Your East Anglian Wedding news and ideas from around the region

TikTok’s wedding trends - what we can expect in 2024

TikTok has become the best place to source beautiful wedding inspiration, from wedding dress fashion to food. But what were the biggest TikTok wedding trends of 2023, and what can we expect to see in 2024? By analysing TikTok hashtags, ethical jewellery brand Sacet provides insights into the most influential trends of 2023, the wedding trends on the decline, and predictions for the upcoming year.

Sheene Mill is a tranquil haven set among acres of blissful countryside

Sheene Mill in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, is a tranquil haven set among acres of blissful countryside. Nestled along the meandering River Mel, this elegant country venue can be exclusively yours on your wedding day. History embraces you as you say your vows in the 400-year-old flour mill or outside in the outdoor wedding pavilion suspended across the river. There is space for more than 55 vehicles to park at the venue, so your guests can enjoy the day without worrying about moving their cars. The venue has an exquisite shabby chic interior design, beautiful landscaped gardens, luxurious accommodation, and an award-winning catering and events team to help make your special day perfect.

Inside the UK’s most ‘Traitorous’ castle

The Traitors is Britain's hottest new reality competition, where a group of twenty strangers come together for the investigation of their life: to find and stop the Traitors from stealing the ultimate prize pot! It's a show full of mind-games, backstabbing and trust, and its second series proves to be gripping the nation once again. And the setting of this treacherous game makes it all the more entertaining: a beautiful castle in the Scottish highlands. In fact, enquiries about this castle have shot up since the show first aired in 2022.

Wedding floral trends for 2024

Bloom & Wild florist, Emma Forsey, presents a vision of floral enchantment that goes beyond the ordinary. From local blooms and wild meadows to bold colour clashes and the evolution of AI, here's what to come in 2024 for wedding blooms. Local flowers have been getting the love they deserve in the wedding scene, and it looks like they're going to be the go-to choice for UK weddings in 2024. More and more couples are valuing the eco-friendly element of homegrown blooms, appreciating the chance to support local flower growers. British flowers aren't just a trendy word anymore; they're becoming a significant and lasting part of the wedding flower industry.

That's so Fetch: 10 Ideas for the ultimate Mean Girls-themed hen party

It's time to channel your inner Regina George and party like it's October 3rd! To celebrate the release of the new Mean Girls movie on 19th January 2024, Fizzbox has the rundown on Mean Girls themed hen party ideas that are so fetch! In a world where wearing pink on Wednesdays isn't just a choice but a lifestyle, this is the ultimate way to celebrate your upcoming nuptials in style, whether you're an aspiring Spring Fling Queen or a Mathlete. So break out the Burn Book and dust off your Plastics-approved heels. Get in loser, we're going on a hen do!

From casual to formal, here’s how to plan your picture-perfect engagement party

Firsty, congratulations! You're getting married! After a proposal, there are so many things to think about, but before preparing for the big day itself, an engagement party is a great way to share your exciting news and get your nearest and dearest together to celebrate. Pinterest trends1 revealed the largest peak in searches for 'engagement party ideas' were in January last year, now is the time to get the ball rolling and start planning for the prelude of the main event. Whether you're planning an intimate gathering or a lavish affair, party planning expert at Ginger Ray, Jess Martin, shares 10 tips for your celebration, no matter how big or small:

Caley Hall Hotel is running a special wedding offer

Caley Hall Hotel, a charming wedding venue offering a relaxed atmosphere with a country-chic feel, is running a special offer. Couples will receive free venue hire when all of the hotel's bedrooms are booked by wedding guests. This fabulous offer is available until March 2024.

Tastefully decorated and recently refurbished, the property has wooden beams and tartan carpet, long tables with white cloths and hessian runners, teamed with gypsophila and candlelight, perfect for a simple but stylish celebration.

County Wedding Events coming to Fynn Valley, Suffolk!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Fynn Valley, Suffolk for inspiration on Sunday 25th February 2024! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Fynn Valley Terrace is a fabulous oak-framed, purpose-built wedding venue near Ipswich, featuring stunning panoramic views across the golf course fairways, complemented by outside south-facing terraces and lawns for your guests to enjoy.

The wedding gifts couples in 2024 really want...

When it comes to wedding planning, there is so much to think about, the same goes for wedding gift lists & etiquette. Gifting Guru at The Wedding Shop, Liza Baucher, answers you everything you need to know about wedding registries... In short, we advise adding 2-3 gifts per wedding guest invited. Adding a variety of gifts to your wedding list caters to the differing budgets and preferences of your guests. It's a thoughtful approach to include a wide range of items, from smaller, more affordable pieces to a few higher-end gifts. The key is balance and variety. Typically, having slightly more gifts than the number of guests or households invited allows for enough choice without overwhelming your guests.

Cley Windmill is a beautiful wedding venue situated on the North Norfolk coast

Cley Windmill is a beautiful wedding venue situated on the North Norfolk coast that's considered a local landmark. Instead of a traditional garden, the venue is surrounded by reeds and marshland with the sea in the distance, creating an idyllic setting for those in search of an original big-day backdrop.

You can take over the whole windmill for your big day, with space for up to 22 people across 10 bedrooms.

