Category Archives: Hotel

Mid-Week Celebrations

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About 99% of happy couples want to get married on Fridays or Saturdays. However, despite there being many valid reasons for this, a future bride and groom should always take into consideration a mid-week wedding as it can have many advantages.

Here are her five reasons to choose a mid-week wedding over a weekend…

Cost

There’s one thing couples always ask, how much? Couples fall head over heels for wedding venues and are then put down by the price. However, mid-week weddings are often far more negotiable when it comes to price. It is believed that a mid-week wedding can work out about a third cheaper.

Availability

There is nothing more frustrating for a Wedding Co-ordinator than showing a couple around their beautiful wedding venue and then not being able to find availability for them. Popular wedding venues get booked up in advance so by opting for a weekday wedding, the availability is often a lot better and there will be more flexibility with dates.

Intimacy

Mid-week weddings suit a smaller and more intimate affair. Close family members and friends may be more than happy to take a couple of days off work to celebrate with you. For example, if you choose a day later in the week such as a Thursday, this means that the working week is nearly over and your guests are much more likely to let their hair down.

Quality

Wedding suppliers, from photographers to florists tend to prefer mid-week weddings as not only does it mean they can spend longer at the venue (as Saturday’s tend to be far more hectic), they also have more availability too. Setting up and arranging supplies during the week can also save significant amounts of money too, due to each supplier’s weekend demand.

Timing

It can seem like you spend your whole life waiting for the weekend. And this shouldn’t have to be the case for finding a free weekend at your chosen wedding venue. By having your wedding during the week, you will simply be able to get married sooner! This means there is no big countdown and you don’t have to wait over a year for the big day.

Inspiration if you are marrying abroad

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If you’re marrying abroad and you want to create a beautiful wedding with a beach theme – or even if you just want to bring a splash of colour to a travel-inspired wedding theme in the UK – then check out our top buys for a tropical look!

There loads of different theme options for destination weddings – you can always incorporate traditional elements of your chosen destination, such as colours and flowers, into the theme of your day. Try hibiscus flowers, leis and floral prints if you’re marrying in Hawaii, or royal blue and white, olive leaves and goddess dresses for Greece. You could also opt for a nautical theme in shades of blue, white and sandy neutrals, with anchor motifs and rope detailing. We personally love a bright tropical theme, which is one of the most striking – and easy to create!

For a tropical theme, choose bold bright colours such as hot pink, orange, turquoise and lime – don’t be afraid to contrast them! Use white as a base colour to really make them pop. When it comes to flowers, we love orchids for a beach wedding – they come in a range of gorgeous colours and can be used for bouquets, buttonholes and in hair. You could also choose birds of paradise, palm fronds, frangipani or protea for an exotic look.

Take advantage of your seaside theme and use starfish and shells as decoration – they make great place names, favours and centrepieces. Just add lots of candles and scattered seashells to fresh white linens to create chic table decoration. When it comes to table names, why not stick with the travel theme? Name the tables after places you and your new husband have been, or would like to go – or, if you’re lucky enough to be marrying in the Caribbean or in Hawaii, name them after the islands!

Obviously a tropical wedding will need a beautiful beachy dress. Just accessorize with embellished sandals and lots of gold jewellery for a luxurious goddess-inspired look.

How to do Wedding Planning on a Budget?

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First things first – set a limit

If you want to plan a wedding for £10,000 then you may want to plan your budget like this:

  • £3,000 for venue
  • £2,500 for catering
  • £1,500 for drinks
  • £1,500 for dress and suits
  • £500 for transport
  • £300 for a cake
  • £700 for a photographer

Separating the budget accordingly means that you know where the money is allocated and it gives you a little bit of leeway to adjust your price on each aspect. One thing we would always say is never hire a budget photographer – everything else may just be for the day, but those wedding photos will last forever!

