Your South Wales Wedding news and ideas from around the area

From smart invites to livestreams: the tech-savvy wedding trends of 2025

Like the tides of fashion, wedding trends come and go; however, the coming online age of nuptials is coming in fast and causing quite the wave. From AI-generated floor layouts and digital invites, modern couples are finding new ways of broadcasting their love. Here are some of the biggest trends in technology that will shape weddings in 2025, and how the industry is adapting to meet couples' expectations.

Say I Do with Chelsea Peers

Chelsea Peers have made the morning of the wedding even more stylish than before. You and your bridal party can now get ready in soft satin and lace trimmed nightwear, bringing together the joys of wedding morning excitement and the wow factor for your photo album. Why not have your bridesmaids in matching pyjamas? The bridal collection caters to the whole wedding party and would make those getting ready photos all that more special.

Three cheers for mum!

Mother's Day is fast approaching, and with this comes the worry of buying the right present. Mum does so much, how can we possibly repay her? For many mothers, they'll be sat there thinking they don't want the fuss, maybe just a cup of tea and a lay in. However, it's important we show them that they're worth the extra day of love and affection. The mother of the bride is a special role, and I'm sure one all mums look forward to. The extra support we get from our mums on our wedding day is three-fold, so let's unpack them and remind ourselves why we should be treating them on the 30th of Mach 2025.

The Most popular Wedding Gifts and Their Impact Post-Wedding

You've received your invitation, you've picked out your outfit, now you just need to select your gift! A simple task that can bring reality crashing in "what on earth can I get them?" Here's Not on the Highstreets most popular wedding gifts, along with expert insights from their exclusive interview with multi-award-winning relationship coach Gemma Nice on how these gifts can strengthen relationships and keep the connection alive long after the wedding day.

The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift Guide!

It's time to get our purses out and to spoil mum. Rituals is a luxurious brand that offers gorgeous gifts for affordable prices, which is one of the many reasons why they are a great place to start for Mother's Day. Rituals recognises that maternal love manifests in various forms and can come from unexpected sources, such as a caring neighbour or a trusted babysitter. Rituals' goal is to honour and celebrate all forms of love.

Quality Over Quantity: The Surge of Micro Weddings

The modern couple are ditching large lavish weddings and choosing a more intimate affair. A micro wedding is a wedding that has less than 50 guests and focuses more on the meaningfulness of the day rather than the spectacle. Diamonds Factory Ireland with expert wedding planner Akilah Atiba-Davies from With Akilah & Co, unpacks the surge of this trend and why more couples are leaning towards smaller events.

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.

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."

Ty Nant has acquired Fonthill Water and Decantae Mineral

Ty Nant, a symbol of Welsh luxury, has acquired Fonthill Water and Decantae Mineral. The perfect way to add a local touch to your wedding drinks or as favours, the acquisition brings new packaging innovations to Ty Nant's line-up, including cuplets for travel, complementing its existing glass and pet bottles.

In the small hamlet of Bethania, West Wales, on the edge of the Cambrian Mountains, lies the celebrated spring of Ty Nant natural mineral water. The Ty Nant water source was discovered in 1976 by an eminent water diviner, Tom Astley, who was invited to locate water for domestic use on farmland in Bethania. Acting on the diviners' instruction, a borehole was sunk through one hundred feet of rock and clay to the underground aquifer and on first taste, Mr. Ashley declared it to be the purest water he had ever tasted.

Penarth Pier Pavilion is a romantic wedding venue boasting spectacular sea views

Located on the beautiful esplanade in Penarth and looking out over the Bristol Channel is the iconic Penarth Pier Pavilion, a romantic venue with spectacular sea views for you and your guests to enjoy.

First opening in 1929, Penarth Pier Pavilion is an impressive example of Art Deco architecture, with a vaulted main gallery and several wedding spaces to choose from. Hosting a range of events throughout the year, the venue offers live music, art exhibitions and workshops.

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.

The Whitebrook in Monmouth has received a new award

Sustainability has been at the core of chef Chris Harrod's ethos since he launched his award-winning restaurant, The Whitebrook, in 2013, securing a Michelin star within 11 months. This is just one of six restaurants to be awarded a Green Michelin Star for 2024, becoming the only restaurant in Wales to hold both a Michelin and Green Michelin star.

Working closely with artisan growers and producers, foraging local hedgerows, estuaries and woodlands; cultivating his much-loved kitchen garden and orchard; and careful consideration for the environment at every step of the way have always been a top priority for Chris, who runs The Whitebrook with his wife, Kirsty, with the help of Kirsty's mother. This commitment is made possible by the property's surroundings in the Wye Valley, a blissfully peaceful location that also allows the family to offer an unrivalled gastronomic break to switch off and recharge.

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.

Crug Glâs is a country house restaurant with rooms in St. David's, 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. The top floor was converted from servants' quarters to a spacious and contemporary suite with panoramic views over the countryside. Bit-by-bit and with careful attention, Crug Glâs has become more than a home and a farm for the Evans family.

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.

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.

The Good Hotel Guide has revealed its list of Welsh winners

The Good Hotel Guide has revealed its annual list of César winners. The 20 Césars are given to the hotels, inns and B&Bs considered outstanding in their particular category. The latest version of The Good Hotel Guide: Great Britain & Ireland is now live online, featuring more than 700 hotels, including 76 new entries.

Ty Mawr Country Hotel has been named Best Country House Hotel. Located in the charming village of Brechfa, just outside Carmarthenshire, Ty Mawr Country Hotel's fast-growing reputation for fabulous food stretches far and wide. Voted for the second year running for the Editor's Choice Award for the Best Country House Hotel, it's not hard to work out why.

Bryngarw House in Bridgend is a wedding venue that dates back to the 15th century

Dating back to the 15th century, Bryngarw House is believed to have been presented by a gentleman named John Popkin to his sister Frances as a wedding present in 1775. A symbol of love from the very start, the owners are proud to have transformed Bryngarw House into a stunning wedding venue almost 250 years later.

Located in the heart of Bryngarw Country Park, there are an array of photo opportunities available, including the golden meadows, the woodland and the iconic ornamental bridge in the oriental garden.

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.

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...