church

Long gone are the days when a simple church wedding and a slice of cake would suffice; brides-to-be and their grooms are now looking for something different, to stand out from the crowds and most importantly to be one of a kind. 

As reality TV stars and celebrities continue to push the boundaries, sharing their increasingly lavish gatherings with the masses, blushing brides-to-be up and down the country are considering how they too can be a princess for the day. 

Most couples wait between 13 and 18 months from saying “yes” to saying “I do”. [i]And in an ideal world, long engagements present the perfect, relatively low-pressure opportunity to thoroughly consider (and sometimes reconsider) exactly how you want your wedding day to be. Do you want a luxury venue or something simple and low key? Do you want to go abroad or do you want to stay local. Church or registry office? Full length and fabulous or on-the-knee and quirky? Rustic summer ceremony or romantic mid-winter wedding?

Built in 1894 the Old School Room at the Lyceum was originally the main Village School and Church in the historic 19th century garden village of Port Sunlight. When school numbers increased to over 1,200 pupils, the Lyceum building became stretched to capacity and so new larger buildings werebuilt by village founder William Hesketh Lever for his villagers.

The Lyceum with distinctive red brick façade, high mullion windows, vaulted arched ceiling and parquet flooring is the perfect venue for a handcrafted wedding! Adjacent to the building stands a picturesque sandstone bridge which once spanned a creek and now highlights a pretty sunken garden providing a picture perfect location for your wedding album.

Almost anywhere can be considered a potential wedding venue for the magical day - from tree houses to seafronts, castles and hotels to farmyard barns and school halls, and everything in between. However, before you make your final decision, here are some key factors to consider before putting down the deposit on your wedding venue.

Hallmark Hotels is a 28 strong and growing portfolio of hotel wedding venues situated across the UK from city centre locations to rolling countryside settings and manor house style venues.

Some people dream about a classic, traditional wedding: a church service, a white dress, a reception in the banquet suite of an expensive hotel, and a school disco atmosphere with one or two too many drinks. Others, however, are looking for something a little out of the ordinary, and wish to plan a wedding that will stick in the mind of attendees for its originality. If you see yourself as one of these latter types — very creative, very independent — then here are a few tips and ideas that you may find useful when planning your special day.