Your Herts and Beds Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Getting married? Alcohol-free menu is the new must-have

Samantha Gilchrist, CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults to find out their wedding drinking habits. The study comes as the collection launches its new alcohol-free drinks menu, created in partnership with First Dates star bartender, Merlin Griffiths. The survey revealed that almost half (47%) of those who had attended a wedding in the last five years didn't drink alcohol during at least one of the events they had been to. Sober guests said they were often left feeling uncomfortable at weddings sipping an un-festive soft drink, as 35% of respondents said they are questioned on why they aren't having alcohol. Sadly, a quarter admitted to drinking alcohol at a wedding just to avoid awkward questions or having to share personal or medical information as an excuse.

The Iris & Lolli Jewellery team celebrate their first year in business

Introducing Iris & Lolli Jewellery, which creates nature-inspired accessories lovingly made by hand in Hertfordshire – perfect for weddings! Leaves, shells, seeds and flowers are recreated using recycled silver, giving the pieces a second life. Creating a beautiful, timeless jewellery collection means couples can treasure the items for years to come. Made using only sustainable materials and eco-friendly packaging, the team partnered with Ecologi to plant a tree for every piece sold. Proud to be female-owned and launched in 2022 by Julia Cordes, Iris & Lolli Jewellery is a tribute to her two daughters, after whom the brand is named after, inspiring them to build a better world.

3 things no one tells you when it comes to setting your wedding budget

2024 is set to be a bumper year for weddings. In addition to the usual 275,000 or so which take place in the UK each year, the big day is finally coming around for a lot of couples who had to postpone because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the cost of living crisis is squeezing all those couple's budgets tighter than ever so we've asked Isabel Smith, wedding industry veteran, to offer her advice on setting (and sticking to!) that spreadsheet. Today, Isabel let's us in on the things no-one ever tells you when you're setting your wedding budget...

The Top 10 Instagrammable Spas in the UK

With National Spa Week taking place between the 4th and 10th of November this year, it is time to book your favourite location to totally relax! Whether with the girls, in a couple, or even on your own, treating yourself to a weekend away at a spa can revive you. Maddie, Senior Marketing Exec at Pink Boutique, says: "Reset the everyday stress with a weekend away at a luxurious spa and hotel. From acres of woodland setting the picture-perfect backdrop to dipping into a pool worthy of Aphrodite, you deserve to look as good as you feel, and with these spas, there's no doubt your followers will be that little bit jealous."

5 engagement ring trends for 2024

With the festive season being the most popular time of year that couples choose to pop the question, it's no surprise that internet searches for 'engagement ring' have been steadily increasing the last six months as we head towards the new year. Luxury diamond jewellers, Diamonds Factory, have used Pinterest Trends data from the last six months (4th April 23' - 26th September 23') to find out which engagement ring styles are set to be big in 2024...

The secrets to a happy relationship

Researchers surveyed 2,000 British couples who have been together for ten years or longer, and it revealed a host of secrets to a happy, long-term relationship, according to those who have achieved it - including having no secrets (43 percent), a similar sense of humour (41 percent), never going to sleep on an argument (31 percent) and regular sex (32 percent.) Over a quarter (26 percent) of the long-term couples polled, said a 50/50 division of household labour was essential to keeping things amicable. Being able to laugh at each other (42 percent), not trying to change each other (36 percent) and having an open phone policy (10 percent) all featured in the list. Almost half (44 percent) of the British couples surveyed, claim they are very happy in their relationship, while a further 29 percent said they were generally happy.

The top autumn and winter wedding trends for 2023

An expert has forecast the wedding trends we can expect to see in the remainder of 2023. Wedding-goers in autumn and winter can expect to see a large emphasis on sustainability, DIY and an ode to all things vintage, according to Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online. She commented: "Wedding trends change seasonally, so it's crucial wedding hosts stay ahead of the curve. Efficient spending, sustainability and a vintage feel are key focuses this season, and rightly so. Wedding hosts no longer have to feel obliged to over-indulge in their big day and can instead, save money."

Frost Point Production is exhibiting at County Wedding Events

Cotswold-based Frost Point Production is exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on 29th October 2023. Sam says "With a strong background in sound recording, I decided to further my passion to videography. I have gained a great level of experience in the field and am excited to share my passion for storytelling through video with the world. "Starting the business has allowed me to combine my love of videography and my desire to run my own business". "I am an extremely motivated, personable, hardworking individual, with a sharp eye for detail. With a genuine love for the industry, I am thrilled to be able to work closely with clients to bring their visions to life."

Sentimental wedding bands with Atelier VM

Fine Italian jewellery maker Atelier VM has just launched its beautiful new Impronta wedding bands, whereby brides and grooms can customise their special ring with their loved one's fingerprint. Each 18K ring is a unique piece made using the lost wax casting technique, of multiple finger prints layered, to create a beautifully personalised ring that makes a marriage of everlasting love extra special.

The therapeutic power of music on Mental Health Awareness Day

The issue of mental health has never been more important, three in five people in the UK suffer from some form of anxiety, but almost half of those people keep it a secret as they worry about being judged by others. And around one in six of the British population also suffers from moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Those shocking statistics show that the issue is still not spoken about enough, which means that sufferers feel excluded. But music can make a big difference! Making or playing music has been proven to deliver many mental health benefits.

UK's 15 most Instagrammed venues to get hitched

As UK searches for "wedding venues" skyrocketed by 110%* over the past months, the wedding experts at Aura Print scoured social media for the most popular autumn/winter wedding venues nationwide, and tallied Instagram hashtag numbers to reveal which venue stands out as the most memorable for weddings this season. Top 15 most Instagrammed wedding venues for autumn/winter 2023 to be inspired by...

Save money on wedding party gifts

With more and more couples choosing to thank their bridesmaids and groomsman with presents, Anita Naik, savings expert at the UK's most trusted savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to save money on your wedding party gifts, without sparing the sentiment: Spend within your budget: Set a budget and stick to it. Often people can go down a rabbit hole when browsing for gifts, looking at items that are way over budget. It's important to set yourself a strict budget and spend an amount that you're comfortable with.

County Wedding Magazines launch new websites!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ the office is abuzz with excitement at the launch of our new websites – I'm sure you can hear the *collective oohs and ahhs* from where you are! So yes, it's here, after months of hard work, sweat and tears (maybe less tears but more cheers!), our shiny, new, glorious websites are ready to be viewed by our much-loved readers – we really hope you like them as much as we do! Wedding planning at your fingertips - What's new, we hear you ask? Well, everything! The County names are as important as ever, it's our ethos after all, but we have a lush new font and modern colour scheme that really makes our County Wedding Magazine titles jump off the page.

The best of English sparkling wine, with Amelia Singer this National Champagne Week (1-7th October)

There's the New World of wine, and then the New New World: English Sparkling Wine is on the rise. This National Champagne Week, wine expert, Amelia Singer selects her favourite bubbles from our own green pastures... Which country comes to mind if you think of "wine"? For most, I imagine France, Italy, or perhaps even the USA these days, probably dominates. We all know, however, that the world is a-changing and so should our concept of wine and where it comes from. English wines are on the rise, and it's my opinion, along with a fair few of the worlds top wine experts, that they are the new frontier of wine making – even beating out top champagne houses in sparkling wine competitions.

Personalised wedding gifts from Pen Heaven

Find beautifully crafted, meaningful, and personalised wedding gifts to cherish forever with Pen Heaven. A master of exquisite stationary design, Pen Heaven was founded in 2008 and offer a comprehensive range of luxury writing instruments, leather journals and gifts. Specialists in classic brands such as Parker, Cross and Lamy, Pen Heaven also boast some more unusual and hard-to-find items such as the Japanese hand painted Platinum range, Italian calligraphy sets and the design focused Worther brand. Offering an in-house, by-hand engraving and embossing service, Pen Heaven are the ultimate destination for meaningful gifts with a personal touch perfect for big-day gifting.

Geo and Bert Productions are exhibiting with County Wedding Events

Professional wedding videographers, Georgina and Bert (of Geo and Bert Productions) will be at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday 1st October to chat with couples about their wedding plans and requirements. "Hi, we are Georgina and Bert! Our commitment is to work closely with every couple, ensuring we create a dream video that reflects their unique love story. With years of experience and genuine enthusiasm for our work, we pour our hearts into every frame, making your special day truly unforgettable."

Bridal party attire with Signature Wedding Show exhibitor

Surrey-based Katie Binns Dress Studio, will be showcasing its bridal party attire at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Shows. "I'm Katie and I absolutely love dressing up for a special occasion. Whether it's for a black tie event, wedding, a big occasion, any excuse and I'm there planning my outfit!. I will take my clients into a world of dresses where I can help to advise on what colours will make them radiate, to what style dress suits their unique body shape. I am also fully qualified in Colour Analysis and Personal Styling. When it comes to Proms and buying dresses, my amazing teenage daughter Daisy always likes to be with me on the buying trips to keep the dresses current."

Creating bespoke and heartfelt ceremonies to mark life’s events

KJM Ceremonies is exhibiting at County Wedding Events Signature Wedding Show at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday 1st October 2023. Kathy Morgan, independent professional celebrant and owner of KJM Ceremonies, covers mainly Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Surrey. Here, she tells us more, "Weddings are my complete world! I've always been involved in wedding planning in some way and I'm very proud to have won several awards as a celebrant, from Hitched, Lux Life Magazine and The International Wedding Awards.

County Wedding Magazines' readers share their prize win story!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, we love nothing more than to hear from the winners of our competitions. In the crazy world of wedding planning, it's exciting for us to be able to offer our lovely readers some exciting giveaways and competitions which will hopefully give you a much-needed pick-me-up during on the countdown to your wedding day. In March 2023, CWM ran a competition, 'Win a minimoon in Northern Ireland!' and the winners were nearlyweds Jennifer and her partner.

Find out more about Woo Illustrations at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show

Surrey-based artist Megan, of Woo Illustrations, is exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on Sunday 29th October, 2023. Creating mementos that guests and couples can cherish after the big day, Megan's a live, retrospective illustrator that can capture loved ones throughout the special day. From the happy couple, to the bridesmaids, best men and bridesmaids to the ceremony and evening guests, there's plenty of loved ones on a wedding day who would love this special keepsake - and it makes for great entertainment watching Megan and work!