An Essex Wedding news and ideas from around the county

Be inspired at Down Hall

Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate was the obvious choice for this styled shoot that blended fashion with luxury. Shoot organisers, hair stylist, Marina and make-up artist, Samantha wanted the look to be luxurious, yet whimsical, so focused on ivory and pink hues. The flowers were supplied and designed by C Taylors Floristry - a selection of shimmer peach pink roses, astilbe and floating stems of ammi majus to express a natural gathering of country garden flowers, still staying true to the warmth that many brides love for their wedding day. Samantha adds, "The hair and make-up for our model Emily, was to create and achieve the look of sheer elegance; a Hollywood waved ponytail with timeless make-up. A Paul Zeni Couture bridal dress, called Aphrodite was supplied by Martels Bridal Boutique, who are the only stockist of this fabulous designer in Essex."

How to plan a wedding speech

Matthew Shaw, a leading wedding and events planner and founder of sauveur. - a superb events and creative studio - reveals his top tips to help you plan your big-day speech. Speeches can sprawl quite easily when you're trying to cover so much and this makes them difficult to follow. When you first start planning your speech it's definitely helpful to throw lots of ideas around but then try to focus on an overall theme or approach. This could be a personality trait, great jokes, or a more heartfelt approach, but it will help you, and the guests, if there is a clear angle to follow. In turn, this will help your guests follow along and you will be gifted with a better response from the room.

Fever-Tree's new cocktail mixers: the ultimate hosting hack

With Christmas and New Year being the key season for popping the question, there's double the amount of celebrations at this time of year! Get ready to elevate your festive hosting with Fever-Tree's innovative cocktail mixers, new for winter 2023. In a year where approximately 100,000 proposals will happen from Christmas to New Year, and 64% of consumers enjoy cocktails at home, busy hosts can now have it all serving Mojitos, Margaritas, and Espresso Martinis. The line-up: Fever-Tree Classic Mojito Mixer: Fresh Mexican Limes meet Moroccan Mint for a zesty, refreshing twist. Just add rum and ice, stir, and craft a Mojito masterpiece.

Southend - meet the real Carrie Bradshaw!

Entertainers proudly announce the very first UK tour of Candace Bushnell's acclaimed one woman show True Tales of Sex, Success and SEX AND THE CITY. The international best-selling novelist – author and creator of TV's iconic Sex and the City – takes us on a whirlwind tour of New York City, sharing her remarkable philosophy through stories of fashion, literature. . . and, of course, sex.

Feeling peachy with Pantone's Colour of the Year 2024 announcement

It's here, Pantone's Colour of the Year announcement for 2024 is... Peach Fuzz! We take a look at what this means for weddings! "A cozy peach hue softly nestled between pink and orange, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz brings belonging, inspires recalibration, and an opportunity for nurturing, conjuring up an air of calm, offering us a space to be, feel, and heal and to flourish from whether spending time with others or taking the time me to enjoy a moment by ourselves," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute. "Drawing comfort from PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, we can find peace from within, impacting our wellbeing. An idea as much as a feeling, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz awakens our senses to the comforting presence of tactility and cocooned warmth."

Why are prenups no longer the reserve of the wealthy?

Wenup, a collaborative online provider of relationship agreements, conducted a comprehensive analysis of its first 120 customers. This data offers valuable insights into the changing landscape of prenuptial agreements, capturing shifting trends among couples from diverse backgrounds and providing a glimpse into the evolving dynamics of modern relationships. Recent celebrity divorces, involving well-known personalities such as Britney Spears, Sophie Turner, and Joe Jonas have cast a spotlight on prenuptial agreements. Despite their often sensationalised portrayal in the media, prenups are no longer the exclusive domain of the rich and famous.

Be inspired by Barnfields

Shoot coordinators Marina Moore and Victoria Taylor took inspiration from the classic poem The Owl and the Pussycat' for this whimsical woodland bridal shoot. Every detail from the picnic platter, the copper and wood signage, bamboo furniture, and the luxury Pampas archway was carefully thought out. Marina adds, "Our magical aisle was delicately lit, showing potential couples the possibilities in this new outdoor venue, Barnfields. The colour palate was rustic, and natural with hints of gold, black, and copper, mirrored in the groom's suit and our bride's alternative gold dress. The cake and stationery picked up hints of the theme with feather detail, which just looked so pretty." It's safe to say, the show-stopping image of this shoot was the rowing boat filled with flowers by Charmaine.

Overwhelmed planning a wedding? A leading wedding planner shares top tips

Matthew Shaw, a leading wedding and events planner and founder of sauveur. - a superb events and creative studio - is here to reveal his Top Tips to help you plan and feel calm, confident and importantly, excited for the big day. ASK FOR HELP: I would always advise considering if you would like to engage a planner at the beginning of the process. They are true experts in their field and will help organise, inspire, and de-stress the process for you. There are planners available for varying wedding budgets so do reach out and request more information.

Weddings Wrapped 2023 - wedding special

With Spotify Wrapped 2023 having just dropped, Encore Musicians, the UK's largest musician bookings platform has analysed 2,300 song requests by newlyweds to see the most requested songs and artists for weddings in 2023. They also surveyed 1,000 of its customers and musicians to discover the UK's favourite and least favourite songs to hear at weddings. Although Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" ranked as the most common song for first dances, it also ranked as the second least popular song to hear at weddings with one in seven ranking it as their least favourite.

Could you have to pay inheritance tax on a wedding gift?

