WEDDINGS Emily & Tom’s wedding

A Match Made in History

Author and historian Emily adores the 1790s, whilst Tom was always more in tune with the 1990s. But when the two planned their wedding at Doddington Hall, they were only too happy to take a leaf out of one of Emily’s own books and plan a wedding fit for royalty...

Wedding Photographer: Samantha Hook Photography, 01636 673800, www.samanthahook.co.uk.

“I SUPPOSE HE DOES look a tiny bit like Mr Darcy in the photos, doesn’t he?” Emily laughs as if in slight, but reluctant agreement. “A couple of my friends did draw the comparison on the day,” she says, “But the stunning location has to have helped!” Emily is from just over the border into Nottinghamshire, but was a regular visitor to Lincolnshire and to Doddington Hall in particular, visiting with her family as a child. The Grade I listed prodigy house, now home to James and Claire Birch, obviously left a lasting impression – as did the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice –for Emily pursued a history degree and then worked in several museums before spending nearly a decade working as an editor of history books in Oxford. Then came a big year in 2017: she decided to become a full-time writer and also met her future husband, Tom, whilst living in the city – they got to know each other as she was writing her first major book, featuring lots of scandalous 18th-century relationships, The Fall of the House of Byron.

The book was published in 2020 and Emily is currently working on another manuscript, this time detailing the life of the French queen Marie Antoinette. In between, she has also written a couple of other volumes, Mr Darcy’s Guide to Courtship and Royal Weddings. Understandably then, Emily’s interest, indeed her career, was always going to be reflected in the way she has styled her own wedding. “Even though I’ve lived away for a number of years I always knew I wanted to be somewhere near ‘home’ for the wedding – and Doddington Hall was our first thought for a venue. It’s a beautiful Elizabethan property but still a family home so it doesn’t feel like it’s just run as a business. There’s a friendly, family feel to it.”

“We didn’t have a theme as such because we didn’t want the look and feel of the day to be too rigid, or for the day to just be about my love of history. Half of the tables, for example, we themed around figures from the 1700s, and half of them as 1990s wrestlers; Hulk Hogan et al! It was eclectic, but funny too, we wanted the whole day to reflect aspects of both of us.”

“We searched around for a photographer and found Sam Hook. Her fine art style of photography is beautiful, and she was the supplier for whom I was absolutely immovable. I love the way she works with light.”

“My dress was from the Watters WToo collection, and for our bridesmaids and groomsmen we found lots to buy online, which made life easier as we were planning a wedding during lockdown.”

“Another benefit of using Doddington Hall is that we discovered Rachel Petheram of Catkin Flowers. I think my brief to her was ‘fluffy, dangly and ethereal,’ which she managed to bring to fruition in a really beautiful style that was pastel and romantic.”

“We found Lincoln-based Bakehouse 94 for our wedding cake, which was a semi-naked design with two chocolate tiers – the cake tasting was our favourite bit of wedding prep!”

“Thanks to the lockdown we had to be creative and made a lot of our own small details, including small ribboned booklets for the vows, mini wedding-themed sanitiser

WEDDING SUPPLIERS

EMILY & TOM

Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Doddington Hall, 01522 694308, www.doddingtonhall.com. Wedding Dress Designer: WToo by Watters, www.watters.com. Wedding Flowers: Rachel Petheram, Catkin Flowers, 07758 730462, www.catkinflowers.com.

Wedding Cake: Bakehouse 94, Lincoln 07798 631515, bakehouse94.co.uk. Hair: monamieweddinghair.co.uk. Makeup Artist: carolinekent.co.uk.

bottles – and the seating plan was a pile of apple crates with a batch of my old Penguin Literary Classics updated to feature all the guests’ names. We were also able to pick up some extra accessories from Save the Date Event Stylist.” On the day, the hair and makeup for Emily’s bridal party was styled by Mon Amie Wedding Hair and by Caroline Kent. “We left for our honeymoon straight after, and though we enjoy going abroad, we were reluctant to make too many travel plans in light of the ongoing pandemic, so instead we enjoyed a trip into Scotland and the Lake District. I am a fan of the TV series Outlander, so I may have steered us towards some sites that have appeared in the show... and of course, it’s set in 1743!” Like all good stories – especially those by Jane Austen – there was a romantic ending to Emily & Tom’s wedding planning as the couple married on the third date they set. “We originally planned to marry a year after the proposal, in October 2020, with a guest list of around 120 friends and family. We then had to reschedule for March 2021, with only 15 guests (ourselves included) –only for another lockdown to come in.” “We finally managed to marry a year later than planned with around half the original guestlist. It was a pain basically arranging three weddings instead of one, but Doddington and all the suppliers were really helpful and accommodating – it was definitely worth it in the end.” And if that’s not a happy ever after, we don’t know what is! n

For more about Emily’s books including The Fall of the House of Byron, Mr Darcy’s Guide to Courtship and Royal Weddings, see www.emilybrand.co.uk. Wedding Photographer: Samantha Hook 01636 673800, www.samanthahook.co.uk.

