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Primrose Hill Farm - Rural Wedding Venue Launches For 2019

Primrose Hill Farm

Nestled in rural Oxfordshire, within just 60 minutes of London, Primrose Hill Farm seamlessly combines a contemporary barn conversion and Grade II listed farmhouse, overlooked by only the Great British Countryside and grazing farmyard animals. Couples and their guests enjoy exclusive run of the house and barn for the entire weekend, allowing time to cherish every moment of their special day.

Ed Sheeran tops the charts for first dances at weddings, reveals wedding music experts

Martin Goddard - wedding music

ED SHEERAN topped the list of most popular first dances at weddings in 2018, occupying both the number one and number two spots for brides and grooms taking their first spin on the dancefloor this year with his hits ‘Perfect’ and ‘Thinking Out Loud’. The list of 2018’s top ten favourite first dances was released by wedding music experts Music HQ this week, as peak wedding season draws to a close. The Llanelli-based company creates and manages its own portfolio of professional bands and musicians and has provided music for hundreds of couples at more than 460 weddings this year across the UK. 

Other entries on the Music HQ First Dance list were: 

All of Me - John Legend

Weddings Go To The Dogs As Puppy Love Grips The Nation

Weddings Go To The Dogs As Puppy Love Grips The Nation

In the past, all you needed for a fairy tale wedding was something old, new, borrowed and blue. However, now it seems pet pooches have been added to the list of must-haves, as half (46%) of British dog owners profess their dog is key for the paw-fect celebrations, which begs the question, has man’s best friend become man’s best man, too? According to a new survey from EUKANUBA1, the advanced pet nutrition brand, this is the case for one in eight (13%) British dog owners who hope to have their dogs as their best man. 

Cheshire’s Wedding Venue of the Year

Cheshire’s Wedding Venue of the Year

Leading Cheshire country estate Carden Park has been voted Wedding Venue of the Year at the Marketing Cheshire awards beating off stiff competition from the region.

The winning formula was based on the quality of work, testimonials and an ability to cater for unique and often time-sensitive requests. Carden Park focuses on high-quality customer service as well as taking full advantage of expansive facilities and on-site catering. Carden Park offers menus designed by award-winning chef Graham Tinsley.

Contributing towards the award win was Carden Park’s effort to continually prove that they provide the best wedding journey for couples and ensure a personalised experience from start to finish. All done with a spectacular backdrop of the Cheshire countryside.

Bride to Be Box - ideal gift for the fiancée who's planning the perfect day

Example of a Bride to Be Box - inside

Fancy an impressive gift which will be useful for the planning of your wedding? Rhys Jelley, co-founder at Bride to be Box, explains why you should think outside the box…

Tell us about yourselves…

My wife Harriet and I met at university in 2007, where Harriet was studying for a degree in media and public relations and I was studying for a degree in international business management. After we graduated in 2011 we moved to Guernsey, where Harriet grew up. Harriet now works as an account director for a leading PR agency and I head up the partnerships and retail team for a large vitamin and supplement brand.

Why did you decide to start up the Bride to Be Box venture? 

Stable Cottage Cakes

Stable Cottage 4 tier Vegan Wedding Cake with summer berries and flowers

The garden may seem an unusual place to be at the heart of a business, but for Lucy's wedding cakes, it is where it all begins.  Lucy provides handcrafted quality vegan wedding cakes, but in an attempt to educate the everyday customer about animal welfare, she also provides wedding cakes with an unusual twist. The garden is home to Lucy's flock of chickens (all rescued ex-battery hens), and it is the fresh eggs laid by these hens that are essential to the quality of her non-vegan cakes.  “When the egg is fresher, the air stays in it when you whisk it up,” explains Lucy, “so this is a great selling point for couples, and allows me to teach them about the egg industry, and the price animals are paying for our current fast food attitude.”

Britain’s top superstitions revealed - over 51 million people in the UK are superstitious

Britain’s top superstitions revealed - over 51 million people in the UK are superstitious

Whether it’s touching wood, avoiding the number 13 or crossing your fingers for luck you are not alone, over 51 million (78%) Brits believe in superstitions.

New research* carried out by Ladbrokes Casino, found that 30% of us cross our fingers for luck and 32% believe finding a penny is also lucky.

More than two out of five Brits (41%) believe walking under a ladder will bring bad luck and over a third (35%) believe that touching wood will prevent something bad happening to them.

The same research also found that a quarter (25%) of Brits believe that burning ears is a sign that someone is talking about you.

Women proved to be more superstitious with 83% saying they believed in superstitions compared to 70% of men.

Which celebrity nuptials are coming up and predictions of the day

Which celebrity nuptials are coming up and predictions of the day

After thoroughly enjoying the wedding of Meghan and Harry in May, we can’t wait to see Princess Eugenie marry her beau, Jack Brooksbank in October...and in the same chapel too, how lovely. It will be great to see all the Royals together once again, and with Princess Eugenie’s parents being the best divorced couple she knows, let’s hope no rifts show themselves on the big day itself as Fergie will be taking centre stage too!  That said, they’ll all be on their best behaviour I’m sure!

Her ‘Tiara Debut’

Wedding Open Day - 21st October - 15th century Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa

Wedding Open Day - 21st October - 15th century Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spa

Brides-to-be can explore the romance of the 15th century Swan at Lavenham Hotel and Spar the historic venue’s wedding open day on Sunday, 21st October between 11am and 3pm.

With its picture perfect façade, oak beamed interiors, open fires and medieval courtyard gardens, the stunning hotel is a magical venue for weddings large and small all year around. It’s also licensed for civil ceremonies throughout the building so you can plan your entire celebration from start to finish at one romantic venue.

