprising how peckish people can get after a few hours of drinking and dancing. If you want to revive your revellers you could serve anything from mini burgers and fries to coffee and donuts, tacos and nachos to samosas and bhajis. Just keep the potions bite-sized - big enough to satisfy without having to use any utensils.
Come to our Wedding Fayre in January
It’s a great way to pick up more great ideas and see what the latest trends are for 2017. We’ve assembled a collection of the very best wedding suppliers from the local area and they have a wealth of experience and inspiration to share with you.
Our super talented Head Chef Alan Jones and the Front of House team will have a great spread of goodies for you to sample - but be sure to get there early to make the most of all the treats.
You can also explore our wonderful wedding venue, see example wedding breakfast setups, view the different public rooms, discover the wonderful selection of individually designed bedrooms and benefit from a host of special offers on the day.
Our Wedding Fayre is being held on Sunday 23rd April 11am – 3pm.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day in style at Clevedon Hall
February 14th, as you know, is St Valentine’s Day. But what else do you know about it? In this post we give you a quick history so you can impress your loved one with obscure facts as you gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes a few weeks from now. What’s more, we’re also providing the perfect way to celebrate the occasion – an evening of fine wining and dining, with live entertainment, in the grand setting of our splendidly romantic mansion. We still have some places available so check out the details here and book now!
Roman roots
Unlike Christmas, which was largely a Victorian invention, Valentine’s Day has very ancient origins stretching back around 2000 years.
In pre-Christian Rome the 13th, 14th and 15th of February were celebrated as Lupercalia, a pagan fertility festival inherited from the Ancient Greeks. Part of the festivities involved the sacrifice of a dog and a goat whose hides were then torn into strips. Plutarch explains what happened next: “Many of the noble youths and magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.”
Over time the festival was adopted by the early Christians. Valentine of Terni, a Christian Bishop was martyred in the reign of Emperor Aurelian around AD 197 on the orders of a Roman prefect with the odd-sounding name of Placid Furius. The legend has it that Valentine died on the 14th of February, but that is likely a later embellishment.
Another Christian, Valentine of Rome, was martyred during the time of Emperor Claudius in 289AD. A priest or bishop in the city, he was apparently arrested for giving aid to Christians in prison and was jailed himself. Legend has it he converted his guard to Christianity by healing his blind daughter's sight. However, later stories claim he fell in love with her and sent her a note “From your Valentine”. Valentine of Rome is also supposed to have died on 14 February.
Eventually, in AD 496, Pope Gelasius, declared that the14th February, a day on which many still celebrated the original pagan rites, should become a Christian festival to be known henceforward as St Valentine's Day.
Middle Ages
Geoffrey Chaucer, in his story the “Parliament of Fowls”, produced in 1382 to celebrate the engagement of Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia, writes that “For this was on St. Valentine's Day/ When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate.” This is the first time that the day was linked to romantic love (although he may have been referring to the 2nd of May, the saint's day in the liturgical calendar of Valentine of Genoa and a more likely time for birds to be mating in England).
In 1400 the French get in on the act, opening a court on St Valentine's Day in Paris, the High Court of Love. This dealt with cases involving marriage contracts, divorces, infidelity and beaten spouses. In 1415 Charles, the Duke of Orleans, who was held prisoner in the Tower of London after the French defeat at Agincourt, wrote the first recorded Valentine's note to his beloved.
Everyone starts sharing the love
St Valentine's Day gets a mention in Shakespeare’s Hamlet when Ophelia tells the hero that “To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,/All in the morning betime,/And I a maid at your window,/To be your Valentine.” This suggests the feast day had gathered general acceptance by the end of the 16th century.
By the mid-18th century the passing of love-notes had becomes popular in England. They tended to be made of lace or paper. In 1797 a guide, entitled The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, was printed to provide suitable rhymes and messages.
As postal services became less expensive the custom of sending anonymous St Valentine's Day cards began to catch on and in the early 1800’s they started to be mass produced. Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine's Day in the late 1800s, Hallmark Cards produce their first Valentine card in 1913 and the jewellery industry followed suit in the 1980’s. About 1 billion cards are now sent on St Valentine’s Day, making it the second busiest card giving day of the year after Christmas.