Pick the Cheapest Time to Get Married

When you decide to get married can make an even bigger impact than where you decide to get married. Choosing to get married in the middle of the week or on a Sunday, compared to a Saturday wedding could save you a small fortune. Similarly, picking a date in Spring, Autumn or Winter will also see big savings coming in when compared to a summer wedding.

Choose Your Venue Carefully

You can have some amazing budget weddings if you pick the right location – often, somewhere you wouldn’t typically consider. There are lots of venues around the country that are licensed to hold marriage ceremonies, why not pick something a little bit different?

This holds two benefits really – 1 your special day is truly special in a unique location and 2 these venues tend to be a lot more affordable than places which are booked up years in advance! Some of the best budget wedding venues in the UK are still yet to be discovered… you could just be one of the first people married there.

Personalisation

Budget doesn’t mean ‘stock’, in fact it is very different to that. Taking the reins and deciding to add or remove certain parts of the wedding package is a great way to save money. For example, making your own table decorations could end up saving you around £500 plus you have the added bonus of spending time together making them yourself!

Scrap the DJ

Honestly, cheap wedding DJs are the worst! Instead of forking out your hard earned cash on someone who will just play a generic wedding music playlist, why not create your own playlist with all your favourite songs? You probably already have one – plug this into some speakers and you’re good to go!

Find your perfect seating plan

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When planning a wedding, if you’re having 50 guests at a buffet, you may or may not want to give people specific seating assignments. But if you’re having 100 guests or more and serving a seated meal, you’ll want to make sure everyone’s got a specific place to sit. Why? For one, people like to know where they’re sitting — and that you took the time to choose where and whom they should sit with. It’s also helpful if you’re serving several different entree choices, because the caterer and wait staff can figure out beforehand how many chicken, filet and veggie dishes a given table gets, because they (you) know who’s sitting there. 

Create a Paper Trail

If you’re feeling more low-tech, draw circles (for tables) on a big sheet of paper and write names inside them (make sure you know how many people can comfortably be seated at each one). Or you could write every guest’s name on a sticky note and place it accordingly.

Head Up the Head Table

A traditional head table is not round but long and straight, and it’s generally set up along a wall, facing all the other reception tables. It may even have two tiers if your wedding party is large. Usually the bride and groom sit in the middle (where everyone can see them), with the maid of honour next to the groom, the best man next to the bride, and then boy/girl out from there. Flower girls or ring bearers usually sit at the tables where their parents are sitting, much to the relief of the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Decide to sit this way, or plan a sweetheart table for a little one-on-one time

Switch Things Up

But you don’t have to do it that way. All the bridesmaids can sit on the bride’s side, and all the groomsmen on the groom’s. Or maybe you’re not into being on display, or you don’t want your wedding party to feel isolated from other guests. Let your wedding party sit at a round reception table or two with each other and/or with their dates/significant others, and have the head table be a sweetheart table for the two of you. (How romantic!) Another option: You two sit with your parents and let that be the head table, with the wedding party at their own tables.

Place Your Parents

Traditionally, your parents and your parents to be sit at the same table, along with grandparents, siblings not in the wedding party, but for one reason or another you might want to let each set of parents host their own table of close family and/or friends. This could mean up to four parents’ tables, depending on your situation — or have the divorced parent who raised you (or your partner) and his/her spouse/date sit at the table with still-married parents. 

Remember, the parent-seating question is a flexible one. Set it up in whatever way best suits everybody. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to talk to the parents in question about it before you make your final decision.

Tame Tensions

There may also be situations in which certain family members just do not get along. Maybe they haven’t spoken in years. Maybe the last time they saw each other there was a drunken catfight. Understandably, you want to keep them as far apart as possible. Think about these kinds of relationships (or lack thereof) before you even start making your chart, so you can take them into consideration in the first place and begin by seating Auntie Maud at table three and Aunt Lucy across the room at table 15. Trust us — they’ll appreciate it.