Wedding ring trends 2024 according to Queensmith

Symbolising unconditional love, devotion and commitment, wedding rings represent the union of marriage between two people and unlike engagement rings, they are worn by both. Often, wedding rings tend to be more simple and minimalist, but there are still so many different choices you can make from the metal colour, style and bandwidth. As such, experts at engagement and wedding ring jeweller, Queensmith, have released exclusive internal data to help guide couples on what wedding rings will be popular in 2024.

County Wedding Events coming to Sandon Manor, Hertfordshire!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Sandon Manor, for inspiration on Sunday 21st January 2024!Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

2024 wedding trend: cocktails to serve at 70s-inspired weddings!

Pinterest has launched its Pinterest Predicts report and '70s-inspired weddings are set to be huge in 2024, with searches for 'groovy wedding' increasing 170% and 'retro wedding theme' spiking 80%. Experts at NIO Cocktails have shared popular cocktails from the 1970s that you should serve at your retro wedding: "The era that brought us the rise of disco music, retro prints and bell bottom trousers also brought us a resurgence in classic cocktails and new ones, too! There were many cocktails that were popular in the 1970s and if you're wanting to throw the perfect '70s-inspired wedding, we'd definitely advise including our top three '70s cocktail picks in your wedding."

The Guildhall in Bury St. Edmunds is offering a special deal for micro-weddings

The Guildhall in Bury St. Edmunds is offering a special deal for micro-weddings. Priced at £400 for the ceremony (normally £550), the deal is perfect for couples looking to tie the knot in January, February, or March 2024, from Tuesday to Thursday, with up to eight of their nearest and dearest. The ceremony will be held in the Robing Room, which was used in the past for the mayor and other dignitaries of the town to change into their ceremonial robes.

The price includes access to The Guildhall on your wedding day for 45 minutes before the ceremony and up to one hour afterwards. You can arrange for drinks to be served either in the garden, the Robing Room or the Royal Observer Corps Ops Room after the ceremony, if you wish. You have access to the courtyard and gardens (weather permitting) for photographs, and volunteer witnesses can be provided if required for a small donation to Guildhall funds.

2024 food and drink trends predicted by the experts

From flexitarianism and the rise of sharing plates, to higher demand for whiskies and the rise in under-loved species of fish; here, renowned chefs and drink experts predict what will be the food and drink trends to take 2024 by storm - inspiration for your big-day catering too, with so much choice it will be hard to pick your favourite trend!

Clayton Hotel Cambridge is a charming four-star wedding venue

Clayton Hotel Cambridge is ideally located just a one-minute walk from Cambridge train station, a short walk from Cambridge city centre, and the Botanical Gardens are just five minutes' away. The four-star hotel offers the perfect base to explore the ample history that Cambridge has to offer and take breathtaking photos.

During your stay, enjoy a hearty breakfast, gourmet lunches, and delicious dinners in the bar and restaurant, carefully created by the expert chefs using fresh, local ingredients.

Celebrate your wedding day with Niche Cocktails

If you want to serve amazing cocktails on the big day, then Niche Cocktails has you covered with its premium ready-to-drink canned cocktails. Perfect for kick-starting the celebrations, Niche Cocktails' range of all-natural cocktails taste just as good (if not better) than the ones you'd make from scratch, meaning that cocktail-loving couples can serve their favourite combos on their wedding day - why not enjoy your favourite tipples on your hen/stag or sten do too! Pre-mixed to ensure there's one less thing to worry about, you and your guests can enjoy a tasty tipple with Niche's delicious range that is so simple to serve. Each can can be poured straight into a glass or into a shaker with ice, allowing your guests more time for mingling.

Celebrate Valentine's Day at University Arms in Cambridge

Break up the routine with a romantic overnight adventure at University Arms. With its historic cobbled streets, countless independent restaurants and bars and the charming River Cam, Cambridge offers the perfect backdrop for your Valentine's Day weekend getaway.

Book a stay for two on the Valentine's Day package between Thursday 1st and 29th February 2024 and enjoy a luxury, romantic Valentine's Day in Cambridge from £276 per night.

Should I get a prenup ahead of my wedding?

Should I get a prenup ahead of my wedding? If you're planning your wedding, it's likely you're experiencing a whole mix of emotions! On the one hand, you'll be on cloud nine and feeling so excited. On the other, the stress can often get the better of you, no matter how in love you are. The planning, the preparation and the pressure can be overwhelming at times. In amongst all of this, you may not be thinking about putting measures in place to protect yourself in the event of the relationship one day breaking down. Whilst not the most romantic of things to be thinking about, an ever-growing number of couples are turning to prenuptial agreements ('prenups') to safeguard their money and assets before they begin their marriage and post nuptial agreements thereafter. At Stowe Family Law, we have seen enquiries for prenups increase by a quarter in the last year.

The Harper has been awarded Best Hotel in East Anglia by The Good Hotel Guide

The Good Hotel Guide has revealed the winners of its 12 César Awards. Announced annually, the Césars (inspired by Swiss hotelier César Ritz) comprise a collection of outstanding hotels, inns, and B&Bs throughout Britain and Ireland that are recommended by readers and backed by professional inspection. The latest version of The Good Hotel Guide: Great Britain and Ireland is now live online, featuring more than 700 hotels, including 73 new entries.

This year's César winners include a historic capital city hotel with a resident cat, a former harbourmaster's house in Wales, a glassworks-turned-boutique hotel in Norfolk and a Grade II Jacobean manor house in Kent that boasts fireplace panelling from Windsor Castle.