Feeling the Pinch? Ouch. Blisters. Definitely not welcome at Gorcott Hall on your wedding day.

Shoes, glorious shoes, so many choices…from heels to boots and everything in-between! Even Crocs have made a surprising appearance recently – what next eh?

To try and help you avoid a shopping faux pas, we thought it might be useful to help you think about some of things you might need to consider before making the final purchase of the perfect pair (or two!)

Bear in mind that Gorcott Hall was built in the 16^th century, (long before the invention of the modern-day spirit level) most of the floors are original and now come with the odd crack and wobble that you need to look out for and avoid. Couple this with our beautiful cobbles outside and the inevitable trek across the paddock to the lake for some fabulous photos and suddenly high stiletto heels may no longer be feeling like the best option. Remember, we can’t guarantee the British weather at any time of year, and the paddock can go mighty squidgy after an unexpected deluge of rain!

Be honest with yourself about how tall you can handle! Remember you’re likely to be strutting around in them all day, it’s important that you feel fabulous but equally as important to be comfortable (uh oh, am I sounding like my mum?!). Don’t disregard the possibility of two pairs if your budget allows. There’s nothing wrong with slipping the heels off and dancing the night away in our barn in a pair of cool trainers, but you might want to mention this when getting the alterations changed on your dress.

Whatever you choose we’re sure you’ll look fantastic! Just remember to pop them on while you’re at home doing day to day chores and wear them in a bit before the big day. And if that doesn’t work, well you can always rely on Team Gorcott to be on hand with a huge box of plasters…but that should really be the last resort!

Happy Shopping!

If you’re planning a 2023 wedding, you’re in for a treat! We’re so excited here at Gorcott for what 2023 will unleash. From unique colour palettes to fresh new ideas for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception, we’ve got you covered.

Before the big day

The Dress

Arguably the most important aspect of the day – the dress. The 80’s have called, they want their dress back! Oh yes, it’s all about the 80’s for 2023. Whilst 90’s styling is still big news, the previous decade is setting the tone, with some rah-rah skirt inspired detailing on shorter style dresses. There are some aspects of 80’s fashion that we’d all rather forget, but one trend seems to be on the rise…puff sleeve wedding dresses – this one is back with a bang.

Picture the scene – it’s the night of your wedding, and you’ve had a dozen near misses which could have resulted in a red wine and white wedding dress based disaster! So, if your budget allows, join the trend of an after party mini dress. Don’t be afraid to slip into something more comfortable to really get the party started.

Colour

Although neutrals made a comeback for 2022, 2023 wedding colour predictions are circling back towards brighter and bolder hues. 2023 is all about blue, especially with Pantone’s 2022 colour of the year being Very Peri. This is a unique combination of both blue and violet. It pairs well with earth tones like mossy green and rustic bronze. Both blue and purple are members of the cool colour family and psychology suggests that these colours bring about feelings of stability and tranquillity. With an endless array of hues, finishes, and undertones of blue to choose from, this colour allows you to completely customise the mood of your wedding day.

The wedding parties

2023 envisions an inclusive wedding party for your big day, those nearest and dearest can be included in all the fun regardless of gender. From pre-wedding celebrations with a ‘Hag Do’ to the big day with ‘Mates of Honour’ and ‘Groomsmaids’, nobody has to miss out.

This is extended into the fashion on the day, a mismatched bridal party is all the rave for 2023. Lean into different styles and colour tones to keep everyone looking and feeling their best, out are the days of arguments about bridesmaid dresses.

During the day

Outdoor weddings

The COVID-19 pandemic saw lots of couples opting for outdoor weddings for safety reasons, so temporary permission was granted to allow licensed venues to host ceremonies outdoors – whether they had a structure outside or not. This proved to be so popular that it became a permanent thing, so now couples want to marry in any location outdoors! The flexibility this offers is a huge bonus for couples, who can now marry in beautiful locations previously off the list, enabling them to tailor their day to their needs more than ever before. This is easily achieved at Gorcott as we offer the flexibility of your ceremony out or indoors. And, if the weather is unkind on the day, we’ll always have a fully prepared wet weather plan.

Photography and video

Direct flash photography is quickly gaining popularity, particularly with indoor weddings and receptions. It makes for stunning portraits with a glamourous edge and gives the after-party an almost tangible energy of being frozen in time. This will also help to make your wedding photography even more breath taking. This is also the case with film, the texture and odd film burn are truly a vibe for 2023.

Flowers and decor

Couples are growing tired of the overfilled place settings and are thinking outside the box when it comes to their ceremony décor, and we love it! 2023 will bring cleaner tablescapes, with a contemporary throwback. Think minimal lines and shapes, and neutral shades. Couples are looking to have installations, rather than lots of smaller arrangements. Less is more will be the approach when it comes to florals, having one large flower cloud or floral arch makes for better photo opportunities than something smaller. Also, seasonal flowers are in and thankfully help the budget and are more sustainable.

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New traditions

Couples tell us they are nervous about their first dance, or even actually dreading it. Gone are the days where this is a necessity, so if you like you can skip this ritual altogether in 2023, or maybe find a more personal alternative that won’t make you look back and wince.

