Your Kent Wedding news and ideas from around the county

Should more women taking the wedding speech spotlight

More women should be taking the spotlight at big events, according to new research from learning and development company Good Shout. However, according to a new poll, conducted in partnership with YouGov, the very prospect fills two thirds of women (67%) with dread. Of those women in the UK who would refuse to give speeches at a wedding, 50% said that it was the "cringe factor" that held them back, i.e. being too self-conscious or feeling too awkward or uncomfortable in the situation.

Tips for tying the knot while it’s hot

With Summer wedding season in full-swing and the English weather as unpredictable as ever, happy couples across the country may get more than what they bargained for when it comes to wishing for a sunny day. As temperatures across the UK already reaching highs of 30C and the Met Office predicting even hotter temperatures expected ahead, Samantha Gilchrist, former wedding photographer turned cofounder and CEO of The Gilchrist Collection, the UK's largest wedding venue collection, gives her expert advice gathered from over 15 years in the industry.

Hen parties in UK more popular now

Hen parties on UK soil are the number one choice for Brits, according to new research from Butlin's Big Weekenders. According to a study commissioned to mark the reopening of Butlin's Big Weekenders breaks in September, over half of Brits (53%) say a hen do in the UK is more appealing than one abroad and almost the same (54%) say a hen do is better on one resort where all the facilities are in one place. On a Butlin's Big Weekender guests can enjoy accommodation, food, drink entertainment, and activities all in one place. The adult-only weekends are available at all three resorts - Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness. What's more, organisation is key for British hens, as data reveals the most common time to plan a hen do is 3-4 months in advance, in stark comparison to men, who are most likely to plan a stag do just 2-3 days in advance!

The Old Kent Barn's dressing room has had a makeover!

The Old Kent Barn's dressing room has had a makeover! Designed thoughtfully to maximise the space, light and photo opportunities, the look centres around the pink sofa, a feature synonymous with the barn's main dressing room. A new glam station, soft furnishings, accessories, luxury hard floor and kitchenette are just a few of the exciting updates elevating wedding morning experiences, alongside a stylish backdrop for preparation pictures. A cosy seating area for relaxing and enjoying the fun throughout the morning, clever storage solutions keep belongings organised and easily accessible, and a dedicated sound system with speakers, controlled by an iPad, with access to Spotify for playing wedding morning soundtracks.

Most Instagrammable beach wedding venues in the UK

Wedding invitation company, Aura Print, analysed 70 of the most sought-after beach wedding destinations and discovered the UK's most Instagrammable coastal wedding venues. The stunning spot of Tunnels Beaches in Ilfracombe, Devon boasts over 13k hashtags on Instagram, making this the study's number one pick. Located on the beautiful North Devon coast, Tunnels Beaches is situated on a cliff top with hand carved tunnels down to a secluded private beach. The venue provides a thatched roof gazebo which overlooks the breathtaking Devon coastline for a picture-perfect backdrop

Kent-based Nikita Jewllery offers the ideal gifts for your best gals

With a mission to empower women through jewellery, Nikita is a female-owned jewellery brand based in Kent. Whether it's a gift for a bridesmaid or a treat for yourself as you walk down the aisle this summer, we love the brand's new Zodiac Disc Necklaces (£50). The water and sweat resistant pendant hangs from a chain with a four-inch adjustable area, meaning you can wear it as a long necklace or a choker depending on the neckline of your dress. With the star sign and symbol printed in cursive on opposing sides, this necklace looks gorgeous however you choose to wear it. What's more, it comes wrapped in an all black, recyclable gift box containing an empowering message and complimentary cloth, so if you are gifting this gorgeous necklace to members of your bride tribe, there's no need to wrap! Find out more at www.nikitabyniki.com

Brits feel judged on wedding gifts

Almost one in five (20%) Brits feel judged by friends and family when they cannot afford wedding gifts and 14% say they feel judged when they can't afford to attend a wedding, stag or hen party. 81% are depending on a form of finance other than their main income to provide for their family New research has revealed that almost one in five Brits (20%) feel judged by friends and family when they cannot afford wedding gifts. A further 14% say they feel judged when they can't afford to attend a wedding, stag or hen party.

Sara Davies, Fred Sirieix and Raj Somaiya revealed as BBC judges

Launching in August, BBC Two's Ultimate Wedding Planner will see eight wedding planners battle it out to prove they are Britain's next best wedding expert as they design spectacular ceremonies for six couples. Dragons' Den star Sara Davies, First Dates favourite Fred Sirieix and wedding industry expert Raj Somaiya will be the judges and mentors - overseeing the planners as they create dream weddings for our couples. Throughout the competition they will send home the weakest planner until just two remain in the final where the planners will face one final challenge to decide who will be crowned the winner.

Ashford-based winery, Gusbourne, debuts its first sweet wine

Ashford-based winery Gusbourne is delighted to announce the debut of its first sweet wine, Chardonnay RS180. Chief winemaker Charlie Holland has long had sights on creating a dessert wine for Gusbourne's portfolio, and using 2022 vintage's beautifully ripe Chardonnay 809 fruit, he worked with the team and achieved it. The result is this lush, sweet wine – golden-hued, and luscious with sumptuously ripe flavours of stone fruit and a delicate marmalade character. It's beautifully flexible, working with pastry and sweet custard desserts, perhaps even wedding cake, as well as fulfilling the role of a Sauternes with rich pate or cheese.

The 'anti-wedding' wedding trends making their mark in 2023

'Anti-wedding' is the hottest new wedding trend this summer, from ditching tradition with bridal pant suits, short wedding dresses and mismatched bridesmaid dresses - get ready to see these trends everywhere this wedding season. Wedding supply experts at Aura Print have scoped out TikTok to serve up the top 10 anti-wedding wedding trends to look out for this summer. More people are ditching traditional for unconventional, allowing for their special day to be even more unique to the couple.

