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This February, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the award-winning, newly renovated theatre in the heart of Covent Garden, celebrates Valentine’s Day by announcing a brand new marriage licence for the building. Whether getting married on stage in the resplendent auditorium, beneath the soaring ceilings and glittering chandeliers of the Grand Saloon or in the twinkling, plant-lined Garden downstairs, from now on The Lane will be a space where couples can come together to legally marry, and celebrate into the evening.
Following an ambitious £60 million restoration by Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd Webber, Theatre Royal Drury Lane (The Lane) is the oldest theatre site in continuous use in the world and is now open to the public as a bustling hub of entertainment and culture. From a glamorous, Regency-inspired Afternoon Tea from ‘Instagram’s favourite baker’ Lily Vanilli, to the downstairs Cecil Beaton cocktail bar, named after the renowned high society photographer and costume designer, each space throughout the building brings the rich history of the theatre to life and provides a decadent backdrop for a day to remember.
Madeleine Lloyd Webber says, “For centuries, The Lane has been witness to the love stories and melodramas which are the backbone of theatrical, and even Royal, history in this country. We are delighted that, in this next chapter of its life, couples can now act out their own love stories at The Lane. Our restoration of The Lane has created one of the finest suites of Regency rooms anywhere in the country, brought to life with stunning art, architecture and interiors. Whether couples are looking for a cocktail party, a sit-down Afternoon Tea designed by Lily Vanilli or champagne with Shakespeare in the Rotunda, it is a truly a unique and magical setting for a luxurious wedding."
On entrance to The Lane, guests can ascend the winding stairs from the newly refurbished foyer, past the Cecil Beaton Bar and the Rotunda Bar up to the Grand Saloon, where gilded high ceilings, large windows and new crystal chandeliers create a sense of Regency grandeur. The pale pink walls are lined with green marble panels, framing the large bar at the centre of the room, and for those who enjoy dining al fresco, spacious terraces leading from the Grand Saloon will overlook the Covent Garden piazza. Downstairs, The Garden is a hidden oasis tucked away from the hustle and bustle that surrounds the theatre, with indoor/outdoor seating and plants lining the space from floor to ceiling.
On 14th February, for one night only the Grand Saloon will stay open for Valentine’s couples to stay late into the night for an Afternoon Tea by Lily Vanilli. Inspired by the hedonism for which the Regency era is so well known, as the lights are dimmed pink Taittinger champagne will be poured for all guests on the house with Exmoor caviar on offer to kick off an evening of romance. Lily’s signature tea items including her layered chocolate sponge with pink icing and red love hearts, mini sticky toffee with custard oozing from the centre and tiny pink lemonade tarts topped with meringue will follow savoury bites, ending the night on a scoop of mint chocolate absinthe ice cream served from the trolley that roams the room.
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