Couples are starting to forgo the old-fashioned idea of not seeing each another before the ‘I do’, and instead are choosing to do a ‘first look’ shoot– a moment for the happy couple to have some time alone before they head down the aisle. It allows you to really relish the moment without having to share it with anyone else, and you’ll have some seriously emotional wedding photos to look back on. The first look also opens itself nicely for photos with the wedding party, family members and other key loved ones too. These raw reactions are priceless on the wedding day and tend to be framed for generations to come.

While we’re seeing more and more ‘unplugged’ ceremonies, modern brides and grooms are embracing technology in other ways. Wedding websites are a fantastic way to send invitations and track guest lists, RSVPS, dietary requirements and even a gifts registry.

Happily ever after

Honeymoons

Travel is back and it’s bigger than ever in 2023 (thanks Covid)! Couples are looking to celebrate their marriage in personal and unique ways with a seriously special trip away.  And Honeymoons are looking to consist of bucket list experiences for 2023. Also, as many couples have missed out on two years of holidays, the multi-destination honeymoon is all about making up for lost time. Honeymoons are set to be bigger and better in 2023 than ever before!

Now that the season is ending, we are so excited for what 2023 has in store for us here at Gorcott and to see all the beautiful couples who are choosing to share their big day with us next year. Bring on 2023!

Discover Our Warwickshire Wedding Venue

Discover our Warwickshire wedding venue

So, if you’re looking for a countryside wedding retreat, we think Gorcott Hall might be the wedding destination for you. Ultimately, the best way to get a feel for a venue is to see it for yourself. We’d absolutely love to show you around Gorcott Hall, so please feel free to contact us today to book a visit and we can organise a show around to share with you just what makes our Warwickshire wedding venue so special!

Finding the perfect dress for your wedding day is one of the most exciting parts of a bride’s wedding planning, but it can also be one of the most nerve racking too! We often have brides worrying that they won’t be able to find ‘the one’, that they don’t want white or ivory and that they don’t normally ‘do’ dresses and they’re going to look like someone from my big fat gypsy wedding! Well, rest assured, we’ve been helping to deliver amazing weddings since 2010, and we are yet to see a bride at Gorcott Hall that looked anything less than breath-taking!

We know that there are so many colours and sizes to choose from and that finding your dream dress isn’t always a piece of (wedding) cake. It can be completely overwhelming, but it’s the start of your wedding journey and it really should be fun! The research can start at home, remember, Pinterest and TikTok are your best friend, so do your homework! The right dress may take time to find so trawl the internet for inspiration, look at real weddings and research models that match your body shape to get a really good idea of what might suit you. Interestingly, we know many brides who ended up with a style that they would never have dreamt that they would wear, and they loved it!

And then comes the fun part of trying them on! Whether you’re ordering online for home delivery or heading over to a boutique, decide who you want to be there with you.  Our advice would be to keep your entourage quite small; a lovely family member and a couple of trustworthy, honest besties are usually perfect for the job – remember too many guests mean too many opinions, thoughts and judgements! In preparation for a day of trying on dresses, we recommend taking a long bath or shower and choosing some really pretty underwear. Remember, you’ll spend most of the day in your undies, so wearing your old grey pants is not an option. You want to feel gorgeous when trying on your selection of amazing gowns. Try to avoid wedding dress overload! Take lots of photographs of your dress possibilities (even of the ones you are really not sure about) instead of putting all your trust in the mirror. Many try ons can help to reinforce the fact that you have found the perfect dress but just pick out a few at a time, as it will only lead to confusion and you’ll struggle to remember one from the other with option overload! Taking a pic of your favourites can help you create a shortlist. You may even be one of the lucky brides that falls in love with the first gown that you try on – it happens! Oh and we should mention … don’t be horrified by the sizing, be prepared, they usually come up very small, don’t let that get you frazzled and feeling anything less than your beautiful best

When you’ve finally made your choice and purchased ‘the one,’ don’t be worried if you suddenly think that you don’t like it any more or that you have bought the wrong one. We come across this all the time! We can almost guarantee that when you’re glammed up with wedding hair and makeup, you’ll remember the reasons that you fell for it and fall in love with it all over again on your big day…just like your husband to be!  

And, when it comes round to your big day, our luxurious gown suite will be the perfect backdrop to make you feel like a true princess as you get your glam on and slip into your flawless gown while you sip a prosecco and wait to become a Mrs…

Looking for a wedding venue in a fantastic rustic setting? We think Gorcott Hall might be the wedding destination for you. Ultimately, the best way to get a feel for a venue is to see it for yourself. We’d love to show you around Gorcott Hall, so please enquire online today to book your personalised viewing.

Oooooh cake, what’s not to love? After all, what’s a party without cake? Fruit cake, chocolate cake, naked cake, cheesecake, cake pops…so many choices…and so many people to feed.  We love nothing more at Gorcott Hall than serving a slice of cake and watching it be enjoyed by wedding guests! Serving your own wedding cake as dessert in the evening is a great way to provide all of your guests with a sweet treat whilst keeping your dessert costs down.

