Your Cheshire and Merseyside Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Why are prenups no longer the reserve of the wealthy?

Wenup, a collaborative online provider of relationship agreements, conducted a comprehensive analysis of its first 120 customers. This data offers valuable insights into the changing landscape of prenuptial agreements, capturing shifting trends among couples from diverse backgrounds and providing a glimpse into the evolving dynamics of modern relationships. Recent celebrity divorces, involving well-known personalities such as Britney Spears, Sophie Turner, and Joe Jonas have cast a spotlight on prenuptial agreements. Despite their often sensationalised portrayal in the media, prenups are no longer the exclusive domain of the rich and famous.

Head to Goldsmiths' new Liverpool store for an enhanced shopping experience

Renowned luxury watch and jewellery retailer Goldsmiths has announced the grand opening of its largest showroom in the portfolio, located in Liverpool. This expansive store spans two floors and offers an unparalleled selection of exquisite timepieces and jewellery. Located at Liverpool One, on Paradise Street the showroom is ideal situated and there's a dedicated entrance for the new Rolex area, which exudes a sense of luxury, craftsmanship and sophistication. If you're seeking exquisite jewellery for your big day, head to the dedicated areas for FOPE, Messika, Roberto Coin, and Mappin & Webb. These renowned jewellery brands offer a stunning array of designs, from contemporary diamond pieces and a chic mix of precious metals to timeless and sophisticated pieces.

Overwhelmed planning a wedding? A leading wedding planner shares top tips

Matthew Shaw, a leading wedding and events planner and founder of sauveur. - a superb events and creative studio - is here to reveal his Top Tips to help you plan and feel calm, confident and importantly, excited for the big day. ASK FOR HELP: I would always advise considering if you would like to engage a planner at the beginning of the process. They are true experts in their field and will help organise, inspire, and de-stress the process for you. There are planners available for varying wedding budgets so do reach out and request more information.

Weddings Wrapped 2023 - wedding special

With Spotify Wrapped 2023 having just dropped, Encore Musicians, the UK's largest musician bookings platform has analysed 2,300 song requests by newlyweds to see the most requested songs and artists for weddings in 2023. They also surveyed 1,000 of its customers and musicians to discover the UK's favourite and least favourite songs to hear at weddings. Although Ed Sheeran's "Perfect" ranked as the most common song for first dances, it also ranked as the second least popular song to hear at weddings with one in seven ranking it as their least favourite.

Could you have to pay inheritance tax on a wedding gift?

Before the big day comes around, whether you are a guest giving a present or contributing to the cost of the honeymoon, or perhaps a relative considering helping towards the cost of the wedding itself, you ought to consider the inheritance tax implications of making such gifts. James Mabey, partner at law firm Winckworth Sherwood advises on the inheritance tax implications of wedding gifts. In the UK, if you die within seven years of making a gift, inheritance tax may be payable on the value of the gift after your death. This is because gifts are considered to be part of your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

Head for the beach in Esmee-e's latest collection

The eponymous lifestyle fashion brand founded by fashion designer Esmée-E from Knutsford, partners with a sustainable organic farming community in the Egyptian Desert enabling her to use premium 100 per cent Egyptian chemical free sustainable GOTS certified cotton fabrics in her designs. Esmée-E's interest in fashion was planted at an early age, learning from her grandmother who lived in Knutsford. Having trained in Fashion at Central St. Martins, her design pedigree was nurtured at Kenzo, Moschino and Replay. Her new Yachtlife collection was launched at Milan Fashion Week in September and has been developed for the ultimate sea and boating holiday inspired by island hopping in the Mediterranean and Aegean, featuring some perfect pieces if you're honeymooning in sunnier climes.

Propress launches the MINI Clothes Steamer - perfecting for wedding dresses!

Professional and long-established British fabric steamer manufacturer, Propress, has unveiled the Propress MINI Handheld Clothes Steamer. A revolutionary product that combines over 40 years of steaming expertise with cutting-edge technology, the MINI allows users to say goodbye to the days of wrestling with an ironing board and hello to the future of garment care with beautifully crease-free clothes, whether at home, in the office, or on-the-go.

The Propress Mini Handheld Clothes Steamer (£110) is available in Arctic Grey, Idol Blue or Vintage Pink from the Propress website. It heats up in under a minute offering the convenience of crease-free clothes with a simple touch of a button. Its efficiency and ease of use make it a must-have for every fashion-savvy individual, plus it is versatile enough to treat various home fabrics from curtains to bedding, and is ideal for weddings or even hoteliers.

Win your North Wales wedding with The Gilchrist Collection

The Gilchrist Collection, which includes North Wales lovelies Plas Maenan and Highfield Hall, has announced its biggest and best giveaway yet offering you the chance to win your wedding! The incredible prize is a complimentary wedding package at any one of its exclusive-use properties for 40 day guests and 100 evening guests on a Sunday through to Thursday. This includes canapés, champagne, a three-course meal, wine, evening buffet and much more. The competition is open to residents of the UK who are aged 18 and over, and legally eligible to enter into a marriage or civil partnership. To enter visit the website of your chosen participating venue (www.plasmaenan.co.uk/win-a-wedding or https://highfield-hall.co.uk/win-a-wedding) and fill out the form, details can also be found on their social media.

