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A Guide to Getting Married in London

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Contents

Getting Married in London Why Get Married in London pg. 3

What to Wear – Bridal Shops & Sharp Suits pg. 4

Amenities & Restaurants pg. 6

Accommodation for Guests pg. 7

Wedding Gifts – Shops/Boutiques pg. 9

Accessories & Invitations pg. 10

Information about Senate House Interior Decoration pg. 12

Senate House’s Art Deco Style pg. 13

Wedding Photography pg. 15

Arriving at Senate House pg. 16

Why Choose Senate House pg. 19

Other Links and Resources pg. 20

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Why Get Married in London? London is one of the world’s premiere cities. The mix of cultures, the iconic architecture and its unique atmosphere attracts couples from all over the world. London is inherently a romantic city, but you may think that getting married in such a place would be hard work. However nothing could be further from the truth - with our guide to getting married in London, we will lead you through the process and take away all of the organisational stresses so you can enjoy your perfect day in the greatest city on earth. This guide will deal with everything from preliminary organisation to on-the-day logistics and reception plans. It’ll provide useful links to shops, decorators and facilities, and will look at the common questions and issues you may face like transport and parking. It will provide a go-to guide for reference at any stage of your wedding plans in the British capital.

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What to Wear - Bridal Shops & Sharp Suits in London

What to wear is of course one of the most important aspects of your wedding. London has its fair share of wedding shops, but it also has an increasingly succesful boutique scene, which offers a wide range of bespoke and beautifully crafted wedding wear. Here are some ideas and designers to kick-start your creative jucies.

Best of Vintage

Zoe Lem – The Vintage Shape Mistress - http://www.zoelem.co.uk/ Kate Halfpenny - http://www.halfpennylondon.com/ Rokit Vintage Clothing - http://www.rokit.co.uk/vintage-mens/ Charlie Brear - http://www.charliebrear.com/

Ultimate Bespoke

Jenny Packham - http://www.jennypackham.com/ London Bride Couture - http://www.londonbridecouture.com/ Stephanie Allen Couture - http://www.londonbridecouture.com/ Thom Sweeney Mayfair - http://www.thomsweeney.co.uk/

Contemporary Style

Boa Boutique, Richmond - http://www.boa-boutique.co.uk/ Cad & the Dandy – London Tailors - http://www.cadandthedandy.co.uk/ Oscar De La Renta - http://www.oscardelarenta.com

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Amenities & Restaurants It goes without saying that in London there are hundreds of opportunities to eat and drink out – with options to suit any occasion or price range.

Wherever you get married in London there will be a wealth of options available to you and far too many to name here. However, in this section of our guide we will look at the best amenities and restaurants in the area we know best – Bloomsbury - and provide some food for thought on what might suit your wedding party. The Rugby Tavern – Shepherd Neame

A traditional English London pub – the Rugby Tavern has a large horseshoe shaped bar and could easily accommodate large functions and parties. Featured in the good pub guide, the bar is owned by Shepherd Neame – officially the UK’s oldest brewer.

The Friend at Hand

Another pub, on the opposite side of Russell Square, the Friend at Hand serves cask ales and traditional pub food – and would be a good recommendation for your wedding guests if they’re spending a night or two in the city.

The Artesan Bar

The Artesan Bar, although at the higher end of the spectrum in terms of price and quality, is a must visit if you’re in the area and prepared to experience the height of drinking decadence. Drinks International recently voted Artesan as the world’s best bar – so it’d certainly be worth a look!

Byron Hamburgers

The idea of Byron was to do a very simple thing, very well. One of the first bespoke burger restaurants of this type in London, Byron is locted on Store St, behind Senate House, and serves a wide variety of beautifully crafted burgers.

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Accommodation for Guests If you have a number of guests coming from outside London, it can be a minefield when it comes to sourcing accommodation in the busiest parts of the city.

Getting married in the centre luckily means there are lots of options – here are 3 budget, 3 mid-range and 3 high quality options all within a short walk, bus or cab ride of a wide range of attractions and venues in London, including Senate House.

Budget Hotels

x Lonsdale Hotel On Bedford Place – this hotel is easily within walking distance of Senate House & Russell Square, and provides a no frills escape in the midst of Bloomsbury.

x The Garth Hotel The Garth Hotel is a small privately owned hotel in the heart of Bloomsbury. Excellent pricing, and good reviews for a warm and friendly service.

x Smart Russell Square Hostel This hotel is especially good if a large wedding group would like to stay in one space at minimum expense. Perfect location, and excellent pricing.

Mid-Range Hotels

x The Jesmond Hotel Owned by the same family since 1979, the Jesmond Hotel is indictive of mid-range hotels in the area in its excellent pricing, presentation and attention to detail.

x Imperial Hotel The flagship of the Imperial range of hotels in London, this is a clean, modern and well presented  hotel  with  great  views  and  fantastic  facilities.  It’s  in  a  perfect  location  across  the  square from Senate House.

x Bloomsbury Palace Hotel Across the road from Senate House lies the Bloomsbury Palace Hotel – a convinient and recently refurbished hotel which sits at the epicentre of all transport routes in the area.

