Your North East Wedding news and ideas from around the region

TikTok’s wedding trends - what we can expect in 2024

TikTok has become the best place to source beautiful wedding inspiration, from wedding dress fashion to food. But what were the biggest TikTok wedding trends of 2023, and what can we expect to see in 2024? By analysing TikTok hashtags, ethical jewellery brand Sacet provides insights into the most influential trends of 2023, the wedding trends on the decline, and predictions for the upcoming year.

Wynyard Golf Club is nestled within 200 acres of mature woodland

Nestled within 200 acres of mature woodland and rolling parkland is the impressive Wynyard Golf Club. Situated in the exclusive Wynyard Estate, this contemporary setting is the perfect blank canvas for your wedding.

Those of you who love golf will adore the highly acclaimed 18-hole, par 72 championship course, which includes sweeping fairways, panoramic views, elevation changes and over 80 bunkers to challenge even the most experienced of golfers.

Inside the UK’s most ‘Traitorous’ castle

The Traitors is Britain's hottest new reality competition, where a group of twenty strangers come together for the investigation of their life: to find and stop the Traitors from stealing the ultimate prize pot! It's a show full of mind-games, backstabbing and trust, and its second series proves to be gripping the nation once again. And the setting of this treacherous game makes it all the more entertaining: a beautiful castle in the Scottish highlands. In fact, enquiries about this castle have shot up since the show first aired in 2022.

Wedding floral trends for 2024

Bloom & Wild florist, Emma Forsey, presents a vision of floral enchantment that goes beyond the ordinary. From local blooms and wild meadows to bold colour clashes and the evolution of AI, here's what to come in 2024 for wedding blooms. Local flowers have been getting the love they deserve in the wedding scene, and it looks like they're going to be the go-to choice for UK weddings in 2024. More and more couples are valuing the eco-friendly element of homegrown blooms, appreciating the chance to support local flower growers. British flowers aren't just a trendy word anymore; they're becoming a significant and lasting part of the wedding flower industry.

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!

From casual to formal, here’s how to plan your picture-perfect engagement party

Firsty, congratulations! You're getting married! After a proposal, there are so many things to think about, but before preparing for the big day itself, an engagement party is a great way to share your exciting news and get your nearest and dearest together to celebrate. Pinterest trends1 revealed the largest peak in searches for 'engagement party ideas' were in January last year, now is the time to get the ball rolling and start planning for the prelude of the main event. Whether you're planning an intimate gathering or a lavish affair, party planning expert at Ginger Ray, Jess Martin, shares 10 tips for your celebration, no matter how big or small:

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."