Play Matchmaker

Again, all your University or school friends will be so pleased to sit at a table together. This especially works out well if you and your beloved went to the same school and have the same friends. It also gives them all an opportunity to catch up with each other, because they may not have seen each other for a while. But again — reception tables offer a great opportunity to mix and match your friends and your partners — who knows who’ll hit it off? Consider seating friends who don’t know each other (yet), but who you think will get along exceptionally well, at the same table — and the rest is history. It can’t hurt!

Something a bit quirky

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Although British weddings can be beautifully traditional, we are also known for eccentricity and uniqueness. From unusual themes to bold fashion choices, many weddings in this country are completely original.

Choosing a quirky, unique and statement Wedding Venue is a fundamental ingredient if you want to make sure that your big day stands out. To ignite your imagination, we’ve picked 10 of the UK’s most exciting, original and quirky wedding venues in the UK to inspire you.

The Belle Epogue, Cheshire

Set against a backdrop of Art Nouveau splendour, from the moment you step into the dramatic bar (Italian glass mosaic floor, original copper Art Nouveau fireplaces, sumptuous red leather upholstery), or onto the incredible Mediterranean roof garden in the spring and summer, you’ll sense the stylish charm of this unique venue. The romantic ceremony room can be candle lit and there are no specified minimum numbers of guests when booking exclusive sole use.

Spit bank Fort, Portsmouth

If you want to feel absolutely exclusive — and a little out to sea — Spit bank Fort could be the ultimate choice. The definition of “quirky venue”, Spit bank is a gun emplacement built to protect the British fleet when Britannia ruled the waves. Today it is described as a “luxurious cocoon of indulgence, privacy and exclusivity”. With nine bedroom suites, a rooftop hot pool and sauna and a stylish Officer’s Mess for dining, the imaginative restoration offers wedding parties a unique taste of life at sea.

Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Liverpool

For fans of British music — and the Beatles — this is the ultimate wedding party venue: but Fab Four aside, this contemporary boutique hotel for weddings in the heart of Liverpool is worth considering even if you’re not Beatle maniacs. Couples can marry in the “Two of Us” wedding suite, celebrate in a private themed bar and function room, and — for a luxurious wedding night — you could book the McCartney Suite, which pays tribute to Sir Paul’s work in music and the arts, or the Lennon Suite, which features a stunning white piano against a white backdrop.

Fazeley Studios, Birmingham

The showpiece of Fazeley Studios, a space in the centre of Birmingham, is its Grand Gallery reception, a beautifully renovated 19th century Unitarian Chapel. The historic building also contains a Sunday school dating from 1865 — now a spacious conference room and boutique, character studios. You can adapt the spaces here to suit your individual wedding, including exclusive use of the beautiful landscaped courtyard, ideal for hog roasts and BBQs.

The Caves, Edinburgh

Deep in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, weddings of 65 to 130 day guests and up to 450 evening guests can be held in the Caves, licensed for civil, humanist, religious and hand fasting ceremonies. This unique venue makes up the sub-structure of the 18th Century South Bridge: remains of the houses that pre-date the bridge, with the original terracotta floor tiles still intact, can be seen here. Steeped in Scottish tradition, there was once so much whisky stored in the Caves that it became known as “Whisky Row”.

Christie’s Bistro, Manchester

Christie’s Bistro is set in a Manchester city Centre building dating back to 1890 when it was constructed as the new Study of Education. For much of the 20th century it housed Manchester University’s principle science library. Now converted into a bistro, it is still steeped in the institution’s history and character, with portraits of previous vice chancellors gracing the walls and endless rows of original books and documents. A hugely popular wedding venue, the bistro is still used frequently by university staff and students.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London.

One of London’s most exciting venues, St Pancras Renaissance offers the romance of a golden age of rail travel. A celebrated destination, on the lovingly revamped St Pancras station site, it sets the stage for “a wedding day laced with historic charm”. Embracing Victorian style and tradition, the passion that went into the hotel’s creation and restoration envelops wedding ceremonies here, as does the venue’s gracious version of contemporary London hospitality.

Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Shropshire

Described as “the birthplace of industry” the Ironbridge Gorge Museums are situated in the beautiful Ironbridge Gorge UNESCO world heritage site, spread along the valley beside the River Severn. Offering a choice of venues for wedding ceremonies and receptions, Victorian-themed weddings are popular here — but the venue can cater for anything from a simple ceremony to a complete ceremony, wedding breakfast and reception package. 

Lost Village of Dode, Kent

From its intriguing name to its magical location (an almost forgotten valley between Luddesdown and Holly Hill in the North Downs of Kent), a wedding in the Lost Village of Dode is guaranteed to feel unique. Set in a Norman building, the marriage room is over 900 years old and offers an intimate ceremony for up to 40 guests. The small wedding party can then eat and celebrate at this most unusual, exclusive and historic venue.

Altitude 360, London

If you want a wedding with a view, Altitude 360 could be the one. Based in Westminster, across five floors of Millbank Tower, you and your guests can savour 360 degree views of London. The venue is licensed for ceremonies and receptions across all event spaces, and the views that will mesmerise your guests are just part of the experience; by day, sunlight pours in through wrap-around windows and glitters across white marble floors; by night, the shimmering lights of London create a spectacular backdrop. 

Perfect Venues Outdoor Weddings

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If you want to get married outside, then take a look at some of our favourite British wedding venues where you can hold an outdoor ceremony

Although the weather isn’t always reliable, outdoor ceremonies are growing in popularity in the UK.

If you’d love to say your vows outside, here are some UK venues to consider: 

1.      Ta Mill, Cornwall

There’s a choice of outdoor options at Ta Mill, on the fringes of Bodmin Moor, including lawns that can accommodate up to 100 guests with a wildlife pond in the background. If the weather changes, a canopy can be used on the lawn, or up to 60 guests can be accommodated in the indoor venue. To continue the outdoor theme, you can enjoy a bespoke wedding breakfast in a personalised marquee in the gardens.

2.      Heaton House Farm, Cheshire

As well as offering a choice of two barns, Heaton House Farm also has a beautiful oak pagoda available for outdoor weddings. Licensed for civil ceremonies, and with its own patio area, the pagoda has panoramic views across the Cheshire plains. Guests can be seated on the patio area with additional seating extending onto the grass if required.

3.      Laughern Hill Estate, Worcestershire

Laughern Hill Estate can provide a “complete al fresco outdoor wedding experience”. It has a selection of ceremony locations, including beside a wishing well. You could have a quintessentially British marquee wedding or a boho festival style tipi. You could dine under a vinery of real leaves and sumptuous grapes or devour a mouth-watering hog roast within the walls of a secret garden. You could even dance the night away under the stars…with your own silent disco.

4.      Careys Manor, New Forest

Careys Manor Hotel is the only venue in the tranquil New Forest that holds an outdoor wedding licence. The hotel’s elegant, custom-built wedding pavilion harnesses the traditional romance of a walled garden with its serene design and sweet floral aromas. Up to 100 guests can be accommodated here – and they will also be able to use the award winning spa facilities.

5.      Nymans, Sussex

In a peaceful country setting, Nymans is a National Trust property with a loggia that is licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies. A beautiful gothic building, with soaring arches and ivy clad walls, the loggia is set within a sunken garden that has striking floral displays. Intimate ceremonies for 30 guests can take place inside the loggia or, for a larger congregation, an unlimited number of additional guests can be seated on the lawns.

6.      Brinkburn, Northumberland

Offering an unusual historic, tranquil and quirky experience, the estate is set in a secluded wooded ravine on the banks of the river Coquet in Northumberland, with a beautiful 12th century church and stables in the grounds. Outdoor ceremonies can be held here with the sound of the birds singing and the river running as a gorgeous soundtrack to your day.