Achieving a Summer Tan

THIS MONTH WE’RE ON A MISSION TO ENSURE YOU’RE GLOWING ALL SUMMER LONG, WITH UV PROTECTION AND MOISTURISATION COURTESY OF SOME LUXURY SUN-KISSED PRODUCTS

1. Protection from the sun and a gorgeous glow...

If summer foundation leaves your skin feel greasy and flat, we’ve an alternative which offers SPF50+ sun protection, and uncompromised beauty. Shiseido’s Sports BB sunscreen is ideal for outdoor activities or to make applying summer makeup easier. It delivers a cooling, replenishing sensation, it’s ultra-compact, practical and helps to reduce the appearance of sweat to keep you looking fresh, £34/12g

5. Sun protection all summer long from Sisley...

Sisley’s Age Minimising Global Sun Care provides high protection (SPF30) from the sun for an age minimising global sun care treatment to prevent wrinkles, brown spots, dehydration and loss of firmness, leaving the skin with a luminous and long-lasting tan. Powerful active ingredients help protect the skin with a combination of antioxidants and solar filters for protection against UVA and UVB rays, £198/50ml.

2. Sunny Honey...

If you’re dreaming of that ‘out-of-office’ glow, Coco & Eve’s Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam is available in three natural shades, each with a fast-drying, non-sticky formula that grants a believable radiance and a natural looking golden tan, £25.90/200ml.

Fairy Godmother Shimmering Body Oil Gel gives you an all-over, golden shimmer that sinks in and nurtures the skin with glow-boosting antioxidants. It’s supercharged with Vitamin C, and CoQ10 provides antioxidant support, there’s a lovely tropical-scent to it as well, £42/100ml.

3. Tan-Luxe Glyco...

Enjoy a refreshing spritz with Tan-Luxe’s Glyco Water exfoliating tan remover, cleanser and primer. Spritz directly onto dry skin, rub into circular motions, leave on for five minutes then rinse off to leave skin flawless and hydrated, £24/200ml.

4. Fairy Godmother... 6. Self-tan with skin repairing qualities...

Tan Luxe’s Super Glow Night Repair is a dynamic oil and elixir duo that allows you to create a custom cocktail – resulting in a nourishing night mask proven to help minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles whilst delivering a gradual glow by morning. Helps regenerate skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting a youthful appearance, £40.

n All our beauty products are available from local independent stockists unless otherwise stated, please note that prices stated are RRP and may vary.

A Better Way To Look and Feel Great

with Riverside Medical Aesthetics: Health & Beauty treatments delivered by qualified professionals...

Summer’s approaching and as sure as holidays are booked and the mojitos are on ice, many will be considering aesthetic treatments to ensure they’re beach-ready. Indeed, the government is acutely aware too, and that’s why it’s considering an amendment to the Health & Care Bill which will give the Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, scope for introducing a licensing scheme to curtail the currently unregulated cosmetic procedures industry. From anti-wrinkle injectable treatments to dermal fillers and skin-boosting treatments, plus myriad treatments involving medical lasers and ultrasound devices, the scope of medical aesthetics is greater than ever, which is perhaps why it’s a matter of great concern that it remains, for now at least, unregulated. Thankfully, the summer sees a new range of treatments unveiled by Riverside Medical Aesthetics, an independent clinic based at Sleaford Medical Group. The clinic is way ahead of any future legislation, and its difference is that its range of treatments are only delivered by Advanced Nurse Practitioners and GPs; those with in-depth healthcare knowledge as well as specific training in medical aesthetics. A consultation with Riverside Medical Aesthetics begins with a free, no-obligation discussion prior to an appointment which fulfils a prescription for an individual treatment or a course of treatments, should the client decide to go ahead, and as long as the clinician is confident that it’s appropriate. Among the treatments on offer prior to your summer holiday, HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) is a soundwave-based non-invasive treatment which breaks down subcutaneous body fat cells, which are then flushed away by the body’s natural processes. The treatment offers similar results to lipo-suction or cryolipolysis (‘fat-freezing’) procedures, but its versatility means it can painlessly target the abdomen, underarms, face, neck, thighs and buttocks. Results are immediate, providing a tightening and lifting of the skin, but with the added benefit that it encourages the body to produce collagen, stimulating a natural process, the effects of which can be seen up to six months after treatment. The clinic also offers anti-wrinkle injectable treatments which temporarily relax muscles for a smoother, more youthful appearance, plus dermal fillers for areas of the face like the cheeks, chin and the jawline. Riverside Medical Aesthetics can also offer injectable anti-ageing treatments powered by Profhilo which utilise a high-concentration of HLA (Hyaluronic Acid) delivered just beneath the skin to improve skin tone, texture and hydration. Again, this skin boosting treatment is bi-phasic, with an immediate benefit as well as post-treatment benefits in the form of increased collagen production. The best treatments in inexperienced hands can be ineffective at best, harmful at worst. And so, utilising the experience of Advanced Nurse Practitioners and GPs to ensure the results you deserve, but with peace of mind, not only makes Riverside Medical Aesthetics the area’s most recommendable provider of treatments, but it’s also the best way to ensure you look good and feel great on the beach, all summer long. n

GP Principals Dr Gaspar Da-Silva and Dr Elton Pardoe, Advanced Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Ireland, our ‘patient’ is Natalie Cowell.

Find Out More: Riverside Medical Aesthetics is an independent clinic based at Sleaford Medical Group, Boston Road, Sleaford NG34 7HD. For a free no obligation consultation, call 07494 087745 or see www.riversidemedicalaesthetics.com.

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