Your North East Wedding news and ideas from around the region

County Wedding Magazines launch new websites!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ the office is abuzz with excitement at the launch of our new websites – I'm sure you can hear the *collective oohs and ahhs* from where you are! So yes, it's here, after months of hard work, sweat and tears (maybe less tears but more cheers!), our shiny, new, glorious websites are ready to be viewed by our much-loved readers – we really hope you like them as much as we do! Wedding planning at your fingertips - What's new, we hear you ask? Well, everything! The County names are as important as ever, it's our ethos after all, but we have a lush new font and modern colour scheme that really makes our County Wedding Magazine titles jump off the page.

Thief Hall is a rustic barn wedding venue

Thief Hall is a rustic barn wedding venue, surrounded by 100 acres of land, with amazing views of the North Yorkshire countryside. Sleeping up to 60 in its private grounds and holiday cottages, if marrying here you get exclusive use for three days, giving you the opportunity to create a wedding weekend you'll never forget. With beautiful glass chivari chairs available, plus options of different tables (and all linen provided), there are no hidden costs – and everything on offer is included in the price.

The best of English sparkling wine, with Amelia Singer this National Champagne Week (1-7th October)

There's the New World of wine, and then the New New World: English Sparkling Wine is on the rise. This National Champagne Week, wine expert, Amelia Singer selects her favourite bubbles from our own green pastures... Which country comes to mind if you think of "wine"? For most, I imagine France, Italy, or perhaps even the USA these days, probably dominates. We all know, however, that the world is a-changing and so should our concept of wine and where it comes from. English wines are on the rise, and it's my opinion, along with a fair few of the worlds top wine experts, that they are the new frontier of wine making – even beating out top champagne houses in sparkling wine competitions.

Personalised wedding gifts from Pen Heaven

Find beautifully crafted, meaningful, and personalised wedding gifts to cherish forever with Pen Heaven. A master of exquisite stationary design, Pen Heaven was founded in 2008 and offer a comprehensive range of luxury writing instruments, leather journals and gifts. Specialists in classic brands such as Parker, Cross and Lamy, Pen Heaven also boast some more unusual and hard-to-find items such as the Japanese hand painted Platinum range, Italian calligraphy sets and the design focused Worther brand. Offering an in-house, by-hand engraving and embossing service, Pen Heaven are the ultimate destination for meaningful gifts with a personal touch perfect for big-day gifting.

County Wedding Magazines' readers share their prize win story!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, we love nothing more than to hear from the winners of our competitions. In the crazy world of wedding planning, it's exciting for us to be able to offer our lovely readers some exciting giveaways and competitions which will hopefully give you a much-needed pick-me-up during on the countdown to your wedding day. In March 2023, CWM ran a competition, 'Win a minimoon in Northern Ireland!' and the winners were nearlyweds Jennifer and her partner.

Barbour's new fragrance inspired by the Northumberland coastline!

After a wedding fragrance to tie in with your roots? New for 2023 are these scents from Barbour, perfect for the transition into the late summer/ early autumn months – and inspired by the Northumberland coastline! First up comes Barbour Coastal For Her, a refreshing citrus scent topped with clean notes of elmi, bitter orange, lemon and mandarin. Delicately blended with solar florals and a woody base of cedarwood, moss and balsamic notes, it's been designed to celebrate a slower pace of life. Then there's Barbour Coastal For Him; again with a nod to the clifftops of Northumberland. An aromatic scent with citrus notes, it's contrasted by undercurrents of ginger and cinnamon, all blended with balsamic, sandalwood and amber.

Halloween hen party ideas for 2023

If you're looking to throw a hen party that's nothing short of magical, mysterious and oh-so-memorable, then you're in for a treat, not a trick, with a Halloween hen party! This bewitching night is filled with laughter, eerie enchantment and spine-tingling surprises. Halloween, with its unique blend of the spooky and the playful, makes for a perfect theme that'll have everyone howling with delight. And just think of the costumes! Leading hen party company, Fizzbox is our guide as we embark on a haunted journey through the land of Halloween hen party ideas that will make your last night of freedom the talk of the town.

