Your North East Wedding news and ideas from around the region

AI creates the ultimate first dance song

There are over 217,000 first dances in the UK every year (1,950,000 in the US) yet couples usually pick the same handful of songs. Have you ever wondered why tracks like Etta James' At Last and Just You And I by Tom Walker are so popular at weddings? And what makes them so timeless? Function Central, a platform for finding and hiring musicians and bands for events, have answered exactly that! By analysing the most popular first dance songs to find the top 10 that couples choose, they have used AI to create the world's ultimate first dance song based on their findings, showing couples that they can have a timeless first dance song that is unique to their wedding.

Whitehouse Hotel is a fully refurbished modern wedding venue

Originally built in the 1800s, the Whitehouse Hotel is a fully refurbished modern wedding venue offering exclusive use with nine beautifully decorated hotel rooms. Overnight accommodation includes a freshly cooked-to-order breakfast and a friendly, comfortable stay.

Host your wedding outside on the summer decking or inside the garden room. The Whitehouse Hotel is an inclusive venue, and it welcomes all couples. Experience the VIP treatment for your wedding with the hotel's one or two night stay package, which can accommodate up to 21 people overnight as part of your wedding celebrations.

How to make your engagement ring shine for wedding day

Between shampoo, hairspray, moisturiser and hand cream – we can all agree that our beautiful engagement rings go through a lot on a daily basis. After all, many of us wear them every day without ever taking them off! But if your big day is just around the corner, it's crucial to keep your ring looking its best for those all-important wedding photos and to ensure your nearest and dearest see it in all its glory. With this in mind, experts at family-owned jewellers and diamond merchants, Chisholm Hunter, offer their specialist advice on how to get your ring gleaming before your big day... Max Brown, Retail Director at Chisholm Hunter, shares their top tips for ensuring your engagement ring is sparkling ahead of your wedding day: "If you want your precious jewellery to look its best on the big day, we recommend taking your ring to a professional jewellers for both ultrasonic and steam cleaning and using fine emery paper followed by a full polish to remove any surface scratching.

Venues for the perfect autumnal ceremony

New research conducted by ethical jewellery brand Sacet has revealed the top country wedding venues across the UK that would make the perfect location for an autumnal ceremony. By analysing a number of factors (including guest capacity, number of reviews, professionalism, quality of service and value for money) of over 30 wedding venues that offer barn, country and forest-style weddings in the UK, the top 10 were revealed. Brinsop Court Manor House and Barn, in Hereford, has been crowned the overall winner, with top ratings across all factors (quality of service, response time, professionalism, value for money flexibility and average rating). It also had the most number of reviews and can hold between 30 to 250 guests.

Brinkburn Northumberland has launched new helicopter wedding packages

Couples can now combine an exhilarating adventure with the serene beauty of the great outdoors with new helicopter wedding packages at Brinkburn Northumberland.

Start your helicopter journey at Newcastle International Airport with your photographer. After a breathtaking flight, the helicopter touches down gracefully on the grounds of the picturesque Brinkburn estate, nestled in the stunning Northumberland countryside.

Walk among towering ancient woodlands to your ceremony location on the banks of the River Coquet. After the ceremony, the photo session takes place with drinks and nibbles.

Are these popular 2023 wedding song cursed?

Research from wedding entertainment providers Function Central shows couples are taking risks choosing songs for their weddings with shockingly high divorce rates. Function Central used existing data on the songs most likely to end in divorce to see whether couples were still taking risks by adding these songs to their upcoming nuptials. This data was then cross-referenced against existing wedding playlists of engaged couples to see whether couples were still choosing these songs for their weddings. The results were concerning for any superstitious couples worried about whether certain tracks were deemed bad luck for long lasting marriages.

Wynyard Golf Club is a blank canvas that can be personalised to fit your vision

Wynyard Golf Club is situated within the exclusive Wynyard Estate, set in over 200 acres of mature woodland and rolling parkland. A beautiful and contemporary setting, it's the perfect blank canvas for your wedding. Boasting a private and exclusive terrace area that offers direct access from the venue's Wellington Suite, in the summer months the grounds are perfect for drinks on the terrace, as well as being enjoyed in a shady spot on the veranda.