Well, I never knew that!
73 percent of flowers for Valentine's Day are bought by men.
The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was set, receives about 1,000 cards addressed to Juliet each Valentine’s Day.
Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all Valentine’s Day gifts
In the US 15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day!
About 3% of pet owners buy Valentine’s gifts for their four legged friends.
What’s the average number of wedding proposals on Valentine's Day each year? 220,000.
A card is not enough
If you really want to stoke the flames of romance a token card or a box of chocolates won’t do the trick! The best way to rise to the occasion, and express your love, is with a romantic dinner served in suitably grand surroundings. We’ve made it easy for you with our special Valentine’s Day celebration – all you need to do is book!
Honeymoon destinations close to home but out of this world. When you plan your wedding there are so many decision to make. Finding a suitable wedding venue is obviously pretty high on the list of priorities but not far behind is the big issue of where to go on Honeymoon!
You have the whole world to choose from, but be sensible – why start your married life with a long drive to Gatwick or Heathrow, and sit on a plane for half a day or more, when there are some wonderfully romantic destinations you can reach with a short flight from Bristol Airport? In this post we give you three Honeymoon ideas that don’t involve the motorway and jetlag!
Marrakech, Morocco
Easyjet fly direct from Bristol to Marrakech a couple of times a week and the flight takes three hours and 25 minutes. Although it’s a relatively short journey Morocco feels a million miles away from Europe.
In some respects it’s quite westernised. For much of the 20th century Morocco was a Protectorate of France and the recently developed suburbs to the north of the city have a distinctly French feel to them. What’s more, a number of palatial hotel complexes have been built just outside the centre offering every modern amenity. But enter the Medina, the ancient walled city, and you are immediately plunged into a world that is most definitely African, Moslem and in many respects medieval – you’ve stepped from the 21st century straight into a tale from ‘Arabian Nights’ and are sure to get hopelessly lost in the endless labyrinth of souks, alleyways and squares.
The Royal Palm
Most visitors stay in one of the big modern hotels in the suburbs or just on the edge of town. You are spoilt for choice but the Royal Palm Beachcomber is surrounded by its own lush golf course and has amazing views of the Atlas Mountains, while the Mandarin Oriental is The Telegraph’s top pick and the Selman Marrakech oozes French chic on a heroic scale.
If money is no object The Royal Mansour, built by the king of Morocco himself just outside the city walls, is totally overwhelming in every sense – 1500 craftsmen were employed to create a palace that is utterly mesmerising. Nearby is La Mamounia, equally glamorous and breathtaking. If the rates are out of your reach at least pay a visit - La Mamounia will let you wander round but at the Royal Mansour you’ll need to make a reservation at one of their wonderful restaurants.
La Sultana
If you want to book a traditional riad hotel right in the centre of the Medina La Sultana is an absolute gem – the city’s smallest 5 star hotel, it’s exotic and intimate, opulent and decadent, fit for the legendary narrator of One Thousand and One Nights, Scheherazade herself. Another enticing option is Kasbah Tamadot, Richard Branson’s magically romantic retreat in the High Atlas Mountains.
Kasbah Tamadot
We’ve given you a selection of the more expensive hotels here but in Marrakech there are so many places to stay that you can find some real bargains whilst still relaxing in the lap of luxury – this destination offers terrific value for money.
Venice
Easyjet and Ryanair have regular flights from Bristol airport taking just two hours and 15 minutes, with a short walk to the ferries and water taxis that will take you across the lagoon.
Deciding where to stay requires a bit of thought. The most romantic option is to stay on the cluster of islands that form the main city – that way you are just a short (but winding!) walk or boat ride from all the attractions. What’s more, Venice is at its most enjoyable and beguiling in the evening when most of the visitors have returned to their cruise ships, their hotels on the mainland (in the town of Mestre) or the Lido (the sandbar that forms the outer boundary of the lagoon). That is your dilemma - pay less and take a short boat ride in the morning and the evening, or pay a bit more and have both days and nights to enjoy all that this utterly unique destination offers.