But why cake?

Why is having a cake at a wedding reception almost as big a tradition as wearing a wedding dress? Well, it all started in Ancient Rome, so the story goes. Every wedding ceremony ended with a scone-like cake being broken over the bride’s head for luck and fertility. The newlywed couple would then eat a few crumbs and afterwards all of the wedding guests would scoop up the leftover crumbs for good luck. And so, the tradition began. Thank goodness the tradition has been refined over the years!

There are some fabulous ways to serve cake to your guests and they don’t all need a big budget!

• Of course, you can go to a fabulous pro, our good friend Sharon at simplycake.co.uk is just that! Have a look at some of her stunning and tasty creations on her website. Look for inspiration for your cake design everywhere, don’t just limit it to pictures of cakes. If you see a pattern, a flower or something that takes your fancy that you would like to incorporate in your design, just go along and see her armed with your ideas. She often works miracles.

• If budget is a little tight, how about organising a family/wedding guest bake off. We’ve seen this done many a time and couples are always surprised by the amount of baking talent that they uncover on the guest list! Sponges, cupcakes or cake pops, get all the bakers baking. Give us an idea of how many you’re expecting, and Team Gorcott will make sure that they are displayed in all of their cakey glory!

• Bake it yourself! For the fantastically organised couple with time to spare in the run up to the big day this can be great fun and a fabulous talking point for your guests. A naked (or semi naked) wedding cake is probably the easiest DIY wedding cake to tackle and they look fantastic. These cakes do away with the traditional layers of icing and either are prepared bare or with a thin sheer layer of frosting so that you can see what’s inside.  Stack them and decorate them with an array of fruit and flowers to make it your own, the possibilities are endless!

Don’t forget to think about how you will store and transport your fabulous cake creation! It can be warm in the wedding barn on a hot summer’s night, so making arrangements to have your cake delivered and assembled at Gorcott on the morning of your big day is always the best option. Oh, and last but certainly not least, don’t forget to consider all your guest’s dietary requirements, you don’t want anyone having cake envy at the evening party!

Looking for a wedding venue in a fantastic rustic setting? You can have the perfect day at Gorcott Hall. Enquire online today to book your personalised viewing.

Why a toast? Well bizarrely toasting dates back to the middle-ages and is thought to be the way untrustworthy friends were tested to make sure that they weren’t going to poison you! They would each take a little bit of the same wine, clink and toast “to your health” (ironically) before drinking. Over time the clinking and toasting has remained a more happy tradition!

Traditionally the wedding speeches (and toasts) take place after dinner, but couples mix it up nowadays and the best time for your speeches will depend on the schedule for your big day. We tend to find that after the wedding ceremony, drinks reception and photos guests don’t want to wait for all of the speeches to tuck into dinner! So having the majority of speeches once people are fed and relaxed and over a coffee usually works best, but if you have a nervous speech giver who would rather get it out of the way before dinner, then really don’t stress about breaking the tradition. Happy and relaxed wedding guests always make for the best day! We’ll work with you to figure it out in the run up.

So, as a start, here’s the traditional order of the speeches and what each one generally covers:

First up! Father of the Bride.

So dads first job is usually to welcome all of the guests and thank them for coming, he should lead a toast to absent friends and family. He should then go on to welcome the groom into the family before telling some heartfelt stories about the bride and complimenting her on how gorgeous she looks on the day. Finishing with a few reasons why the bride and groom make a fabulous couple and then asking everyone to toast the newlyweds.

Onto the Groom

Traditionally the groom starts by responding to dads toast to the newlyweds and he also thanks the guests for coming and for all of their gifts,  before spending a little time complimenting his new bride.  This should be followed with some thank you’s to the members of the bridal party including giving out a few gifts and saying a few words about the key members. He should make sure that he thanks both sets of parents and toast the brides parents if they are hosting. His speech should end with compliments and a toast to the bridesmaids.

 Next. The Best Man. Uh Oh.

The best man, usually the Grooms bosom buddy and this is his opportunity to make all of your guests smile by sharing some funny incidents and weird habits of the groom. His closeness to his mate should also mean that he can share some valuable advice and rules of the game that the couple should take into their married life. He should also follow the groom in thanking the bridesmaids, read out messages from absent friends, compliment the bride and finish with a fabulous toast to the newlywed couple!

It’s not unusual for the Bride or a Bridesmaid to also want to say a few words nowadays. We’d usually slip the bride in alongside the groom (or just after) and your Bridesmaid just ahead of the Best Man.

Speeches are always a fantastic end to dinner! Make sure that you let us know how many you are expecting and roughly how long you think they will be, that way we can make sure that dinner and coffee is served in plenty of time before your evening guests start to arrive for the party!

Cheers!

Looking for a wedding venue in a fantastic rustic setting? We think Gorcott Hall might be the wedding destination for you. Ultimately, the best way to get a feel for a venue is to see it for yourself. We’d love to show you around Gorcott Hall, so please enquire online today to book your personalised viewing.