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

Summer spa escapes at Manor House Hotel, Alsager

Independent, family-owned hotel in Alsager in the heart of East Cheshire, Manor House Hotel, is celebrating its new spa's first summer season. The English Country Garden-inspired retreat opened at the end of 2022 and has fast become a must-visit wellness destination, buzzing with facilities such as the large hydrotherapy pool, potting shed sauna, ice plunge bath, and its crowing jewel, the UK's first swim up bar. To mark the occasion the Hotel has launched a sizzling menu of limited-edition summer spa packages.

UK wedding guests set to spend £16.6bn in 2023

As summer approaches and wedding season hits full swing, new research from American Express has found that UK wedding guests are set to increase their spend attending weddings by 18% this year, compared to 2022. The average wedding guest is expecting to spend £1,045 on average per wedding this year, equating to £16.6 billion across the UK. In 2022, wedding goers spent an average of £883 to mark the first year of restriction-free ceremonies, totalling £15.6 billion as a population.

On trend flower arrangements for summer 2023

With Summer here at last, it's time to elevate our flower arrangements in align with all the 2023 trends. Much like the fashion designs we follow year upon year, the world of florals is equally monitored for on-trend flowers and colours of the seasons. Bloomsbury Flowers are here with all the top tips on keeping your flower arrangements on trend for 2023. The luxury and longstanding florist (based in Covent Garden) has served some of London & the UK's most stylish venues and beyond with their individual designs and scents. With their reputation for premium and bespoke flower arrangements, they certainly know what they're talking about when it comes to flower trends.

New Etsy Registry launches for weddings

Etsy has launched its Etsy Registry, a new wedding gifting experience that allows couples to register for truly meaningful gifts. In addition to handmade and vintage gifts, couples can register for personalised items and specify the exact customisation for their guests, making Etsy the place people can go for gifts, decor, and even bridal party items – all while supporting UK small businesses.

Tips for making the perfect wedding gift hamper

Struggling to find the perfect gift for the couple who has everything this wedding season? Hampers are one of the best wedding gifts for newlyweds because of their practicality, variety, versatility and thoughtfulness. As well as being the perfect personalised and affordable gift that can be done on any budget. Cartwright & Butler's hamper and recipe developer, Karolina Glowacka, has given 8 tips on building the ultimate wedding gift hamper for the newlywed couple to continue to enjoy even months after their big day.

Moments Frame from Inkifi, the ultimate wedding gift

The Moments Frame from inkifi is a stylish way to display treasured memories at home, suiting both contemporary and traditional interiors schemes. A 52 aperture premium framed print to showcase the most special moments at home. Perfect for savouring a memory for each week of the year or for celebrating landmark moments like a wedding, a child's first year or photos from treasured holidays.

It's your time to shine with Say It With Diamonds in Liverpool

Say It With Diamonds, the award-winning, affordable luxury jewellery brand, has launched exclusive packages that include wedding band for both brides and grooms. Having been a popular brand for brides since it was established in 2016, Say It With Diamonds has continued to broaden its bridal jewellery collection, offering classic necklaces and bracelets, perfect timeless pieces for your big day. The brand, which has a flagship store in Liverpool's Metquarter, as well as being available online, has also been the go-to for maid-of-honour, bridesmaid, flowergirl, mother-of-the-bride and mother-in-law gifts.

Demand for dry weddings increases

Whether it's teetotallers, the 'sober curious' or simply those wishing to cut back on the amount of alcohol they consume, dry weddings are an emerging growth market according to one leading events planner who has seen a 28% increase in requests for completely alcohol-free weddings, and a notable focus on alcohol free drinks in weddings that aren't forgoing it altogether. Liz Taylor, CEO of leading wedding and events management company, the Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), has been at the forefront of the wedding industry for over thirty-five years and has never seen such demand for no or low alcohol weddings, with requests rising nearly a third in the last two years.

Top trending wedding readings #WeddingTok #PoetryTok

With wedding season upon us, and many people looking for reading inspiration, the experts at Poem Analysis have found the top trending (and least cheesy) wedding readings on TikTok! There are 140.4 million views for the search 'best wedding readings' so you're not the only one if you're struggling with the right words to say on your big day! What's more, there's been 2.6 billion views and counting on #PoetryTok and #WeddingTok has 7.4 billion views and rising with advice for every element of your big day, and 140.4 million of those views are for the search 'best wedding readings'.

Top up your tan at the Wirral's first Indigo Sun

The UK's largest sunbed chain, Indigo Sun, has noticed the increasing demand for healthy tanning in Merseyside and opened its seventh outlet in the region and first in the Wirral. Part of the recently launched retail development on Woodchurch Road in Birkenhead, the new high-tech facility benefits from a £350,000 investment and is the second salon to open following the brand's refresh.