Wedding day aesthetic according to your star sign

Jewellery brand Diamonds Factory, has spoken exclusively to celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman, who has shared her top tips on how to plan your wedding according to your zodiac. Vibrant Colours for Aries, known for their fiery and youthful nature, embrace the vibrant energy of red. This intense hue symbolises their passion and dynamism. To capture their directness, a bow and arrow motif, reminiscent of Greek deity Eros, perfectly embodies Aries' spirit on their special day.

Let's talk about sleep - the importance of rest

A new nationwide study has revealed as many as 86 percent of us now regularly struggle to drift off - not good if you're wanting to look and feel your best physically and mentally in the run up to your wedding day and on-the-day itself! Research has revealed the top 20 natural sleep inducers in the modern age – and counting sheep or mugs of Horlicks did not make the cut. In fact, modern Brits are more likely to get intimate with their other half, listen to a true crime podcast, watch a comedy show, tidy their room from top to bottom, or cuddle up with their pet. But the survey shows, simply reading a book is the number one snooze inducing activity (23 percent), followed by scrolling through social media (22 percent), despite the consensus that looking at phones is bad for our sleep patterns.

Calling all newlyweds and nearlyweds - County Wedding Magazines need you!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, there's nothing we love more than our real wedding features - and we couldn't do them without you! If you would like to see your wedding grace the pages of one of our County Wedding Magazine titles, then please do get in touch! Grand and big-budget extravaganzas, to small and intimate I dos, themed from beginning to end, or personalised with a sentimental touch - we want to hear about them all!

New venue - Blackton Grange Estate

Say hello to Blackton Grange Estate, Durham's newest wedding venue and celebration estate. Entirely yours for two nights or more, you can make your celebrations as unique as you are with no packages, no corkage and 100% flexibility! Set within 11 acres of designated dark skies wilderness, the dry hire approach allows you to put your own stamp on every element of your big day, allowing you to choose whichever food and drink suppliers you wish. If that sounds a little overwhelming, the venue also has an amazing list of recommended businesses to choose from. Your wedding comes with a dedicated coordinator to make your day stress-free – plus there's accommodation for up to 18 friends and family in the newly-renovated farmhouse!

Stargazing at Slaley Hall Hotel Spa & Golf Resort

Hosted by professional and passionate astronomers AstroVentures, these events hosted on Friday 13th October and Thursday 14th December at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort are set to be unique and sensational stargazing experiences. Ticket holders will be welcomed at the impressive resort and enjoy a delicious two-course meal in one of the hotel's private function suites before gazing in wonder at the Milky Way and the universe beyond. Led by the experts at AstroVentures, there'll be an interactive workshop with handouts and software used to explore and explain the universe whilst giving guests valuable tips and pointers on how to get the best out of a night's observing.

Four tips for storing your wedding dress after the big day

With September tipped to be the most popular month for weddings, when the big day is done deciding what to do with a wedding dress can be tricky. Whilst some people sell them or donate them so future brides can use them, others prefer to keep hold of them and preserve the memory of their wedding day. If you're looking to preserve your wedding dress after the big day, or pass it down to future generations, proper storage is essential in maintaining its pristine condition. With this in mind, Vlatka Lake, storage expert at Space Station shares four tips for storing your wedding dress to keep it in pristine condition. Vlatka adds: "Before putting your dress into storage, make sure you have it cleaned to remove any stains or marks that may have appeared from your wedding day. The most important thing to remember when putting your wedding gown into storage is that it shouldn't be stored in a plastic bag or hung on a hanger. "Plastic covers don't allow for humidity changes and can often let light in that will fade the material of your dress. Hanging your dress can also affect its shape by adding unnecessary stress on the seams or the fabric."

Big-day gifting ideas from Don't Buy Her Flowers

Gift company, Don't Buy Her Flowers, prides itself for having thoughtfulness at its core, with customers able to create a bespoke gift box that perfectly suits the person and occasion. Whether it's to celebrate, commiserate or offer someone some TLC during a tough time, Don't Buy Her Flowers offers a range of luxury British products from delicious treats, cashmere socks and bubble bath to the perfect G&T and a selection of great books. Each gift box is beautifully gift wrapped with the customer's personalised message handwritten on the gift tag, making it the perfect package for everyone from mothers, newlyweds, teachers and employees.

