Affordable Winter Weddings - Hotel Du Vin, Glasgow

As the leaves are beginning to flutter from the trees and the dark nights are creeping in upon us, I can think of no better place to celebrate a Wedding than within a gorgeous old townhouse perectly placed on a Victorian Terrace. Yes, Hotel Du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow springs to mind.

The second venue featured as part of my “Affordable Winter Weddings” series, Hotel Du Vin has a hard act to follow, but without doubt will tempt you every bit as much as Balbirnie House Hotel did in my previous post. 

The Glenlivet Suite - Hotel du Vin

 A gorgeous boutique hotel, made up of 49 lavish bedrooms, Hotel Du Vin is astonishingly well-appointed to house your guests and dreams of modern luxury alike. It’s five stars speak volumes of the wonderful service and experience you can expect to have while in the care of Hotel Du Vin.

Hotel Du Vin’s Best Bit: The Secret Terraced Garden, for late-night stargazing in the frosty Winter air.

For lovebirds planning to be Wed in January, February or March 2011 or 2012, an exciting offer awaits. A huge 20% discount on Winter Weddings will apply to all Weddings hosted Sunday through Thursday! Hotel Du Vin's House 5 in it’s glorious entirety can be Exclusively hired for as little as £3950 at these times and 12 fantastic bedrooms will await you, your new spouse and your guests. With a capacity for 70 Ceremony guests, 80 Dining Reception guests and 120 Evening Guests, nobody will be left out in the cold.

Townhouse Bedroom for the Bridal Couple

Hotel Du Vin say: With welcoming open fireplaces, ornate corniced ceilings and beautiful bay windows, Hotel du Vin Glasgow offers a truly unique and romantic ambiance for your special day.  From the cosy surroundings of the whisky snug to the stunning candle-lit dining rooms, this intimate setting is the perfect winter wedding venue.

With 5 course Dining Menus starting at just £39.50 per person, you can be sure you will experience exquisite dining and truly outstanding value combined. Featuring Stornoway Black Pudding starters, Champagne Sorbet and Iced Armagnac Parfait for dessert, Hotel du Vin is sure to get everyones palettes excited!

For further information on Hotel Du Vins exclusive Winter and Spring Wedding offer of 20% off, please visit their website here.

Featured Wedding - Classical Glamour

This month’s featured Wedding design is one of my all time favourites – Classical Glamour. Combining the elegance of a bygone era with the luxuries of modern living, Classical Glamour can be tailored to suit any season, and with Autumn and Winter swiftly approaching, I felt that this was a perfect time to cover this theme. With a palette of warm Whites and Creams, adorned by the glow of candles and the striking classical sound of a piano you can be assured that a Classical Glamour Wedding Design is a traditional theme that will be remembered for all of the right reasons.

The Venue

The Sir Walter Scott Suite, Balmoral Hotel

Think old school grandeur and modern luxury for your venue – your venue is a key part to ensuring that your theme is obvious and apparent and it really should be just perfect! Two Scottish venues which are the epitome of Classical Glamour in Scotland are The Balmoral Hotel on Princes Street in Edinburgh and the soon to re-open Glasgow Grand Central Hotel. The Balmoral hotel, made fabulous not only by its luxurious 5 star rating and outstanding reputation but also for its beauty is a perfect host for an elegant reception. The Sir Walter Scott ballroom (above) will bedazzle your guests with its grand pillars, ornate cornicing and spectacular views of Edinburgh Castle. Or, if you’re looking for somewhere new to host your Wedding with a grand old twist then the soon to re-open Glasgow Grand Central Hotel is the ultimate location. An iconic hotel to Glasgow, the restoration taking place at the Glasgow Grand Central promises a stunning and sumptuous Wedding Venue in the heart of Scotland’s largest city – and who could imagine hosting a Classical Glamour themed Wedding anywhere other than in “The Grand Ballroom” (below)!

Artists impression of The Grand Ballroom, Grand Central Hotel

For more information on Weddings at the Balmoral Hotel please click here or for more information on the Grand Central Hotel please click here.

The Dress

Castigliano - "Wisteria"

In order to be Classically Glamorous yourself, you should attempt to find a beautiful satin, sultry dress resembling none other than something from a Bond Girls wardrobe - only in white! For that special, sexy but sophisticated gown, why not try on Caroline Castigliano’s “Wisteria” for size (above). The elegant crossover organza straps along with the soft fishtail skirt are truly a statement of classical sultry style. You can make an appointment at the beautiful Edinburgh Castigliano store by visiting here. Alternatively, something by the fabulous Australian dress designer, Essense of Australia, could fit the theme extremely well, for example this beautiful dress (D1126, below) would be certain to have all eyes on you, with the gorgeous bust detailing and the stunning cut-out back. Essense of Australia gowns are stocked within a number of Scottish stores across the country, to find the stockist nearest you, click here.

Essense of Australia - "D1126"

The Details

Serve a luxurious drinks reception of Champagne and Raspberries to your guests as they arrive to prepare their palettes for the timeless elegance that awaits them within your Reception room.

Focal point - Grand Piano

For a special ritzy touch, hire a Grand Piano and Pianist, make this the focal point by placing it in the centre of your Reception room and have your Pianist play while your guests dine. Local piano businesses, such as Gordon Bell Pianos in Aberdeen, often hire Piano’s out for special occasions and prices start from £300. Click here to visit their website.

Instant Glamour - Crystal cut Glasses

For your table centrepieces, have beautiful tall Candelabra adorned with flowers on each table and light the candles to set a cosy ambiance as the day transcends into night. For an extra touch of old school glamour, hire in some exquisite crystal cut glasses from John Brown Cater hire for a bargain price of roughly 90p per place. Click here to view prices and order a catalogue.

Voila! Classical Glamour in an instant!

As always, if you have any questions or queries related to this post, please feel free to contact me here.

Happy theming!

With love, TW x

(Images from; thebalmoralhotel.com, thegrandcentralhotel.com, carolinecastigliano.co.uk, essensedesigns.com, corbisimages.com)