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Wotton House is nestled in 13 acres of stunning Grade II listed Italian gardens and surrounded by the Surrey Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The estate dates back to the 16th century and lies just three miles outside of Dorking. With 127 bedrooms and an array of event spaces both indoors and out, Wooton House is ready to welcome you and your guests on your big day. The grand vaulted ceilings, pillars and centuries-old original fireplaces set a romantic tone for an indoor wedding ceremony in The Old Library (90 guests), while the stunning Italian gardens offer a very special setting in which to say “I do” al fresco (140 plus guests). The gardens' Italian Temple, built by George Evelyn in 1649 is now included in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. With arched niches and rusticated decoration, the central one contains a classical Venus statue and fountain basin. Formerly the Evelyn family's tortoise house and built in the late 19th century, the Secret Garden offers a temple structure with ionic columns supporting an architrave frieze. A rectangular sunken water feature is located at the centre of the enclosure to the north. Here, you can host 200 loved ones for the ceremony. Finally, and back inside, the Evelyn Suite (140 guests) is south facing, and light and airy. 
01306 730 000 | www.wottonhouse.co.uk

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Strawberry Hill House & Garden offers a magical setting for both ceremonies and receptions. This fairytale Gothic castle was built in the 18th century by writer and collector, Horace Walpole. Grade II listed, it's internationally renowned as Britain's finest example of domestic Georgian Gothic revival architecture. An oasis of calm and tranquillity close to the river in Twickenham, Strawberry Hill House boasts extensive grounds and a Grade II listed garden. The House also benefits from good transport links and easy access to London and surrounding areas. Say “I do” in The Gallery (84 guests). This magnificent historical backdrop boasts a fan-vaulted ceiling and golden canopies, which inspired Horace Walpole to make his famous admission: “I begin to be ashamed of my own magnificence.” The Waldegrave Suite (120 dining, 250 evening guests) is home to wedding receptions here. Lady Waldegrave's suite of historical rooms was originally designed for entertaining guests. Dine beneath the opulent chandeliers of the Waldegrave Dining Room, followed by drinks and dancing in the adjoining rooms. You and your loved ones can also enjoy drinks and canapés among the historical lime grove and drifts of wildflowers on the lawns. 
020 8744 1241 | www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk

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Annalisse and Greg had known each other as teenagers, but it wasn't until they matched on Tinder that they really connected. “When I got the notification, I pulled the car over so that I could message her straight back, she'd always had a special place in my heart,” Greg remembers. “Since then there hasn't been a single day we haven't spoken. It was always meant to be,” Annalisse continues. Now a couple and due to go on holiday together the following day, Annalisse and Greg were out for dinner at The Ivy in Guildford. The two had just enjoyed their starter when Greg asked: “Do you understand all that palm reading?” Annalisse thought this was a bit random, but assures us that given some of the things he usually comes out with, didn't think too much of it! He told her to close her eyes, placed a little box in her hand and asked her to marry him. “He apologised for not getting down on one knee but said he knew he wouldn't get back up again,” Annalisse remembers. They looked at a few venues online and as soon as they came across Reigate Hill Golf Club they went along for a viewing. “The walkway down to the picturesque outdoor ceremony area is beautiful; and the getting ready room is insane, the perfect space for ladies to prepare. There are also three bedrooms, which the lads used on the morning of. Even though it's part of a golf club, it's still very private. The price included everything, there weren't any hidden extras, which was great when working to a budget,” Annalisse shares. So, decision made, the date was set for 23rd August, 2023.

The bride shares her memories of the big day and preparations, in the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

Amber and Jack met through a mutual friend, and Amber straight away found herself attracted to Jack's sense of humour. We fast forward a few years and the couple, now parents, were in their garden for a gathering to celebrate their little girl's birthday, when Jack got down on one knee and popped the question. “We'd spoken about it for a long time, I'd even picked out a ring, but it was still a surprise,” Amber remembers. The pair decided to say their “I dos” at Morden Hall, so the hunt was then on for the perfect reception venue. They booked appointments to visit several but as soon as they walked into Kingswood Golf Club they knew it was the place for them. “It was a great size and the wedding coordinator, Liza, was amazing; she said she'd accommodate anything we asked for. So, we didn't look anywhere else in the end, as we knew we'd found the one,” Amber explains. The date was set for 22nd July, 2023.

We get the lowdown on W-day from the bride herself, in the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

When Sherene was looking to have her bathroom redone Horace was recommended to her by a friend. She called him to arrange a time to give her a quote and ended up chatting on the phone for 20 minutes. When he turned up on her doorstep, eyes lit up on both sides but they didn't get together for a further two years, even though Sherene kept asking him back to do more work! “The proposal was so unromantic but very Horace,” Sherene tells us. On 1st January 2021, he told her he'd ask her to marry him that year at some point. Key moments such as Valentine's Day and birthdays came and went with nothing so, when Christmas and then New Year arrived, she thought surely this was it... it had been 12 years after all. Midnight arrived and nothing, and by 2am she gave up waiting resigning herself to the fact it wasn't happening. By the time everyone left and she'd gone upstairs, Sherene had started to get quite cross – “Why haven't you asked me to marry you? Am I not good enough to be your wife?” she asked. To which Horace responded by saying he had ordered the ring but it hadn't arrived in time. So, he picked up their daughter's Barbie ring and told her he would use that in the meantime. “That was even worse than not being asked,” Sherene says. But he whispered to her, “Turn around.” And as she did so saw the real ring on the table. “It had been there all along, but I was so wound up I hadn't noticed. I did make him get down on one knee and ask me properly though,” Sherene remembers. When it came to choosing a venue, Sherene had only one place in mind. “I'd seen Wotton House when I was 19 and knew then it was where I wanted to get married,” she explains. She took Horace to see it and they both loved how it looked and felt, particularly the grandeur of the old library. They didn't need to look anywhere else as they knew this was it. Join us as the bride shares her precious memories of the big day, 27th August 2023, in the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

Elegant country house hotel Pennyhill Park in Bagshot has announced the launch of a stunning new dedicated wedding venue space for the summer season. Set within a 120-acre estate in the heart of Surrey's countryside, Pennyhill Park provides a classically romantic backdrop with its charming ivy-clad mansion house defined by its traditional 19th-century architecture, garden terraces and manicured lawns. Couples can now enjoy exclusive use of the hotel's private terrace wing in its entirety. Drinks receptions can be hosted in the artfully refurbished Water Lily Suite, or on the Lily Pond Terrace overlooking the grounds when the weather is fine. Wedding receptions for up to 120 guests can be hosted in the newly renovated Parkview Suite complete with a full bar for evening celebrations. The private terrace wing is also home to five stunningly refurbished rooms and suites for members of the wedding party to stay in on the wedding night, or indeed longer. 
Find out more at www.exclusive.co.uk/pennyhill-park

For more local news, read the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

Best foot forward

Emma Brewer at First Dance Studios (https://firstdancestudios.co.uk) says: No doubt you'll already have started your to-do list of people and places to contact, so regarding your first dance we can chat online or on the phone before pencilling in dates for your lessons. Don't panic though as these won't start until a minimum of two to three months before the big day. Life can take over as you hurtle towards it, so we don't want to start too soon in case you don't have a chance to practice and you forget everything you've been taught! I absolutely promise that the lessons will be a major fun part of the wedding planning and you'll have a skill for life. Just think, you'll be sorted for all future weddings and events, and you'll be able to dance together confidently. You never know, it might even spark a love for dance and you'll carry on your lessons once you're newlyweds – what a great date night idea! Let's not get ahead of ourselves, the first step is to get in touch with your chosen dance studio for a chat and discuss your ideas or ask for advice if you don't know where to start.

For more expert advice from local Surrey businesses, read the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

V is for vintage glamour

“Nostalgia takes centre stage with vintage glamour making a comeback,” Francesca Neame-White from Event Elegance with Francesca (eventelegance.co.uk) shares. “From retro-inspired dresses to classic cars, couples are indulging in the elegance of bygone eras. Velvet textures, antique furnishings, and ornate details create an atmosphere that exudes timeless charm.”

Find more entertainment options in our A-Z guide in the issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

“I predict we haven't seen the last of the Lambeth style vintage buttercream cakes, which will still prove popular, revamped for 2024 with small, delicately adorned ribbon bows,” says Anna Lewis from Anna Lewis Luxury Cakes. “We'll also continue to see the resurgence of large, single-tier patisserie style cakes with fresh fruit for style-led, contemporary couples.”


Read more from this company, and other local cake designers in the latest issue available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!

Since the pandemic, the biggest shift in the wedding industry has been towards more intimate weddings. Born out of necessity during various lockdowns and restrictions, small yet mighty nuptials made us all reevaluate what's important and remind us what a wedding is all about. So much so in fact that the trend for intimate weddings is here to stay. We chatted to our local experts to discover the benefits of a small but perfectly formed celebration as well as their tips for planning your own.

The latest issue is available now. Read Your Surrey Wedding magazine for free!