Camilla Belle

What is a traditional British wedding? No doubt for many inhabitants of these islands, the standard wedding will somehow involve a church, swanky cars, some hired penguin suits, a teary mother and a tiered fruit cake. It's amazing how vivid this imagery remains despite much of it no longer having a place in the modern wedding experience - in fact church ceremonies account for only about a third of all UK weddings. A blend of multiculturalism, a growing informality and a reduction in the role of the church have played their parts; but the result is a dazzling array of options for the open-minded couple.

This is the default wedding, if you like. The bride and groom wake up in different houses, the bride gets done up, assisted by the mother and bridesmaids, the groom goes to the pub, the best man loses the ring, the father of the bride gets all philosophical and the clans sit on opposite flanks of the church. Inevitably the church wedding will be a religious affair, with hymns, prayers and vows, and then it's off to the reception for speeches and dinner, and then everyone prepares for the evening do.