Your Yorkshire Wedding news and ideas from around the county

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.

Don't miss the Coniston Country Estate wedding showcase this April

Taking place on Sunday 21 April 2024, 12pm - 4pm the wedding showcase at The Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa is the perfect opportunity to pop along and meet the team, soak up the spectacular setting and see the beautiful venue dressed for the big occasion! With acres of grounds for picture perfect moments, a majestical lake and even a historical church; weddings at The Coniston Hotel Country Estate & Spa are something truly special. Our enchanting event spaces can accommodate your guest list, whatever the size; a 17th-century barn for small and intimate, light, modern and contemporary space for larger gatherings, or take your vows in one of the most romantic settings imaginable, lakeside.

Moonpig reveals weddings cards are the hardest to write

Greeting cards have been a popular way to express celebrations and affection for our loved ones. We're used to purchasing cards for milestones from birthdays, weddings, new jobs and more, but how often do we struggle with what to write in a card? With the recent growth in popularity of AI models like ChatGPT, Moonpig has launched its "Smart Text" tool, a feature which uses generative AI as a writing assistant for customers who need help in those moments where they don't know what to put in a card to their loved ones.

The Guildhall, York is offering a lucky couple their dream wedding completely free!

The magnificent Guildhall, constructed in the 15th century is nestled in the heart of York City Centre on the River Ouse. Comprised of a collection of Grade I, II*, and II listed buildings, the Guildhall holds some fantastic features from when it was first built. After the restoration and reconstruction was completed in April 2022, the venue has been transformed into an exquisite and exclusive setting for weddings. Boasting breathtaking stained glass windows as picturesque backdrops and one-of-a-kind architectural elements, this location offers a level of luxury and charm that is truly unparalleled. The Guildhall is a multi-purpose venue, managed by York Science Park that offers workspace solutions, whilst York Conferences and Events coordinate events, weddings, meetings and training days within the versatile venue.

Thinking of doing a joint wedding speech? Read Speechy's top tips

The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, Founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. A joint speech follows the same etiquette principles as your standard bride and groom speech but allows you to present it as a team and play up to your relationship dynamic. But, despite the two voices, be careful not to make the speech double the length! No more than 1,500 words maximum. When it comes to writing a joint speech, it all comes down to your ability to collaborate, discuss and bounce ideas off each other.

Things to consider when booking your big-day musicians

As the UK's largest and most sustainable musician bookings platform, musicians for weddings account for around 50% of Encore's bookings. As such, the company is well-versed in the most cost-effective ways to cut down on one of the more expensive aspects of a wedding. Please see below some best tips to help you save the most money when booking your wedding entertainment. On average, couples book musicians for their wedding seven and a half months in advance, but if your big day falls on a Saturday during peak season, you should book your musicians at least nine months in advance.

Planning a hen (or sten) party? These activity-based bars need to be on your list

Tasty food, gorgeous cocktails and a bit of healthy competition equals a winning recipe for an amazing time for your pre-wedding get together! How does a side of shuffleboard or darts with your cocktails sound? Whether you're looking for a daytime plan or something to keep you partying into the early hours, Electric Shuffle and Flight Club are great options. Both have resident DJs banging out the tunes, and both offer fab bottomless brunch packages if an afternoon booze session is more what you're after. They're also perfectly designed for the most amazing insta-worthy pics

Revealed the UK’s best venues with woodlands to achieve dreamy cottage-core weddings

A recent study revealed the UK's highest-rated venues for woodland-themed weddings, with Creeksea Place being named the best. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analysed user-generated review data to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated woodlands venues by creating an overall rating score. The study has revealed that Creeksea Place is the most highly rated woodland in the nation. Located in Essex, the manor house, which includes picturesque woodland, has been rated five stars over 220 times giving it a perfect score of ten out of ten.

The new Yankee Candle® SS24 collection

Find an oasis this spring with the new Yankee Candle® SS24 collection, Under the Desert Sun. The new collection will brighten the home with fragrances that exude memories of warmer days, including four refreshingly light and bright fragrances including, Desert Blooms, Aloe & Agave, Sweet Vanilla & Horchata, and Stargazing. Inspired by the unique beauty of the desert, the new collection has been designed to help escape the ordinary and satisfy wanderlust, immersing the home in sun-drenched scents. The Under The Desert Sun collection features exotic fragrances such as aguaro cactus, aloe and blue lotus, as well as soothing lavender and eucalyptus.

Three spicy but sophisticated hen party ideas

Throwing a hen party that will please all attendees can be tricky. Striking a balance between risque and tame activities can be one of the most controversial challenges you'll face when planning. In fact, some of the more crude hen party gimmicks came out in the top 10 most hated parts of a hen party in this report. However, you can create a hen party that strikes the perfect balance between spice and sophistication, ensuring a night to remember for both the bride and her friends. Jess Martin, Hen Party expert at Ginger Ray has shared three amazing themes for the perfect spicy but sophisticated hen party:

Experts share 5 tips on accommodating deaf guests at your wedding

Planning a wedding can be challenging, especially when there are so many decisions to be made and so many things to be considered. Whilst this is your big day, considering your guests can go a long way, especially for those who have disabilities or are hard of hearing. In the UK, one in five adults is deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus, so the likelihood of having someone who may need additional help when it comes to hearing in attendance is quite likely. Ashish Shah, Audiologist at The Hearing Care Partnership has offered his expert advice on how you can better accommodate your deaf and hard-of-hearing guests.

These daily habits are ruining your wedding ring

If you've been the lucky recipient of a diamond ring or a piece of jewellery, Nilesh Rakholia, jewellery expert and founder of Abelini, has shared exactly how to care for your precious diamonds to ensure they last a lifetime... Nilesh says: "While it can be tempting to wear precious items such as an engagement ring all the time, daily habits such as cooking and cleaning can damage your jewellery. To avoid this, we always recommend removing jewellery before showering or washing up because the soap can cause a film to form, which can leave rings and bracelets looking dull.

A third of Brits decline wedding invites due to cost Klarna finds

The wedding season is just around the corner! What is normally a cause for joy can often become a financial strain for guests. Travel, outfits, gifts – the costs can quickly soar to unexpected heights. This is also confirmed by a recent survey by Klarna*, the flexible choice for smart, secure payments: One third (36.4%) of those surveyed said they had declined wedding invitations in the past due to associated costs. Moreover, 30.2% of respondents said they have not attended a Stag or Hen party due to the expenses involved.