Your Yorkshire Wedding news and ideas from around the county

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.

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.

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.

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.

Personalised wedding gifts from Pen Heaven

Find beautifully crafted, meaningful, and personalised wedding gifts to cherish forever with Pen Heaven. A master of exquisite stationary design, Pen Heaven was founded in 2008 and offer a comprehensive range of luxury writing instruments, leather journals and gifts. Specialists in classic brands such as Parker, Cross and Lamy, Pen Heaven also boast some more unusual and hard-to-find items such as the Japanese hand painted Platinum range, Italian calligraphy sets and the design focused Worther brand. Offering an in-house, by-hand engraving and embossing service, Pen Heaven are the ultimate destination for meaningful gifts with a personal touch perfect for big-day gifting.

Win afternoon tea at Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa

To celebrate the launch of Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa's new garden dining domes, they're offering one lucky Your Yorkshire Wedding reader a prize of afternoon tea for six, served by Laura Ashley The Tea Room. This incredible prize includes afternoon tea for six, with a selection of finger sandwiches, buttermilk scones, cakes, tea or coffee. Plus, the hire of the dome for two hours and a glass of chilled fizz per person! One of the most beautiful wedding venues in Sheffield, Kenwood Hall is a luxurious four-star hotel surrounded by vast landscaped gardens, perfect for photography by the lake and the ideal vista against which to enjoy this prize. The hotel blends the atmosphere of a country retreat with a convenient location just one mile from Sheffield's centre, making it a hugely popular wedding, hen party and reception space.

County Wedding Magazines' readers share their prize win story!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, we love nothing more than to hear from the winners of our competitions. In the crazy world of wedding planning, it's exciting for us to be able to offer our lovely readers some exciting giveaways and competitions which will hopefully give you a much-needed pick-me-up during on the countdown to your wedding day. In March 2023, CWM ran a competition, 'Win a minimoon in Northern Ireland!' and the winners were nearlyweds Jennifer and her partner.

Elope from it all North of the border

Fancy escaping from the drama that comes with planning your day? Consider Gretna Green; who've announced a new offer where you can save up to 20% – with packages starting from £1,500. With a rich history of couples choosing love above all since 1754, Gretna Green holds a special place as a destination for those seeking to elope and marry away from the restrictions of traditional ceremonies. It's this fascinating history that adds an extra touch of romance to its enchanting atmosphere. Gretna Green's Luxury Wedding for Less offer means you enjoy up to 20% off your dream celebration when marrying on selected dates across October and November 2023. Including two nights' accommodation and dining when you marry in front of six, 10 or 20

Halloween hen party ideas for 2023

If you're looking to throw a hen party that's nothing short of magical, mysterious and oh-so-memorable, then you're in for a treat, not a trick, with a Halloween hen party! This bewitching night is filled with laughter, eerie enchantment and spine-tingling surprises. Halloween, with its unique blend of the spooky and the playful, makes for a perfect theme that'll have everyone howling with delight. And just think of the costumes! Leading hen party company, Fizzbox is our guide as we embark on a haunted journey through the land of Halloween hen party ideas that will make your last night of freedom the talk of the town.

Wedding day aesthetic according to your star sign

Jewellery brand Diamonds Factory, has spoken exclusively to celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman, who has shared her top tips on how to plan your wedding according to your zodiac. Vibrant Colours for Aries, known for their fiery and youthful nature, embrace the vibrant energy of red. This intense hue symbolises their passion and dynamism. To capture their directness, a bow and arrow motif, reminiscent of Greek deity Eros, perfectly embodies Aries' spirit on their special day.

Leeds hotel perfect for some pre-wedding me-time

Ready for some pre-wedding pampering? Check out Leeds' Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa, who've just announced its appointment of luxury product house, Templespa; along with a new menu of Mediterranean inspired treatments. Thorpe Park's treatment menu comprises of four Templespa Body Rituals, three wellness treatments and two signature experiences, with facials also available from skincare brand, Caudalie. We've got our eye on The Ultimate Glow! Back, Face and Scalp Treatment, which begins with an aromatic exfoliation and bespoke back massage with Mediterranean botanicals and essential oils. The finale is a full advanced skin-transforming facial, to turn up your glow for visible results ahead of your big day.

Let's talk about sleep - the importance of rest

A new nationwide study has revealed as many as 86 percent of us now regularly struggle to drift off - not good if you're wanting to look and feel your best physically and mentally in the run up to your wedding day and on-the-day itself! Research has revealed the top 20 natural sleep inducers in the modern age – and counting sheep or mugs of Horlicks did not make the cut. In fact, modern Brits are more likely to get intimate with their other half, listen to a true crime podcast, watch a comedy show, tidy their room from top to bottom, or cuddle up with their pet. But the survey shows, simply reading a book is the number one snooze inducing activity (23 percent), followed by scrolling through social media (22 percent), despite the consensus that looking at phones is bad for our sleep patterns.

Calling all newlyweds and nearlyweds - County Wedding Magazines need you!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, there's nothing we love more than our real wedding features - and we couldn't do them without you! If you would like to see your wedding grace the pages of one of our County Wedding Magazine titles, then please do get in touch! Grand and big-budget extravaganzas, to small and intimate I dos, themed from beginning to end, or personalised with a sentimental touch - we want to hear about them all!

£2m upgrade of historic hotel

A historic North East hotel is busy undergoing a £2m upgrade at present after becoming the latest addition to The Apartment Group's portfolio of wedding venues. Work is underway on the 24-bedroom, Grade II listed Croft Hotel in Croft-on-Tees. Included in the refurbishment is an additional six new bedrooms, the creation of a new enchanting Chapel, an extensive transformation of the function suite and a range of other improvements across the hotel's restaurant, wellness facilities and gardens. The expanded venue is ready to host weddings and events

Flower preservation service from Hull’s ForeverAvADesigns

The joy of your big day can be tinged with grief over losing a loved one prior to your wedding. That's where Hull's ForeverAvADesigns can help, specialising in cremation jewellery, as well as offering a flower preservation service.The business was set up by owner Katie Ally, who sadly lost her daughter, Ava, in December 2018. "I began making items to occupy myself and create something in Ava's memory," says Katie. "When you lose someone special, certain occasions in your life, like your wedding day, can be much harder to deal with. With ForeverAvaDesigns you can have your loved ones close to your heart, knowing a part of them is with you on the most special day of your life. All items are created with the utmost care and respect, and made with the highest quality resins, silvers or golds."

Four tips for storing your wedding dress after the big day

With September tipped to be the most popular month for weddings, when the big day is done deciding what to do with a wedding dress can be tricky. Whilst some people sell them or donate them so future brides can use them, others prefer to keep hold of them and preserve the memory of their wedding day. If you're looking to preserve your wedding dress after the big day, or pass it down to future generations, proper storage is essential in maintaining its pristine condition. With this in mind, Vlatka Lake, storage expert at Space Station shares four tips for storing your wedding dress to keep it in pristine condition. Vlatka adds: "Before putting your dress into storage, make sure you have it cleaned to remove any stains or marks that may have appeared from your wedding day. The most important thing to remember when putting your wedding gown into storage is that it shouldn't be stored in a plastic bag or hung on a hanger. "Plastic covers don't allow for humidity changes and can often let light in that will fade the material of your dress. Hanging your dress can also affect its shape by adding unnecessary stress on the seams or the fabric."

Unique gifts couples give each other on their wedding day

The team at hampers.com recently surveyed UK adults who have gotten married or attended a wedding in the past five years, with the goal of determining what the gifting landscape looks like for wedding season. In doing so, they spoke to almost 800 newlyweds from across the UK and a further 1,400 UK adults who have attended a wedding in the same time frame. Firstly, the study found that it's common for brides and grooms to buy each other a gift for the wedding day itself, with 65% stating they did this for their own wedding day. The average spend was found to be £115, with women most likely to purchase a pocket watch (24%) or a vintage bottle of alcohol (22%) and men most likely to purchase jewellery (37%) or personalised 'Mrs' clothing (19%)...

Big-day gifting ideas from Don't Buy Her Flowers

Gift company, Don't Buy Her Flowers, prides itself for having thoughtfulness at its core, with customers able to create a bespoke gift box that perfectly suits the person and occasion. Whether it's to celebrate, commiserate or offer someone some TLC during a tough time, Don't Buy Her Flowers offers a range of luxury British products from delicious treats, cashmere socks and bubble bath to the perfect G&T and a selection of great books. Each gift box is beautifully gift wrapped with the customer's personalised message handwritten on the gift tag, making it the perfect package for everyone from mothers, newlyweds, teachers and employees.

Five reasons why Champagne is the pinnacle of sparkling wine

The Champagne Bureau UK* have rounded up five reasons why Champagne is the long-standing pinnacle of sparkling wine. Firstly, Champagne only comes from Champagne. Champagne is a 100% French product - the Champagne region is located in France, approximately 90 miles east of Paris. It is a protected appellation (AOC). From 816 to 1825, France's royalty was crowned in Champagne's Reims Cathedral, where Champagne was said to flow freely at all the coronation banquets. Soon, highly prized for their taste and finesse, it became customary to gift these wines to any royalty visiting the region. This is how the Champagne came to be known as the wine of coronation and known in France as "the wine of Kings and the King of wines".

7 ways to ask your friends to be bridesmaids

Bridesmaid proposals are a special moment in any friendship so it's natural to want to put some thought behind popping the question. Personalising gifts such as photo frames or pyjamas are a great way to give friends something they can keep forever. The glass experts at MeandMyGlass.co.uk have shared some of the best bridesmaid proposal ideas to make the occasion memorable.John Cutts, founder of MeandMyGlass said, "Asking your friends and family to be bridesmaids is a special moment and should be done in a special way. "You can't go wrong with a personal touch which is why things like photo frames and pyjamas are a great way to show appreciation to your bridesmaids and you know they'll keep their gift.