Your Kent Wedding news and ideas from around the county

De Vere Horsley Estate Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at De Vere Horsley Estate, Surrey, for inspiration on Sunday 16th March 2025 - 11pm - 3pm! 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. A secret chapel, beautifully tiled cloisters, and a lakeside 19th-century mansion; De Vere Horsley Estate near Guildford creates an unforgettable backdrop for your wedding day.

How to avoid overspending on your wedding budget

It is a special time for you and your partner, planning the perfect event to celebrate your love with friends and family. However, it can often become stressful as people try to fit such a big event into their budgets. With the average wedding for 2025 coming to a total of £20,822, getting everything from drinks to décor can be a chore. Lake District Country Hotels, providers of wedding venues in the Lake District, pair with James Beckett, financial coach and founder of MoneyStocker.com, to help you budget your way to your big day.

Mount Ephraim Country House and Gardens - your perfect wedding venue

Mount Ephraim Country House and Gardens, nestled just outside of Faversham, is delighted to announce itself as the quintessential choice for couples seeking a unique, classically romantic venue for their wedding day. A privately owned family home, Mount Ephraim offers an idyllic setting with breathtaking views, elegant architecture, and a commitment to making your big day truly unforgettable. Top ten reasons to choose Mount Ephraim for your wedding:

County Wedding Events coming to Old Essex Barn, Essex!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Old Essex Barn Essex, for inspiration on Sunday 9th March, 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples in touch with local professionals for face-to-face wedding planning. 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. Old Essex Barn is a simply stunning renovated barn from the 15th century, located on the outskirts of the quiet village of Kelvedon. The barn oozes character with beautiful historic oak timbers and vaulted ceilings, it truly is a special place to say 'I do'.

The hidden language of roses, revealed by expert

Chris Waugh, Florist at Bloom & Wild discusses the symbolism of roses and the bridal trends we can expect to see: "Roses are set to remain a popular choice for weddings in 2025, remaining as one of the most traditional parts of a bridal bouquet. While floriography, known as the language of flowers, was popular during the Victorian Era, the hidden language of roses is still more apparent than ever. Whether you want your guests to be enticed by a feeling of love and passion by incorporating dark red roses into your big day, or if you'd prefer a more delicate approach to love and gratitude by using pink roses, it's important to pick each colour wisely to ensure you're getting the most appropriate messaging across to your guests."

Local photographer Sabrina Stockwell is offering our readers an exclusive discount

Sabrina Stockwell is a wedding photographer specialising in candid photography. She tells us: "I'm a super passionate photographer in the beautiful coastal county of Kent in the UK. I started dabbling in photography as a kid and have never put down the camera. After studying photography at college, I did bits and bobs, but it wasn't until I was diagnosed with cancer and then kicked its butt that I realised what was important in my life – being happy! I made a huge and rather scary decision to leave my job and finally follow my dream."

Sabrina offers a full-day package that includes up to 10 hours of coverage of all the important moments and a minimum of 300 high-resolution images that have been carefully edited. If you're planning a smaller affair, then Sabrina also has a half-day package available. This includes up to six hours of coverage and a minimum of 150 images.

Hempstead House Hotel & Spa is a stunning four-star wedding venue

Nestled in the heart of the Kent countryside, Hempstead House Hotel & Spa is a stunning four-star wedding venue that exudes timeless elegance and charm. With its exquisite architecture, this venue offers a romantic setting for couples looking to celebrate their love.

The extended house boasts a blend of classic Victorian and contemporary additions, characterised by its intricate woodwork, gabled roofs and bay windows climbed by lush greenery and wisteria, creating a captivating first impression.

March wedding showcase at Chiddingstone Castle

A Grade II* listed historic house, Chiddingstone Castle boasts 35 acres of informal grounds comprising sweeping lawns, lake, bridges, wild woodlands and breathtaking views of the Kent countryside. The Chiddingstone Castle team are excited to be hosting another Wedding Showcase on Sunday 16th March 2025, guests are invited to meet the team and see the beautiful venue set up for a wedding by its preferred suppliers. You will have the opportunity to view The Marquee, The Orangery, The Bridal Suite, The White Rose Room and The Great Hall,. The Castle Wedding team will be on hand to answer any questions plus discuss availability and its new all inclusive wedding packages (including accommodation

Bluewater's Signature Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

We live and breathe weddings at CWM towers, so we can't wait for our Signature Wedding Show at Bluewater on Sunday 2nd March 2025!! It's our first Signature Wedding Show of 2025's Spring wedding show season; and a must-visit for all those that got engaged over the summer months. 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.

The Perfect Pairing: Champagne styles for every wedding

The Champagne Bureau UK* wanted to share some tips for couples who are planning to celebrate their big day with a sparkling touch; pairing the perfect Champagne styles with different wedding themes. Champagne has long been synonymous with celebration, and the versatility of its styles means there is a perfect style for every couple, no matter the wedding theme. If your wedding theme is classic and traditional Brut Champagne offers versatility, it is an excellent choice for celebrations where guests will feel part of the couple's love story. Brut Champagne makes up around 80% of Champagne shipments to the UK, beloved for its balanced structure and refreshing finish.

Emily Adlard Designs creates digital paintings that would make perfect wedding gifts

Emily Adlard Designs creates digital paintings bursting with colour and character that would make perfect wedding gifts. Emily has recently released a new alphabet print collection and is always adding to her growing portfolio.

