An Essex Wedding news and ideas from around the county

10 Most Instagrammed UK Wedding Venues

With over 278,000 UK weddings expected to take place in 2023, there's no doubt that couples across the country are already scrolling through Instagram in search of inspiration! With this in mind, Aura Print has discovered the most Insta-worthy and beautiful wedding venues of the UK. Analysing over 200 venues around the UK, they searched Instagram to discover which venue was being talked about most, narrowing it down to the 10 most desirable wedding venue locations in the UK.

How to save money on your next wedding gift

Receiving an invitation to a wedding is always an exciting time. However, deciding what gift to buy the couple, and especially how much to spend, can be daunting - now more so than ever due to the increased cost of living. Data from VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals guests will spend an average of £113.39 for each gift they buy when attending a wedding which, for many of us, is a hefty amount. 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 upcoming wedding gifts without skimping on the sentiment:

Treat your leading lady this Mother’s Day

This Mother's Day, 19th March, our leading ladies deserve an exquisite country escape to Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate – a stunning Essex country house, set within 110-acres of beautiful gardens and grounds. Pamper and delight mum with a relaxing day at Down Hall's Eden Spa with its SPA-cial Mother's Day spa package. What a treat for you and her!

Unique theatre venues for your vows and and bows!

Finding the wedding venue of your dreams can be a difficult task, especially if you're looking for something with a little less traditional with a little more drama. According to Google trend data, searches for 'unique wedding venues' have seen an uplift of 769% in the last month, and more specifically, searches for 'theatre weddings' have risen by an enormous 1250%. SeatPlan reveal the most unique, musical, dramatic, and theatrical wedding venues around the UK, so you can be centre stage and in the spotlight on your big day.

Celebrating 200th ceremony!

Love is well and truly in the air as celebrant Steve Swain has been swept off his feet since starting his business just over a year ago. Steve started his celebrant business during Covid and just over a year ago conducted his first service. Since then, the phone hasn't stopped ringing and he's now preparing for his 200th ceremony. Congratulations, Steve!

Weddings don't need to cost the earth

With nearlyweds looking to opt for more sustainable choices when planning their nuptials, Talking Tables' new wedding rental scheme ensures this special occasion will look beautiful, without costing the earth. Would be spouses can choose from its best-selling tall glass candle holders in a variety of colours to suit every theme, both clear and brightly coloured bud vases, and handmade silver stainless steel plates and bowls. Tables can be exquisitely dressed for a fraction of the cost to buy and be happy knowing the items will bring more joy to others rather than sitting in the back of your cupboard - a sustainable solution!

5 songs to avoid on your big day

On top of organising flowers, dresses, venues and speeches, choosing the music for your wedding is yet another decision to make. But where do you even begin? The options are seemingly endless and the song you do pick will be the one that you define as 'yours' for the rest of your lives together. Wedding decor specialists Ginger Ray have crunched the numbers to reveal which songs and artists have made it onto the most Spotify wedding playlists and could be, dare we say it... overdone. So, whether you want to embrace the most popular choices (they are favourites for good reason after all) or whether you want to know which songs to avoid if you are looking to create a more unique soundtrack for your big day, here is Wedding Spotify, Wrapped.

Budget winter weddings and renowned venue

Looking for a winter wedding that doesn't break the bank? Step forward Coggeshall venue Houchins, who are offering a Fireside Winter Wedding package that will save you nearly £3,000! Enjoy the full Houchins experience when you book a wedding on a Thursday or Friday in November 2023, February 2024 or March 2024. If you book the farmhouse for the night of your wedding, they'll give you the night before completely free of charge! Normally costing £2,500, the extra night's accommodation, which sleeps up to 14, allows you plenty of time to set up the venue.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s disco tour coming to a local venue near you!

Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Christmas Kitchen Disco UK Tour begins in November and here at County Wedding Magazines HQ we think it will make a great night out for your hen/stag or sten do! Tickets for shows are on-sale now The shows will feature hits from throughout Sophie's career, as well as some very festive classics, all in Sophie's own seasonal disco style. The tour follows on from the huge success of her 2022 Kitchen Disco Tour in which she brought her lockdown online sensation from her kitchen to sold-out stages across the country, including a sold-out finale at the London Palladium.

Business expansion for Essex baker

Looking for an Essex cake maker who bakes tasty creations no guest can refuse? Step forward Sarah Gearing of Heart and Soul Cakes; recently expanding her business to offer clients more choice, thanks to a self-designed barn kitchen and consultation room in White Roding. "The move was an easy decision to make once I found the perfect setting, giving me the space and capacity to make more intricate works," says Sarah.

Top tips for having a low waste wedding

Getting married is one of the most exciting days of your life, and you'll want it to be as special as possible. But you might also want your wedding to be kinder to the planet than the usual nuptials — indeed, a study found that British weddings create 18kg of plastic waste per event, adding up to 4,910 tonnes of plastic waste every year. Even for the biggest event of your life, this is a lot of waste to produce during a single day, and many people are increasingly looking to find ways of reducing it and have more sustainable nuptials. If you want to enjoy the big day but also make it more of an eco-friendly event, suppliers of catering equipment Alliance Online have put together some tips for you to take forward in your wedding planning. Even though getting married is a big event, you can still keep the carbon footprint small.

