Your East Midlands Wedding news and ideas from around the region

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.

Whittlebury Park wins top award for it's relaxing spa

Nestled in the scenic Northamptonshire countryside, Whittlebury Park has been crowned the Best Day Spa category winner in the Northants Muddy Stilettos Award 2023. Sophie Clear, spa manager, commented, "We're thrilled to be recognised; this achievement is a testament to our commitment to providing top-quality, tailored and luxurious treatments in a relaxing environment. We're grateful to everyone who voted for us and the judging panel for their support and recognition." The state-of-the-art spa, situated in more than 700 acres of ancient parkland in Whittlebury Park Hotel, impressed the judging panel with its luxurious treatments and tranquil ambience, earning it this coveted accolade.

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.

Stubton Hall in Nottinghamshire offers the ideal backdrop to events

Stubton Hall is an elegant 19th-century country house set within 24 acres of parkland. With commanding views over the Lincolnshire countryside close to the Nottinghamshire border and the historic market town of Newark, what location could be better for special events? With exclusive use, couples can take over the entire house to celebrate with loved ones in privacy. The venue has many locations perfect for ceremonies: the Bow Room can fit up to 20 people, the Conservatory 50, the Music Room 100 and the Orangery 200. All rooms are easily accessible and air-conditioned. St Martin's Church is at the centre of the village, steps away from Stubton Hall, and St Peter's Church in Claypole is just two miles down the road.

How to make your engagement ring shine for wedding day

Between shampoo, hairspray, moisturiser and hand cream – we can all agree that our beautiful engagement rings go through a lot on a daily basis. After all, many of us wear them every day without ever taking them off! But if your big day is just around the corner, it's crucial to keep your ring looking its best for those all-important wedding photos and to ensure your nearest and dearest see it in all its glory. With this in mind, experts at family-owned jewellers and diamond merchants, Chisholm Hunter, offer their specialist advice on how to get your ring gleaming before your big day... Max Brown, Retail Director at Chisholm Hunter, shares their top tips for ensuring your engagement ring is sparkling ahead of your wedding day: "If you want your precious jewellery to look its best on the big day, we recommend taking your ring to a professional jewellers for both ultrasonic and steam cleaning and using fine emery paper followed by a full polish to remove any surface scratching.

Venues for the perfect autumnal ceremony

New research conducted by ethical jewellery brand Sacet has revealed the top country wedding venues across the UK that would make the perfect location for an autumnal ceremony. By analysing a number of factors (including guest capacity, number of reviews, professionalism, quality of service and value for money) of over 30 wedding venues that offer barn, country and forest-style weddings in the UK, the top 10 were revealed. Brinsop Court Manor House and Barn, in Hereford, has been crowned the overall winner, with top ratings across all factors (quality of service, response time, professionalism, value for money flexibility and average rating). It also had the most number of reviews and can hold between 30 to 250 guests.

Discover Florence & She based in Leicestershire

At YEMW HQ, we love handmade touches for personal weddings and adore Florence & She. With wedding season still in full swing and with Christmas just around the corner, the team has never been busier! The small local business based in Leicestershire makes bespoke wedding items such as hair scrunchies, ties, pocket squares and baby bow ties! All items have been lovingly handmade, one stitch at a time, for beautiful memories to last a lifetime. Matching with little ones is an adorable way to tie the wedding party together to create memories and photos to last a lifetime. The company's fabrics are all selected with the newlyweds, which is a lovely way to create something special and often sentimental too.

Are these popular 2023 wedding song cursed?

Research from wedding entertainment providers Function Central shows couples are taking risks choosing songs for their weddings with shockingly high divorce rates. Function Central used existing data on the songs most likely to end in divorce to see whether couples were still taking risks by adding these songs to their upcoming nuptials. This data was then cross-referenced against existing wedding playlists of engaged couples to see whether couples were still choosing these songs for their weddings. The results were concerning for any superstitious couples worried about whether certain tracks were deemed bad luck for long lasting marriages.

Rushton Hall Hotel And Spa is the perfect countryside setting

Set in 25 acres of idyllic Northamptonshire countryside, this 16th-century Grade I listed Hotel promises to wow guests from the moment they arrive. Loved ones will be captivated by the splendour of the picturesque surroundings where dreams turn into reality and memories are created. The historical gardens are the perfect backdrop for year-round wedding photographs and romantic strolls. The magnificent Orangery features an imposing stone façade, gorgeous interiors and overlooks the stunning grounds. Guests will love the intricate ceilings, high windows, crystal chandeliers and stunning stone floors. The space can accommodate 60 to 250 guests, making it ideal for intimate weddings and more extravagant celebrations.

