grooms
grooms
Va Va Groom!
LET PERSONALITY DRIVE YOUR WEDDING CHOICES, SAYS PATRIC MORGAN Picture: Mike Thomas Photographers
great base for a wild day and night. Befriend the landlord of a rustic pub and he should allow you and your mates to settle in the corner of the pub until the early hours. BEST MAN: Romantics are often optimists; bear in mind that as your best mate, your best man will also know your weaknesses. That video camera he brought along to film you paragliding could also be put to use filming you bringing up your curry on the hardshoulder of the A470 where he will have left you after the stag night. ARRIVAL: There’s no place for a flashy Ferrari in this scenario. We’re thinking of a dramatic arrival on horseback with your best man riding behind – okay, maybe on his own steed. Failing this, a classic car is always fashionable – but be sure it’s worthy of the occasion. Remember that an Austin Allegro is also considered a classic in some circles.
Prestige Carriages provide period horse-drawn turnouts for weddings (01446 750586); Horsedrawn Weddings has the only glasscarriage in Wales with drivers in full livery (01656 728153); and Princess Wedding Cars (01639 750122) offer the real McCoy in classic cars – the vintage Beaufort would be our choice. ANYTHING ELSE: If you don’t want to suitand-boot it, kilts are making a comeback. Guy Ritchie famously wore one for his wedding to Madonna. You can hire a traditional Welsh outfit – jacket, Welsh tartan kilt, waistcoat and accessories – for around £100. Premiere Bridal (01792 646108); The Welsh Tartan Centre (029 2022 8272); Dyfed Menswear (01269 842024).
WHERE: Nuptials on a beach, then a reception in a palm-fringed hotel with Balinese-style spa, darling. Jemma Kidd and her fiancé (the 26-year-old Arthur, Earl of Mornington) tied the knot in Barbados this June, forever guaranteeing it a place in honeymoon history. More realistic, but just as fabulous, is the five-star Le Meridien Le Meridien Limassol Cyprus Limassol Spa & Resort in Cyprus (www.Cyprus.lemeridien.com). They’ve just finished building a new wedding chapel on its extensive grounds. THE STAG: Ibiza’s infamous beachfront BEST DESIGNERS: Nicole Farhi (from The club, Bora Bora, (www.bora-bora-ibiza.com) Wardrobe, 029 2022 3023); lightweight gives a nod to your forthcoming wedding Marc O’Polo linens (from Jones, (well, there’s sand, sun and sea) as well as 01792 368001); Paul & Joe, Marc Jacobs. having the obligatory babes in bikinis. BEST MAN: The man for the job should be Check out www.easyjet.com for flights, and aware of any restrictions for getting www.ibiza-spotlight.com for hotels. married abroad and also be in tune with the THE RECEPTION: Jemma Kidd held her local community so post-wedding shindig in the 10-acre gardens as not to upset any of Holders House, the family home. If locals. The best man money is no object, have should advise if any your party in the legal requirements neighbouring Sandy Lane are to be fulfilled. Hotel
(www.sandylane.com). But a tropical picnic with fireworks and traditional music could be all you need. THE ARRIVAL: By boat. Nothing too flash – a small boat driven by a local fisherman would do the trick. Only try a surfboard if you are confident Billabong enough that you won’t fall in and ruin the look. ANYTHING ELSE: Don’t forget your flip-flops.
THE OLD ROMANTIC WHERE: You can spot an old romantic a mile off: they are the ones who carry flowers under their arms, have a picture of their sweetheart on their desk at work, and wander around with a permanent smile on their face. You couldn’t find anywhere more perfect for a wedding for this type of groom than in a country house hotel or an old castle. BEST PLACES: The five-star Fairyhill in Gower is set in 24 acres of private land (01792 390139; www.fairyhill.net). The gorgeous 13th-century Bodysgallen Hall has spectacular gardens and views (01492 584466,www.bodysgallen.com). The 13th-century Picton Castle (01437 751326, www.pictoncastle.co.uk) in Haverfordwest has fine entrance gates and a long carriage drive. For regal splendour, Ruthin Castle (www.ruthincastle.co.uk) can’t be beaten. BEST DESIGNERS: Paul Smith (from House of Fraser, Cardiff); Giorgio Armani (from RC’s, 01792 469100); Jasper Conran, Prada and Christian Dior. THE STAG PARTY: Mid Wales is outdoor activity heaven, and the list is endless. Paintballing is good fun but paragliding and all-terrain buggying are very now. Try www.adventure-wales.co.uk. Hereford is a
Bodysgallen Hall
BEACH BOY
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BOY NEXT DOOR WHERE: The village church, or if you’re not religious, the local registry office, followed by a marquee reception in the garden. Avoid the usual pastry-fest with a rustic buffet or hog roast. Farthing at Home (01446 773545) specialise in food for country weddings, and can make it as traditional or trendy as you like. BEST DESIGNERS: Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, Moschino or Top Shop. THE STAG: A lads’ night in, complete with allnight Playstation tournament and take-out food, takes some beating. Make sure the fridge is stockpiled with Heineken – the new stumpy little cans are cool – order in a curry, and settle down for an evening of testosterone-filled sport. Tradition dictates you should, at some point in the proceedings, flick over to the adult channel. Exactly when is entirely up to you… THE RECEPTION: If you’re having the reception down the pub, the resident DJ should be able to provide you with cheesy floor-fillers for the evening. Stop short of asking any friends in bands to perform – too risky. BEST MAN: As this wedding is going to be low-key, almost anyone can step into the best man’s shoes. However, make sure you pick someone reliable and mature enough to see you through the day. Many a groom has
CITY SLICKER WHERE: A cool, five-star hotel with yawning atrium, cocktail bar and cool Caroline Kennedy-esque blondes dressed in black. Blow a stack of hedge fund (or money gained from insider share trading) on a flash wedding in New York. Venues west of Tenth Avenue and east of the Hudson enjoy the most desirable zip codes. The Tribeca Grand Hotel, located in the chic TriBeCa neighbourhood in Manhattan, will put you close to New York City’s fashionable shops, restaurants and people. For drop-dead cool closer to home, try St David’s Hotel and Spa (029 2045 4045, www.roccofortehotels.com). BEST DESIGNERS: Hugo Boss or Holland Esquire (both from The Wardrobe, 029 2022 3023); Ozwald Boateng (from Hawkes, 029 2037 3780); Van Collem and Gibson (from Hawkes); Donna Karan, Hardy Amies. St David’s Hotel & Spa
come a cropper when the best man has deserted his post at a crucial time eg. presenting the rings. THE ARRIVAL: Travel on foot – it’s all about ‘less is more’ with this wedding. Besides, what’s the point in driving when the church is next to the pub, next to your house? Jamie Oliver walked to his wedding. Apparently. ANYTHING ELSE: Yeh, yeh, we know you think grooming is for girls, but do keep your mop under control with the no-nonsense Sharps’ Guck-In-A-Puck, £12.50, from Space NK, 020 7299 4999. Picture: Fre sh Approach
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GROOM’S TIPS
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Dylan Morgan Don’t wear your best clothes out on your stag do. My mates took me on an evening cruise from Penarth. The outfit I’d just spent a day looking for was literally ripped off my body and ended up in the Bristol Channel in pieces. Even my Patrick Cox shoes went in. Returning home in a charity shop dress was a humbling experience. Grant Cunningham No matter how much of a new man you think you are, you quickly realise that organising weddings is for girls. But, it’s a massive task, so for the sake of your future marriage you have to get involved. The ceremony itself can be emotional so remember, you’re the groom and don’t cry – your mates are watching.
BEST MAN: He should be business-like in appearance and nature, running the show for you and making sure that the day’s events run as slick as your suiting. Pick someone who you know has a track record in organising, and isn’t fazed by addressing huge crowds of fabulously good-looking people. YOUR ARRIVAL: Anything less than zooming in by helicopter would be a letdown. Just make sure that everyone sees it. HeliCharter Wales (01437 779944, www.helicharterwales.com) can arrange for you to arrive by helicopter, making the entrance spectacularly different. THE RECEPTION: Low lights and smooth jazz are the way forward. Speeches should be made with minimum emotion so as not to disturb the easy chatter that will be rippling around the room. The Kings Of Cool (07973 128 088) are a jazz quartet that specialise in sexy lounge music – think Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Mixing it up with dance music is very now. Jon Dyke (07980
Daniel Morgan If you are thinking of decorating the matrimonial bed with roses, avoid lacerations by removing all the thorns. Believe me, it pays to do so. 844483) is the DJ of the moment and the one most likely to be seen behind the decks of fellow DJs’ weddings. He offers soul, funk, disco, boogie and 80s sounds for a cooler wedding. THE STAG: Champagne, cocktails, casinos, clubbing … need we go on? It’s wise to agree on a ‘what goes on tour, stays on tour’ policy before you step foot out of the hotel. Come to think of it, no cameras either: way too incriminating. Cantaloop (029 2023 3833) is the hippest new bar and restaurant in Cardiff. Great cocktails and food, uplifting music care of funky-house specialists L’America, and lots of beautiful people. Plus, it’s within stumbling distance of The Grosvenor Casino. ANYTHING ELSE: Trumper’s Extract of West Indian Limes cologne, from £9. Sprinkle the cologne on a hot towel for a relaxing steam before you shave.
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