Rather than recommend places to stay (you are spoilt for choice) we feel a couple of other tips would be more valuable. Firstly, it pays to pick your season. In summer Venice can be unbearably crowded (and smelly!). In the winter it can be very cold and wet – we’re not just talking rain but high tides that can flood the squares, streets and alleyways! The best months to visit are probably October to May (but be sure to bring warm clothes for the winter months)– it’s much less crowded, it’s cheaper, and when there’s a mist it is even more mysterious than usual!
You’ll obviously visit St Mark’s Square to explore the Basilica San Marco and the Doges Palace. But if you eat or drink in one of the restaurants or cafes here it’ll cost you an arm and a leg - walk just a hundred metres away in any direction and the prices drop dramatically. There are countless great eateries but in many ways it’s more interesting, and cheaper, to find little bars, known as bacari, and snack on cicheti (the Venetian equivalent of tapas). That’s what the locals tend to do, so when in Venice… The Veneto is famed for its wines, with each bacari serving favourite local vintages. Or you may prefer a spritz - prosecco, a dash of a bitter liqueur such as Aperol, Campari or Cynar, with sparkling mineral water and ice.
What else can you do? Take a gondola ride, see the dungeons where Casanova was imprisoned after getting too friendly with the local nuns, visit some amazing museums, art galleries and churches, take a boat trip to other islands in the lagoon and feast your eyes on mountains of seafood in the fish market next to the Rialto Bridge – there is nowhere so beautiful, fascinating and surprising as Venice!
Sardinia
You can fly from Bristol Airport to Olbia, in Northern Sardinia, from the beginning of May until the end of September (but avoid August because the island is very crowded that month). The flight time is about two and a half hours and the airport is small and efficient so you’ll be on your way in next to no time.
So, what are the attractions of Sardinia? First off it has an amazing coastline that’s a quarter the length of Italy’s – there’s over 1000 miles of absolutely drop dead gorgeous beaches, cliffs and rocky headlands that are virtually deserted, even in June and July. What’s more, the development of holiday resorts, hotels and villas has been rigorously regulated – even the most popular areas are so low rise and low impact that you have to look quite carefully to see them at all amidst the craggy outcrops and dense vegetation.
Inland the country features huge areas of uninhabited mountains, dark ravines, thick forests and meadows of bright sun-baked yellow grass, with the occasional village perched on a hilltop. It’s still very much a land of peasants and shepherds where visitors seldom venture – and are still viewed as something of a novelty by the locals.
Hotel Su Gologone
If you want to enjoy a honeymoon that gives you the best of both, superb beaches for swimming and sunbathing and dramatic mountains for walking, biking and exploring, Hotel Su Gologone is perfect. It’s one of the very few hotels in the interior, and the most highly rated. However, some of the island’s most amazing beaches and hidden coves are just 30 minutes’ drive away - Madonna stayed here when filming her movie Swept Away, so you get the idea!
Hotel Su Gologone
Family owned the hotel has a very rustic and homely feel – the buildings hug the top of a small hillock and are almost entirely hidden by trees. Giovanna, the owner, has an artist’s eye and sensibility. She and her parents have created a series of wonderful terraces on the hillsides. Each is of brilliant white stone walls and wood decking, but with brightly coloured cushions – green and turquoise for the terrace overlooking the kitchen garden, light purple for the rooftop Terrace of Dreams, green for the Wishes Terrace, orange and yellow on the terrace next to the art gallery.
Hotel Su Gologone
The most spectacular terrace of all is entirely white – white decking clinging to white painted rock, with white cushions and triangles of white cloth stretched between white wooden poles to provide some shade. This is the Bar Tablao – jaw-droppingly dramatic and perfect for pre-dinner drinks and complimentaryanti-pasti as you admire the sheer cliffs of the Supramonte massif in the sunset glow.
The cuisine is traditional Sardinian, and there are plenty of activities to give you a real experience of the local culture and heritage – tastings of local wines, olive oils, cheeses and prosciutto, courses in cookery and crafts, yoga sessions, singing recitals by shepherds, star gazing with powerful telescopes and expert astronomers. For the more energetic there’s trekking and cycling, Land Rover and quad bike excursions, horse riding, canoeing and kayaking, as well as plenty of archaeological sites and caves to explore.