8 actionable tips for a more sustainable wedding

Weddings cause a surprising amount of waste and CO2 emissions. And, as more and more people consider the effect, many couples are starting to plan greener weddings. Lucille, jewellery expert at ethical jewellery brand Sacet shares eight actionable tips for a more sustainable wedding...Use conflict-free rings and jewellery - consider the ethics of your wedding rings and any other jewellery you may wear on the day. Diamond mining has a devastating impact on the environment and communities. So, choosing conflict-free, lab-grown diamonds, particularly diamonds created using Chemical Vapour Deposition or CVD - a method which requires lower temperatures than the first successful High Pressure, High-Temperature process, which requires a great deal of energy, and recycled metals is the way forward, particularly when it comes to the star of the show, your engagement ring.

Love and gin - matchmade in wedding heaven!

Tied the Knot Wedding Gin by Manchester Gin was crafted by founders Seb and Jen to celebrate their own wedding in 2022. Relaunching in time for wedding season as part of the distillery's core range, Tied the Knot contains 11 botanicals in perfect harmony. Juniper-forward, like most of the Manchester Gin range, this very special edition also celebrates the delicate summer flavours of elderflower and hibiscus, which work beautifully with bright lemon and grapefruit.

It's World Gin Day (10th June) celebrate with seven gin cocktails

World Gin Day on the 10th June is a celebration of all things gin. Here's a selection of amazing gin cocktails originating from different countries for you today and for your hen/stag/sten do and wedding day - well why not on the honeymoon too! There's lots you'll be celebrating! Happy World Gin Day! Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin Negroni create at home: 30ml Aviation American Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth. Stir all ingredients in a glass, add ice and a fresh twist of orange peel

Macmillan Cancer Support launches letter-box gifting service

GoodPost, is the new online gifting service from Macmillan Cancer Support that allows customers to shop personalised greeting cards, letter box gifts, hampers and more which can be sent straight to a loved one's door at the click of a button. It's really convenient and with every purchase, all proceeds go straight to the charity. As part of the new service, buyers can pick from a new range of exclusive gifts and cards.

Wedding Gifting with Le Creuset

As we head towards wedding season, here's a selection of suggested gifts from Le Creuset. From the staple Cast Iron Casseroles to Stoneware Mugs and sophisticated Red Wine Glasses Le Creuset has the perfect gift for every newlywed couple. What's more, with varying price points, the ranges are also budget-friendly for guests. The extensive product options come in a wide range of colours making for a personal and thoughtful present.

Beat the Cost of Living Crisis with The Wedding Wellness Woman

With the cost of living crisis in full swing, we had a chat with local wedding consultant Jennifer Walker, The Wedding Wellness Woman, for her thoughts on how this might affect you as you plan your wedding. "A wedding day will be one of the biggest expenditures of a couple's life," Jennifer says. "With the financial crisis well and truly here, those wanting to wed are having to be extra careful with how they spend their pennies. But if the last few years have taught us anything, it's that life's too short to compromise." Read on as she tells us more...

Luxury pre-wedding get together - the British Grand Prix

Be closer to the action while enjoying more access, more entertainment and more style than ever before with MATCH Hospitality's FORMULA 1® official hospitality offering. MATCH Hospitality offers an incomparable combination of first-class facilities, unrivalled viewing and seamless service worthy of this breathtaking sport. For the first time, Hilton Garden Inn (the world's first Grand Prix start/finish line hotel – owned by Bricks Group) Silverstone is offering an exclusive hospitality package designed with flexible group sizes in mind, including unforgettable views of the track accompanied by incredible hospitality.

Wed-cations are the wedding trend for 2023

While multi-day wedding celebrations are completely common in many cultures, it's something western couples are only just starting to consider. However, the addition of events extending beyond the ceremony and reception is something that Jess Martin, wedding planning expert at Ginger Ray expects to see more of here in the UK, as the Wed-cation is revealed to be a key trend for the wedding industry.

Outdoor theatre at Walton is back for the summer

The incredibly popular Heartbreak Productions are back at Walton with three more fabulous outdoor plays this summer. This year, they'll be bringing us another fantastic David Walliams play, a Jane Austen summer romance and a brand new twist on some Shakespeare classics! MacHamLear. Friday 9 June The first of the productions, MacHamLear, is a farcical piece of new writing from award-winning playwright Michael Davies. You are invited to take part in a unique experiment that will answer the question keeping literary scholars up at night... which play is the best the Bard has to offer? Help us to decide by being part of an exciting, new theatre competition Will of the People.

Award-winning musician Simon Levi has launched a new wedding service

Manchester-based Simon Levi is one of the most in-demand saxophonists in the country. This year, Simon has gigged and shared stages with the likes of DJ FAT Tony, Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, DJ JustMaybe (Defected Records), Nick Hussey (Defected Records) plus Damon Hess (O Beach/Sin Ibiza) and Sweet Female Attitude (Flowers).

Simon has an exceptional musical background and a wealth of experience. He can play anything from house and jazz to funk and soul, with something to please all of your wedding guests and keep the dancefloor packed all night.