An Essex Wedding news and ideas from around the county

County Wedding Events launches new Signature Wedding Show at Bluewater, Kent

Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, County Wedding Events has some exciting news – it's now in partnership with Bluewater Shopping Centre! This iconic Kent destination is going to be the backdrop to one of County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Shows. The go-to event for couples tying the knot in Kent, visitors can expect to meet a whole host of big-day suppliers, from photography to entertainment, cake makers to florists, you can plan your whole wedding under one roof! Set to take place on 6th October 2024, 11am - 3pm, you can re-register now.

Natasha Watts returns to The Civic Hall Grays

If you like your music DIVA! then grab a ticket to this one-off spectacular from one the UK's finest soul vocalists. UK Soul Chart number 1 artist, Natasha Watts is returning to The Civic Hall, Grays, Essex, for one night only on Friday 26th April 2024. Natasha will be bringing her timeless sound, rooted in soul, R&B, and jazz to the Civic Hall in Grays, where she will be performing her own songs alongside many legendary soul classics, including Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan.

Abigail’s Collection & The Groom’s Room wins Bridal Retail Industry Oscar!

Colchester based wedding business 'Abigail's Collection & The Groom's Room' has been celebrating after a winning a prestigious national award in Harrogate last week. The team has scooped their 30th business award 'Longstanding Established Retailer of the Year' at an important industry event where the elite of bridal retail gathered for an evening of recognition and celebration of the sector. The awards celebrate the achievements of the very best bridal retailers from across UK and Ireland.

Worried about your dad's wedding speech? Here's some top advice from Speechy

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. At Speechy, we believe that all great speeches have good story-telling at the heart of them. So instead of hunting down one-liners, encourage your dad to simply tell his favourite stories. Remind him that he can call on your mum or siblings for help with content and constructive feedback, and send him links to lots of various speech examples to get his brain thinking.

Boys' night out - in Braintree!

Goldie Lookin Chain (GLC) the British rap group are coming straight out of Newport to The Institute, Braintree. Known for classics like "Guns don't kill people rappers do", The GLC started almost by accident around the turn of the century with Eggsy's impromptu rap about his tracksuit over a serious piece of music Rhys was working on in the studio. Adam Hussain, Billy Webb, Mystkal, the Maggot, 2hats and Mike Balls convinced Rhys to record the rap. Fuelled by Lambrini, fags, Chicken Tikka Massala and weed they all took to the mic and The GLC's first album "Don't Blame the Chain" was born.

The best place in the UK for a springtime wedding

A new study has revealed the areas in the UK with the best vendors and venues for spring wedding ceremonies, with Essex being crowned top for both. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analyzed data from a popular wedding planning site, to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated vendors and venues, including vineyards, cake companies, and stationery brands. Most brides and grooms will agree that planning a wedding is stressful, as trying to pull off an event that feels unique to the couple while managing expectations, budget, and family can be difficult at times. Thankfully, beautiful venues exist to help make the whole process easier.

Layer Marney Tower to host Parkinson’s charity event

On Friday 19th April, Colchester's Layer Marney Tower will be hosting Running on Empty an evening event in aid of Parkinson's Disease, with British Explorer and leading Parkinson's campaigner Guy Deacon CBE, who last year drove 18,000 miles overland from his home in the UK to South Africa in order to raise awareness of Parkinson's Disease. At the event, Guy will be interviewed by Richard Charrington to recount his incredible journey, crossing Europe and the full length of Africa.

Does your mum need help with her wedding speech? Read these tips from Speechy

The Speech Surgery with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. Firstly, reassure your mum that we work with lots of mothers (both of the bride, and increasingly, the groom's) so it's no longer unusual to see a mum on the mic. Whether your mum is standing in for your father, speaking in addition to him or your dad isn't part of the picture, we generally find mothers have a lot to say! In terms of getting your mum excited at the prospect of delivering a speech, rather than dreading it, send her a few blog posts to show her how simple writing her speech can be.

Your ultimate hen do survival guide by SilkFred

With April being the most popular month for hen do's, and online fashion destination SilkFred finding that 625 people will be attending at least one hen do this 'hen do season' (with 93 of respondents attending 3+ hen do's)*, we've sat down with Georgie Mitchell, Wedding Planner, Coordinator and Wedding Expert at Silkfred and Head Stylist Megan Watkins, who have shared their ultimate 'Hen Do Survival Hacks' to manage everything from budgets and schedules to styling tips and mastering the art of saying "no".