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Top End Hotels

x The Academy The academy is a 4-star boutique hotel on Gower St, just up the road from the British Museum. Furnishings are second to none – whatsmore it comes with its own library, sitting room and beautiful conservatory looking out to a private garden

x The Langham

One of the most well known and luxurious 5-star London hotels, the Langham is the original ‘Grand  Hotel’,  and  has  over  the  years  been  favoured by royality, ambassadors and dignitaries alike.

x MyHotel Bloomsbury On the edge of Bedford Square, MyHotel is part of a new breed of contemporary, exquisitely presented modern hotels catering for all tastes and a wide range of functions. It looks and feels expensive, yet expands its offers to ensure good deals are widely accessible.

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Wedding Gifts – Shops/Boutiques Wedding gifts have evolved over recent generations. With changes in when, and how, people get married, different gifts are needed and the lists people make are as diverse and interesting as ever. If you are getting married in central London and you don’t know where to start when it comes to making a list – you’re in luck. London is one of the best cities in the world for shopping, and no matter what you’re looking for or who’s attending your wedding they’re likely to be able to choose from almost anything you can think of. Here are a few excellent gift shops and services tailored specifically for weddings in London:

Adnams Cellar & Kitchen Ware

http://cellarandkitchen.adnams.co.uk/

Something for the house might be on your wedding list, and if so, Admans located on Store Street sells a range of custom kitchenware alongside their famous Suffolk beers.

Explore the Book Shops of Charing Cross Road For quirky gifts for the literary among us, the book shops of Charing Cross Road offer some of the best books for sale anywhere in the world. There’s something for everyone, as well as the once largest bookshop in the world in Foyle’s.

Ben Pentreath Ltd

http://www.benpentreath.com/shop/

Ben Pentreath is an architect, interior designer and London blogger who owns a small shop on Rugby Street near Russell Square tube station. He sells stunning interior wares – anything from art and posters to furniture and kitchenware.

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Accessories & Invitations

Sometimes weddings are made extra special because of the small things – the attention to detail, the effort that’s been put in to the invitations, or the place settings.

Once the venue is organised, the catering has been booked and the dresses have been ordered, you can spent time on the finishing touches which will add the charm and character to your big day.

Stationery

Wedding Stationery is big business. Everyone wants stunning bespoke invitations – Spoon Graphics have an excellent blog/article on the 40 Must See Designs for Print Inspiration

Also try: White Knot - http://www.whiteknot.co.uk/ Amy Jo Nolan Paper - http://amyjonolanpaper.com/

Cakes

A good cake can often be one of the centrepieces of a wedding. Senate House are proud to work exclusively with the Little Venice Cake Company – described by Gordon Ramsey as the ‘Bentley of cake makers’.

More information about London’s leading supplier of couture wedding cakes.

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Information about Getting Married at

Senate House

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Interior Decoration Senate House offers a range of spaces for your wedding. Each of them are well suited to the occasion – high ceilings, large windows and airy spaces make for a sense of grandeur and place that’s hard to find anywhere else in the city. Many people will want to add their own character to the wedding – as part of our wedding service we can consult you on introducing some design and creativity to our spaces. Here are a few ideas.

Ceiling Canopy’s

Ceiling Canopy’s in a room can help create a focus, add an element of seclusion and add atmosphere – especially if they’re lined with white lights or are otherwise illuminated.

Draping

Most weddings make use of draping in one way or another. Sometimes to hide areas of rooms, or occasionally to dress up an entrance or create an alluring entrance.

Floristry

Here at Senate House we work with In Water Flowers, a specialist florist with extensive experience in providing flowers for wedding and other events. They offer a competitively priced and flexible service and can create bespoke bouquets if requested.

Flowers often form a centrepiece in the wedding venue – adding to the sense of occasion and formality.

More information on Wedding Decorators in London

More information about Floristry Services from In Water

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Senate House’s Art Deco Style Senate House lends itself perfectly as stunning wedding venue.

The main structure was built between 1932 and 1937 – and at the time of completion Senate House was the second tallest building in London after St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Senate House’s history, prestige and the variety of interior spaces on offer means you are never far from a stunning location for your wedding. A three-year multi-million pound refurbishment programme also ensures that alongside the history and tradition there are modern touches and facilities to help ensure your day goes without any issues or hiccups.

The grand architecture of Senate House has not gone unnoticed by the world’s media, artists and filmmakers. The building itself has played host to a number of famous films and television shows, including:

- Richard III (Loncraine, 1995) - Batman Begins (Nolan, 2005) - The Dark Knight Rises (Nolan, 2012) - Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (White, 2010) - Nineteen Eighty-Four (Radford, 1984) - Doctor Who - The Day of the Triffids

The style, layout and prestigious heritage of Senate House means that it is without doubt one of the most impressive and prominent places to get married in London. See our blog pots on Art Deco in London for more information about where else in the city you can spot designs from this classic artistic and cultural movement.