7.      Polpier, Cornwall

If you’re looking for an outdoor venue with a stunning view, picturesque Polpier on the Cornish coast has a spacious front lawn that looks down on Mevagissey fishing village and harbour. With a feature gazebo that can be dressed with flowers and decorations, up to 100 guests can be accommodated at an outdoor ceremony in the self-contained gardens.

8.      Cripps Barn, Gloucestershire

An old Cotswold stone barn has flag stone floors, an open fire place, a large south facing terrace with fire pits and a bonfire in the garden. Couples can get married either in the barn or outside in the woodland glade which is equipped with a microphone and speakers in the trees so guests can hear music and the couples’ vows. After the wedding, the barn is a perfect place to party – and there is free camping available in the field next door for any outdoor-loving guests

9.      Jollydays Glamping, Yorkshire

Although Jollydays isn’t licensed for a legal ceremony, it’s a great choice if you are a glamping fan: couples usually have a legal ceremony at the nearby village church, or at the registry office in York, and then have a humanist ceremony in the Jollydays woodland. There are three wedding packages to choose from; you could have a festival vibe, a posh vintage tea party or a romantic boho extravaganza.

How about a fairground wedding?

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We’ve picked out five funfair wedding venues to inspire you if you want to treat your guests to something a little different on your wedding day. If you can’t find a wedding venue with a funfair near you, why not look into hiring funfair attractions to add something extra to your reception?

1. Marleybrook House

Kent wedding venue Marleybrook House, former home to legendary cabaret star Eartha Kitt, has its own Vintage Fayre! The venue will set it up for you – we recommend keeping it a secret until the day so you can see your guests’ faces when you arrive!

There are retro side stalls including an original 1940s High Striker to test strength and swing boats from 1890. Set up next to hay bales, apple crates and a vintage tractor, it will take you back in time.

2. Blists Hill Victoria Town

If you’re looking for a unique wedding venue in the Midlands, the Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Shropshire are a good choice. This includes Blists Hill Victorian Town, which is a recreation of a working Victorian town complete with a funfair. 

The funfair is set up opposite where most receptions take place and you and your guests can enjoy chair-o-planes, coconut shy’s, swing boats, and on certain days, a magnificent Victorian carousel featuring galloping horses. Imagine the wedding picture opportunities

3. The Hop Farm 

Home to The Hop Farm Festival, The Hop Farm also has a funfair which you can use at your wedding. It includes the amazing ‘giant jumping pillows’ to bounce away on, as well as an amazing vintage carousel, amongst other things.

The Kent wedding venue is popular for those who want a wedding with a fun, unique twist!

4. The Garden Room Syon Park

This stunning wedding reception venue comes complete with adjacent outside space, set within acres of idyllic parkland. The gardens can be used for welcome drinks, giving your wedding day the wow factor from the very start. The gardens can also be used to host a fun fair to entertain your guests, complete with rides, side stalls and candy floss.

A light and airy reception room comes complete with contemporary furnishings and an understated colour scheme, enabling you to keep it traditional or create a personalised look for your special day.

5. Preston Court

Preston Court has a lot to offer when it comes to your wedding – there are large gardens with lakes, lawns and a magical island that boasts a regency wrought iron bridge – so you can marry outside in the garden or in front of a magnificent fairground organ, located in the barn.
There is a full scale and fully operational Victorian carousel, complete with galloping horses and chariots – lots of fun for your guests and amazing for pictures – and a Victorian showman’s wagon which is used as a dressing room on the day. The fairground organs can be played on the day, and there is a selection of fairground games available too.

Kew a beautiful Wedding venue

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Choosing a wedding venue is almost always on the top of a couple’s ‘to do’ list.  This is the place that you will remember forever, it is the place where you will kiss your new husband/wife for the first time, it is the place where you will take your children and your grand-children back to, all to show them where you had the happiest day of your life. 

So a wedding venue needs to be characterful with its own qualities that make it desirable for a couple, but it must also to be enough of a blank canvas that a couple can put their own stamp on it.

