News

Timing the knot

Martyn and Amy Kingston on their wedding day at Nottingham city centre wedding venue, St James Hotel

 

TIME is certainly of the essence for newly-engaged Nottingham couples as popular Nottingham city centre wedding venue, the St James Hotel, sees a huge increase in bookings this year.

Wedding venues are notorious for being booked up a year or more in advance - but the St James Hotel is seeing a significant increase in the number of couples not wanting to wait a long time for their big day.

What's the one holiday essential?

What's the one holiday essential?

Pommade Divine – The pharmacy in a jar

Dating back to the beginning of the 18th century, Pommade Divine is the original multi-purpose beauty balm and nature’s first aid kit, loved by royalty and celebrities alike. Whether you’re relaxing on the beach in Antigua, backpacking in Australia, dancing the night away on Ibiza or just camping in your back garden, this balm is the one thing you must pack.

Pommade Divine contains a unique combination of essential oils, spices and resins, tried and tested across the centuries and blended into a skin-softening, nourishing base of Shea Butter, Jojoba and Lanolin. The result is most efficacious, versatile and restorative!

Michelle Clarke at Breadsall Priory – Embracing the great outdoors

Breadslall Priory wedding photographs Autumn Elen Studio Photography

Michelle Clarke is a senior event manager and wedding co-ordinator at one of the Midlands’ most iconic wedding venues, the 13th Century Marriott Breadsall Priory in Derbyshire. With 14 years’ experience in the industry, Michelle and her team have helped hundreds of couples say their ‘I Dos’ in style. Michelle writes exclusively for Vows and Venues and shares her expert hints and tips for the next generation of brides-to-be.

Bringing the inside out A key trend for 2016 is romance. This means delicate bridal make-up, favouring light matt pink lips and gently blushed cheeks to whimsical floral arrangements and simple, elegant pastel colour schemes.

White Gallery London confirms New Talent for 2016

Established on the bridal buying calendar as the go-to destination to discover the frontrunners in the market, White Gallery London is renowned for bringing the very best of British bridal design and international talent together under one roof. This year is no different, with acclaimed designers from around the globe launching their latest collections, together with a whole host of New Talent who will debut at the event for the very first time.

Labels to look out for in 2016 include London-based designers Charlotte Simpson and Poppy Dover, Scottish bridalwear label By Catriona, luxury childrenswear brand Evermore by Amberley London and accessories designers Cherished Vintage and The Season Hats.

Protect yourself against the unexpected with wedding insurance

Protect yourself against the unexpected with wedding insurance

With the average wedding costing £14,500 and frequently taking months and months of planning, it can be devastating to learn your big day cannot go ahead without any sort of compensation.

The last thing you want to worry about when planning a wedding is any unforeseeable mishaps that just may taint what is going to be the best day of your life.

What’s covered? From a ripped wedding dress to loss of the all-important rings, no-one can predict how your day could go,therefore, taking out wedding insurance can be important to cover your wedding financially if your big day is ruined, postponed or cancelled.


The Year of the Vintage Wedding Cake

The Year of the Vintage Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is possibly one of the most established elements of a wedding day. From choosing the cake maker, design and flavour choice, to the ritual of cutting the cake together, it is undoubtedly an essential part of culinary planning. Traditionally, the wedding cake takes the form of a tiered masterpiece covered in thick white fondant icing and perhaps a few fondant roses.

This year however, the vintage inspired wedding cake is set to be huge! Sammi-Jo Gascoyne, established chef and owner of Blushing Cook, gives us her thoughts on what we can expect to see in 2016.


Looking for a fragrance? Jo Malone: review

Jo Malone Peony and Suede Blush - review

The last thing you need after a hard morning's dressing, stressing in hair & make-up, pledging your love for another in front of everyone you know, eating, drinking and generally being centre of attention is a stinky whiff following you around the room like, well, a bad smell. 

So if you're looking for a great scent which won't let you down on the biggest day of your life, read this product review by Vows and Venues' Rachel Morton…

Here at Vows and Venues we were lucky enough to try this fragrance.

If you are looking for a great gift for your bridesmaids or a fragrance for yourself for that special day, then look no further than Jo Malone Peony and Suede Blush.

Merseyside Wedding of the Year photographer snaps up brand new Birkdale studio

Merseyside Wedding of the Year photographer snaps up brand new Birkdale studio

 

Leading North West wedding photographer Matthew Rycraft has double cause for celebration after opening a brand new photography studio at The Mews Wedding Centre in Birkdale and winning Your Merseyside Wedding Magazine's Wedding of the Year.

North West wedding photographer Matthew Rycraft has made a successful career out of capturing the happy unions of countless satisfied newlyweds. Now it's his turn to celebrate finding his own match made in heaven, as he opens a new photographic studio at The Mews Wedding Centre in Birkdale.