5 reasons couples fail at sticking to their wedding budget

With the cost of living on everyone's minds, budget expert Isabel Smith, offers some insight into how couples can set (and stick to!) their wedding budget. The number of couples who are going overbudget on their wedding is dropping, from around 2/3 in 2018 to somewhere around 50% this year. This may be due to savvier couples setting more realistic budgets, or people simply refusing spend a penny more than planned owing to future financial uncertainty, but either way, I am all for it! I've never been an advocate for getting in debt over your big day, no matter how special you want it to be.

The perfect couples advent calendar

Couples looking for that x-factor idea to get them in the Christmassy mood this festive season need look no further than A Twist Of Date's personalised couples' advent calendar. This personalised QR-code collection of romantic, fun and creative couples' activities adds a spark of magic that is sure to make 2023 a December to remember. Perfect for long-term busy couples looking to reconnect through heart-warming moments, it's a no-brainer alternative to the typical chocolate-filled Christmas countdown. Whether it's an impromptu trip to your local ice rink, engaging in an act of kindness together or writing each other a romantic letter to be opened on Christmas, each day brings something new and exciting to share together.

How to master taking the perfect engagement ring photo

Proposals are often one of the most memorable, special and magical moments in a couples life, so it's only natural they want to share this joyous news with their friends, family and colleagues. In 2023, one of the most common ways for couples to share the news of their engagement is through social media. Couples often post gorgeous pictures in real time of themselves along with the dazzling engagement ring. Sharing the news via social media is a quick and easy way of telling your loved ones the news without having to individually call everyone, which can be overwhelming and time consuming. However, taking the perfect photo can be a bit of a challenge. Whilst it's not a competition to see who has the biggest ring and whose ring sparkles the most, a lot of people want their ring to look as desirable and shimmering as possible.

Crabtree & Crabtree has unveiled its latest holiday homes in the area

Crabtree & Crabtree has unveiled the latest stylish additions to their growing portfolio of holiday homes, further cementing their position as one of the leading independent holiday rental companies in the North East of England and South of Scotland, with over 365 carefully hand-selected properties now on their books.

On the edge of the quaint fishing village of Craster, Sea Breeze sits right on the coastline, with panoramic views of the sea from two sides of the house. Interiors are elegant with a delightful coastal theme, allowing the incredible views to take centre stage. The quirky village of Craster with its narrow lanes and picturesque harbour is a short stroll away, and a little further afield are the golden sands of Embleton, the mighty ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, and the many attractions of this glorious stretch of Northumberland coastline.

Sober hen parties are on the rise

While hen parties are often characterised by celebratory cocktails, drinking games and wild night outs, the hen-do could soon be shrugging off its booze-fueled persona. Global searches for 'sober hen do ideas' have doubled over the past year while 'sober bachelorette party games' has also seen a 50% increase. On TikTok, #soberliving has seen a surge in popularity, with videos including the hashtag boasting over 650 million views. If you're a bride-to-be looking to celebrate your 'last night of freedom' tee-total-style, party planning expert, Amy Greenshields at cardfactory has shared her four top tips.

Newcastle Castle is a beautiful venue steeped in history

Newcastle Castle enchants all who enter with its hidden passages, spiral staircases and historic charm. Outside, take in views of Newcastle's industrial heritage, along with the bridges adorning the River Tyne. Arriving at the Castle, guests are greeted by the historic fortified gatehouse, The Black Gate, before witnessing you wed in the Harbottle Suite, licensed for up to 50, or the Museum Room, licensed for up to 30.

Is lasting love magic, logic or luck?

