THE LEVERSTOCK GREEN CHRONICLE
an in-depth history of one village in Hertfordshire UK.
Click to link to principle LG Chronicle web pages.
The Main features of the 2016
Holy Trinity Wedding Festival were:
- A Comprehensive display of wedding gowns & accessories dating back to Victorian Times.
- A continuous slide show of photographs from weddings which took place at Holy Trinity from Victorian Times to the present.
- Ability to view the early Marriage Registers and Banns Books. [With the possibility of photographing family records for a small fee payable to HALS.]
- Large Display of community wedding photos where the marriage took place at a different venue.
- Light Lunches and Refreshments
- Raffle & Guess the weight of the cake.
In addition:
- Saturday at 5pm a talk by Maureen Bellett on wedding customs
- Sunday at 3pm A Service of thanks giving for marriage and a chance to renew your wedding vows. Followed by the cutting (and eating) of some splendid wedding cake.
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SEE THE GALLERIES OF PICTURES BELOW OF THE EVENT
Taken by Barbara LeTalec unless otherwise stated.
Record your comments here about the Wedding festival
This page was last updated: April 14, 2016
This page was last updated: April 14, 2016
PLANNING THE WEDDING FESTIVAL
Holy Trinity Wedding Festival 12 -14 February 2016
Maureen Bellett approached me with the idea of displaying her collection of wedding gowns approximately 2 years ago. At the time we were planning another Nativity Crib Festival and the World War One Exhibition. I discussed the idea with the vicar, Lizzie Hood, and church warden, Mike Hawtin, and we decided it was a great idea but we would 'park' it until a suitable time. About a year ago we decided on the date, to coincide with Valentine's weekend, and Maureen set to planning her creation for most of the year. A committee was formed to bring together different skills, and we first met in August 2015. The Committee comprised Maureen Bellett, Lizzie Hood, Mike Hawtin, Beverley Burgess, Pauline Lindsey, Lisa Farmer, Lee-Anne Visagie and Jean Britt.
Our objectives were to build community, to celebrate marriage and showcase the church as a wedding venue, and to raise funds for the church. It was decided that with these goals in mind we needed to do more than display the gowns. We wanted some input from local companies and asked for sponsorship. Florists were asked to display wedding flowers and we needed a wedding cake for the 'reception' at the end of the festival. One of the best decisions we made was to include photographs of weddings at Holy Trinity church through the years. This, we thought, would catch the imagination of others in the village, not just the congregation, and it did just that! Members of the public could also upload their wedding photos onto our Facebook event page, and that got people in the community talking - the page reached over 2000 people in the week of the Festival. Mike put together a display of photos which scrolled continuously on the newly installed screen in church. Then we thought it would be a nice idea to have wedding photos of members of the congregation who were married elsewhere, and we displayed these un-named, so we could all try to guess who was who! As we had for the Crib Festival, we invited the U3A Calligraphy Group to produce a display, illustrating texts from the Bible and the Marriage Service.
Maureen was responsible for designing the exhibition, along with Lee-Anne who masterminded the floral displays and other creative touches. Lisa and Lee-Anne were responsible for approaching companies for sponsorship, and the florists and flower groups for displays. Pauline took care of the rotas for the huge team of welcomers, stewards, catering and raffle sellers, as well as providing a children's quiz and colouring activity, and typing the notices displayed by the gowns. She also helped me with arranging for the donations of cakes for the refreshments. I was responsible for the catering, and made soup all weekend! Mike was responsible for the photos and the publicity banners, and organised a team of 'heavies' to transport dresses, mannequins and display boards. Lizzie managed the whole project, invited the VIPs, was involved with publicity and a display promoting church weddings, and arranged to borrow our oldest Marriage Register (1850-1952) from HALS, which added to the historical interest of the event. Cathy Ayling arranged radio interviews and newspaper reports. Jacqui Sheppard led on publicity. Ann Radband typed up Maureen's notes. Jean and Elizabeth Cooper made confetti from fresh flower petals. Barb Le Tallec was our photographer.
The set-up began on Tuesday 9th with Maureen, Barb Le Tallec and Ann Radband preparing decorations for the chancel screen and the overhead poles. The next day was Ash Wednesday, so we paused for worship, and then the whole team set about moving furniture, bringing in rostra and display boards, transporting mannequins, decorating the porch and other floral displays, until we called it a day at 9.30pm. Thursday was another heavy day - all the mannequins had to be dressed, displays labelled, and finishing touches to the decorations, and the Trinity Room had to be decorated and tables laid out for catering. Balloons on the gates, cash floats, children's activities... the list was endless, and the day finally finished at 9.40pm.
