Your Somerset Glos and Wilts Wedding news and ideas from around the county

How to keep sustainability in mind when planning your wedding flowers

This issue, we asked the region's experts for their advice on planning a sustainable wedding. Imogen Stuckes, founder of sustainable wedding florist Flowers by Imogen (www.flowersbyimogen.com) had some great tips when it comes to your flowers... "Sourcing your wedding flowers locally can be a brilliant way to be more sustainable on your big day. Ask your florist if they could possibly buy blooms from local flower farms, or at least be British grown. Ninety per cent of flowers are imported in the UK, flown over from as far afield as South America, and who knows if they're ethically grown, so it's always best to go local. A Flowers by Imogen, I use all British Flowers, including many we've grown in our very own cutting garden in Somerset...

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

Something for everyone at National Trust places in and around Bath this summer

From outdoor theatre to archaeology and days packed full of play, there's something for all the family at National Trust places in and around Bath this summer. Dyrham Park is taking part in the National Trust's Summer of Play programme with a choice of creative, active and imaginative play weaved through the 270-acre site. Running daily from Sat 22 July to Sun 3 September, there's chalk painting on animal-shaped boards and play kitchens in the parkland, 17th-century-style 'olimpicks' with throwing, running, balance beams and skipping down by the house and some giant traditional games in the orchard.

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.

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa announces partnership with British skincare brand TEMPLESPA

The landmark 5* Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath has announced its partnership with luxurious, holistic skincare brand TEMPLESPA. Therapists will exclusively use TEMPLESPA products across all treatments in The Spa & Bath House. The hotel has also partnered with The Amethyst Trust, creating an adapted menu of wonderful TEMPLESPA treatments that are suitable for guests who are medically frail, recovering from illness or are immunocompromised such as those suffering from cancer. These adaptable and customisable treatments allow therapists to create bespoke treatments to suit the guests needs and are one of the first hotels to do so.

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.

Amathus Drinks introduces new monthly masterclasses

Celebrating its 45th anniversary, family-owned specialist drinks importer, distributor and retailer Amathus Drinks is sharing its knowledge and expertise with its customers through a series of engaging in-store masterclasses. Partnering with the most interesting and innovative wine and spirits producers from all over the globe, Amathus Drinks will be offering tastings for Champagne, Cognac, Calvados, Mezcal, Tequila and more at its Bath store. The masterclasses will give guests the opportunity to learn about selected wines and spirits directly from Amathus Drinks' qualified staff or from expert producers, taste a range of varieties, including rare bottles, and benefit from exclusive offers.

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.

Thatching mystery at Barrington Court’s Beagles café

Visitors to Beagles café, at Barrington Court, which is cared for by the National Trust, will be able to view up close a type of thatching work rarely seen in the UK. The use of a tiled, rather than straw ridge, is more closely associated with thatching in Holland and Belgium rather than the UK. This unusual thatching technique has not been used on any other building at Barrington Court.

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...

Five minutes with... Paella Ca'Luciano

Based in Portishead, caterer Paella Ca'Luciano can help you to bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your event. We caught up with the team to find out more... What do you offer couples for their big day? Our catering service is about providing delicious food and creating a memorable experience for you and your guests. Our speciality is authentic Spanish paella, which is not just a meal, but an opportunity to connect with loved ones and enjoy a unique culinary tradition.

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.

Your wedding playlist, according to DJ experts

Now that we have entered peak wedding season, (May-October), DJing experts from CD Pool have provided the ultimate wedding playlists for your reception that is guaranteed to keep the dance floor hopping with happy guests. CD Pool analysed Spotify API data, exploring 2117 playlists with the keyword "wedding" to compile four playlists that reflect the atmosphere at different stages of the wedding reception. The suggested No. 1 song to include in your wedding playlist is I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston, a guaranteed floorfiller that appeared in over 320 playlists on Spotify, making it the most popular wedding-related track.

Top wedding travel tips for big-day guests

Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk provides her top tips on how to manage journey costs, when travelling to attend a wedding. "Wedding ceremonies are well known for placing financial strain upon guests, ranging from the cost associated with your gift, to a new outfit, and even – your transport. Whether the ceremony is being held in the UK, or further afield, consumers will likely have to travel to attend a loved one's big day. I've pulled together my top tips to help you cut costs and ensure you can enjoy your family and friend's nuptials without worrying about your finances.

The Botanist in Bath unveils summer menu packed with vegan options

Award-winning bar and restaurant The Botanist in Bath has announced its offering for the summer season with a new food and drink menu. You can expect fresh seasonal flavours, lighter and brighter dishes, reviving botany-inspired cocktails as well as major updates to its signature (and fan favourite) hanging kebabs. What's more, vegetarian and vegan diners can choose from a growing menu of options, with almost half (46%) of dishes being vegetarian and a third (30%) now suitable for vegan diners. Options include the vegan meatball kebab roasted with marinara sauce, katsu curry with coconut rice and pickled ginger, and the roast cauliflower and onion bhaji burger, complete with mango sauce and mint raita.