Editor loves and inspiration

Flowers and weddings have gone hand in hand since the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians carried posies of fragrant herbs and wore floral garlands at their nuptials to ward off back luck as well as to symbolise new beginnings, fidelity and fertility. Today, it's difficult to imagine a wedding without them. Since those early days, they've become a staple of wedding styling, bringing themes and palettes together and creating an atmosphere of joy and romance. If your own big-day blooms have now reached the top of your to-do list, dive in, as we've asked the county's florists some of the most pressing questions at the forefront of our minds. So, don't finalise your flowers until you've read our annual flower feature in the current issue of Your Yorkshire Wedding! It's free to download at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download

Image courtesy of The Little Flower Hut

Kate was the wellbeing lead and Emma was head of year at the same school. During Kate’s first staff briefing Emma read out a notice and as soon as she heard her voice the world stopped turning for her. “I fell in love instantly,” Kate remembers. For various reasons, they couldn’t be together, but instead became best friends. “I kept my feelings hidden for a couple of years,” Kate remembers. “I eventually declared my love to her though, and happily she felt the same.”  

Emma proposed to Kate in Kensington Gardens on New Year’s Eve. “I knew it was coming at some point because we’d had engagement rings made out of my great grandma’s engagement ring, which we designed together,” Kate explains. It was a rainy day, so the gardens were deserted. Emma had both rings with her, so once she’d got down on one knee and asked Kate to be her wife, Kate then got done on one knee to ask the same.  

Although the couple live in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, Kate is a Yorkshire lass born and bred and still has family there. Emma fell in love with the area as soon as she visited with Kate, so they both knew where the wedding would take place. “I love the spectacular, rugged views, so I knew Holmfirth Vineyard would be perfect,” Kate shares.  

Join us as Kate tells us the story of their romantic W-day, 31st December 2023. Download the current issue of Your Yorkshire Wedding to find it, at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download

Alice and Josh met during their first year of university. “We became really close friends and eventually it blossomed into something more,” Alice says. We fast forward to 2022, by which point the couple had been together for nine years. They gone out to celebrate this milestone anniversary in York. Unbeknownst to Alice, Josh had enlisted the help of her mum to decorate their living room with balloons and banners while they were out, and when they arrived home, the Champagne was waiting. Josh dropped to one knee and proposed with this late grandma's ring. “It was the perfect end to the night, and the rest is history,” Alice says.

Find out about their big day in the current issue of Your Yorkshire Wedding, free to download at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download

We think it'll be love at first sight when you see the beautiful oak-framed Grand Hall at Sandburn Hall along with its arched window with stunning views over the golf course and lakes. The setting is delightful, the hall is gorgeous, the food is delicious... what more could we ask for?

For more on Sandburn Hall and further York and Harrogate venues, check out the latest issue, free to download at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download

While Katie and Corey worked together as teachers at the same school, they only really got to know each other while on a residential visit to Whirlow Hall Farm Trust. Together they took a group of 12 primary school children to learn about farming and the countryside. “It's often the first time these children have stayed away from home, so we get them involved in the cooking but Corey and I were left with the washing up!” Kate tells us. And that's where it all began.

Their love blossomed over time and Corey surprised Kate by proposing at More Hall Reservoir. To celebrate, they'd planned to head over to The Barn Cafe at Whirlow, where they first bonded during that memorable trip, but alas it wasn't to be. The diamond from the engagement ring had decided to go walkabout and although they searched high and low, sadly didn't manage to find it. “It wasn't the proposal either of us imagined... although we can see the funny side of it now and enjoy having a story to tell,” Kate laughs.

You can discover the story of their big day in the Mar/Apr24 issue of Your Yorkshire Wedding, free to download at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download

Image courtes of Katie Byram Photography and Hannah Brooke Photography

Love Cheese is a specialist cheesemonger based in York offering a variety of cheeses from the UK and Europe. Rather than offering set options, a Love Cheese wedding cake is bespoke to your tastes and budget. The team offer an in-person cheese tasting, which involves eating lots of cheese while exploring the different shapes and sizes to create your perfect cake.

For more catering ideas, meet the suppliers in our current issue, free to download at www.youryorkshire.wedding/free-download