Go along on 21st October and enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling prosecco with some delicious canapés, while you view the banqueting rooms, dressed for a wedding breakfast and have an informal but personal chat with the wedding planners. 

How to get better sleep before your big day

Woman asleep on bed

Sleep: we all need it but, sometimes, we just can’t seem to get enough of it. It affects your long-term health and energy levels, but also has an impact on your physical appearance – probably one of the biggest concerns for brides-to-be before their big day. 

In general, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep but the exact amount varies from person to person. A good night’s sleep won’t rid you of your problems in the run up to your wedding day, but it can mean that you’re able to deal with difficult or stressful situations more easily. 

A guide to choosing the perfect wedding flowers for your big day 

A guide to choosing the perfect wedding flowers for your big day 

Flowers are part of every wedding checklist. Adding blooms to your big day can be as simple as a single rose in a button hole to going full Kim Kardashian and having a wall of flowers. Historically, wedding bouquets are symbolic of youth, beauty and love and the tie represents the union between the couple. 

Flowers have the ability to transform a space by adding colour and enhancing the theme of a wedding.  With an abundance to choose from, here are some questions to ask yourself before selecting your wedding florals.

When are you getting married?

Popworld Cha Cha Slides into the nation’s capital!

Popworld

London has welcome the nation’s favourite party with Popworld opening its glittery doors for the first time this month on 7th September – the perfect night for any hen party!

Since its humble beginnings in Southampton, the chain of pop-themed nightclubs has seen four years of incredible growth and has forged a legendary status throughout the UK by providing unforgettable nights out filled with fun and laughter. With the opening of their London club, there will now be 27 sites nationwide.

Top Tips for Good Gut Health

Berries - Top Tips for Good Gut Health

A healthy gut is vital to our overall health and wellbeing and one of the most important organs in the body. It may be easy to take for granted, but this special organ really does deserve to be looked after!

The good news is that it isn’t hard to show your gut some love, Dietitian Jo Travershas shared her top tips for good gut health. 

As Jo says; “The gut has now been found to do a lot more than just digest the food we eat. We now know that there is a direct connection between the gut and our brain and with a little looking after it will definitely look after you.” 

Eat a varied diet

Cheshire’s Wedding Venue of the Year

Cheshire’s Wedding Venue of the Year

Leading Cheshire country estate Carden Park has been voted ' Wedding Venue of the Year ' at the Marketing Cheshire awards beating off stiff competition from the region.

The winning formula was based on quality of work, testimonials and an ability to cater for unique and often time sensitive requests. Carden Park focus on high quality customer service as well as taking full advantage of expansive facilities and on-site catering. Carden Park offer menus designed by award winning chef Graham Tinsley.

Contributing towards the award win was Carden Park’s effort to continually prove that they provide the best wedding journey for couples and ensure a personalised experience from start to finish. All done with a spectacular backdrop of the Cheshire countryside.

Imagine Getting Married in A Castle? Imagine No More

Couple getting married in a castle

Eastnor Castle Opens Doors for Wedding Showcase & Everyone Is Invited

It's for good reason that Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire has earnt itself a reputation for being one of the finest castles for weddings anywhere in England. What's more, not only can you hold your ceremony there, there are beautiful state rooms to host your reception and you can even stay overnight in this magical castle as it has 12 luxurious bedrooms.

Wedding Showcase - Sunday 7th October - 11.30am-3.00pm

There's no need to imagine what your wedding at Eastnor might be like as the castle is opening its very large doors for a Wedding Showcase on 7th October.

8 Winter Wedding Trends

Winter wedding accessories

8 Winter Wedding Trends by La Fête founder Charlotte Ricard-Quesada

Utilising years of event-planning expertise, La Fête, founded in 2016 by Charlotte, plans and orchestrates truly bespoke experiences with a thoroughly multicultural and cosmopolitan touch. Charlotte seamlessly translates her experience working in the fashion world into events for individuals from around the world and has put together her top 8 winter wedding trends to look out for this year. 

1.    Jewel Tones

Champagne? No thanks we'll have the cash, say engaged couples

Champagne? No thanks we'll have the cash, say engaged couples

Popping a bottle of champagne is the time-honoured way to toast an engagement, but new research has revealed that newly engaged couples are looking for something a little different to mark the milestone. 

A survey of 1,000 UK adults carried out by One4all, the Post Office gift card, found that more than anything, 1 in 2 British adults (54%) would prefer to receive cash or a gift card to use to help pay for their wedding, as an engagement gift.

The data revealed the gifts that newly engaged couples would like to receive once the big question has been popped, with cash and gift cards topping the list. 

Fizzbox - The Ultimate Destination For Party Planning

Party Planning - hen party

The highly anticipated party planning tool  Fizzbox.com has finally arrived and is here to put the fun back into party planning.

Life is for living and creating memories with your favourite people and with this in mind  Fizzbox ensures that everyone can now celebrate with style and ease.  With a huge choice of fun handpicked activities and venues at your finger tips, this innovative group booking platform allows you to focus on organising your special event with minimum fuss, saving you time and most importantly money!

Ideas for 1 Year Anniversary Gifts: The Year of Paper

Ananya cards - anniversary gifts

Reaching a one year milestone is always a very momentous and moving moment, whether personal or professional, and none more so than the first wedding anniversary! Almost all cultures associate a symbol with this landmark - like soft cotton, clocks, mother of pearl, carnations, and paper – but of course the latter is the most exciting one for us here at Ananya! We love the idea of the first year being akin to a blank sheet, with so many chapters yet to be written. We’ve gathered here for you some paper-inspired ideas for gifts to celebrate your first year together, and we hope you enjoy them!