Your North East Wedding news and ideas from around the region

That's so Fetch: 10 Ideas for the ultimate Mean Girls-themed hen party

It's time to channel your inner Regina George and party like it's October 3rd! To celebrate the release of the new Mean Girls movie on 19th January 2024, Fizzbox has the rundown on Mean Girls themed hen party ideas that are so fetch! In a world where wearing pink on Wednesdays isn't just a choice but a lifestyle, this is the ultimate way to celebrate your upcoming nuptials in style, whether you're an aspiring Spring Fling Queen or a Mathlete. So break out the Burn Book and dust off your Plastics-approved heels. Get in loser, we're going on a hen do!

Dash Photography is offering our readers an exclusive discount

Dash Photography is an award-winning wedding photographer based in County Durham who covers Northumberland, Teesside, North Yorkshire and the North West. Owner Brendan tells us: "I have tried my hand at many careers over the last 30 years, but the one constant throughout my life has been my love of taking photos. I became a professional photographer in 2007 and have never looked back. It hasn't always been an easy journey, but even after all these years, I am still in love with the whole process of photography and feel so lucky to be able to spend my days behind the camera."

The wedding gifts couples in 2024 really want...

When it comes to wedding planning, there is so much to think about, the same goes for wedding gift lists & etiquette. Gifting Guru at The Wedding Shop, Liza Baucher, answers you everything you need to know about wedding registries... In short, we advise adding 2-3 gifts per wedding guest invited. Adding a variety of gifts to your wedding list caters to the differing budgets and preferences of your guests. It's a thoughtful approach to include a wide range of items, from smaller, more affordable pieces to a few higher-end gifts. The key is balance and variety. Typically, having slightly more gifts than the number of guests or households invited allows for enough choice without overwhelming your guests.

The George Washington Hotel is a wedding venue in Washington

Based in Washington, just a stone's throw from Sunderland, the George Washington Hotel is an ideal place to gather your friends and family for a celebration. With natural light flooding through the stunning glass ceilings and wall-to-wall bi-folding doors, the hotel's Orangery truly brings the beauty of the outside in. Boasting magnificent views of the championship golf course, as well as the outdoor terrace and idyllic wedding pavilion, it's the perfect place to start your happily ever after.

Wedding ring trends 2024 according to Queensmith

Symbolising unconditional love, devotion and commitment, wedding rings represent the union of marriage between two people and unlike engagement rings, they are worn by both. Often, wedding rings tend to be more simple and minimalist, but there are still so many different choices you can make from the metal colour, style and bandwidth. As such, experts at engagement and wedding ring jeweller, Queensmith, have released exclusive internal data to help guide couples on what wedding rings will be popular in 2024.

2024 wedding trend: cocktails to serve at 70s-inspired weddings!

Pinterest has launched its Pinterest Predicts report and '70s-inspired weddings are set to be huge in 2024, with searches for 'groovy wedding' increasing 170% and 'retro wedding theme' spiking 80%. Experts at NIO Cocktails have shared popular cocktails from the 1970s that you should serve at your retro wedding: "The era that brought us the rise of disco music, retro prints and bell bottom trousers also brought us a resurgence in classic cocktails and new ones, too! There were many cocktails that were popular in the 1970s and if you're wanting to throw the perfect '70s-inspired wedding, we'd definitely advise including our top three '70s cocktail picks in your wedding."

Yorkshire Rose Events is celebrating a year of business

Yorkshire Rose Events, a sustainability-focused event organiser, is celebrating a year of business. Specialising in large-scale private and corporate event orchestration, owner Emily Alexander has gained experience managing and running private events for established businesses and schools for the past 10 years.

"I decided to take a leap and build my own business to continue doing what I love, organising," says Emily. "I am a driven and highly motivated person who naturally wants to achieve the highest possible standards, with a track record of events to support this. From venue hire to personalised décor, transport, or catering, I can work with you to achieve your vision."

2024 food and drink trends predicted by the experts

From flexitarianism and the rise of sharing plates, to higher demand for whiskies and the rise in under-loved species of fish; here, renowned chefs and drink experts predict what will be the food and drink trends to take 2024 by storm - inspiration for your big-day catering too, with so much choice it will be hard to pick your favourite trend!

Seaham Hall is a Georgian country house hotel with a fascinating history

Seaham Hall is a Georgian country house hotel that dates back to 1791. Over the years, the house has seen many owners, but in 1985, it was converted into a hotel. It was acquired by an independent hospitality group in 2012 and became the striking building we see today. Rich in heritage and decorated in a contemporary style, the property is home to a collection of bedrooms, each one different from the next, but all featuring luxuries and unbeatable views.

There are two fabulous restaurants. The Dining Room, headed up by chef Damian Broom, serves dishes inspired by the rugged North Sea and glorious Durham countryside. While the pan-Asian restaurant, Ozone, is where you can sample warming curries, vibrant stir-fries, and tempting tapas selections in a theatrical setting.

Celebrate your wedding day with Niche Cocktails

If you want to serve amazing cocktails on the big day, then Niche Cocktails has you covered with its premium ready-to-drink canned cocktails. Perfect for kick-starting the celebrations, Niche Cocktails' range of all-natural cocktails taste just as good (if not better) than the ones you'd make from scratch, meaning that cocktail-loving couples can serve their favourite combos on their wedding day - why not enjoy your favourite tipples on your hen/stag or sten do too! Pre-mixed to ensure there's one less thing to worry about, you and your guests can enjoy a tasty tipple with Niche's delicious range that is so simple to serve. Each can can be poured straight into a glass or into a shaker with ice, allowing your guests more time for mingling.

Should I get a prenup ahead of my wedding?