Proposing a prenup? A guide to practical romance this February

Some consider February to be one of the most romantic months of the year. With January finally over, we can start to look forward to Spring, and the warmer months ahead. Each leap year, the 29th of February is traditionally held as a day when the tables can turn and women are supposed to propose marriage to men, instead of the other way around. However, most obviously, February contains Valentine's Day and the celebrations of lovers up and down the country who look to St Valentine for inspiration for their friendships and romantic relationships.

Markshall Estate's new lakeside ceremony offering

Essex wedding venue Markshall Estate has always been known for their stunning flower garden, romantic 18th-century coach house and secluded tipi spaces. Now, they've held their first lakeside ceremony, set in the heart of 2,350 acres of serene Essex countryside. Since the launch of Markshall's tipi and woodland weddings in 2020, many couples have married under the canopy of ancient trees and danced the night away in the secluded Brick House Farm Meadow. Now, the venue's lakeside wedding location is the ideal setting for those seeking the ultimate outdoor celebration.

Say ‘I Do’ to a Dry Wedding with Mavrik Alcohol-free Cocktails

With a growing number of people going sober or choosing to moderate their drinking, the traditional wedding 'knees up' may be a thing of the past as today's couples opt for a more sober affair - which everyone can remember! In the past, non-drinkers or designated drivers would be somewhat left out of the celebrations with access to only a sad selection of soft drinks or juices. However, now nearlyweds-to-be are putting as much effort into deciding what alcohol-free drinks to offer as they would apply to sourcing the Champagne for the toasts! Plus, not only are dry weddings a huge money saver, but they also allow guests to enjoy the day with a clear head and leave the event with all those special memories firmly in tact.

St Osyth Priory, now taking bookings for summer 2023

An Essex Wedding is pleased to announce the newest luxury wedding venue launching in your favourite county. Say hello to St Osyth Priory, now taking bookings for summer 2023 at the estate's newly refurbished wedding venue, Darcy House. Currently, the venue boasts two main function suites, each with the capacity for 110 seated guests. Darcy House Great Hall can be used to host civil ceremonies, followed by drinks and canapés. Upstairs, you'll find Darcy House The Gallery, where guests can enjoy a fine dining wedding breakfast alongside the happy couple. This, however, is just the start of the story, with the continuing multi-million-pound restoration of the historic site set to see further wedding facilities introduced to the estate. This includes the expansive Tithe Barn, Abbotts Lodgings and The Chapel, plus a Gazebo overlooking the 1920s Lily Pond for outside weddings.

Five things that mean more to love than Valentine's gifts (and are free)

Dr Rachel Taylor is a neuropsychologist, podcast host and founder of UNBroken. She has this advice on the five things that mean more to love than Valentine's gifts (and are free). "The brain has many different circuitry mechanisms associated with feelings of love. Below are some suggestions that mean more to love than commercial gifts."To appreciate is to raise in value, so the appreciation of another is truly better than a gift. Appreciation of another triggers a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which is directly involved in controlling our circadian rhythm. We also get a dopamine hit which supports us to be more motivated to perform the same behaviour. The more we appreciate a person, the more motivated they are to carry on being the amazing person that we think they are.

5 ways to get your pooch involved in your wedding

Planning a wedding is a whirlwind of nerves and excitement, and if you have a dog, you might want to get them involved in the event too. But how? Here, Lisa Melvin from Webbox offer some ideas. Organising a wedding can be as overwhelming as it is exciting. If you have a dog, you might be wondering if you can involve them in the event too — your pooch is most definitely part of your family, and it's natural to want them to be a part of your special day. Read on to find out some ideas for how you can bring your pooch to the wedding.

Love Potions from Thurrock’s Coco Asia

With their aphrodisiac-fuelled menu and Love Potion cocktail offering, Thurrock's completely alcohol-free Coco Asia have designed the most sumptuous way to make Valentine's Day 2023 go out with a bang. As one of Essex's most Instagrammable eateries, their bold décor and renowned Redemption Menu, that comprises of the finest non-alcoholic wines, cocktails and champagne, have made them a primary Valentine's Day choice for hangover-free romance.

How to create a bespoke drinks menu for your wedding

Your wedding should be as personalised, luxurious and enjoyable as possible, and the drinks menu is no exception! Here, Steve King, managing director at the drinks retailer Bottled & Boxed, shows you how to bring together a bespoke drinks menu for your wedding. Organising a wedding is as exciting as it is overwhelming: you'll want your day to be as special as possible, and the drinks menu is no exception to this. It's becoming more and more popular to create your own personalised drinks, with Google searches for 'bespoke drinks menu' increasing 10% since the beginning of 2022.

F.Hinds advises on your wedding selection

Jewellers F.Hinds, boasting more than 115 stores across England, advise on what precious metals your wedding rings could be made from... Your wedding day will be one of the biggest days of your life, and we're so happy that you're about to embark on this new chapter, no doubt you are too! With an exciting engagement comes a whole load of happiness and emotion, but with that what also comes is a never-ending list of things you need to do before the big day, and we can bet that one of them is going to be to "find the perfect wedding rings".