Kew Gardens is a beautiful venue.  There are a number of beautiful and completely different areas within the venue of Kew Garden, that offer endless possibilities for the big day

There is the cosy Cambridge Cottage that can hold up to 80 guests for both ceremony and wedding reception.  The Cottage is a former royal residence and has a clean and fresh décor, which allows the Bride and Groom to choose any particular colour to use throughout the wedding, happily knowing that it will not clash with anything will always look perfect.  The cottage is steeped in traditional horticulture with floral pictures on the walls, which some couples do like to combine with their own ideas; using very bright and expressive flowers to decorate the venue, or use flower names as table names.

With entertainment, the light and elegant tone of Cambridge Cottage lends itself perfectly to string instruments, particular the harp or string quartet for a ceremony or reception.  The cottage backs on to the gardens and the sound of a string quartet drifting through the air could not be more perfect for a warm, summer wedding.

For the evening, the intimacy of Cambridge Cottage means that either a 4-piece band or a DJ works really well and creates a flawless party atmosphere.

Within the Grounds of the Gardens there are also the 3 beautiful Conservatories – The Nash Conservatory is a nineteenth century glasshouse that has started being used for Civil Ceremonies this year and can hold up to 200 guests.  The Nash Conservatory is used in conjunction with The Orangery, which is available for evening hire for up to 400 guests for a cocktail reception

The Princess of Wales Conservatory can either be used by itself as a cocktail reception venue for up to 250 guests or in combination with The Orangery or Cambridge Cottage, as a venue for pre or post dinner drinks.  The Conservatory itself was commissioned in 1982 and was named after Princess Augusta, the founder of Kew.  Opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is the most complex glasshouse at Kew, containing ten computer-controlled climatic zones, which only adds to this completely unique and interesting venue.

So with more than a few options for Weddings and Civil Ceremonies, it’s a great place to suggest wedding entertainment for – so many different acts work in the different spaces that the possibilities are endless

Looking for hotels that ooze romance?

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Ahead of the most romantic time of the year, Macdonald Hotel Ltd, one of the UK’s largest independent hotel groups, is encouraging love birds to indulge in some ‘we time’. With almost 50 luxurious hotels to choose from, each with its own unique charm, couples can cosy up in some of the UK’s most romantic spots. From Shakespeare’s birthplace, to the town which inspired a royal love story, Macdonald Hotels are the perfect place to spend time together this Valentine’s Day. Here are seven of their most romantic hotels where love will definitely be in the air this February;

Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews

In the town which kindled the flame of romance between Kate and Wills, Macdonald Rusacks Hotel is perfect for a luxurious and indulgent break this Valentine’s. St Andrews is a must-visit destination with its world renowned university, quaint Scottish terraces and famous West Sands beach immortalized in the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire. Ideal for those couples who share a passion for golf, Macdonald Rusacks Hotel is one of the greatest golfing hotels in the world, within a sand wedge of the 18th hole of the famous Old Course and with a dedicated Golf Concierge.

Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath

For couples seeking 5-star luxury, Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel offers a romantic get-away in the heart of historic Bath. With landscaped gardens, four poster beds, and a ‘bath butler’ this town which was home to Jane Austin, can create a weekend that even one of the world’s best known romantic fiction writers would be proud of.

Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa, North Berwick

Just half an hour from Edinburgh by train is the beautiful seaside town of North Berwick; renowned for its dramatic coastline as well as independent boutiques and ice cream vendors. Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa is housed within a glorious 19th Century building; reflecting a time when Romanticism swept through the British art world. Guests can take a windswept walk along the beach or stay cosily indoors and watch the coastline from behind the windows of one of the hotels’ 83 individually styled, luxury rooms. For couples looking to be pampered, the award winning thermal spa boasts a heated indoor pool as well as an outdoor hydro pool.