Unique gifts couples give each other on their wedding day

The team at hampers.com recently surveyed UK adults who have gotten married or attended a wedding in the past five years, with the goal of determining what the gifting landscape looks like for wedding season. In doing so, they spoke to almost 800 newlyweds from across the UK and a further 1,400 UK adults who have attended a wedding in the same time frame. Firstly, the study found that it's common for brides and grooms to buy each other a gift for the wedding day itself, with 65% stating they did this for their own wedding day. The average spend was found to be £115, with women most likely to purchase a pocket watch (24%) or a vintage bottle of alcohol (22%) and men most likely to purchase jewellery (37%) or personalised 'Mrs' clothing (19%)...

Five reasons why Champagne is the pinnacle of sparkling wine

The Champagne Bureau UK* have rounded up five reasons why Champagne is the long-standing pinnacle of sparkling wine. Firstly, Champagne only comes from Champagne. Champagne is a 100% French product - the Champagne region is located in France, approximately 90 miles east of Paris. It is a protected appellation (AOC). From 816 to 1825, France's royalty was crowned in Champagne's Reims Cathedral, where Champagne was said to flow freely at all the coronation banquets. Soon, highly prized for their taste and finesse, it became customary to gift these wines to any royalty visiting the region. This is how the Champagne came to be known as the wine of coronation and known in France as "the wine of Kings and the King of wines".

7 ways to ask your friends to be bridesmaids

Bridesmaid proposals are a special moment in any friendship so it's natural to want to put some thought behind popping the question. Personalising gifts such as photo frames or pyjamas are a great way to give friends something they can keep forever. The glass experts at MeandMyGlass.co.uk have shared some of the best bridesmaid proposal ideas to make the occasion memorable.John Cutts, founder of MeandMyGlass said, "Asking your friends and family to be bridesmaids is a special moment and should be done in a special way. "You can't go wrong with a personal touch which is why things like photo frames and pyjamas are a great way to show appreciation to your bridesmaids and you know they'll keep their gift.

Don’t miss Matfen Hall’s spectacular Wedding Showcase

Luxury hotel and country estate, Matfen Hall, situated in the picturesque countryside of Northumberland is excited to announce that their Wedding Showcase event is taking place on the 17th of September at their impressively refurbished Hotel, Spa and Golf Estate. Running between 1pm and 3pm, the Wedding Showcase will be an opportunity for couples to experience Matfen Hall's character, charm and heritage and its dedicated wedding facilities that includes a license to host wedding ceremonies. After the multi-million pound refurbishment which has seen the Great Hall tastefully restored to its former glory, Matfen Hall boasts stunning stained glass windows, a famous sweeping staircase and an array of utterly irresistible bedrooms. The suites and bedroom define real luxury, they feature impressively high ceilings, roll-top baths, walk-in showers and underfloor heating all accessorised with Carrara marble. The rooms also include views of the 300-acre parkland and comfortable Hypnos Lansdowne Cashmere emperor beds.

Wedding fragrance suggestions

Floral, citrus, or woody - and everything in between - wedding scents are becoming more popular as couples incorporate them into their day. They can provide an ideal way to remember the occasion, the trigger of a special memory when you come across that fragrance connected to it. What's more, key scents can also help control emotions according to psychologists. Yasmin Sharp, essential oils expert at Nikura, says, "With more than 12 million hashtag views on TikTok, wedding scents (#weddingscent) are becoming more and more popular

Europe's best Hen and Stag Do cities revealed - Newcastle best in UK

A new study has revealed the top 10 best cities across Europe for hen or stag do celebrations, with Prague, Czech Republic coming out on top. Holiday car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have crunched the numbers on ten of the most popular pre-wedding celebration destinations to find which city is best for hen and stag dos. John Charnock, CEO of StressFreeCarRental.com said: "There are several cities in Europe that are really popular with mates wanting to celebrate their friend's new engagement. And now the ten best spots in the continent have been named - using factors considered to be important when deciding on where to celebrate."