The festival ran over 3 days. In the end we had 47 dresses on display, dating from 1810 to the 21st century, and over 100 photos of village weddings on the screen. 620 visitors were welcomed, and there was a real buzz about the church as people reminisced about weddings and the history of the village. Many commented not only on the fun and friendliness, but that the festival gave them a chance to think more deeply about the blessing of marriage. On the Saturday at 5pm Maureen Bellett gave an interesting talk about some of the dresses and the history of wedding customs. At Sunday morning worship we had to squeeze into the available pews, and peer through the dresses! The Festival closed (on Valentine's Day) with an afternoon service of Thanksgiving for Marriage at which couples were invited to renew their wedding vows. The Mayor and Mayoress of Dacorum attended, and afterwards we all enjoyed a glass of Prosecco and some wedding cake.
Monday morning, and time to take it all to bits. Thankfully an army of people came to help, as the team were feeling pretty exhausted. It was accomplished in record time, and everything transported back again. And the church returned to its Lenten simplicity!
Beverley Burgess,
Church Warden
26/2/201
(With a couple of minor additions. by Barbara Chapman)
CREATING THE DISPLAY
Photographs by Barbara LeTallec
Photographs by Barbara LeTallec
Click on the thumnail galleries to view larger images.
Barbara LeTallec, Anne Radband & Maureen Bellett
Liza Farmer dressing a manaquin.
Jean Britt laying out the dresses in their approximate places.
DAY I -FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12TH 2016
Photographs by Barbara Le Tallec (BLT) and Barbara Chapman (BAC)
Some of the Numerous Facebook Offerings
Luke and Nicola Atkinson, married 18 June 2011. From Nicola: "It was a day of showers and sunshine. The sun came out at all the right moments! We had the most wonderful day filled with love, family and friends." — at Holy Trinity Church @ Leverstock Green.
Simon and Janet Buck, married 2 May 1970. From Simon: "We were married at Holy Trinity Church by Rev John Morris. We had to obtain a special license from the faculty office at Westminster London (the best 25 pounds we've ever spent). The day before the wedding it poured with rain, but on the day, out came the sun and a fantastic day was had by all. We are still very happily married."
A welcome from the Vicar Revd Lizzie Hood to Lee-Anne Visagee and her son.
BELOW: Inside, everyone was greeted by the volunteer Stewards (on a rota) who collected the contributions, then the visitor would move on and this view down the aisle was the first view of the displays. I likened it to "A little bit of the V&A Museum come to delight us in Leverstock Green"
Alan and Sue Ware, married 29 November 1969
A selection of the many photographs taken by Barbara LeTallec on Friday 12th. Click on first square gallery image to enlarge and scroll forward. Individual thumbnail photos to the right can also be enlarged by clicking on them.
One set of stewards: Stella Hancock, Mandy Pegg and Maggie Timms.
Below, a slightly different perspective on the display, photographed by Barbara & Martin Chapman with a couple by Barbara Le Tallec.
Click on the images to see them enlarged.
Taken by
Martin Chapman
BLT
BLT
BLT
CLICK ON THE LOGO TO MOVE TO A NEW PAGE CONTAINING:
VIP's AND VISITORS;
HT WEDDING SLIDESHOW;
COMMUNITY WEDDING PICTURES
and more....
MORE PHOTOGRAPHS RE: CREATING THE DISPLAY
by Barbara LeTallec
Click on the logos to take you to the correct page, then CLICK ON THE SAME LOGO to take you to the correct area.
Left Hand Gown dates from 1830, made from
fine wool with natural vegetabke dies.
Gold Wedding Gown c. 2000.
Sprays of gold thread embroidered flowers on white net ground. Wide neckline, bined bodice stomacher with gold card deteail ending with centre dip and trimmed with gold lace. Also repeated on the wide shoulder straps.
Crinoline effect gown
echoing 1830s style.
Made c. 1994 in Paris (Saint Jaques). Lavender coloured gown in slub-silk. Bodice with a boat shaped neckline, plus a suspended lace trim decolletage. Large puffed sleeves ending gracefully with lace falls. Dipped below waistline from bodice ending in a bow. Lace trimmings on hips continuing to form back of garment with a V and a bow topping. A flying panel on each hip fall in longitude fashion from under the lace hips. two lace trimmings falling longitude fashion from waistline to hem ending in a bow. Valance of lace on bottom of gown.
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