Your Yorkshire Wedding news and ideas from around the county

Titanic Spa tests the waters with underwater meditation

Titanic Spa, the UK's first eco-spa has elevated the practice of meditation with the introduction of 'Underwater Meditation' sessions. These sessions, which will happen twice daily, immerse guests in a unique experience by playing carefully selected calming tracks through the water of its self-regulated swimming pool. One of the first wellness experiences of its kind, Titanic Spa's clever underwater speakers will play deep, restorative sounds that can only be heard beneath the water's surface. Unlike conventional meditation settings confined to yoga studios or cosy rooms, Titanic Spa's underwater meditation experience takes the art of meditation to new heights.

Spring Bank Holiday weekend is set to host second highest number of weddings for 2024

The team at hampers.com, who strive to bring joy and wholehearted togetherness through gifting, recently undertook a study to determine the most popular dates for weddings in 2024, surveying almost 2,300 UK adults who were set to get married this year. When asked what date they were getting married on, the most popular dates were found to be were these here...

Need a helping hand with your groom's speech? Check out these top tips from Speechy

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches'. My groom isn't naturally romantic. How can I help him with his speech without actually writing it for him? Well, no one will be expecting him to be reciting sonnets and he doesn't need to have a personality transplant, but it would be nice if he managed to deliver at least a few suitably sweet lines in his speech! Send him a few good blog posts (including this one) and encourage him to get the advice & feedback from his friends (ideally, married ones who have been through the speechwriting process before).

Indulge in Vera Wang x Chopin vodka this wedding season

With the 2024 wedding season fast approaching, brides and grooms-to-be are looking for ways to impart luxury to their special day. From elevating their drink offering with expertly crafted cocktails to creating a sophisticated monochrome look, the Vera Wang x Chopin vodka has all the assets to make one's celebration stylish and memorable. Vera Wang x Chopin vodka comes from a unique partnership blending the refined style of iconic fashion designer Vera Wang with the unparalleled craftsmanship of Chopin.

The UK’s top stately homes for Bridgerton-themed weddings

A recent study has revealed the UK's highest-rated stately homes for Bridgerton-themed weddings, with Pembroke Lodge, Surrey named the best. The research, conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards, analysed user-generated review data from a popular wedding planning site to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated stately homes by creating an overall rating score. The study has revealed that Pembroke Lodge is the nation's most highly rated stately home. Located in Surrey, the grand wedding venue has over 1,100 five-star ratings and an overall perfect score of 10 out of 10.

A world of wellbeing awaits at Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa

Thwaites Spa Group is thrilled to announce that all six of its hotel spas, which in Yorkshire includes Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, have been recognised with the prestigious AA Recommendation. As a rising star in the wellness industry, the Group is redefining the landscape of wellness experiences across the UK with a collection of spas that seamlessly blend tranquillity and affordability. Each location is carefully designed, featuring saunas, steam rooms, and beautiful pools, allowing you to immerse yourself in a world of relaxation and wellbeing. Each spa boasts an array of services, including indulgent TEMPLESPA massages and rejuvenating Caudalie facials, all delivered by highly trained spa therapists.

New research reveals biggest wedding trends of 2024, and some will surprise you

The wedding themes of 2024? Expect them to be smaller and more intimate, more informal and just generally more fun! That's according to a new study which was commissioned by high street jewellers, F.Hinds. They asked 2,000 UK couples for their thoughts on which wedding traditions are still important (and which aren't), and what new trends will be incorporated into wedding day plans for 2024. They also spoke to a wedding expert for her views. Their research revealed that the 'big day' traditions that remain in favour include the bride walking walked down the aisle (53%), having wedding rings (52%), cutting the cake (49%), having a best man (44%), and the bride being given away by a family member (43%).

Cinderella's in Skipton celebrates its 25th anniversary

The team at Cinderella's is celebrating the boutique's 25th anniversary with a nomination for a Great Northern Wedding Award 2024! Back in 1999 when the millennium bug was set to cause total chaos with every computer in the land, Mandy started a small business called Stitches. Just over a year later she expanded and Cinderella's was born in the historical market town of Skipton. In the intervening 25 years, the business has witnessed political crises, recessions and a pandemic; during that time the country has also seen seven prime ministers come and go! The boutique has been based in three different locations all within Skipton town, each providing its own unique character.

Having a multicultural wedding? Make sure everyone is include with these tips from Speechy

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, Founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. My groom's family is Italian and some of them don't speak any English. How do we ensure they feel included during the speeches? This is becoming an issue for more and more couples as relationships become increasingly international. Bringing two cultures together at a wedding can be wonderful but it's not without its challenges, the prime example being the speeches.

Top tips on moving in together for the first time

Making the big decision to move in together can be an exciting, yet daunting time! Whether you've been living apart due to distance, financial constraints or other circumstances, deciding to take the next step in your relationship can help strengthen your bond and progress it further. Whilst being around each other 24/7 has its benefits, it's important not to overlook the potential issues that could arise as a result. Property experts at Essential Living have teamed up with Dr Becky Spelman, Psychologist and Founder at Private Therapy Clinic to reveal some of the issues the couples might experience and her top tips on what to keep in mind before taking the big step.

