Win Wedding Venue Hire at Doddington - Sunday 01 August

Are you thinking of getting married and can think of no better present than winning your venue hire here in the romantic setting of Doddingon?
Every couple visiting our wonderful Exhibition of Unusual, Interesting & Historic Wedding Dresses in August and early September is invited to enter our draw to 'win a wedding' at Doddington Hall. The draw offers the lucky couple free venue hire of our stunning, environmentally-friendly Green Wing wedding venue - worth £2500 - which is currently being built as an extension to our charming former coach-house Littlehouse and will be ready next summer. What could be lovelier than a 'green' wedding in the shadow of the Hall and with many beautiful spots for perfect photos? Doddington Hall offers an exclusive, special and memorable wedding venue.
Entering is easy. Complete and hand in an entry form which you will find in the Long Gallery during the Exhibition.
Good luck!
Conditions: Admission applies to visit the House & Exhibition and enter the draw. The draw is for wedding venue hire only worth £2500. No cash alternative is available. The wedding must be for a minimum of 60 guests. The date of the wedding must be between August 2011 and August 2012, but the exact date is subject to availability. The wedding must be arranged using the services of our wedding co-ordinator (no additional cost) and our catering and drinks package (additional costs will apply). The draw will be made on Monday 13 September 2010, and the winning couple will be notified by telephone shortly afterwards.

DRESS EXHIBITION MARRIES PAST & PRESENT, UNUSUAL & HISTORIC

An exhibition of unusual, interesting and historic wedding dresses will be taking place during August at Doddington Hall near Lincoln, promising a fascinating collection of approximately 45 dresses from around the county and further afield. The exhibition is supported by a grant from Renaissance East Midlands. Stately homes from around Lincolnshire will be represented. As well as dresses from the Jarvis family at Doddington including Victoria Jarvis' 1960s Hardy Amies dress and current owner Claire Birch's 1983 Droopy & Brown 'Princess Diana-Inspired' dress, visitors can see the 1997 Ben de Lisi silk and crystal dress belonging to Miranda Rock of Burghley House; both the wedding dress and wedding kimono belonging to Rie Day of Fulbeck Hall; the white silk Princess-line dress with hand-sown pearls and train later used for christenings worn by Easton Walled Garden's Lady Ursula Cholmeley and a dress designed by Miss Sara Perceval for the daughter of Shervie Price, owner of Harrington Hall near Spilsby. Also included is the wedding dress gifted to Lady Ursula d'Abo of Belvoir Castle - cited as one of The Queen's most beautiful Maids of Honour at her Coronation - by the Maharani of Jaipur in 1946/7.

Dresses of historical interest are included. As well as exact copies of the dresses worn by Lady Diana Spencer and Lady Jayne Grey, also secured is the dress worn in 1820 by the illegitimate daughter of George IV, who was just 12 years old when she married. The tiny dress is edged with ribbon and net lace with leg o'mutton sleeves. Unusual & local interest dresses will be displayed. These include a black wedding dress, a wedding dress for dogs, a knitted dress and a dress made from Lincolnshire Longwool by a shepherdess. Dresses worn in recent years at weddings held at Doddington Hall will be making a return. Dresses belonging to staff at the Hall have also been loaned, including the Nepalese dress belonging to Gauri Limbu. A 1907 silk dress owned by a lady from Skellingthorpe is included, as is a 1940's gold silk dress worn at a Horncastle wedding. One Skegness dress was worn twice - firstly in 1947 by Mrs Tebb and then again in 1995 by her granddaughter Nola Shaw. A 1939 dress from Boston will be displayed - made of silk painted with flowers the dress was worn many times afterwards as was the practice in post-war Britain. A 1920s dress has been lent, as have a couple from the 1960s.

'Old, New, Mostly Borrowed & One Blue' will be held in the Long Gallery at Doddington Hall & Garden every Wednesday, Sunday & Bank Holiday Monday 1pm to 5pm 1 August to 10 September. Exhibition included in admission. For more information, please see www.doddingtonhall.com or call 01522 694 308.

You can follow organiser Fiona Baker's fascinating blog on http://www.doddingtonexhibition.blogspot.com/