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Getting married on February 29 was certainly a leap in the right direction for a Shropshire couple - despite fears that the worst flooding seen for many years around the venue might impact on their big day.
 
Jodie Evans and Richard Simmonds married at The Best Western Valley Hotel in Ironbridge on Saturday and despite the dreadful weather of recent weeks everything turned out fine - with the couple praising staff for being a ray of sunshine throughout! 
 
They had been planning their wedding for about two years and chose The Valley as their ideal location - but one thing they couldn’t plan for was the persistent heavy rain which left the River Severn in full flood.
 

Vows & Venues’ Wendy Allen-Smith took a trip to Penrith in Cumbria and found the perfect wedding venue which can be combined with a relaxing break…

The North Lakes Hotel and Spa is unbelievably easy to find, even for me, and without a satnav. It is a great location for guests travelling from north or south of the hotel. We stayed for a short overnight spa break, to unwind and relax in lovely surroundings which was not too far off the beaten track and within easy reach of the Lake District. 

It’s your wedding day. Some would say it’s up there in being one of the biggest and happiest days of your life. But, for wedding guests who are living with dementia it’s not that simple. We asked Mark Quarmby, Head of Dementia at Reconnect, to share his top tips for helping someone with dementia to build new memories and enjoy the big day…

Dementia expert: give wedding guests the choice

Memory loss, cognitive difficulties, confusion. These symptoms often affect a person with dementia’s behaviour, confidence, relationships and social roles. 

A firm favourite with A-listers from Madonna to Leo DiCaprio, Ibiza has long been the coolest place to party in Europe. Offering luxury accommodation, white sands and nightlife that’s the envy of the world, Ibiza is the idyllic beach wedding location. If you’re planning an Ibiza wedding, we’ve put together a quick guide on the top 5 things you need to consider before you book.

It might seem obvious that the preparation for a wedding could prove rather stressful, considering that it is regarded as one of the biggest days of a person’s life. The extent of this anxiety is often underestimated, and worrying about everything from make-up to guest favours can really take its toll. So, how do we take the edge off bridal anxiety? With the help of Angelic Diamonds, retailers of stunning halo engagement rings, let's take a look at some great ways to destress, ahead of saying ‘I do’.

Jo Critchely-Saville, from wedding venue Best Western Plus Mosborough Hall in Sheffield, writes about the wedding trends for Spring 2019… 

This is one of our favourite times of the year as we welcome plenty of beautiful Spring weddings.  We have been working with lots of couples on their big day to ensure they have the most perfect day. We are constantly looking and researching trends in colours, flowers, food and drink, music and lighting to help our couples stay one step ahead and incorporate them into their wedding day.  Whether it’s a final touch to the flowers or helping a bride write a few words for her speech we are here to help and as a team have years of experience organising weddings and helping couples achieve their dream.

27-year-old best friends Ivan Ho and Rachael Dudziak tied the knot at Carlton Towers, Goole, North Yorkshire in February 2019 and they couldn’t have had their day without ring bearer Jasper, their stunning rough collie!

Commenting on why Jasper had to be involved, Rachael added: “Jasper means everything to us. We even feel closer as a couple since he entered our lives. He’s much more than a pet, he’s part of the family which is why we decided he would be our official ring bearer”.

With the first day of spring just around the corner, wedding guests are starting to worry about what to wear this season. Michael Barker is Chief Brand Officer at Garment Quarter, expert in the British designer fashion industry, and he has put together this spring wedding guest guide for optimum style.

There are plenty of reasons why people choose to have a spring wedding. Most importantly, there's the potential that blossom-filled trees and the first few sunny days of the year will provide the perfect backdrop for a stylish gathering.

After all the heavy fabrics and muted tones of winter, spring is quite literally a breath of fresh air for your wardrobe and as such can be one of the best seasons for wedding guest style.

Adam Chard, Bathroom Expert at VictoriaPlum.com, talks with us about how to get the perfect wedding bathroom picture.

It’s quite possibly the biggest day of your life. You’ve spent not months but years preparing for it, making sure every single detail is just right. On the morning of your wedding day, your photographer turns up to document those all-important, “getting ready” moments with you and your girls, but, oh no! The bathroom is a frightful mess, providing a less-than-glamorous backdrop to all those precious memories.

With the rise of social media, many modern-day brides (and grooms!) are looking to capture all aspects of their wedding day, from the moment they wake up to the minute they finally step over the threshold as partners for life.

The key to sex – what is the key to a great sex life? There seems to be an eternal thirst for the answer, yet it seems ever-evasive and illusive. And it seems inevitable that many relationships do not find the answer, hence the high seperation and divorce rates we are all familiar with.

Now separation rates are not the only signifier of a relationship that has failed to capture the fire of an early dalliance with a lover. But its hard to disagree that a healthy sex life doesn’t play a major part in a fruitful relationship.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that weddings can be costly. Everyone wants their wedding day to be the best, no matter what your budget you can make that happen with some proper planning. Kevin Brown, savings specialist at Scottish Friendly, offers his top tips for creating your dream wedding on a budget:

Top tips for a dream wedding on a budget

Start saving early

Wherever you go, marriage is sacred. But different cultures have their own unique ways of preparing for and celebrating the happy couple’s nuptials. Here QUIZ, retailers of occasion dresses, tell Vows & Venues a few weird and wonderful wedding traditions from around the world.

1.    China

As China is a large nation, wedding and bridal traditions can depend on which region you’re from. Tujia brides must cry for an hour a day every day for a month in the run-up to their wedding. After ten days, the bride’s mother joins her in crying daily before being joined by her grandmother. As the other women join in, it’s seen as an expression of their joy.

The setting for your weddings is arguably one of the most important elements of the big day. As well as being immortalised in wedding photography, a stunning backdrop will set the mood and provide context to the story of your special day. 

Whether you’re opting for country opulence, urban chic or a mixture of both, it’s important that the backdrop reflects the story your telling while accentuating key elements and representing you as a couple. So how do you inject your own style into proceedings and what can you do to make the most of that all important wedding venue?

Chose a statement backdrop

Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club has invited a couple who wed at the hotel in 2014, back to relive the memories of their special day. 

Gemma and Garry Watson, who said their ‘I dos’ at the luxury four-star hotel, located in the heart of Northumberland, are one of more than 200 couples who took part in the nationwide search to celebrate those who tied the knot at a Macdonald Hotels & Resorts venue over the last 50 years.

After submitting photographs from their wedding, they were selected at random and rewarded with a luxurious overnight stay in the wedding suite, complete with champagne on arrival, and a three-course dinner. 

Children can really make a wedding very special.   Whether it’s the couple getting married who have children that will feature in the day, or family and friends who want to bring along their kiddies, having children around can really add to the atmosphere of the wedding.  

But, if you are inviting children, it’s important to ensure that they are catered for and looked after during the day. Invest in planning something for them now will ensure parents and children both have a great time!  Our team are experts in organising weddings that include children, and here’s our top tips to help keep children of all ages, amused and entertained all day!