There’s something relentlessly optimistic about the festive season: the gathering of family and friends, the gift-giving and peace-and-good-will-to-all-menshtick. It’s probably the proximity to New Year, too, and all those resolutions and promises for a fresh start. SO many Christmas films have proposals in them, too.  And what greater gift could there be than an engagement over the festive period? Well… It’s easy to get carried away in the spirit of things but Christmas engagements aren’t always a great idea.  And if you have to ask should I propose at Christmas, then the answ ..read more

As we head into the last month of 2019 (and into the roaring 20’s…Christ), we thought we’d take an opportunity to look ahead to some of the wedding trends that you’re likely to see in 2020. Trends and traditions are all well and good, but there’s nothing like putting your own stamp, your own personality on your big day.  Don’t worry too much about what’s up-and-coming or what’s on-trend for 2020. In reality, weddings are more than the sum of your Pinterest board and what a fashion editor says is a “must-have”. Trends can, however, open our eyes to new possibilities, colours, flora ..read more

Couples getting married at Askham Hall in Penrith, Cumbria, now have another reason to celebrate their choice of wedding venue:  Allium, Askham Hall’s on-site restaurant has just been awarded a Michelin Star. And we couldn’t be happier for them. Askham Hall is a superb venue and this most-coveted award is thoroughly well-deserved.  The food is sumptuous, scrumptious locally-inspired hearty fare inspired by produce that's grown on the estate and in the surrounding area.   Charles Lowther, the owner of Askham Hall, says, “This is tremendous news and a testament to the dedication ..read more

Make the Most of Visiting a Wedding Fair Visiting a wedding fair is a chance for prospective brides and grooms to meet and talk with wedding venues, suppliers and vendors and to find inspiration, to enquire about services offered and to potentially (and hopefully) make a booking. Some couples relish the opportunity to attend a wedding fair.   Others avoid them altogether.   They can be a good place to start but they’re by no means the be-all and end-all of planning. Wedding fairs range in size from small boutique events, to hotel open days and right through to large exhibitions ..read more

Oh Askham Hall, you gloriously gorgeous wedding venue! We make no secret or apology of the fact that we LOVE this place so we're really excited to be able to share with you details of Askham Hall’s Wedding Venue Showcase. You’ll find the details below J ..read more

Gilwell Park is one of our favourite wedding venues.  They really do go above and beyond for all LGBTQ couples and guests. Located in Chingford and just 5-minutes from Junction 26 of the M25, it's closer than you think! And only 25-minutes from Central London by train.  Set in 108 acres, the Gilwell estate is home to the stunning 17th Century Grade II listed White House.  There’s space in the main hall to accommodate 150 guests for the wedding breakfast and 40 on-site bedrooms for guests to stay overnight. Tucked away in Epping Forest, Gilwell Park is close to major transport netw ..read more

Northern Ireland has legalised same-sex marriage.  It brings the country in line with the rest of the United Kingdom with the first gay weddings expected to take place on February 14th 2020. Equal marriage has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland since 2014. Over the years, campaigners have made numerous legal challenges arguing the ban is discriminatory but all have been unsuccessful. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been the biggest political sticking point having blocked all previous attempts at legislation. Why Now? Northern Ireland’s legislative a ..read more

5 Tips for Picking the Perfect Wedding Planner Weddings take a lot of organising.  Honestly? Sometimes the planning sucks. Negotiating with vendors isn’t fun.  You will not have a good time figuring out who sits where.  Finalising the running order of the speeches doesn’t make for an exciting morning’s work.   Picking the perfect wedding planner can help alleviate some of the stress and boredom that comes with planning a wedding.  Find the right one and they are absolutely worth their weight in gold. Meet in person You have to have a connection with your wedding planner.  If t ..read more

Same-sex couples have a disadvantage when it comes to choosing a honeymoon destination.  Straight married couples don’t worry about their relationship offending someone or whether a simple romantic gesture like holding hands will draw abuse. Homosexuality is illegal in 70 UN member states.  According to CNN, six have imposed the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts. Okay, so it’s unlikely that places like Yemen and Saudi Arabia will be pinned to your Pinterest board but Brunei might be. In Brunei, same-sex relationships are now punishable by death. Gay sex in Tanzania can ..read more

The average cost of a UK wedding in 2019 is £17,674, that’s according to a wedding report published by Bridebook.co.uk earlier this year. It’s a lot of money to spend on a single occasion.   To put it into perspective, the average deposit for a house in the UK is £11,400 – that’s £6,000 less.  There’s nothing wrong with having a wedding that surpasses the national average.  There’s no shame in spending what you want in order to have the day of your dreams.  There’s enough pressure on couples without slamming them with unsolicited advice on what’s too much (or too little) to spend on their ..read more