5 reasons couples fail at sticking to their wedding budget

With the cost of living on everyone's minds, budget expert Isabel Smith, offers some insight into how couples can set (and stick to!) their wedding budget. The number of couples who are going overbudget on their wedding is dropping, from around 2/3 in 2018 to somewhere around 50% this year. This may be due to savvier couples setting more realistic budgets, or people simply refusing spend a penny more than planned owing to future financial uncertainty, but either way, I am all for it! I've never been an advocate for getting in debt over your big day, no matter how special you want it to be.

The perfect couples advent calendar

Couples looking for that x-factor idea to get them in the Christmassy mood this festive season need look no further than A Twist Of Date's personalised couples' advent calendar. This personalised QR-code collection of romantic, fun and creative couples' activities adds a spark of magic that is sure to make 2023 a December to remember. Perfect for long-term busy couples looking to reconnect through heart-warming moments, it's a no-brainer alternative to the typical chocolate-filled Christmas countdown. Whether it's an impromptu trip to your local ice rink, engaging in an act of kindness together or writing each other a romantic letter to be opened on Christmas, each day brings something new and exciting to share together.

How to master taking the perfect engagement ring photo

Proposals are often one of the most memorable, special and magical moments in a couples life, so it's only natural they want to share this joyous news with their friends, family and colleagues. In 2023, one of the most common ways for couples to share the news of their engagement is through social media. Couples often post gorgeous pictures in real time of themselves along with the dazzling engagement ring. Sharing the news via social media is a quick and easy way of telling your loved ones the news without having to individually call everyone, which can be overwhelming and time consuming. However, taking the perfect photo can be a bit of a challenge. Whilst it's not a competition to see who has the biggest ring and whose ring sparkles the most, a lot of people want their ring to look as desirable and shimmering as possible.

Emily-Rose wins her second wedding industry award

Emily-Rose is a Derbyshire-based wedding and events singer who has recently celebrated success with the win of her second wedding industry award. Emily picked up 'Best Singer/Instrumentalist' for the second year running based on votes and feedback from previous couples and has seen her busiest year to date with more than 65 weddings and 75 events. The following two years are set to follow suit with a jam-packed diary ahead. With a soulful, versatile voice that adds the perfect touch to special occasions, Emily will be a huge hit with an impressive and repertoire of more than 500 songs across many genres. We've teamed up with the company to offer readers 20 per cent off wedding or event package bookings when they quote YourEastMids2023 before December 1st 2023.

Sober hen parties are on the rise

While hen parties are often characterised by celebratory cocktails, drinking games and wild night outs, the hen-do could soon be shrugging off its booze-fueled persona. Global searches for 'sober hen do ideas' have doubled over the past year while 'sober bachelorette party games' has also seen a 50% increase. On TikTok, #soberliving has seen a surge in popularity, with videos including the hashtag boasting over 650 million views. If you're a bride-to-be looking to celebrate your 'last night of freedom' tee-total-style, party planning expert, Amy Greenshields at cardfactory has shared her four top tips.

Plum Park Manor offers the ideal setting for weddings

Plum Park is a spectacular boutique manor just outside of Towcester, offering couples exclusive use of its wedding grounds. The property is a wonderful example of Victorian architecture and is replete with features that exemplify that period. The 12 surrounding acres of beautiful grounds provide countless opportunities for great photos and guests to breathe in the fresh air of the Northamptonshire countryside. The newly constructed Orangery is a bright, contemporary and sophisticated space for ceremonies with 120 people. Loved ones can enjoy drinks receptions within the manor house foyer before heading into the elegantly draped marquee for wedding breakfasts and evening receptions with 200 loved ones.

Is lasting love magic, logic or luck?

Does it matter how a couple met? Contented Couples, a new guide to long-term relationships, features candid, intimate interviews with eighteen couples, based in the UK and USA. Each pair tell of how they met, how they formed a relationship and how they've thrived to become a truly happy union. One couple met and married within a month, whilst another two were thrown together repeatedly by a matchmaker who refused to give up - and it is not only guy meets girl either. The couples speak from an array of circumstance, culture and sexual orientations, including arranged marriage, friends-to-lovers and dating apps.

The five best weather apps to keep your eye on it leading up to the big day

Wedding jewellery experts Austen & Blake have listed some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on in the lead-up to your big day. The UK weather has been anything but predictable lately, with September set to be a particularly rainy and unsettled month, according to The Met Office. Top-rated apps help to track and plan your wedding day accordingly. Weather apps are invaluable when it comes to planning your nuptials, but sometimes there's no avoiding the inevitable. That's why, along with listing the best apps for tracking grey skies, the jewellery experts have teamed up with a professional wedding photographer to provide tips on how to get the best rainy snaps.

Even when the weather's a washout, it doesn't mean your wedding photos have to be! Here are some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on and how to strike the perfect pose if rain is predicted: