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

‘The Speech Surgery’ with Speechy's Heidi Ellert McDermott

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches' We're planning on having five speakers at our wedding. How do we make sure the speeches don't take over the whole day? Great speeches can add so much fun and meaning to a wedding day – but you can have too much of a good thing. Guests don't want to feel like they're sat at a conference, so firstly, think about how you schedule the speakers. Perhaps have a couple before the meal, two before the dessert and one (funny speech) after everyone's finished eating. You want your guests to interact with each other on a regular basis, rather than listening to a succession of speakers for an hour!

Discover the team behind George Pittas Photography

A great image can evoke beautiful memories about a person or a special occasion. It's this remarkable quality of photography that encouraged me to pursue a career as a photographer. With over 10 years experience working behind the lens, I am a professional Wedding and Portrait photographer. My passion is taking photos and capturing the most perfect moments - those magical minutes when the angle and light converge to create a striking moment unlike any other. As a photographer, there's no greater frill than finding that split-second that can be frozen and treasured for a lifetime.

The Office for National Statistics: journeying through modern life

The Office for National Statistics has published an article exploring life's most important milestones and how they have changed over time. Using a range of data sources, the article looks at key life events such when people enter the workforce, get married, and earn the most money. Kerry Gadsdon, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: "Everyone's journey through adulthood is different, but we can use a range of data to explore key events in life. We've examined how these milestones of adulthood have changed over the past decade and can see how society is shifting. "In England and Wales, people are doing many things later in life; like leaving their parent's home, getting married, and retiring. But not everything has changed. Most people still enter the workforce at 23-24 years old and make the most money in their 30s to 50s."

These are the UK’s most popular manor house wedding venues for Bridgerton-inspired ceremonies!

As we all wait in anticipation for tonight's first episode of season three of Bridgerton to hit our screens, we're ready to immerse ourselves in Regency splendour once again. If you're engaged, in the throws of wedding planning, there's so much to be inspired by when watching this hit series. New data collected by ethical jewellery brand Sacet has revealed the top manor house wedding venues across the UK that would make the perfect location for a Bridgerton-inspired ceremony. By analysing a number of factors, including number of reviews, professionalism, quality of service and value for money, of over 230 wedding venues that offer manor house weddings in the UK, the top 20 were revealed.

Make sure your big day is protected

A wedding is a special day for a couple, but it can also be an expensive one. Between venues, caterers, photographers, dresses, and entertainment, the costs can add up. For those planning a wedding, it's important you insure yourself against anything that could go awry just before, or on the big day. For those aiming to tie the knot this year, Alex Cross, Insurance Director at Tesco Bank shares his top tips on things to consider for your wedding day to make sure you're covered so things can run as smoothly as possible.

Learn about weddings at Priory House Heritage Centre

Situated in Dunstable town centre, Priory House Heritage Centre is the perfect setting for intimate weddings. Within the historic Grade II listed building with a Medieval undercroft is the stunning Jacobean Room, which features stunning paintings and can host 30 people for ceremonies. Or exchange vows in front of a beautiful rose pergola in the awardwinning gardens. Here, couples will find wedding chairs dressed in white covers with gold sashes and an aisle runner, all of which are provided. The space is the ideal backdrop to photographs, especially when the flowers are blooming. The stunning grounds are an ancient scheduled monument that achieved Gold in Anglia and Britain in Bloom.