This is by no means the only wonderful hotel on Sardinia but it’s hard to think of a better one for your Honeymoon!
Bon voyage!
So, three ideas for honeymoon destinations that are within easy reach but blissfully romantic and definitely out of the ordinary. Clevedon Hall is a fantastic venue for your big day itself and if you follow these suggestions you are sure to get your married life off to a spellbinding start!
A New Year Party The Great Gatsby would have been proud to host Looking for a great way to celebrate New Year? Then book some of the few remaining places at our Roaring Twenties themed supper and ball.
But what were the Roaring Twenties? In this post we give you a few quick pointers and some interesting insights. They’ll help you get into the spirit of the evening as well as give you a few facts with which to impress your friends and loved ones!
Your great great grandmother knew how to party
The Roaring Twenties, as the name suggests, refers to the decade of the 1920’s. But why were they roaring? Primarily because, for many, these were years of great prosperity. The US and Western European economies were rebounding from the First World War and a lot of people were doing extremely well for themselves. It all went a bit pear-shaped with the Great Depression of the 1930’s, then we had the Second World War, but the preceding period was a very happy one for many, especially in cities such as New York, Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin and London.
The novel “The Great Gatsby”, published in 1925, captures the spirit of the age. Although it ultimately ends in tears, and has been described as a "cautionary tale of the decadent downside of the American dream", it does show what a great time was had by some. If you can’t be bothered to read the book watch the movie, with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role – he certainly knew how to put on a good party and we’ll be taking our inspiration from him on New Year’s Eve!
All that jazz
Well, first of all, jazz was all the rage, with stars such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton. Urban and city blues also became popular with performers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. So, if you join us for New Year, you can expect to be entertained with classic tunes like “Ain’t misbehavin’”, “What a Wonderful World” and "Baby Won't You Please Come Home".
Get the drinks in
Then, in the states, it was the era of Prohibition – from 1920 to 1933 the manufacture, import and sale of beer, wine and hard liquor was illegal. This just drove drinking underground, into illegal bars and clubs known as speakeasies. These were operated by organised criminal gangs, or gangsters – this was the era of Lucky Luciano, Al Capone, Bugs Moran, Moe Dalitz and the like. The Great Gatsby himself, we discover at the close, is a bootlegger. In best speakeasy style the liquor will be flowing freely at Clevedon Hall on the 31st of December!
Where Strictly started
Dance clubs, and dance music became enormously popular in the 1920s with dance music dominate all forms of popular music by the late 1920s. The foxtrot, waltz, and American tango led the way, along with a variety of eccentric novelty dances such as the Breakaway and Charleston. With this in mind we’ll have a live band for you on New Year’s Eve, so you can start 2017 with a real swing.
Girls behaving badly
The 1920’s, coming off the back of the Great War, was a period of huge change. The inhibitions of the Victorian era were finally cast aside, the younger generation took an “anything goes” attitude and women became considerably more liberated. A host of young, rebellious, middle-class young ladies, labelled 'flappers' by older generations, burst onto the social scene.
Flappers did away with corsets and donned slinky knee-length dresses, which exposed their legs and arms. They cut their hair short in chin-length bobs and started to wear cosmetics. They were high spirited, flirtatious and recklessness when it came to their search for fun. They drank, smoked, drove cars, took a casual attitude to sex and generally delighted in flouting convention. The contemporary writer Dorothy Parker, something of an expert in bad behaviour herself, penned an “Ode to a Flapper” that described this creature thus:
“She’s not what Grandma used to be, — You might say, au contraire.”
She also once remarked “If all the girls who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be a bit surprised". Queen Victoria, who passed away just a generation earlier, would not have been amused!
Don’t miss the fun
There are still a few tickets to be had, and a few rooms available if you don’t want to head home. For further details and to book just click here. Then all you have to do is get your outfit sorted and then roll up for a Great Gatsby of a party!
