Your Yorkshire Wedding news and ideas from around the county

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.

Getting married? Alcohol-free menu is the new must-have

Samantha Gilchrist, CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults to find out their wedding drinking habits. The study comes as the collection launches its new alcohol-free drinks menu, created in partnership with First Dates star bartender, Merlin Griffiths. The survey revealed that almost half (47%) of those who had attended a wedding in the last five years didn't drink alcohol during at least one of the events they had been to. Sober guests said they were often left feeling uncomfortable at weddings sipping an un-festive soft drink, as 35% of respondents said they are questioned on why they aren't having alcohol. Sadly, a quarter admitted to drinking alcohol at a wedding just to avoid awkward questions or having to share personal or medical information as an excuse.

Relaxing festivities at The Coniston

This festive season, holiday-makers escaping frantic city life, or indeed wedding planning, will be welcome to indulge in the ultimate Christmas getaway at The Coniston Hotel. Situated in the heart of the picturesque Yorkshire Dales, The Coniston Hotel is the perfect setting for an unforgettable Christmas celebration. The hotel has announced a new Relax & Retreat Christmas Residential three-night break promising a tranquil and magical experience for guests with their loved ones. It includes cosy accommodation, a sparkling afternoon tea, a three-course gourmet dining experience, festive activities and access to the multi award winning Nàdarra spa (finalist in the 'Best Destination Spa', Good Spa Guide Awards 2023). Relax & Retreat Christmas Residential 3-Night Break starting from £749.00 per person. Find out more at www.theconistonhotel.com

3 things no one tells you when it comes to setting your wedding budget

2024 is set to be a bumper year for weddings. In addition to the usual 275,000 or so which take place in the UK each year, the big day is finally coming around for a lot of couples who had to postpone because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the cost of living crisis is squeezing all those couple's budgets tighter than ever so we've asked Isabel Smith, wedding industry veteran, to offer her advice on setting (and sticking to!) that spreadsheet. Today, Isabel let's us in on the things no-one ever tells you when you're setting your wedding budget...

The Top 10 Instagrammable Spas in the UK

With National Spa Week taking place between the 4th and 10th of November this year, it is time to book your favourite location to totally relax! Whether with the girls, in a couple, or even on your own, treating yourself to a weekend away at a spa can revive you. Maddie, Senior Marketing Exec at Pink Boutique, says: "Reset the everyday stress with a weekend away at a luxurious spa and hotel. From acres of woodland setting the picture-perfect backdrop to dipping into a pool worthy of Aphrodite, you deserve to look as good as you feel, and with these spas, there's no doubt your followers will be that little bit jealous."

Spellbinding tips for a Halloween wedding

Halloween comes with a spooky aesthetic that captures the attention of many nearlyweds. However, how do you make sure your autumnal big day is more Wednesday Adams than horror show? There's no need to rely on terrorising tacky touches to add ghostly charm to your wedding, there are plenty of ways to ensure a hauntingly beautiful experience no one will forget. In order to avoid a scream-worthy error when decorating your wedding, Samantha Gilchrist, former wedding photographer turned founder and CEO of The Gilchrist Collection, gives her expert advice gathered from more than 15 years in the wedding industry.

5 engagement ring trends for 2024

With the festive season being the most popular time of year that couples choose to pop the question, it's no surprise that internet searches for 'engagement ring' have been steadily increasing the last six months as we head towards the new year. Luxury diamond jewellers, Diamonds Factory, have used Pinterest Trends data from the last six months (4th April 23' - 26th September 23') to find out which engagement ring styles are set to be big in 2024...

The secrets to a happy relationship

Researchers surveyed 2,000 British couples who have been together for ten years or longer, and it revealed a host of secrets to a happy, long-term relationship, according to those who have achieved it - including having no secrets (43 percent), a similar sense of humour (41 percent), never going to sleep on an argument (31 percent) and regular sex (32 percent.) Over a quarter (26 percent) of the long-term couples polled, said a 50/50 division of household labour was essential to keeping things amicable. Being able to laugh at each other (42 percent), not trying to change each other (36 percent) and having an open phone policy (10 percent) all featured in the list. Almost half (44 percent) of the British couples surveyed, claim they are very happy in their relationship, while a further 29 percent said they were generally happy.