Winter wedding inspiration from leading wedding planner

Matthew Shaw, founder & creative director at sauveur. shares his winter wedding inspiration for those looking to tie the knot at this time of year. Winter weddings have grown hugely in popularity. The festive season can be a truly magical time of year to host a wedding and stand out from the crowd but it does bring its own set of considerations for the planning. Whilst the key areas of your wedding planning will be the same as a wedding in any other month, there are a few different elements to consider to create an incredible winter wedding celebration.

How to kick-start your wedding planning

Samantha Gilchrist, Co-Founder and CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, shares her top tips on how to kick-start your wedding plans, taking away any unnecessary stress and disappointment in preparation for that special day. Set a Date - possibly the most important aspect of planning as getting this date in the diary will allow you to move forward with your plans. When choosing a date, it's worth carrying out a simple checklist to help you nail that day down such as: Think if there is a time of year you both always wanted to get married in? A season you both love or a month that is special to you is a great starting point.

5 unique winter wedding trends for 2023

From décor inspired by the season's natural beauty to creative ways to keep your guests warm, wedding supply experts Aura Print have searched TikTok to bring you the top five quirky winter wedding trends for 2023.While traditional wedding fayre often includes champagne toasts and wine, a hot chocolate bar offers a warm, decadent, and customisable alternative for the colder months. As the evening progresses and temperatures drop, guests can enjoy a sweet treat to keep them going on the dance floor. For younger guests or for those who don't drink alcohol, a hot chocolate bar also provides a great non-alcoholic option. With over 112.7 million TikTok hashtag views, the hot chocolate wedding bar trend is set to take the winter wedding season by storm!

A more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings

Reports suggest that 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic was used up and left behind at British weddings last year, with this in mind, 77 Diamonds has released a planning guide to promote a more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings. Individually, one wedding can produce as much as 20kg of plastic waste. What's more, the black bags used to collect the rubbish are themselves potentially harmful. They can take as many as 90 years to break down under the ground. But it's not just plastic which has an impact. Food wastage is also a common theme for most weddings.

Find County Wedding Magazines on YouTube

We're never satisfied when it comes to providing our readers with enough wedspiration, which is why we've created our very own County Wedding Magazine YouTube channel! You'll find tons of big-day ideas, from venue tours to dream dresses, then take a peek behind the scenes of styled shoots featured in our titles past and present. We're adding more content all the time, so why not hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a thing? Simply head to YouTube and search for 'County Wedding Magazines' now

Introducing the lavish Bath Butler Service at Cottons Hotel & Spa, Knutsford

Daniel Thwaites Spa Group is delighted to introduce its lavish Bath Butler Service, which will be available at Cottons Hotel & Spa in Knutsford. This indulgent offering promises an unforgettable experience, bringing together Daniel Thwaites' gold-standard in customer service with a carefully curated menu of TempleSpa treats. This British spa brand, celebrated for its luxurious and aromatherapy-inspired formulations, will transform an ordinary bath into an extraordinary escape. It's more than just a bath; it's a moment of pure indulgence! The Bath Butler menu features a choice of three restorative experiences filled with luxurious TempleSpa products to offer you a time of restful slumber of sheer serenity, all at different price points: A Silent Night (£25), All Being Well (£26) and Do Not Disturb (£50).

Black Friday offer for The Liverpool Wedding Show

To celebrate Black Friday, nearlyweds-to-be can get a mega 25% off general tickets from Friday until Sunday for The Liverpool Wedding Show on 10th and 11th of February 2024. Taking place at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, The Liverpool Wedding Show is set to be The Wedding Show's biggest show to date, with more than 70 super talented suppliers and businesses, catwalk shows, demos, live music and so much more. From wedding venues to transport, cakes to invitations, photographers to jewellery, and everything in between... its huge range of wedding suppliers are eager to meet you, hear all about your special day and show their talents off!

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.

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.

Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa Black Friday wedding package

Planning your dream wedding day in 2024? Take advantage of Grosvenor Pulfford Hotel & Spa's Black Friday wedding deal and make your occasion even sweeter with a fantastic limited-time Black Friday saving! For just £5999, our Black Friday wedding package for selected dates in 2024 includes: A drinks package and 3-course wedding breakfast for 60 guests, Evening reception with buffet for 100 guests, Red carpet arrival for bride and groom, Master of Ceremonies, Complimentary civil ceremony room hire (usually £595), Chiavari chairs and organza bows in your choice of colour, Table mirrors and decorative centerpieces, Complimentary light-up "love" letters (usually £110)

The Barn at The Manor Black Friday wedding packages

If you're looking for a deal this Black Friday, check out the amazing offers from The Barn at The Manor! Black Friday Silver Wedding Package | £5999* (usually £7200) Included in your Silver Wedding Package: Food & Drink package including wedding breakfast and evening buffet (see complete details below) Dedicated Events Manager to act as your Wedding Co-ordinator, Master of Ceremonies, Personalised Table Plans & Menus, Napkins and table linen, Cake Base & Knife, Top table & cake table organza swags, Decorative table centerpieces and round table mirrors, Resident DJ. *Based on 50 Day Guests and 80 Evening Guests (packages can be catered to your exact number of guests: additional charges apply for added guests).

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.