Bolton Castle wins Best Historical Visitor Attraction

Bolton Castle, one of the country's best preserved medieval castles and spectacular wedding venue, located near Leyburn in North Yorkshire, has won Best Historical Visitor Attraction at the Northern Enterprise Awards 2023. The venue won thanks to its commitment to offering excellence in visitor service, the provision of a compelling events programme throughout its open season, and its success in securing additional opportunities to build an income by offering the castle as a private event and wedding venue. Jacqui Naylor, GM at the castle says, "We're aware that we're a hidden gem in the North Yorkshire countryside and compared to some of Yorkshire's larger visitor attractions, we need to work hard to ensure our visitor offer meets the challenge of the 21st-century market.

Wedding menu guide from Papier

A wedding day is an unparalleled occasion, filled with unforgettable moments and cherished memories. Best-selling British stationery brand Papier understand the importance of every detail on this special day, especially when it comes to creating a memorable dining experience for the happy couple and their guests. Food is a huge part of your wedding day. Whether it's a meal guests have chosen or a set menu, informing your loved ones about what's ahead gets them excited to sit down and tuck in

Bigger and better Beaverbrooks Leeds

Family-owned national diamond, jewellery and watch retailer Beaverbrooks has made a significant investment in the refurbishment of its Leeds store, along with the expansion of its adjoining luxury watch boutique. Following investment of £1.5 million, the retailer recently unveiled its refitted city centre store, located on Commercial Street, in addition to its expanded TAG Heuer boutique, which is now almost double its previous size. This will provide shoppers across Leeds and Yorkshire with access to an impressive selection of TAG Heuer's most anticipated launches and heritage pieces.

Worried about your dad's wedding speech? Here's some top advice from Speechy

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. At Speechy, we believe that all great speeches have good story-telling at the heart of them. So instead of hunting down one-liners, encourage your dad to simply tell his favourite stories. Remind him that he can call on your mum or siblings for help with content and constructive feedback, and send him links to lots of various speech examples to get his brain thinking.

Vine Hotels launch holistic celebrant wedding service

Sheffield-based Vine Hotels has united with Nicky Oates, a South Yorkshire holistic celebrant, to offer exclusive humanist and non-denominational services for wedding events taking place at four of its local venues. The Mosborough Hall Hotel, Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa, The Old Rectory and Whirlow Brook Hall are working with Nicky to offer clients the new option of a holistic celebrant - someone to create and host a uniquely personal wedding day or engagement party service. The venues are reacting to a growing demand for non-religious services in the region and aim to give customers more autonomy over how to mark their special day.

The best place in the UK for a springtime wedding

A new study has revealed the areas in the UK with the best vendors and venues for spring wedding ceremonies, with Essex being crowned top for both. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analyzed data from a popular wedding planning site, to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated vendors and venues, including vineyards, cake companies, and stationery brands. Most brides and grooms will agree that planning a wedding is stressful, as trying to pull off an event that feels unique to the couple while managing expectations, budget, and family can be difficult at times. Thankfully, beautiful venues exist to help make the whole process easier.

5-star hotel wedding coordinator shares tips for venue searching

Choosing a venue is one of the most important decisions of the wedding planning process and to help newly engaged couples Daisy Fothergill, wedding coordinator at the five-star hotel and Yorkshire wedding venue The Grand, York, shares her top tips for venue searching. Start with a list of non-negotiables. With so many things to consider when searching for a venue, a great place to start is by creating a list of non-negotiables to help narrow down your options; things that are essential for your venue to accommodate your dream wedding day. Daisy recommends, "It's best to have a cost figure in mind when researching venues, to help you avoid viewing and having your heart set on any that are over-budget.

Does your mum need help with her wedding speech? Read these tips from Speechy

The Speech Surgery with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. Firstly, reassure your mum that we work with lots of mothers (both of the bride, and increasingly, the groom's) so it's no longer unusual to see a mum on the mic. Whether your mum is standing in for your father, speaking in addition to him or your dad isn't part of the picture, we generally find mothers have a lot to say! In terms of getting your mum excited at the prospect of delivering a speech, rather than dreading it, send her a few blog posts to show her how simple writing her speech can be.

Your ultimate hen do survival guide by SilkFred

With April being the most popular month for hen do's, and online fashion destination SilkFred finding that 625 people will be attending at least one hen do this 'hen do season' (with 93 of respondents attending 3+ hen do's)*, we've sat down with Georgie Mitchell, Wedding Planner, Coordinator and Wedding Expert at Silkfred and Head Stylist Megan Watkins, who have shared their ultimate 'Hen Do Survival Hacks' to manage everything from budgets and schedules to styling tips and mastering the art of saying "no".

Five myths about Champagne

For centuries, great occasions in life have been punctuated with Champagne. However, there are several myths surrounding the drinking, storing and essence of Champagne. As a result, the Champagne Bureau UK* wanted to bust those myths to separate fact from fiction and demonstrate how best to enjoy the pinnacle of sparkling wine, as well as ensure that you aren't fooled by some of the most common Champagne myths. Myth: Pop the cork and spray Champagne in times of celebrations. The blunt pop of the cork and the fizz of the fine bubbles – instantly reminiscent of celebration – is a sparkling start to any special occasion.