If you enjoy embarking on new wining and dining adventures, then Bristol and its surroundings offers an almost infinite range of possibilities. The problem, in fact, is keeping track of them all. For instance, you could have enjoyed an amazing evening in the elegant surroundings of Clevedon Hall, treated to a veritable banquet by four of the region’s best chefs. I say could because this very special Four Cuisineers event sold out a few weeks ago – as the inaugural event of Clevedon Hall’s Harold’s Club it was virtually guaranteed to be oversubscribed.
What else have you been missing out on?
In this post we give you half a dozen more great ideas of where you can go, in and around Bristol, for a culinary good time.
Cocktails at Cabot
If you enjoy a bit of retail therapy followed by a White Russian, a Singapore Sling or even some Sex on a Beach, then the cocktail bar on the second Floor of Harvey Nichols is an absolute must. With its silver ceiling, luminous marble bar and chic furnishings it offers oodles of discreet glamour and chilled sophistication. The drinks list, which includes a selection of wines and Champagnes available by the glass, changes with the seasons but the award-winning mixologists can always create classic cocktails for you.
There’s also a superb restaurant serving light lunches, indulgent afternoon teas and sumptuous dinners. If you are disappointed to miss Four Cuisineers event then pop along to the restaurant at Harvey Nichols – one of the chefs cooking for us on that night is employed in their kitchen!
Dine in a dungeon
Another of the chefs contributing to the Harold’s Club evening is Mark Veale, former Head Chef at Thornbury Castle – a rare opportunity to sample his superb cuisine this leaving the atmospheric surroundings of this most unusual dining venue.
One of the earliest owners of Thornbury Manor, Brictric son of Algar, made the mistake of spurning the advances of Matilda of Flanders. She then married William the Conqueror, who seized Thornbury and awarded it to his Queen. Matilda immediately imprisoned her unfortunate former love and Brictric languished in gaol for the rest of his life.
The castle you see today was built by Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VIII. Stafford was also careless enough to lose the estate. After being betrayed to the king by a disgruntled servant, Stafford was arrested for high treason and executed on Tower Hill. Henry claimed Thornbury for himself, spending ten days here while on his honeymoon tour with Anne Boleyn. It remained royal property until the death of his daughter Mary I, when it was returned to the Duke’s descendants.
If you fancy a wining and dining experience with a distinctly historical flavour then book dinner in the 16th Century dungeon. It is now a bonded wine cellar containing an award winning wine collection that includes bottles from some of the best artisan wine makers and estates in the world.
Garden of delights
The Ethicurean restaurant is set in the enchanting Barley Wood Walled Garden, a perfectly restored Victorian kitchen garden perched on a hillside above the village of Wrington. Sitting in the old glass house you’ll not only enjoy lovely views of the Mendip Hills but you can cast your eyes over the well-tended vegetables and herbs that provide most of the ingredients for cuisine that has been described by the Guardian as “some of the most delicious, innovative, vegetable-focused cuisine in the land.”
The menu changes twice daily (yes, you read that right!) and celebrates their “bounteous walled garden and the wild land that surrounds it.” A variety of inviting treats awaits – you might be lucky enough to enjoy seaweed salad, toasted sesame & chili flakes, followed by trout & cuttlefish with tomato & fennel seed soup with almond, pear, cardamom and dark chocolate cake to finish.
Let’s meat for dinner
The Ox, as the name suggests, is a country mile away from the Ethicurean – not only is it in the centre of Bristol (hidden away in a basement under the Commercial Rooms on Corn Street) but it is gloriously carnivorous.
Steak is at the very heart of what they do but there’s also a tempting range of stunning small plates - charcoal roasted octopus, chorizo, salsa rossa and potato, or ox tongue, picked vegetables, mustard mayo, to name but a couple. You can also graze to your heart’s content on classic charcuterie, including iberico salami, cecina, pork & pistachio terrine, rabbit rillettes, pickles, plum chutney and chilli mustard.
If you have any room left (doubtful!) there’s a selection of hearty and sticky desserts such as peanut butter & banana Opera cake with malted chocolate ice cream or caramalised vanilla rice pudding with boozy prunes and puffed rice.
