Your South Wales Wedding news and ideas from around the area

How to kick-start your wedding planning

Samantha Gilchrist, Co-Founder and CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, shares her top tips on how to kick-start your wedding plans, taking away any unnecessary stress and disappointment in preparation for that special day. Set a Date - possibly the most important aspect of planning as getting this date in the diary will allow you to move forward with your plans. When choosing a date, it's worth carrying out a simple checklist to help you nail that day down such as: Think if there is a time of year you both always wanted to get married in? A season you both love or a month that is special to you is a great starting point.

5 unique winter wedding trends for 2023

From décor inspired by the season's natural beauty to creative ways to keep your guests warm, wedding supply experts Aura Print have searched TikTok to bring you the top five quirky winter wedding trends for 2023.While traditional wedding fayre often includes champagne toasts and wine, a hot chocolate bar offers a warm, decadent, and customisable alternative for the colder months. As the evening progresses and temperatures drop, guests can enjoy a sweet treat to keep them going on the dance floor. For younger guests or for those who don't drink alcohol, a hot chocolate bar also provides a great non-alcoholic option. With over 112.7 million TikTok hashtag views, the hot chocolate wedding bar trend is set to take the winter wedding season by storm!

Find County Wedding Magazines on YouTube

We're never satisfied when it comes to providing our readers with enough wedspiration, which is why we've created our very own County Wedding Magazine YouTube channel! You'll find tons of big-day ideas, from venue tours to dream dresses, then take a peek behind the scenes of styled shoots featured in our titles past and present. We're adding more content all the time, so why not hit SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a thing? Simply head to YouTube and search for 'County Wedding Magazines' now

A more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings

Reports suggest that 4,910 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic was used up and left behind at British weddings last year, with this in mind, 77 Diamonds has released a planning guide to promote a more sustainable, ethical, and zero-waste approach to weddings. Individually, one wedding can produce as much as 20kg of plastic waste. What's more, the black bags used to collect the rubbish are themselves potentially harmful. They can take as many as 90 years to break down under the ground. But it's not just plastic which has an impact. Food wastage is also a common theme for most weddings.

EPIC Caterers has won an award

After months of anticipation and fierce competition, The 1st Nation's Wedding Awards 2023 took place on Wednesday, the 1st of November, at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel and was hosted by DJ, comedian, and presenter Tommy Sandhu.

The event aims to acknowledge and honour the talented individuals, teams, and businesses whose sole goal is to provide their couples with the most magical memories and a wedding day to remember.

AI creates the ultimate first dance song

There are over 217,000 first dances in the UK every year (1,950,000 in the US) yet couples usually pick the same handful of songs. Have you ever wondered why tracks like Etta James' At Last and Just You And I by Tom Walker are so popular at weddings? And what makes them so timeless? Function Central, a platform for finding and hiring musicians and bands for events, have answered exactly that! By analysing the most popular first dance songs to find the top 10 that couples choose, they have used AI to create the world's ultimate first dance song based on their findings, showing couples that they can have a timeless first dance song that is unique to their wedding.

Llantilio House is a listed 18th-century farmhouse that's perfect for weddings

Llantilio House is a listed 18th-century farmhouse in a picturesque 300- acre farm in Monmouthshire. The venue has been refurbished in the most sustainable way possible, with ground-source heating throughout and great care taken to use traditional, environmentally friendly materials and wool insulation. Owners Lottie and George were keen to honour the venue's original features in the re-development. Lottie's background as a film draughtsman and the interconnectedness of the venue have resulted in a relaxed and contemporary feel throughout.

How to make your engagement ring shine for wedding day

Between shampoo, hairspray, moisturiser and hand cream – we can all agree that our beautiful engagement rings go through a lot on a daily basis. After all, many of us wear them every day without ever taking them off! But if your big day is just around the corner, it's crucial to keep your ring looking its best for those all-important wedding photos and to ensure your nearest and dearest see it in all its glory. With this in mind, experts at family-owned jewellers and diamond merchants, Chisholm Hunter, offer their specialist advice on how to get your ring gleaming before your big day... Max Brown, Retail Director at Chisholm Hunter, shares their top tips for ensuring your engagement ring is sparkling ahead of your wedding day: "If you want your precious jewellery to look its best on the big day, we recommend taking your ring to a professional jewellers for both ultrasonic and steam cleaning and using fine emery paper followed by a full polish to remove any surface scratching.

Win a wedding at an exciting wedding fair this January

Portland House in Cardiff will be hosting an exciting in-person event on the 7th January 2024! Get ready to celebrate love and have a chance to win a wedding! (T&C'S apply). To be in with your chance, simply purchase a ticket for £1 at the venue to get five entries.

This event is a fantastic opportunity to meet wedding vendors, get inspired by the latest trends, and connect with other couples. Whether you're planning your dream wedding or simply curious, this event is for you! Mark your calendars and get ready for a day filled with love, laughter, and the chance to win an unforgettable wedding!

Venues for the perfect autumnal ceremony

New research conducted by ethical jewellery brand Sacet has revealed the top country wedding venues across the UK that would make the perfect location for an autumnal ceremony. By analysing a number of factors (including guest capacity, number of reviews, professionalism, quality of service and value for money) of over 30 wedding venues that offer barn, country and forest-style weddings in the UK, the top 10 were revealed. Brinsop Court Manor House and Barn, in Hereford, has been crowned the overall winner, with top ratings across all factors (quality of service, response time, professionalism, value for money flexibility and average rating). It also had the most number of reviews and can hold between 30 to 250 guests.