Five myths about Champagne

For centuries, great occasions in life have been punctuated with Champagne. However, there are several myths surrounding the drinking, storing and essence of Champagne. As a result, the Champagne Bureau UK* wanted to bust those myths to separate fact from fiction and demonstrate how best to enjoy the pinnacle of sparkling wine, as well as ensure that you aren't fooled by some of the most common Champagne myths. Myth: Pop the cork and spray Champagne in times of celebrations. The blunt pop of the cork and the fizz of the fine bubbles – instantly reminiscent of celebration – is a sparkling start to any special occasion.

Dream dresses at Signature Wedding Shows

Bespoke dress and bridalwear designer, Tanya Dimitrova, founder of London-based Mia La Vida Bridal, will be on hand to talk through your dream wedding dress ideas at our Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World, April 28th. With a vision and passion to create timeless wedding and evening pieces, and to fulfil a lifelong dream of making a defiant mark on the high-end world of couture bridalwear, Tanya listens to her clients' requirements to design and make a creation you'll never want to take off!

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards finalists announced

Now in their eleventh year, The Muddy Stilettos Awards in association with Tide banking, are back with a bang! Some 1,995 finalists have just been announced in this year's finals line up as the very best of independent lifestyle businesses across 28 Muddy Counties, including 105 businesses in Essex, have been chosen by their customers and Muddy readers. A big congrats for getting this far!

Moonpig reveals weddings cards are the hardest to write

Greeting cards have been a popular way to express celebrations and affection for our loved ones. We're used to purchasing cards for milestones from birthdays, weddings, new jobs and more, but how often do we struggle with what to write in a card? With the recent growth in popularity of AI models like ChatGPT, Moonpig has launched its "Smart Text" tool, a feature which uses generative AI as a writing assistant for customers who need help in those moments where they don't know what to put in a card to their loved ones.

Greenwoods welcomes Carol and Mark Wright Senior

TV presenter and columnist Carol Wright and her husband Mark Wright Snr enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at Greenwoods Hotel & Spa in Stock, the first time they had visited - with plans to return! Situated in the pretty village of Stock, Essex, the Grade 11 listed building manor house is home to one of the Essex's finest boutique hotels that has won multiple awards in the last 10 years for its spa, gourmet food and wedding facilities.

Thinking of doing a joint wedding speech? Read Speechy's top tips

The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, Founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. A joint speech follows the same etiquette principles as your standard bride and groom speech but allows you to present it as a team and play up to your relationship dynamic. But, despite the two voices, be careful not to make the speech double the length! No more than 1,500 words maximum. When it comes to writing a joint speech, it all comes down to your ability to collaborate, discuss and bounce ideas off each other.

Things to consider when booking your big-day musicians

As the UK's largest and most sustainable musician bookings platform, musicians for weddings account for around 50% of Encore's bookings. As such, the company is well-versed in the most cost-effective ways to cut down on one of the more expensive aspects of a wedding. Please see below some best tips to help you save the most money when booking your wedding entertainment. On average, couples book musicians for their wedding seven and a half months in advance, but if your big day falls on a Saturday during peak season, you should book your musicians at least nine months in advance.

The paws are back in town!

The paws are back in town... yes that's right, the UK's most talked about dog festival is returning to Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate on Bank Holiday Monday, 27th May for the ultimutt spring celebration and unleashed fun in the sun! Teaming up with leading canine events company, Pop + Bark, this is the largest outdoor dog celebration of its kind, and the perfect place for puppy play to get those tails wagging.

Planning a hen (or sten) party? These activity-based bars need to be on your list

Tasty food, gorgeous cocktails and a bit of healthy competition equals a winning recipe for an amazing time for your pre-wedding get together! How does a side of shuffleboard or darts with your cocktails sound? Whether you're looking for a daytime plan or something to keep you partying into the early hours, Electric Shuffle and Flight Club are great options. Both have resident DJs banging out the tunes, and both offer fab bottomless brunch packages if an afternoon booze session is more what you're after. They're also perfectly designed for the most amazing insta-worthy pics

Self care this Easter

This Easter, iconic well being brand Rituals Cosmetics has launched with a one of a kind, luxurious twist to the traditional Easter festivities with their limited edition Easter eggs. Whether you are savouring a Sunday roast or enjoying an Easter brunch with friends and relatives, surprise your host or loved ones with a token of gratitude that goes beyond the ordinary.

Revealed the UK’s best venues with woodlands to achieve dreamy cottage-core weddings

A recent study revealed the UK's highest-rated venues for woodland-themed weddings, with Creeksea Place being named the best. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analysed user-generated review data to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated woodlands venues by creating an overall rating score. The study has revealed that Creeksea Place is the most highly rated woodland in the nation. Located in Essex, the manor house, which includes picturesque woodland, has been rated five stars over 220 times giving it a perfect score of ten out of ten.