Quality that never goes out of fashion
Bell’s Diner, on Picton Street in Montpelier, has been one of Bristol’s best kept secrets for at least 30 years, the kind of place you discover but don’t want to tell your friends about in case it becomes too popular. Although Bell’s has changed chefs and owners many times during its long and illustrious history it is still winning plaudits. The Observer recently listed it in their 40 best restaurants in Britain, citing a “brilliant, buzzy vibe, a savvy front-of- house team and truly imaginative cooking.” The team at Bells describe the food as “Modern Mediterranean. It is inspired by the robust, flavoursome cooking of Spain, North Africa, Italy and France in which top quality ingredients are treated simply and put together in clever combinations.” The wine list gets the thumbs up too with an eclectic but really well chosen range of regions and grapes.
Star quality pub grub
If you are looking for a great gastro pub then it’s hard to ignore the Pony & Trap in Chew Magna. Brother and sister team Josh and Holly Eggleton took it over in 2006 and have retained a Michelin star since 2011. Holly handles front of house while Josh runs the kitchen – he’s steadily becoming a bit of a celebrity, having appeared on BBC2’s Great British Menu. He champions a “field to fork” ethos, serving food that is sourced as locally as possible from suppliers around Chew Valley and the South West - organic fruit and vegetables grown in fields overlooking the pub, rod and line caught fish by Bristol fisherman and merchant Aaron, local wood pigeon shot by Charlie and all things smoked from the smokehouse at the back of the pub, to name but a few. Holly Eggleton recently won the coveted Front of House of the Year at the Publican Morning Advertiser's Top 50 UK Gastropubs Awards 2014, while Josh picked up Chef of the Year. In 2015 the pub itself was ranked No 2 on that list and this year they sit at No 5, so they’re obviously doing a lot right!
Last but not least
The cuisine at Clevedon Hall is pretty special, even if we say so ourselves. Chef Alan Jones was formerly Head Chef at Cowley Manor hotel and spa in Cheltenham. He was also a finalist in the Gordon Ramsay Scholarship Award. If you want to enjoy Alan’s dishes we suggest you attend one of our Harold’s Club events. To make sure you don’t miss out subscribe to our newsletter and book quickly as places are limited and sell out fast. Next one is our New Year’s Eve Roaring Twenties evening – don’t miss it!
Six top tips for making the most of a wedding fayre
Planning your wedding? Then attending at least one wedding fayre is an absolute must! They’re a total godsend when it comes to gathering ideas and information, comparing and contrasting suppliers as well as getting a feel for the latest trends and fashions.
You can do some initial research online, but it’s vital to see, touch, smell, taste and listen – only by using all your senses will you be able to create the subtle magic that the occasion demands. What’s more, you need to assemble a team of people, from the photographer to the chef, the venue staff to the florist, that you click with. Chemistry is everything and a wedding fair is a wonderful opportunity to meet a variety of these individuals and see which ones you relate to best.
Last but not least, it’s fun! Anticipation is half the pleasure and a wedding fair certainly ramps up the sense of excitement and expectancy – there’s bubbly to be sampled, canapes to be tasted and if the fayre is held in a wedding venue there are photography locations to be viewed, dining rooms to be discovered and bedrooms to be explored.
Six smart ideas
For all these reasons a wedding fayre or two is a must-do. The savvy couple, however, goes well prepared – so here are some invaluable tips to ensure the experience is rewarding on all levels.
TIP 1. ATTEND A FAYRE AT A WEDDING VENUE -
That way you not only see and meet lots of suppliers but you also have the opportunity to research the location itself and meet their team. This is not only an efficient use of your time but ensures you’ll be introduced to suppliers that the venue uses regularly. This is important – things are more likely to go smoothly on the day if the supplier and venue already have a great working relationship.
TIP 2. GO PREPARED WITH SOME ANSWERS.
The people you meet will be eager to help you, but they need to know what kind of wedding you have in mind. They are going to ask you things like: where do you plan to hold the ceremony and the reception, what time of year are you thinking of, do you have a theme or style in mind, how many guests are you inviting? The more information you can give them the better!