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa, Lake District

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa on the shores of Lake Windermere has unrivalled views over mature lawns to private jetties and moorings on the lake. The luxury four-star hotel proves a popular choice for romantic getaways and weekend breaks. This Valentine’s Day the hotel is offering a proposal package for guests looking to pop the question. Couples will be able to stay in a suite where they will be greeted with a chilled bottle of Prosecco and chocolates in the room on arrival. The Macdonald team will also be on hand to surprise loved ones with an engagement ring hidden inside Champagne glasses, and beds will be strewn with rose petals as an extra romantic touch.

Romantic breaks in the UK

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Wedding breaks are fast becoming a must for newlyweds. They’re not a minimoon for a few days or a honeymoon or a week abroad. Wedding breaks are a post-wedding, pre-honeymoon getaway for a night or two, somewhere nice, near home.

Here are some of our favourite places to take wedding breaks;

Radisson Edwardian Heathrow

Just two miles from Heathrow airport, the Radisson Edwardian Heathrow is the perfect stop-over for early-morning honeymoon flights and wedding breaks. This slick West End-style venue has a lively atmosphere that’s buzzing until the early hours. The Pegasus Health Spa and Gymnasium is the perfect place to begin unwinding after your wedding day. Expect to be pampered with a huge variety of treatments on offer, ranging from herbal saunas to massages and facials.

For the rooms, try The Presidential Suite – it’s perfect for wedding breaks for newlyweds. The other 458 rooms and suites boast all mod cons plus rich fabrics and marble bathrooms. This looks more like a chic central London hotel than an airport stopover. Prices start from £125 for a double room.

The Scarlet

Perched on a clifftop overlooking the stunning beach at Mawgan Porth, The Scarlet is a luxurious hotel perfectly positioned on the Cornish coast. Cornwall is filled with pretty villages to visit and views to swoon over, but if you fancy something more active, it’s the perfect place to learn to surf. The hotel can arrange private lessons or why not join the surf school?

Not to be missed during your stay is The Scarlet Spa, where total indulgence awaits. The Spa focuses on wellbeing as well as beauty, offering a fab range of eco-friendly treatments. With chic interior design and furniture, plus the comfiest beds around, you’re guaranteed a good night’s sleep here. They have 37 stunning bedrooms in the hotel spread out over five floors. Each room boasts its own outside space, from private terraces to balconies – perfect for watching the sun go down together. Prices start from £180 B&B in low season – worth every penny!

Peak Edge Hotel

The Peak Edge Hotel is the gateway to the Peak District in Derbyshire. Aside from the panoramas of rolling dales from every window, there is great local food cooked to perfection in the adjoining 17th-century inn, beautifully designed décor and an extensive activities package to keep you busy here. There are 27 brand new boutique bedrooms with picturesque views and sumptuous finishes. Bathrooms boast double-ended baths, rain showers and under-floor heating. You’ll also find LED flat screen TVs, decadent bedding and Wi-Fi internet to enjoy inside.

Blakes Hotel

Blakes in London is the sort of hotel that makes you want to stay in your room, sipping Champagne, indulging in room service! Locally you’ll find shops galore on Kensington Church Street, and Harrods is a short taxi ride away, as are the V&A and Natural History Museums. Each of the 47 rooms is designed by internationally acclaimed designer Anouska Hempel, and each is daringly different. We recommend the Corfu Suite, which boasts a huge four-poster bed, a separate dressing room, huge bathroom, wooden floors and distressed white mother of pearl embossed furniture.

The Royal Scots Club

The Royal Scots Club is a members’ club situated in one of Edinburgh’s finest Georgian streets. It’s about a two-minute walk from the main shopping areas of Edinburgh, and it takes about 25 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport by car.

It’s quite a formal place to stay, oozing sophistication and class. It’s perfect for couples looking for privacy. There is no place for jeans and t-shirts here, especially at dinner time. The restaurant serves indulgent dishes, which are an absolute must try. The decadent decor, beautiful furnishings and the luxurious rooms create a cosy country manor house feel, despite their size. Accommodation prices start from £140 per room for bed and breakfast based on two sharing.