ROMANCE is in the air at Castle Howard as the North Yorkshire stately home opens for the 2004 season.

Wedding Belles is an exhibition that will skip back through history to let visitors to experience romance from the 18th and 19th centuries.

The organisers of the exhibition will turn back the clock to 1871 to eavesdrop on two very different weddings - the very different aspirations of both a rich and poor bride.

Visitors can learn about traditional marriage proposals and wedding customs, including what bridal finery to wear.

They can also explore the art of letter writing and the symbols used to conceal those wildest thoughts and unthinkable suggestions.

Floral displays, each one containing a hidden message of love or rejection, will be placed throughout the house so people can study the language of flowers.

In the gardens, visitors will be invited to stroll to the Temple Of The Four Winds and discover how Victorian ladies and gentlemen made use of it.

They can venture through the serpentine paths of Ray Wood that hint at elusive pastimes and secret rendezvous.

Visitors can also hear the passionate tales of ancient gods and goddesses inspired by the statues in the grounds.

Wedding Belles takes place on St Valentine's Day and Sunday, February 15, between 11am and 4pm.

Updated: 10:27 Tuesday, February 03, 2004