TIP 3. HAVE A PLAN.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you need to consider. Decide on your priorities - what’s the number 1 decision you need to make? For example, you might want to concentrate on picking a photographer as your first goal, then start thinking about wedding cakes, table decorations and entertainment once that is sorted. This helps you focus and manage your time – because there will be lots of tempting distractions!
TIP 4. DON’T BRING TOO MANY PEOPLE WITH YOU.
Whilst it’s useful to get a few different opinions ultimately it’s your wedding. You want to be the one making the decisions as it should reflect your unique personalities and sense of style as a couple. Too much input from too many directions will be confusing. What’s more, you may spend valuable time worrying about making sure everyone is enjoying themselves and not enough focusing on the details that matter. Equally important, don’t twist someone’s arm to come with you – you want to be with people who are as excited and positive as you are.
TIP 5. BRING WHAT YOU NEED.
Flat shoes are a must, especially if it’s a big show or you may be exploring gardens and outdoor areas – you want to be comfortable! If you are going to try on dresses wear suitable clothing and bring a pair of heels. If you have fabrics and colour schemes in mind bring swatches. A big bag to carry all the leaflets and samples is essential. Bring a calendar so you can schedule appointments. Don’t forget cash and a credit/debit card – there may be exclusive discounts if you pay a deposit for a particular service on the day.
TIP 6. TAKE YOUR TIME AND DON’T BE SHY
Talk to people! Instead of just looking at the stands, grabbing a brochure or business card, then hurrying off, engage people in conversation. If an exhibitor is busy talking to another couple then make sure you come back a few minutes later. This is your opportunity to talk to an expert, pick their brains, gather ideas and inspiration as well as find people that you really want to work with to make your big day extra special.
A key date for your diary
Follow these tips and you are sure to have a most successful and enjoyable day. You can put them into practice on Sunday the 16th of October at the Clevedon Hall Wedding Fayre. It runs from 11am to 3pm but be sure to arrive promptly as our Head Chef Alan Jones and the Front of House team will have some delicious dishes for you to sample and they’re sure to disappear fast! You’ll also have the opportunity to explore the wonderful house and gardens, meet many of the best wedding suppliers in the area, benefit from the free offers exclusively available on the day, sample the complimentary bubbly in the bar and pick up a free present on arrival.
New outdoor wedding feature launches at Clevedon Hall North Somerset luxury wedding venue Clevedon Hall has launched a new outdoor wedding feature where couples can exchange vows overlooking the scenic backdrop of Clevedon Bay.
Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, the bespoke gazebo was built from accoya wood and up to 150 guests can be seated in the surrounding area. Brides join the congregation after walking down a specially created curved pathway that sweeps around the grounds, taking in the beauty of the gardens in all their seasonal glory.
The gazebo where couples tie the knot overlooks a flower-lined lake and stands next to a tree that was destroyed in a storm and has since been resurrected in the form of a stunning wood sculpture, reflecting the abundance of wildlife at Clevedon Hall.
“Our new outdoor wedding feature is an incredible addition to Clevedon Hall,” says director John McCarthy. “The hall itself is situated in the most beautiful landscaped grounds, making it the ideal setting for couples to enjoy the perfect English garden wedding.”
Clevedon Hall is one of the South West’s leading wedding and corporate venues combining history and tradition with every modern luxury.
The Grade II listed mansion was unveiled as a premier wedding location in 2014 following a £3 million revamp.
Owned and run by the McCarthy family, Clevedon Hall prides itself on offering a fully personalised event service where every detail can be tailored to an individual’s wishes.
The property boasts 25 elegant bedrooms with ensuite, designed by Jane Clayton Interiors. Every bedroom is unique in design but all offer the highest standards of comfort to help guests drift off at the end of the night. Some of the larger bedroom have additional lounges and dressing rooms.
Michelin-trained executive chef Alan Jones, who has previously worked at Michelin starred Lucknam Park and Cowley Manor, ensures that all Clevedon Hall’s guests are treated to fantastic food.
“We pride ourselves on offering couples the best possible wedding experience,” continued John. “The property and its stunning gardens combine the best of English tradition, making it the perfect location for a really special outdoor event.”
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