Should I get a prenup ahead of my wedding? If you're planning your wedding, it's likely you're experiencing a whole mix of emotions! On the one hand, you'll be on cloud nine and feeling so excited. On the other, the stress can often get the better of you, no matter how in love you are. The planning, the preparation and the pressure can be overwhelming at times. In amongst all of this, you may not be thinking about putting measures in place to protect yourself in the event of the relationship one day breaking down. Whilst not the most romantic of things to be thinking about, an ever-growing number of couples are turning to prenuptial agreements ('prenups') to safeguard their money and assets before they begin their marriage and post nuptial agreements thereafter. At Stowe Family Law, we have seen enquiries for prenups increase by a quarter in the last year.

Langley Castle has launched a new doggy chaperone service

If you can't contemplate saying 'I do' without having your beloved pooch in the wedding party, then you'll love Langley Castle's new doggy chaperone service provided by Mukki Pups Pawfect Days.

You can choose how many hours you want your dog to be present, whether or not you want them to just have a brush and spray or a full bath and blow-dry before the wedding, and bespoke packages can also be created.

Most popular day for marriage proposals revealed

New research has revealed the most common dates for marriage proposals in the UK, with Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day taking the top three spots. In order to delve into engagement trends, a UK wedding venue has conducted a survey of married, engaged and single people... More than 2,700 people aged 18 and over took part in the research, 76% of whom were married or engaged and 24% of whom had not been engaged yet. Respondents answered questions about their past proposals, or what they would want from a proposal in future. Wedding venue Hensol Castle first of all asked what date of the year anyone who was or had been engaged was asked for their hand in marriage (or did the asking), which revealed the following top five dates to be the most popular of the year:

Blackwell Grange Hotel is a 17th-century mansion on the outskirts of Darlington

Blackwell Grange Hotel is a 17th-century mansion surrounded by picturesque countryside on the outskirts of Darlington. The property has benefited from an extensive refurbishment of public areas, giving the spaces a contemporary and sophisticated feel. From the moment your guests arrive at the sweeping driveway, they will fall in love with the hotel and its beautiful lawned gardens.

The Gazebo is ideal for fairytale weddings and is set on the lawned gardens, while the Bruhenny Suite is a light and airy room with space for 120 guests.

2024 wedding trends from the experts

Emma Gold, founder of GSP Events, an events production agency responsible for some of the most iconic weddings of the last 27 years, unveils the 2024 wedding trends along with other experts in the industry..."Another trend we are seeing more and more of – the hotel buyout; guests are keen for total exclusivity and privacy for their guests. It is no longer enough to simply take a few rooms or the events spaces for the day or the weekend. Going forward, guests are taking over entire hotels. Clients of ours this year had the Maybourne Riviera for the weekend. One event was hosted there, with best friends and family all accommodated in the hotel. It means the celebrations never stop, and it allows guests to spend good quality down time together too. From a logistical perspective, it's hugely helpful in ensuring guests are at the right place at the right time; but also, what a dream to be able to have all your loved ones in one place."

20 things to get us through January according to Brits

With Christmas over, and the most depressing month of the year in full swing researchers asked Brits to vote for the things which we love about the colder months, with snuggling up with a blanket the top choice! The research, conducted by luxury ski resorts Club Med, also revealed a Sunday roast helps us get through the chilliest days, as over a quarter (27 per cent) love the smell of a roast dinner wafting through the house.

The best alcohol-free drinks to serve at weddings?

Discover the delightful range of award-winning non-alcoholic beverages from Mocktails which will make the perfect accompaniment to alcohol-free weddings and hen/stag dos! The ready-to-drink beverages are perfect for those looking to embrace the benefits of alcohol-free without compromising on flavour. Mocktails offer a delectable collection of flavours, each carefully crafted with the finest ingredients, spices, and botanicals sourced from around the world. Mixology-inspired and uniquely crafted, drinks include Mockarita, Sansgria, Mockscow Mule, Mockapolitan and Espress0% Martini. Mocktails' beverages are made with real fruit juices, exotic and natural flavours, and pure cane sugar.

1 in 7 couples buy wedding insurance at short notice

Christmas and New Year is the most popular time to get engaged* but research from wedding insurance specialist, CoverMyWedding.co.uk, reveals that couples might not be financially protecting all their purchases. One in seven (16%)** couples buy wedding insurance within 100 days of their wedding, according to CoverMyWedding.co.uk, leaving them potentially missing out on protection if they have already started putting down deposits and making payments. Wedding insurance often only covers items booked and bought after it is purchased, so it is important to buy it as soon as possible and before any big bookings or purchases are made, as depending on your insurer, they may not be included.

Sustainable wedding wrapping paper from Curlicue

Curlicue, a British-made, female-founded company, has a delightful range of love-themed gift wrap - perfect for wedding gifting or Valentine's Day! All wrap is on 100% FSC-certified recycled and recyclable paper, plastic-free, and made with vegetable-based ink. The company uses a waterless and chemical-free printing process to be kinder to the environment, and use a UK printer for its paper to keep its carbon footprint as low as possible - from making to shipping its plastic-free!

Blackton Grange is hosting a wedding open day

Blackton Grange in the beautiful North Pennines, County Durham, is hosting a wedding open day on Sunday 24th March, 2024. If you choose to get married at Blackton Grange, you will have exclusive access to the whole estate for two or three nights, depending on the option you choose. This includes the eight-bedroom luxury farmhouse, the Celebration Barn, and access to the surrounding 11 acres of land. If a large wedding is not your thing, several areas in the beautiful farmhouse have also been licensed for ceremonies. This means the two of you can run away to Blackton Grange to elope, giving you the choice to get married in the most intimate way with just the two of you or even bring some guests to help you celebrate.