Explore Bromley Court at its August wedding showcase

Bromley Court is steeped in history and allows guests to enjoy the warm atmosphere of a wonderful and intimate country house. Years of hospitality experience have gone into fine-tuning is rooms and events spaces, while the glorious gardens are full of both beauty and heritage. The 200-year-old Italianate Gardens are a particular highlight with urns and terracing still visible today, with and array of colour blooms on display all year round. The Hotel can host ceremonies and receptions across several charming rooms and suites, from the intimate Leona's Room for 20 nearest and dearest, to the grandest Garden Suite with space for up to 250 guests.

How to throw a Barbie-themed hen party this summer

With the launch of the new Barbie movie, searches for "barbie party" on Pinterest have seen a 121% increase in the last six months as people look for inspiration on how to throw their own, pink-themed parties. As the wedding season is in full swing, thortful.com has teamed up with Pippa Masson, party planning expert at Hen Party Company Fizzbox, to compile top tips on how to throw a Barbie-themed hen party this summer. From Barbie themed cocktails to choosing the perfect venue, this is how to have the ultimate bachelorette Barbie herself would even love.

Fun and luxe wedding gifts

Attending a wedding this summer? Looking for the ultimate addition to your wedding day gift list? Look no further, Who Icons, seamlessly combines refined luxury with a touch of casual elegance, creating the ultimate personalised wedding gift. Who Icons understands that love stories are unique, and so should be the gifts that commemorate them. Its exquisite collection of handcrafted treasures is meticulously designed to captivate the hearts of discerning couples. From The Royals to the Beckhams, Anna Wintour to Karl Largerfield, the debut collection featuring the world's most influential fashion icons - and here at County Wedding Magazines HQ we're finding it hard to pick our favourite, we'll just have to collect them all.

Take a break from the wed-min - 30 things which bring happiness

Although joyous occasions, planning a wedding can be stressful with money worries and family politics all thrown into the mix. If you feel like this is your situation right now, grab yourself a brew and a biscuit and read this heartfelt study by Samsung: a definitive list of 30 things which bring us pure moments of happiness! An optimistic 94 percent of those surveyed, agree that joy is all around us, we just have to choose to see it.

Emily&Me, ten years and still going strong

Happy birthday to Lympne-based wedding florist Emily&Me, which is currently celebrating a decade in business! "It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since I founded Emily&Me from my kitchen table," says business owner Sam Reynolds. It's an inspiring story, as over the years Sam has won countless titles and awards including three Kent Wedding Awards and two UK titles. Outstanding customer service, exceptional flower quality and a gift for interpreting a couple's vision have kept this local lovely at the top. So we send our congratulations to Sam and her team as we look forward to seeing more beautiful designs in 2023! Find out more at www.emilyandme.co.uk

How to choose the perfect wedding ring

Often overlooked, there's a big difference between platinum, gold and white gold rings, even though they look very similar. Despite gold rings being the traditional choice platinum wedding bands have over 6.1k searches and platinum wedding rings 3.3k in the UK each month. Whilst gold wedding bands have only 1k searches and gold wedding rings 5.4k, this suggests that in 2023 the most popular choice may be a platinum band. But with more 15k searches for 'Wedding Bands' in the UK every month - the decision may not be as simple as what's on trend. Here, jewellery expert Sach Kukadia at 7879 recommends how to choose the perfect wedding ring a purchase far more more important than your regular jewellery! Find out the difference between platinum vs golds, delving into everything, including their pros and cons, through to how well they'll fare in the long run...

Theatre and wine at Gusbourne

Gusbourne is delighted to welcome Revels in Hand to the estate for a special performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of the most loved of all Shakespeare's plays.The performance will take place amongst the vines and will be followed by a two-course lunch or dinner. Your experience will start with a sparkling wine reception. You'll then stroll into the vineyards where, amongst the vines, you'll stumble across scenes from A Midsummer Night's Dream. As the theatre plays out around you, you'll be served a different glass of Gusbourne's sparkling wine at each location. After the performance, you'll return to The Nest to enjoy a two-course lunch or dinner prepared by head chef Anthony Coppard. Wines will be available to purchase with your meal and your knowledgeable Nest hosts will be on hand to make wine-pairing suggestions.

How to nail your bridesmaid gifts

Finding that perfect thank you gift for your bridesmaids can be a mind boggling task. How can you truly thank them for supporting you on your big day? New research* from gifting experts at Getting Personal shows that apart from our parents, friends are the hardest people to shop for with one in seven (15%) admitting they struggle. To help brides give envy-inducing thank you gifts gifting expert at Getting Personal, Tara Butler, shares eight tips for figuring out what they really want... without having to ask.

The perfect wedding gift that couples will love

Wedding season is upon us and picking out the perfect wedding gift that is personal, but also has character and a luxe feel to celebrate the couple's big day can be a daunting task. However look no further, whether it's to say thanks to your bridesmaids, or to celebrate the happy couple, Yvonne Ellen, a home and interiors designer who specialises in hand-painted home gifts, has picked out some of her top gift ideas to suit all types of couples including gifts for loved ones and the bridal party.

10 things wedding guests really care

Whether it's an open bar, live band or fireworks, choosing the best elements to add to your wedding day could really make or break your big day, new research reveals. Wedding experts Queensmith analysed thousands of comments from Reddit to reveal the things that really matter to guests when attending a wedding. Unsurprisingly, an open bar is a consistent success with guests at a wedding, however, it seems seating charts and a late-night snack are just as important.