Wine Country Weddings | Autumn Winter 2014

W

ine Country AUTUMN | WINTER 2014

Engraved Bottles a lasting memory for guests

A HUNTER BLACKBOARD

Special

“Say Cheese” the new wedding cake trend 30 Years of Peppers Retreat Girls just wanna have fun… the evolution of the Hen’s Night

Turn heads on your

Wedding Day

Zen Hair Skin Body and Sublime Weddings is a full Hairdressing Salon and Beauty Spa in one loca on in the beau ful Hunter Valley Wine region.

Combining innova ve & deluxe treatments in an environmentally friendly establishment, the salon can cater to any need.

Zen has fast become the preferred salon for wine country brides and it isn’t difficult to see why. Owner and Ar s c Director Rachel Kane has had 18 years in the business and knows just what it takes to turn heads on your wedding day.

To arrange a wedding consultaƟon with Rachel or her team of dedicated stylists, call the salon on 4998-6844 or visit the website at www.sublimezen.com.au.

Think outside the box

With a gift to remember

Looking for that perfect gi that stands out from the rest? Or perhaps you’d like to give your wedding guests a special gi that they'll never forget. Ivanhoe Wines have just that with their personalised engraved wines.

Not only do Ivanhoe specialise in producing excep onal quality wines, they are now able to expertly engrave their wine bo les with your personalised message to create a unique gi and las ng memento of your special occasion.

Any of their wines can be engraved in gold or silver and can be made for all occasions. Our miniature designer tawny port bo les are perfect for wedding bonbonniere and even if it is simply a present for a birthday or anniversary, these personalised etched wines are sure to surprise the receiver.

You can also select from a range of accessories to compliment your personalised gi such as glasses and presenta on boxes. Orders are taken 7 days per week by telephone or email and can be delivered to your door in a minimum of 7 days.

Think outside the box when shopping for your next special occasion and give a gi to remember with Ivanhoe’s personalised engraved wines.

For more informa on visit www.ivanhoewines.com.au.

30 Years of Weddings...

Peppers Guest House will celebrate it’s 30th Birthday later this year. That’s a lot of experience and tradi on that couples can tap into when they plan a Peppers Wedding.

At Peppers Guest House they understand that every bride and groom has an individual style of wedding in mind when planning their special day, and as such offer a variety of ceremony and recep on ideas.

Nestled in the heart of the Hunter Valley Wine Country with stunning views of the surrounding bushland and gardens, they offer a relaxed yet elegant se ng for your wedding ceremony, recep on or both u lising a range of on-site loca ons.

Garden Ceremony: Say your vows on the Pepper Tree lawn, under a wisteria covered archway in the gardens or beside the lake. They’ll also ensure a wet weather op on is available as a backup op on so you don't even need to worry about the weather.

Tallawanta Room: As the main recep on area, this private func on suite has its own pre-func on space and private garden terrace overlooking the acreage. All doors open directly to the gardens. This is a superb indoor/ outdoor se ng for weddings of 30-120 guests.

Guest Lounge: Perfect for in mate winter weddings, say your vows beside the roaring fire or enjoy your wedding celebra on dinner in this cosy se ng with up to 40 guests.

Barbeque dining under the stars: Available all year round and perfect for more casual weddings, enjoy an outdoor dining experience in the grounds of Peppers Guest House, complete with an exclusive campfire se ng with barbeque, bonfire in the cooler months and private barbeque chef.

Available for 80 guests seated.

Which ever loca on you choose for your special day, rest assured that the experience of 30 years in the business will add that professional touch to your wedding ceremony and recep on. For more informa on about Peppers Weddings visit www.peppers.com.au/guest-house/weddings

A farewell to unmarried life or a chance to party with friends?

Whilst many brides-to-be view a hens night (also known as a bachelore e party) as a customary tradi on to be followed - o en involving a weekend at a luxurious spa, wine tours or dancing the night away. Today, these celebra ons are viewed as a fun way to say goodbye to unmarried life, but this wasn't always the case.

This me-honoured tradi on of hens nights does in fact have roots that are nothing short of demure - especially when compared to modern prac ces.

Originally established as a ''woman-only affair'', this pre-wedding prac ce dates back to the 1600's where it became customary for the bride-to be to spend a night in alone to contemplate her 'bo om drawer' - a dowry of precious things collected in prepara on for marriage. In contrast to the o en wild par es of today, this bride-to-be would spend the evening quietly at home with her family.

As the years and centuries passed, the evening of solitude took on a new direc on and became known as ''bridal showers'', designed to supplement the brides dowry. This generally involved a formally arranged luncheon or dinner where gi s would be bestowed upon the bride by other women.

Although showers are s ll quite common, the evolu on and rise in popularity of hen par es does seem to correlate to the sexual revolu on of the 1960s. As more women stood up for equality, a party to match the bachelors’ pre-wedding fes vi es became a priority. By the 1980s, the hen party was firmly entrenched as a pre-nup al tradi on - following very similar tradi ons as the bachelor party. Today a hens party can o en extend to an en re weekend of fes vi es.

Despite its more subdued roots, the tradi onal hens night has evolved over me and the tradi on of staying in to reflect upon your last night of freedom and prepare yourself for marriage is long gone. Modern bridesto-be are girls who want to have fun. For more informa on about holding your Hen’s Party at Harrigan’s visit the website www.harrigans.com.au.

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