Before the big day comes around, whether you are a guest giving a present or contributing to the cost of the honeymoon, or perhaps a relative considering helping towards the cost of the wedding itself, you ought to consider the inheritance tax implications of making such gifts. James Mabey, partner at law firm Winckworth Sherwood advises on the inheritance tax implications of wedding gifts. In the UK, if you die within seven years of making a gift, inheritance tax may be payable on the value of the gift after your death. This is because gifts are considered to be part of your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

The Range to open new Chelmsford store

Following months of anticipation, leading British Home, Leisure and Gardens retailer, The Range is delighted to confirm that three stores will be opening across the UK including our new flagship store in Chelmsford. Stores will open their doors to the public at 9am, 1st December in Chelmsford, Cwmbran and Leamington Spa; representing a renewed commitment to bricks and mortar retail, bringing unbelievable value and variety to the UK's high streets and retail parks.

Propress launches the MINI Clothes Steamer - perfecting for wedding dresses!

Professional and long-established British fabric steamer manufacturer, Propress, has unveiled the Propress MINI Handheld Clothes Steamer. A revolutionary product that combines over 40 years of steaming expertise with cutting-edge technology, the MINI allows users to say goodbye to the days of wrestling with an ironing board and hello to the future of garment care with beautifully crease-free clothes, whether at home, in the office, or on-the-go.

The Propress Mini Handheld Clothes Steamer (£110) is available in Arctic Grey, Idol Blue or Vintage Pink from the Propress website. It heats up in under a minute offering the convenience of crease-free clothes with a simple touch of a button. Its efficiency and ease of use make it a must-have for every fashion-savvy individual, plus it is versatile enough to treat various home fabrics from curtains to bedding, and is ideal for weddings or even hoteliers.

Greenwoods raise over £3,500 for Essex charities

Over 100 people enjoyed tea, cake and entertainment at Greenwoods Hotel & Spa on Sunday 19th November for a fundraiser supporting two essential charities. The event which took place in the afternoon included a luxury raffle with donations from local businesses which raised over £3,500 for the East Anglia Air Ambulance and Brake, the road safety charity that helps support families affected by road crashes as well campaign for safe and healthy mobility for all.

Winter wedding inspiration from leading wedding planner

Matthew Shaw, founder & creative director at sauveur. shares his winter wedding inspiration for those looking to tie the knot at this time of year. Winter weddings have grown hugely in popularity. The festive season can be a truly magical time of year to host a wedding and stand out from the crowd but it does bring its own set of considerations for the planning. Whilst the key areas of your wedding planning will be the same as a wedding in any other month, there are a few different elements to consider to create an incredible winter wedding celebration.

How to kick-start your wedding planning

Samantha Gilchrist, Co-Founder and CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, shares her top tips on how to kick-start your wedding plans, taking away any unnecessary stress and disappointment in preparation for that special day. Set a Date - possibly the most important aspect of planning as getting this date in the diary will allow you to move forward with your plans. When choosing a date, it's worth carrying out a simple checklist to help you nail that day down such as: Think if there is a time of year you both always wanted to get married in? A season you both love or a month that is special to you is a great starting point.

5 unique winter wedding trends for 2023

From décor inspired by the season's natural beauty to creative ways to keep your guests warm, wedding supply experts Aura Print have searched TikTok to bring you the top five quirky winter wedding trends for 2023.While traditional wedding fayre often includes champagne toasts and wine, a hot chocolate bar offers a warm, decadent, and customisable alternative for the colder months. As the evening progresses and temperatures drop, guests can enjoy a sweet treat to keep them going on the dance floor. For younger guests or for those who don't drink alcohol, a hot chocolate bar also provides a great non-alcoholic option. With over 112.7 million TikTok hashtag views, the hot chocolate wedding bar trend is set to take the winter wedding season by storm!

Find County Wedding Magazines on YouTube

We're never satisfied when it comes to providing our readers with enough wedspiration, which is why we've created our very own County Wedding Magazine YouTube channel! You'll find tons of big-day ideas, from venue tours to dream dresses, then take a peek behind the scenes of styled shoots featured in our titles past and present. We're adding more content all the time, so why not hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a thing? Simply head to YouTube and search for 'County Wedding Magazines' now

A more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings

Reports suggest that 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic was used up and left behind at British weddings last year, with this in mind, 77 Diamonds has released a planning guide to promote a more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings. Individually, one wedding can produce as much as 20kg of plastic waste. What's more, the black bags used to collect the rubbish are themselves potentially harmful. They can take as many as 90 years to break down under the ground. But it's not just plastic which has an impact. Food wastage is also a common theme for most weddings.

Houchins Pop Up Sunday Lunch

Head over to Houchins and indulge in a warm and inviting Sunday feast alongside your friends and family at its pop up restaurant in collaboration with the amazing @thenewlondon. Experience a wonderful afternoon at Houchins, filled with mouthwatering dishes, live music, and a crackling fire. The lunch is taking place Sunday 3rd December between 12pm-4pm. For just £39.50 per person enjoy a fabulous three-course Sunday lunch.

AI creates the ultimate first dance song

There are over 217,000 first dances in the UK every year (1,950,000 in the US) yet couples usually pick the same handful of songs. Have you ever wondered why tracks like Etta James' At Last and Just You And I by Tom Walker are so popular at weddings? And what makes them so timeless? Function Central, a platform for finding and hiring musicians and bands for events, have answered exactly that! By analysing the most popular first dance songs to find the top 10 that couples choose, they have used AI to create the world's ultimate first dance song based on their findings, showing couples that they can have a timeless first dance song that is unique to their wedding.