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www.senatehouseevents.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7862 8127 8128

Wedding Photography

Your wedding photography is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of your special day. It will forever provide wonderful memories and will be shared and experienced by countless friends and family. At Senate House we appreciate the fact that you want perfect results from your wedding photos. We are lucky to have here some of the very best spaces to get married anywhere in London – and the architecturally-stunning buildings provide the perfect backdrop for your images of the day itself.

We work with nationally-recognised photographer Tony Harris, whose experience with the location allows him to work with you to create an approach unique to your needs.

At Senate House we benefit enormously from Tony’s experience of the building and his ability to get the best out of its character and both the internal and external vistas.

Find out more about Tony Harris at http://www.tonyharrisphotographer.co.uk/

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Arriving at Senate House

If you choose Senate House as your venue for your special day, you need to be sure the necessary arrangements are being made for transporting yourself and your guests.

This section of our guide deals with travelling in London. Getting from A to B can be stressful in the capital, but we understand that if you are getting married and have deadlines to meet and places to be, you need a straightforward and hassle-free travel solution and a good idea of what goes where.

Senate House Map

Travelling by Car Senate House are proud to have an established relationship with Go Phantom – dedicated Rolls Royce car hire providers and prestigious chauffeur driver vehicles for your wedding.

http://www.gophantom.com/

With the largest fleet of vehicles of this type anywhere in the UK, Go Phantom offers unparalleled levels of service, reliability and capability when it comes to getting you to your wedding on time. With the prestige of being driven in one of world’s most luxurious cars, you can be sure to impress and turn heads amongst your guests. See our website for more information.

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Travelling by Bus There are a number of bus stops on both Tottenham Court Rd. and Russell Square. If you are arriving from any of the city’s train stations – these are the bus numbers you need to look out for.

King’s Cross St Pancras

No. 59

to Telford Way

Euston No. 168 Paddington No. 168 or No. 68 Charing Cross No. 91 Traf. Square to Telford Waterloo No. 68, 168 or 188 Liverpool St. No. 8 or 242 Tottenham Court Rd. Marylebone No. 18 to Euston Change to 168 Fenchurch St. No. 15 to Royal Courts Change to No. 68

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Travelling by Tube There are a number of tube stations within walking distance of Senate House. Although if you are getting married yourself you may not want to take the tube to the venue, many guests will congregate from different areas of the city and will require the most convenient route possible.

Click here for larger tube map

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Parking

Parking is scarce in Central London, and Senate House does not have a dedicated parking area. There are however a number of car parks nearby:

NCP London Woburn Place Open 24hrs, 7 days a week 2 hours : £6.60 2 to 4 hours: £13.10 4 to 24 hours: £19.10

Imperial Car Park – CC Parking A collectinon of car parks around Russell Square. Open 24hrs, 7 days a week with an attendant on duty 24/7. Card accepted

2 hours: £4.00 3 hours: £6.00 4 hours: £8.00 6 hours: £12.00 10 hours: £14.00 12 hours: £16.00 24 hours: £18.00

RCP Parking Bernard Street Open from 6.00am to 00.00am. Very close to Russell Sq, local amenities and Senate House.

0-1 hours: £2.00 1-2 hours: £4.00 2-4 hours: £8.00 4-6 hours: £10.00 6-12 hours: £12.00 12-24 hours: £15.00

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Why Choose Senate House? So we’ve seen how London can be the perfect city for your wedding, but when it comes to venues, there are a few reasons we think Senate House is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to hosting your wedding.

Classical Interior Spaces The rooms Senate House provide for wedding functions are spacious, light, airy and provide an inspiring backdrop to formal occasions.

Prestige of Getting Married in an Iconic Building

Senate House is one of the world’s most recognised and established buildings. Owned by the University of London, it is a highly prestigious and significant place to tie the knot.

Central Location Senate House’s location in London means that transport links are easy to come by. If you need, it’s also very easy to walk from most of Central London. Established and Recognised In the heart of Bloomsbury, Senate House belongs to the University of London and is located at the centre of a world-renowned seat of learning. Charles Dickens, JM Barrie and John Wyndham all called Bloomsbury their home and its fascinating history is a pull for many people across the world.

First Class Facilities

With such an educational pedigree, you can be sure of organisational excellence and attention to detail on your big day. The highest standard of service is guaranteed – and we can cater to your every requirement whether it’s a black tie dinner or a rooftop reception against the majestic London skyline.

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Other Useful Links & Resources

There are hundreds of useful areas of the internet to gain inspiration and ideas for your wedding in London. Some are businesses or trade sites, but many are simply blogger and lifestyle writers who love to share the experience of their wedding on their blog.

Here are some useful sites and resources for inspiration for your big day.

Wedding Blogs

http://www.london-bride.com

Style Me Pretty

Rock My Wedding

Before the Big Day

Love My Dress

Little Miss Wedding

Wed in London

Bridal Soup

General Blogs

The Londoner

London Style Scout

Secret London

London on the Inside

Shops and Boutiques

Not on the High Street

In Water Floristry

100 Best Shops in London

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Guide Produced by:

Senate House Events www.senatehouseevents.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 7862 8127 E: conference@london.ac.uk