Emily tells us: "As an artist, my aim is to capture individuality and communicate it in a warm, cheerful and exuberant way – adding that little extra 'something' or finishing touch to living spaces through my paintings. Painting digitally means I can take my canvas anywhere. Every piece of art takes many hours and layers of paint to perfect and whilst I like to take care of the small details."

voco The Clifton Folkestone has recently been refurbished

Bringing together elements of modern style and traditional charm, voco The Clifton Folkestone has just been refurbished and provides an ideal location for celebrating your big day, whether it be a low-key celebration or a large-scale affair. Situated on The Leas in Folkestone, next to the Clifton Gardens, the hotel offers several idyllic spots for capturing those all-important couple portraits with the beautiful English Channel in the background.

The hotel's function suites are licensed to hold wedding ceremonies for a maximum of 80 guests. The three function rooms each overlook the beautiful Clifton Gardens and provide the ideal setting for an intimate celebration.

Couples are making sustainable wedding choices from the beginning - engagement ring trend

When it comes to choosing an engagement ring, many couples are looking to take inspiration from the likes of royalty and celebrities who decided to remodel or repurpose their symbol of enduring love from a vintage or pre-loved item or family heirloom. Not only does it give your engagement ring a deeper meaning or story, it's also a more sustainable way to shop, for one of the most important pieces of jewellery you'll ever own – you'll end up saving potentially thousands of pounds, plus you could end up with something completely unique to you. One such jeweller who is helping couples with this big decision is Rachel Fox, Jewellery expert TV presenter from Channel 4's Millionaire Hoarders, and Store Manager from pre-owned luxury jewellery seller, S&R Jewellers. As one of London's top specialists in this area, S&R Jewellers reports a huge uptick in the number of couples choosing the pre-loved route for their engagement ring.

Orsett Hall Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Orsett Hall, Essex, for inspiration on Sunday 23rd February, 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples 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.

Couples share the key ingredient to a long-lasting relationship

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, greeting card marketplace, thortful, has spoken to five couples who are still going strong after many years about the key ingredient to a long-lasting relationship – and one is quite taboo. Speaking to the five couples, who have all been together longer than 10 years, communication, small gestures, and alone time were among the most common ingredients for a long-lasting relationship. All couples even unanimously agreed that farting in front of each other strengthens their relationships. Lack of communication is among the top reasons for break ups, according to experts, which is why Tom Lanaway, who has been with his partner for 11 years, claims strong communication to be the key to his strong connection.

Minimalist or maximalist? The décor styles couples are choosing in 2025

As we step into 2025, it's crunch time for soon-to-be-weds to lock in those wedding details. Whether you've just popped the question or are counting down to the big day, knowing the latest wedding décor trends can spark some serious inspiration for your celebration. The décor at your wedding isn't just about aesthetics; it's the mood setter, the vibe creator, the silent DJ of your day. From colour schemes to special touches, the décor styles set the tone and the atmosphere. So, let's dive into the styles that will be painting the town (and your wedding) this year.

TUDOR's first boutique has opened in Kent’s Bluewater Shopping Centre

Family-owned national diamond, jewellery and watch retailer Beaverbrooks has partnered with luxury Swiss watch brand TUDOR to open the only TUDOR boutique in Kent's Bluewater Shopping Centre. Shoppers visiting the new luxury TUDOR space will have access to the watchmakers' range of classic, sport, diving and heritage-inspired timepieces, perfect as gifts for the groom-to-be.

Anna Blackburn, the managing director at Beaverbrooks, said: "We are delighted to expand our mono-brand boutique portfolio with the opening of our TUDOR boutique and are excited to strengthen our valued partnership with the Swiss watch brand. Bluewater is the perfect destination for the TUDOR boutique and our customers will be sure to receive a warm welcome and unrivalled levels of personalised customer service, expertise and passion."

Money and Matrimony: Mastering finances together

Managing money as a married couple can greatly differ from managing your own money as a single person. Where you previously only had to budget and save for one, and think about your own needs and wants, there is another person to think about, including their life goals and financial habits. For National Marriage Week, Olly Cheng, Financial Planning Director at Rathbones, shared his top tips on how to manage finances as a married couple.

Chilston Park Hotel is a wedding venue dating back to 1100

Throughout its history, Hand Picked Hotels' Chilston Park Hotel has been home to eminent politicians, writers, lords and viscounts. Today, this award-winning four Red Star country house hotel is revered for its styling and historic antiques, some as old as the 17th-century manor house itself. A classic British country house hotel conveniently located in rural Kent, Chilston Park Hotel boasts an abundance of style and charm.

Dating back to at least 1100, Chilston Park has been home to a number of well-respected families, many of whom left their own stamp on the property. You can find some of their portraits within the manor house.

Moonpig reveal the most trending hen party and wedding themes of 2024

New data from Moonpig has revealed the top wedding and hen party trends over the last 12 months based on Google search volumes and social media data. Last Rodeo-themed hen parties were the most popular with a 69% increase in Google search volume. The way we celebrate is constantly evolving. A recent Pinterest report found a shift in consumer behaviour with more people opting for intimate gatherings and celebrating old traditions with a modern twist. .

Known for helping people celebrate the moments that matter, leading online greeting card and gift experts, Moonpig, has revealed the top hen party and wedding trends of 2024. By analysing Google searches and data from TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube, Moonpig shares expert commentary on why these trends are so popular...