Does it matter how a couple met? Contented Couples, a new guide to long-term relationships, features candid, intimate interviews with eighteen couples, based in the UK and USA. Each pair tell of how they met, how they formed a relationship and how they've thrived to become a truly happy union. One couple met and married within a month, whilst another two were thrown together repeatedly by a matchmaker who refused to give up - and it is not only guy meets girl either. The couples speak from an array of circumstance, culture and sexual orientations, including arranged marriage, friends-to-lovers and dating apps.

The five best weather apps to keep your eye on it leading up to the big day

Wedding jewellery experts Austen & Blake have listed some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on in the lead-up to your big day. The UK weather has been anything but predictable lately, with September set to be a particularly rainy and unsettled month, according to The Met Office. Top-rated apps help to track and plan your wedding day accordingly. Weather apps are invaluable when it comes to planning your nuptials, but sometimes there's no avoiding the inevitable. That's why, along with listing the best apps for tracking grey skies, the jewellery experts have teamed up with a professional wedding photographer to provide tips on how to get the best rainy snaps.

Even when the weather's a washout, it doesn't mean your wedding photos have to be! Here are some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on and how to strike the perfect pose if rain is predicted:

Herding Hill Farm has been named one of the best glamping sites in the UK

Congratulations are in order for camping and glamping site Herding Hill Farm, which has just been named one of the best in the UK.

The Haltwhistle-based Farm – which is also able to hire exclusively for weddings – has been awarded an AA Platinum Pennant, recognising the country's very best campsites and caravan parks, for both its glamping and camping facilities. Inspectors praised the luxury glamping accommodation and 'first-class' campsite facilities at the family-friendly site; located less than a mile from Hadrian's Wall; noting that the addition of its new adult only luxury Castle pods took the site's glamping facilities to 'the next level'.

Don’t like your engagement ring? Relationship experts reveal what you need to do!

A marriage proposal is filled with an overwhelming amount of emotion and is a moment both you and your partner will remember forever. But once the initial rush fades, what if you come to terms with the fact that the ring placed on your finger isn't what you envisioned it to look like? Leading diamond jewellers, Diamonds Factory, teamed up with relationship experts Georgia Sturmer and Sharin Shafer, who have shared their top 3 tips on how to handle this delicate situation in the best way possible.

Danby Castle is set in the heart of the Yorkshire Moors

Danby Castle is set in the heart of the Yorkshire Moors, with manicured lawns surrounding the Castle ruins, complementing the countryside views. While the Castle itself stands in ruins, the Court Room in the original farmhouse is where ceremonies take place, with the Barn providing the perfect setting for a wedding breakfast and evening reception. You've even got a Getting Ready Room to take advantage of; a spacious area with large hair and make-up station with huge mirrors, space to hang dresses or suits and plenty of opportunities for pre-wedding photos.

Fraser Hart launches its stunning lab-grown diamond collection

Fraser Hart, one of the UK's leading purveyors of fine jewellery, is redefining affordable luxury with the launch of its Born Lab Grown Diamonds collection in 10 new stores nationwide. Optically, physically and chemically identical to an earth-grown diamond, here cutting-edge technology is used to create timeless diamonds in a laboratory setting. Blending craftsmanship with innovation, Born Lab Grown Diamonds are breathtaking in their clarity, delivering the same sparkling wow-factor as traditionally mined gems, but with a more accessible price tag. The Born collection includes a stunning choice of "buy now, treasure forever" heirloom jewellery pieces. With exquisite diamond rings starting at just £799, diamond and white gold stud earrings from £799, classic diamond encrusted tennis bracelets from £5,250, and diamond pendant necklaces from £850, investing in luxurious, exceptional quality and utterly timeless diamond jewellery pieces has never been more attractive.

The wellness journals from Lovendu you need in your life

With Mental Health Awareness day falling in October, and as we approach the end of the year, take positive steps to improve your wellbeing in 2024 through journaling. The benefits of daily journaling are huge, from reducing stress and improving your mental health to boosting productivity and providing an opportunity to get in sync with your emotions. It's the ultimate act of self-care – and Lovendu makes it easy to take control of your life and truly thrive.