An Essex Wedding news and ideas from around the county

The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift Guide!

It's time to get our purses out and to spoil mum. Rituals is a luxurious brand that offers gorgeous gifts for affordable prices, which is one of the many reasons why they are a great place to start for Mother's Day. Rituals recognises that maternal love manifests in various forms and can come from unexpected sources, such as a caring neighbour or a trusted babysitter. Rituals' goal is to honour and celebrate all forms of love.

Pop + Bark Dog Experience Returns for 2025

The paws are back in town... yes that's right, the UK's most talked about dog event is returning to Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate on Bank Holiday Monday, 5th May for the ultimate spring celebration and unleashed fun in the sun! Teaming up with leading canine events company, Pop + Bark, this is the largest outdoor breed-specific dog celebration of its kind, and the perfect place for puppy play to get those tails wagging.

Bressingham Hall Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Bressingham Hall & High Barn, Diss, Norfolk for inspiration on Sunday 23rd March 2025 - 11pm - 3pm! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Quality Over Quantity: The Surge of Micro Weddings

The modern couple are ditching large lavish weddings and choosing a more intimate affair. A micro wedding is a wedding that has less than 50 guests and focuses more on the meaningfulness of the day rather than the spectacle. Diamonds Factory Ireland with expert wedding planner Akilah Atiba-Davies from With Akilah & Co, unpacks the surge of this trend and why more couples are leaning towards smaller events.

Hedingham Castle unveils enchanting Twilight Weddings

Hedingham Castle, a distinguished 900-year-old Norman Keep nestled on the Essex-Suffolk border, has announced its latest offering: Twilight Weddings. This new package caters to couples seeking a relaxed and romantic evening ceremony, capturing the magic of dusk in a historic setting. The new Twilight Weddings format has been carefully designed for those who desire a less formal, more fluid celebration that seamlessly transitions from ceremony to drinks and dancing.

ESSEX’S FIRST COACH STORE OPENS AT BRAINTREE VILLAGE

Global fashion house Coach has joined Braintree Village. The 2,260 sq ft store is located opposite the South Entrance and is the first standalone Coach store in the region. Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of our hometown, making beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in.

How to avoid overspending on your wedding budget

It is a special time for you and your partner, planning the perfect event to celebrate your love with friends and family. However, it can often become stressful as people try to fit such a big event into their budgets. With the average wedding for 2025 coming to a total of £20,822, getting everything from drinks to décor can be a chore. Lake District Country Hotels, providers of wedding venues in the Lake District, pair with James Beckett, financial coach and founder of MoneyStocker.com, to help you budget your way to your big day.

Spring is here - it's time for SPF!

Whether you're in the garden or walking in one of Essex's beautiful parks, it's so important to look after your skin. Even though it's still not warm enough to leave your jacket at home, it's still oh so important to wear an SPF - and I wear SPF50 - even in winter. Here's some products available on your local high street which will help perk up your skin!

THE MUDDY AWARDS LAUNCHES

Now in their 12th year, The Muddy Stilettos Awards are back! The most coveted awards for independent small businesses across 35 counties, they're chosen by customers and Muddy readers. Muddy Stilettos is the UK's no.1 luxury lifestyle website outside London, reaching 4.4 million readers across 35 counties to make the most of where they live with local and brilliant things to do.

County Wedding Events coming to Old Essex Barn, Essex!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Old Essex Barn Essex, for inspiration on Sunday 9th March, 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples in touch with local professionals for face-to-face wedding planning. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Old Essex Barn is a simply stunning renovated barn from the 15th century, located on the outskirts of the quiet village of Kelvedon. The barn oozes character with beautiful historic oak timbers and vaulted ceilings, it truly is a special place to say 'I do'.

The hidden language of roses, revealed by expert

Chris Waugh, Florist at Bloom & Wild discusses the symbolism of roses and the bridal trends we can expect to see: "Roses are set to remain a popular choice for weddings in 2025, remaining as one of the most traditional parts of a bridal bouquet. While floriography, known as the language of flowers, was popular during the Victorian Era, the hidden language of roses is still more apparent than ever. Whether you want your guests to be enticed by a feeling of love and passion by incorporating dark red roses into your big day, or if you'd prefer a more delicate approach to love and gratitude by using pink roses, it's important to pick each colour wisely to ensure you're getting the most appropriate messaging across to your guests."