The Dreaming is a new wellness retreat founded by singer Charlotte Church

The Dreaming, a new wellness retreat founded by singer Charlotte Church, is nestled in the spectacular surroundings of the Elan Valley in the heart of Wales. The grounds of the former home of Laura Ashley boast waterfalls, rocks, caves, and, quite simply, an abundance of natural beauty. Rhydoldog House has been transformed from a rundown property into a stunning wellness retreat that works both with and for nature.

From short retreats with daily wellness activities to longer breaks with specialist practitioners, The Dreaming delivers an exciting and nourishing menu of activities in keeping with the seasons.

Are these popular 2023 wedding song cursed?

Research from wedding entertainment providers Function Central shows couples are taking risks choosing songs for their weddings with shockingly high divorce rates. Function Central used existing data on the songs most likely to end in divorce to see whether couples were still taking risks by adding these songs to their upcoming nuptials. This data was then cross-referenced against existing wedding playlists of engaged couples to see whether couples were still choosing these songs for their weddings. The results were concerning for any superstitious couples worried about whether certain tracks were deemed bad luck for long lasting marriages.

Crug Glâs is a country house restaurant with rooms in Pembrokeshire

Crug Glâs is a country house restaurant with rooms in Pembrokeshire. Set in 600 acres of land in St. David's, it offers breathtaking views of unspoilt countryside and easy access to the area's famous coast. The property can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was mentioned in the Black Book of St. David's, the chronicle of local farms, manors, and estates. Crug Glâs is now owned and run by husband-and-wife team Janet and Perkin Evans. The couple began modernising the house in keeping with its Georgian style. They added en-suite bathrooms and moved the kitchen and scullery to the ground floor.

5 reasons couples fail at sticking to their wedding budget

With the cost of living on everyone's minds, budget expert Isabel Smith, offers some insight into how couples can set (and stick to!) their wedding budget. The number of couples who are going overbudget on their wedding is dropping, from around 2/3 in 2018 to somewhere around 50% this year. This may be due to savvier couples setting more realistic budgets, or people simply refusing spend a penny more than planned owing to future financial uncertainty, but either way, I am all for it! I've never been an advocate for getting in debt over your big day, no matter how special you want it to be.

The perfect couples advent calendar

Couples looking for that x-factor idea to get them in the Christmassy mood this festive season need look no further than A Twist Of Date's personalised couples' advent calendar. This personalised QR-code collection of romantic, fun and creative couples' activities adds a spark of magic that is sure to make 2023 a December to remember. Perfect for long-term busy couples looking to reconnect through heart-warming moments, it's a no-brainer alternative to the typical chocolate-filled Christmas countdown. Whether it's an impromptu trip to your local ice rink, engaging in an act of kindness together or writing each other a romantic letter to be opened on Christmas, each day brings something new and exciting to share together.

How to master taking the perfect engagement ring photo

Proposals are often one of the most memorable, special and magical moments in a couples life, so it's only natural they want to share this joyous news with their friends, family and colleagues. In 2023, one of the most common ways for couples to share the news of their engagement is through social media. Couples often post gorgeous pictures in real time of themselves along with the dazzling engagement ring. Sharing the news via social media is a quick and easy way of telling your loved ones the news without having to individually call everyone, which can be overwhelming and time consuming. However, taking the perfect photo can be a bit of a challenge. Whilst it's not a competition to see who has the biggest ring and whose ring sparkles the most, a lot of people want their ring to look as desirable and shimmering as possible.

Penmaenuchaf Hotel has completed the first phase of its two-part refurbishment project

Penmaenuchaf Hotel in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, has completed the first phase of its ambitious two-part refurbishment project. This charming mountain retreat has unveiled four beautifully designed suites on the top floor, as well as new kitchens, perfect for pre-wedding getaways. Founder and owner of Seren, Neil Kedward, said: "We're delighted to have completed the first exciting phase of our refurbishment work at Penmaenuchaf, with our four newly designed suites now ready for guests to enjoy. The design vision was to create a true sense of 'hiraeth', a Welsh term that describes a longing for a place that holds some nostalgia deep in your soul. I hope Penmaenuchaf already represents the true definition of 'hiraeth', and we hope it's a feeling our guests fondly take away with them."

Sober hen parties are on the rise

While hen parties are often characterised by celebratory cocktails, drinking games and wild night outs, the hen-do could soon be shrugging off its booze-fueled persona. Global searches for 'sober hen do ideas' have doubled over the past year while 'sober bachelorette party games' has also seen a 50% increase. On TikTok, #soberliving has seen a surge in popularity, with videos including the hashtag boasting over 650 million views. If you're a bride-to-be looking to celebrate your 'last night of freedom' tee-total-style, party planning expert, Amy Greenshields at cardfactory has shared her four top tips.

The Grade I-listed Llancaiach Fawr Manor is a fortified Tudor manor house

The Grade I-listed Llancaiach Fawr Manor is one of the finest surviving fortified Tudor manor houses in the country. Situated in the heart of the South Wales Valleys, this 16th-century property has been restored to how it would have looked during the royal visit of King Charles I in 1645.

The Parlour is used for intimate celebrations and provides the perfect setting for a candlelit ceremony with up to 30 of your guests, or the Great Hall can be used for up to 50 people.

Is lasting love magic, logic or luck?

Does it matter how a couple met? Contented Couples, a new guide to long-term relationships, features candid, intimate interviews with eighteen couples, based in the UK and USA. Each pair tell of how they met, how they formed a relationship and how they've thrived to become a truly happy union. One couple met and married within a month, whilst another two were thrown together repeatedly by a matchmaker who refused to give up - and it is not only guy meets girl either. The couples speak from an array of circumstance, culture and sexual orientations, including arranged marriage, friends-to-lovers and dating apps.