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Win a luxury overnight stay at The Hospital Club, London’s coolest private members’ club and wedding venue

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Hospital-Club
The Hospital Club in London’s Covent Garden is the only private members’ club designed specifically for those in creative industries,  and as a  member since 2009, it’s been my ‘home from home’ for many years.

Founded by musician Dave Stewart, of Eurythmics fame,  and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the Hospital Club opened  in 2004, as a hub where creative types could create, connect, and collaborate. Spread over seven floors with stunning interiors including  cocktail bars, lounges, a restaurant, 36-seater cinema, TV studio, art gallery, and 15 extraordinary  bedrooms, it  caters  for creative  professionals  who are looking for something super cool, friendly and collaborative.

As well as being London’s hippest  private  members’ club, it’s also the perfect space for couples looking for somewhere really stylish  and different for their wedding venue.

It  boasts a range of versatile spaces each with its own unique style and flavour, as well as  a team of chefs and mixologists who can tailor-make and prepare the perfect menu (kosher or just  Jewish-friendly!) whatever your theme and budget.

A couple of months ago in  January 2015, fifteen  sumptuous  bedrooms were added to the mix which means that  for the first time ever the Hospital Club is  opening it’s doors to non-members. The rooms are luxuriously appointed with leathers, velvets, sumptuous woods and  jaw-dropping works of  contemporary art,  and I’m giving one lucky reader and their companion  the  chance to sneak in, party hard, and crash out in comfort in the Hospital Club’s top suite, complete with  dinner in the club restaurant, and breakfast the following morning.

The suite (a.k.a. the crash pad of your dreams) comes complete with a  private terrace, separate lounge area,  erotic minibar by Holloway Smith Noir, brain power tool kits by the School of Life, insider guides to London,  and a 7pm cocktail trolley with your own personal bartender!

For the duration of your stay, you’ll  also be able to make full use of all member privileges including the club’s 3D cinema, pool room, cocktails bars, and the enviable schedule of member events.

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Win a romantic overnight stay at the capital’s hippest new luxury hotel, Rosewood London

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ROSEWOOD LONDON
I’m the first person to suggest  that you  try and think outside the (fancy hotel) box when it comes to choosing your  wedding venue, but on visiting the sumptuous new  Rosewood London, I had a change of heart —  I was most definitely  wowed.

On entering  the Edwardian  cobblestoned courtyard (formerly used for horse-drawn carriages) the tone was set, and the more I explored it the more  I loved it… British  heritage combined  with  contemporary twists, a hip  aesthetic and lots of  thoughtful  touches. Rosewood London stands out from other luxury hotels in that there isn’t an air of stuffiness or passà© about it — it oozes  a breezy, sophisticated  vibe and their playful and  idiosyncratic details really  appealed to my  creative side.

The hotel opened nine  months ago following  an £85million makeover and is already set to be  central London’s  most in-demand wedding venue for  fashionable nuptials, indeed one of their beautiful Jewish weddings has already been  featured    on the pages of Smashing The Glass!

I’m prone  to spoiling my lovely readers and  now  one of you lucky lot (together with the love of your life) is going to experience the amazing Rosewood London for yourself. Yes, I’m giving you the chance to win an indulgent romantic overnight stay at London’s hippest new luxury hotel!

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
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Win with Samantha Birch and her awesome ideas on how to tie the knot in style without blowing your budget

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handmade-diy-wedding-decor

We often show you that  you don’t have to break the bank to have a beautiful and meaningful wedding, but the expert on the matter is wedding journalist, and now writer, Samantha Birch.

She’s  written for Brides, You & Your Wedding and Cosmopolitan Bride  and knows a thing or two about planning a wedding on a budget, how much you can expect to pay for everything and where to go to get it for less.  Lucky for us,  she’s put it all down in her fabulous new book  The High-Street Bride’s Guide, and to celebrate it’s  release today,  Smashing The Glass is giving you  the chance to win one of 5 e-copies!

The High Street Brides GuideSimply fill in the form below for your chance to win, and while you’re waiting to hear if you’ve scooped a  prize, read my interview with Samantha and discover her  insanely good suggestions  for your big day.

Good luck with the competition!

KAREN x

THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED

Friend us on Facebook  + look out for our  announcement of the winners on Friday 2nd  May 2014!

Interview Samantha Birch

Samantha, your book is a hugely entertaining and informative read, but what are your stand-out tips for brides?

Samantha BirchDon’t let people pile on the pressure. There are a lot of ‘should’s that get thrown around when you’re planning a wedding, but it’s yours and your nearly-hubby’s day, no-one else’s. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take other people’s feelings into account–thinking of your guests’ little nuances will make sure everyone feels special and has a great day–but there’s a difference between making a tier of the wedding cake fruit to keep the nans happy and ending up walking into a retake of your parents’ wedding.

Things have changed since they got married: there are a lot more choices of venue, for starters; bridesmaids can wear black; you don’t even have to have flowers in your bouquet (brooches, anyone?)! So if people are telling you you have to have chair covers but you like the chairs as they are, or someone says it’s the ‘done’ thing to have a stylist do your hair on the day but you wanted it the way you always wear it, it’s okay to go with your gut. Gently explain to them that you appreciate their expertise, but what you loved about their wedding day was that it was so them, and you and your other half want to follow in their footsteps by making yours so you.

As for the wedding dress, I would say don’t be afraid of colour. You’ll have so many more options for where to get a gorgeous gown that doesn’t empty your overdraft if you’re not afraid of a bit of pastel pink, for instance, or even all-out bold, vibrant shades. They’ve been on the catwalks of big bridal designers like Vera Wang in the last few years, and they work. Look at Rachel McAdams in About Time: she rocked that bright red dress!
Vera Wang Fall 2014
[ Image: Glamour magazine  / Vera Wang Fall 2014  ]

What inspired you to write the book?
Planning my wedding! And one super-keen friend who I was helping with hers. One day she pinged me over a picture of a wedding dress she loved, but couldn’t find the designer for, and I knew I recognised it; I sent her back a name straight away. That’s when she suggested I should write a wedding book, and I knew what it was going to be about almost immediately: my now-husband (hooray!) and I were struggling to save up for our big day, and I knew we couldn’t be the only ones. I had all these ways of saving money that I realised weren’t really getting written about, and suddenly it all made sense!

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