The top autumn and winter wedding trends for 2023

An expert has forecast the wedding trends we can expect to see in the remainder of 2023. Wedding-goers in autumn and winter can expect to see a large emphasis on sustainability, DIY and an ode to all things vintage, according to Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online. She commented: "Wedding trends change seasonally, so it's crucial wedding hosts stay ahead of the curve. Efficient spending, sustainability and a vintage feel are key focuses this season, and rightly so. Wedding hosts no longer have to feel obliged to over-indulge in their big day and can instead, save money."

East Yorkshire’s wedding venue unveils new accomodation

East Yorkshire's Oaklands wedding venue has just unveiled its brand new on-site accommodation. From October 2023, Oaklands wedding couples will benefit from 14 new luxury lodges, built within the woodland; exclusively available for you and your guests to book. Each lodge is stylishly furnished to a high standard and comes equipped with flat screen TV and dressing area. Choose from nine double lodges, four family lodges and one incredible honeymoon lodge.

Sentimental wedding bands with Atelier VM

Fine Italian jewellery maker Atelier VM has just launched its beautiful new Impronta wedding bands, whereby brides and grooms can customise their special ring with their loved one's fingerprint. Each 18K ring is a unique piece made using the lost wax casting technique, of multiple finger prints layered, to create a beautifully personalised ring that makes a marriage of everlasting love extra special.

Carlton Towers’ new wedding package

Want to wed within six months? Consider Carlton Towers' new two-night Enchanted Evenings Wedding Package. Aimed at smaller affairs, it includes overnight accommodation for two nights in the stately home's Baroness Tower, plus seven double bedrooms for guests. A home-cooked breakfast is offered on both days, and the night before the wedding 16 guests can enjoy a two-course Champagne supper. But that's not all – on the big day, a three-course wedding breakfast, plus evening buffet reception (both based on 30 guests), with sparkling Prosecco toast, is included. You even have exclusive access to the state rooms in the main house, the sweeping lawns, staircase and gardens for those all-important photos.

The therapeutic power of music on Mental Health Awareness Day

The issue of mental health has never been more important, three in five people in the UK suffer from some form of anxiety, but almost half of those people keep it a secret as they worry about being judged by others. And around one in six of the British population also suffers from moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Those shocking statistics show that the issue is still not spoken about enough, which means that sufferers feel excluded. But music can make a big difference! Making or playing music has been proven to deliver many mental health benefits.

UK's 15 most Instagrammed venues to get hitched

As UK searches for "wedding venues" skyrocketed by 110%* over the past months, the wedding experts at Aura Print scoured social media for the most popular autumn/winter wedding venues nationwide, and tallied Instagram hashtag numbers to reveal which venue stands out as the most memorable for weddings this season. Top 15 most Instagrammed wedding venues for autumn/winter 2023 to be inspired by...

Save money on wedding party gifts

With more and more couples choosing to thank their bridesmaids and groomsman with presents, Anita Naik, savings expert at the UK's most trusted savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to save money on your wedding party gifts, without sparing the sentiment: Spend within your budget: Set a budget and stick to it. Often people can go down a rabbit hole when browsing for gifts, looking at items that are way over budget. It's important to set yourself a strict budget and spend an amount that you're comfortable with.

Wakefield’s En Route Hair and Beauty award win

Looking for more sustainable wedding options? Don't forget about your hair and beauty, with Wakefield's En Route Hair and Beauty scooping Sustainable Salon of the Year at the British Hairdressing Business Awards 2023. En Route was one of the first salons to join The Green Salon Collective, which reduces the amount of salon waste going to landfill. Recycling as much as possible, it includes chemicals, contaminated foils, colour tubes and all seven types of plastic. The salon's also switched to renewable energy and changed all lighting to LED; features shower heads that reduce water consumption; uses recyclable and biodegradable towels and even works with local allotments to compost hair cuttings.

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.

Wensleydale Creamery's new range

Cheese lovers rejoice – cakes are no longer just for those with a sweet tooth, with the Wensleydale Creamery now offering a range of celebration cheese cakes. Made from a specially-selected range of Wensleydale Creamery's cheeses, the new cakes create a centrepiece as delicious as they are spectacular, making them the perfect addition to your wedding. Created using some of the finest ingredients in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, the cakes can also be interchanged to suit your specific tastes. Available in two sizes, they cater for between 50-100 guests.

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.