New winter routes from London Southend Airport

easyJet has just announced three brand new winter routes from London Southend Airport to Barcelona, Lanzarote and Salzburg, with seats from just £29.99. Flights to Barcelona will operate on Thursdays and Sundays from 26 October, while flights to Lanzarote will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 27 October. The new Salzburg service will operate twice weekly on Saturdays from December.

New showroom for Affinity Fine Jewellers

Affinity Fine Jewellers has recently moved to a new, exclusive showroom setting, choosing to move away from the High Street in order to offer their customers a more exclusive and relaxed setting. The new showroom, near Southend On Sea, is by appointment only and allows you to browse the many ring samples we have to offer and discuss potential bespoke designs in a stress free, relaxed environment.

County Wedding Events coming to Sprowston Manor, Norfolk!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Sprowston Manor, Norfolk, for inspiration on Sunday 2nd March 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf and Country Club would make the perfect venue for your dream wedding. The Manor House hotel is over 450 years old with charming features from it's grand sweeping staircase to the original historical fireplaces, landscaped gardens and calming water features.

The Perfect Pairing: Champagne styles for every wedding

The Champagne Bureau UK* wanted to share some tips for couples who are planning to celebrate their big day with a sparkling touch; pairing the perfect Champagne styles with different wedding themes. Champagne has long been synonymous with celebration, and the versatility of its styles means there is a perfect style for every couple, no matter the wedding theme. If your wedding theme is classic and traditional Brut Champagne offers versatility, it is an excellent choice for celebrations where guests will feel part of the couple's love story. Brut Champagne makes up around 80% of Champagne shipments to the UK, beloved for its balanced structure and refreshing finish.

The Coach House at Markshall reopens

The Coach House at Markshall is now under new management and open for weddings and events. Nestled within the stunning 200-acre arboretum and gardens, and surrounded by 2,000 acres of ancient woodland and rolling farmland, this venue offers a truly enchanting setting for your special occasion, whether you want to say your vows beneath the gazebo or in the Coach House.

Exciting new chapter for C Taylor's Floristry

After much consideration and inspired by their recent award-winning success in wedding floristry, Charmaine Taylor of C Taylor's Floristry is excited to announce that the company is transitioning from a retail shop to a larger, workshop-based premises. This exciting change allows them to dedicate more time and creativity to make your wedding dreams blossom! The new workshop will give the team the freedom to elevate their floral designs and focus on their passion—crafting unforgettable wedding experiences.

Couples are making sustainable wedding choices from the beginning - engagement ring trend

When it comes to choosing an engagement ring, many couples are looking to take inspiration from the likes of royalty and celebrities who decided to remodel or repurpose their symbol of enduring love from a vintage or pre-loved item or family heirloom. Not only does it give your engagement ring a deeper meaning or story, it's also a more sustainable way to shop, for one of the most important pieces of jewellery you'll ever own – you'll end up saving potentially thousands of pounds, plus you could end up with something completely unique to you. One such jeweller who is helping couples with this big decision is Rachel Fox, Jewellery expert TV presenter from Channel 4's Millionaire Hoarders, and Store Manager from pre-owned luxury jewellery seller, S&R Jewellers. As one of London's top specialists in this area, S&R Jewellers reports a huge uptick in the number of couples choosing the pre-loved route for their engagement ring.

Minimalist or maximalist? The décor styles couples are choosing in 2025

As we step into 2025, it's crunch time for soon-to-be-weds to lock in those wedding details. Whether you've just popped the question or are counting down to the big day, knowing the latest wedding décor trends can spark some serious inspiration for your celebration. The décor at your wedding isn't just about aesthetics; it's the mood setter, the vibe creator, the silent DJ of your day. From colour schemes to special touches, the décor styles set the tone and the atmosphere. So, let's dive into the styles that will be painting the town (and your wedding) this year.

Couples share the key ingredient to a long-lasting relationship

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, greeting card marketplace, thortful, has spoken to five couples who are still going strong after many years about the key ingredient to a long-lasting relationship – and one is quite taboo. Speaking to the five couples, who have all been together longer than 10 years, communication, small gestures, and alone time were among the most common ingredients for a long-lasting relationship. All couples even unanimously agreed that farting in front of each other strengthens their relationships. Lack of communication is among the top reasons for break ups, according to experts, which is why Tom Lanaway, who has been with his partner for 11 years, claims strong communication to be the key to his strong connection.