We can never resist a bit of Hollywood gossip and certainly not a celebrity wedding! The beautiful Liz Hurley celebrated her wedding(s) with absolute style and grace. Take inspiration from the glamorous Liz by incorporating some of her ideas into your own wedding:

The Hollywood actress wanted to keep the arrangements secret, so used a friend’s castle for the event. You may not have a friend with a castle, but if your intention is to stage a secret ceremony, do enlist the help of your nearest and dearest and perhaps organise the hold your ceremony at a friend’s beachside unit or your brother’s house on acreage.

Marquees can be elegant for a garden reception and excellent to cope with inclement weather. Do think about the sort of draping you will use in the ceiling of the marquee and the flooring should always be wood. These two simple details, whilst expensive, will make an enormous difference to the look and feel of your reception.

In a break from tradition, Liz reportedly asked guests to give pigs and cows as wedding gifts to stock her country estate where she wants to build up her organic farm. Whilst you may not be interested in livestock as pressies (!), guests are very happy to bend to your requests with wedding gifts. Think outside the square – perhaps guests could contribute to a more elaborate honeymoon than you could afford yourselves.

The festivities for Liz’s wedding went on for a week. Having a smaller guest list with activities over a longer period is becoming more and more popular with modern brides. I personally had a four day celebration for my wedding and recommend this to everyone as it allows you ample time to see your guests and for guests to get to know one another well too.

Following on from the celebrations in England, the couple moved the party to Mumbai and the desert state of Rajasthan. Hindu rituals were performed in the tradition of Liz’s new husband’s family. Following traditions at a family wedding is a beautiful way to pay homage to your family and cultural background. Where possible, do add some traditional elements to your wedding.

And finally, Liz found ways to have her son participate in the celebrations, both formal and informal. If you have children or are welcoming new step-children into your family, do try and make them feel part of the celebrations. There are plenty of jobs for children to perform – traditional roles such as ring-bearer and flower-girl, but also in helping choose the cake, decor for the day and performing a reading if possible.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn