Your Surrey Wedding news and ideas from around the county

Guildford’s Wedding Frox Bridal Boutique is celebrating 15 years

Guildford's Wedding Frox Bridal Boutique, are celebrating an amazing 15 years of dressing brides and keeping their collection fresh are excited to become platinum retailers for the stunning new collection of gowns 'Always & Forever' by San Patrick, Pronovias. Arriving from the Barcelona-based house of Pronovias, the collection offers all the effortless European stylishness you'd expect, with outstanding fabrics, exquisite detailing and award-winning designs, which are already proving a huge hit with today's modern bride. If you want to see the collection for yourself, your relaxed one-to-one private bridal appointment with a member of the experienced styling team is where to start. They'll help and guide you, making sure that you try on many different styles and find the one that is perfect for you.

Find your wedding venue at CWE's Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World

"At Balfour Hospitality we'll take care of every detail to ensure that your wedding day is as perfect as you always imagined. Choose from one of our beautiful countryside pubs, The Goudhurst inn Cranbrook, The Ship Inn in Rye, The Tickled Trout in Maidstone, or The Woolpack in Tenterden, as the perfect setting for your big day. Each of our pubs are located within a stone's throw of stunning churches or halls to have your ceremony, with The Tickled Trout also having its own license to perform ceremonies on site. With our experienced team and stunning locations, we guarantee an unforgettable celebration that you and your guests will cherish forever.

3 things no one tells you when it comes to setting your wedding budget

2024 is set to be a bumper year for weddings. In addition to the usual 275,000 or so which take place in the UK each year, the big day is finally coming around for a lot of couples who had to postpone because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the cost of living crisis is squeezing all those couple's budgets tighter than ever so we've asked Isabel Smith, wedding industry veteran, to offer her advice on setting (and sticking to!) that spreadsheet. Today, Isabel let's us in on the things no-one ever tells you when you're setting your wedding budget...

The Top 10 Instagrammable Spas in the UK

With National Spa Week taking place between the 4th and 10th of November this year, it is time to book your favourite location to totally relax! Whether with the girls, in a couple, or even on your own, treating yourself to a weekend away at a spa can revive you. Maddie, Senior Marketing Exec at Pink Boutique, says: "Reset the everyday stress with a weekend away at a luxurious spa and hotel. From acres of woodland setting the picture-perfect backdrop to dipping into a pool worthy of Aphrodite, you deserve to look as good as you feel, and with these spas, there's no doubt your followers will be that little bit jealous."

5 engagement ring trends for 2024

With the festive season being the most popular time of year that couples choose to pop the question, it's no surprise that internet searches for 'engagement ring' have been steadily increasing the last six months as we head towards the new year. Luxury diamond jewellers, Diamonds Factory, have used Pinterest Trends data from the last six months (4th April 23' - 26th September 23') to find out which engagement ring styles are set to be big in 2024...

Festive weddings at Surrey's Brooklands Hotel

Looking for a venue to host your big-day celebrations between Christmas and New Year in 2023 or 2024? Look no further than the luxury Brooklands Hotel. Planning for a Twixmas wedding has been made easy for you with a package that includes the key elements to make your day magical and the price starts from just £52 per person. For an additional cost, you can add a variety of options to this package including an upgrade to the banqueting menu, adding a menu tasting or opting for an additional half bottle of house wine on the tables. Couples can also book Signature Suite 319 for the wedding night for £289, saving up to £154.

The secrets to a happy relationship

Researchers surveyed 2,000 British couples who have been together for ten years or longer, and it revealed a host of secrets to a happy, long-term relationship, according to those who have achieved it - including having no secrets (43 percent), a similar sense of humour (41 percent), never going to sleep on an argument (31 percent) and regular sex (32 percent.) Over a quarter (26 percent) of the long-term couples polled, said a 50/50 division of household labour was essential to keeping things amicable. Being able to laugh at each other (42 percent), not trying to change each other (36 percent) and having an open phone policy (10 percent) all featured in the list. Almost half (44 percent) of the British couples surveyed, claim they are very happy in their relationship, while a further 29 percent said they were generally happy.

The top autumn and winter wedding trends for 2023

An expert has forecast the wedding trends we can expect to see in the remainder of 2023. Wedding-goers in autumn and winter can expect to see a large emphasis on sustainability, DIY and an ode to all things vintage, according to Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online. She commented: "Wedding trends change seasonally, so it's crucial wedding hosts stay ahead of the curve. Efficient spending, sustainability and a vintage feel are key focuses this season, and rightly so. Wedding hosts no longer have to feel obliged to over-indulge in their big day and can instead, save money."

Frost Point Production is exhibiting at County Wedding Events

Cotswold-based Frost Point Production is exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on 29th October 2023. Sam says "With a strong background in sound recording, I decided to further my passion to videography. I have gained a great level of experience in the field and am excited to share my passion for storytelling through video with the world. "Starting the business has allowed me to combine my love of videography and my desire to run my own business". "I am an extremely motivated, personable, hardworking individual, with a sharp eye for detail. With a genuine love for the industry, I am thrilled to be able to work closely with clients to bring their visions to life."

Surrey’s Butteflies and Bows proud title holder

If you're looking for a florist or venue stylist for your big day, you're in luck because you have an award-winning supplier on your doorstep who'll bring your dream to life. Annabel Grange, owner of Surrey's Butteflies and Bows has been the proud title holder of Hitched 2023, Florist and Décor/Venue Styling award this year and she is mega proud. "I was nominated by my brides, which made it even more special, and we were up against hundreds of other florists and venue decorators, so it's something we're very proud of," says Annabel. Butterflies and Bows can provide your flowers as well as offering a full styling service and even cakes, catering and disco if required.

Sentimental wedding bands with Atelier VM

Fine Italian jewellery maker Atelier VM has just launched its beautiful new Impronta wedding bands, whereby brides and grooms can customise their special ring with their loved one's fingerprint. Each 18K ring is a unique piece made using the lost wax casting technique, of multiple finger prints layered, to create a beautifully personalised ring that makes a marriage of everlasting love extra special.

Award-winning company working with County Wedding Events

Meon Face an award-winning medical aesthetics beauty clinic which specialises in skin, face and body, is exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on 29th October, 2023. "We offer 10+ years of experience, the latest technologies and techniques performed by our experienced and dedicated team. Come meet us at the show! Receive some amazing on-the-day discounts on our skincare products and treatments or book yourself in for a free consultation!"

The therapeutic power of music on Mental Health Awareness Day

The issue of mental health has never been more important, three in five people in the UK suffer from some form of anxiety, but almost half of those people keep it a secret as they worry about being judged by others. And around one in six of the British population also suffers from moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Those shocking statistics show that the issue is still not spoken about enough, which means that sufferers feel excluded. But music can make a big difference! Making or playing music has been proven to deliver many mental health benefits.

Walk in the footsteps of Ada Lovelace at De Vere Horsley Estate

The 10th October 2023 marks Ada Lovelace Day, which recognises Ada's ground-breaking contribution to computer technology and celebrates the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). This year, De Vere Horsley Estate, located in Surrey and part of De Vere's collection of mansion house estates, is inviting guests to walk in the footsteps of Ada Lovelace at what was her marital home for 17 years. Lovelace, born in 1815, was a well-known mathematician and writer, and was regarded as one of the world's first computer programmers owing to her pioneering work on Charles Babbage's mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. Ada was the only child of Annabella Milbank and the poet Lord Byron; her mother had mathematical training and insisted on Ada studying mathematics - an unusual education for a woman in the 1800s.

Jewellery designer exhibiting with County Wedding Events

Hampshire-based jewellery designer and creator Sarah Ralph, of Sarah Ralph Designs, is showcasing her work at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on Sunday 29th September 2023. Sarah says, "I've been designing and handmaking jewellery from solid recycled sterling silver for the past 10 years. I absolutely love working with silver as it's such a great material to work with and it has such a lustre all of its own. "I love crafting jewellery that makes you smile and that you truly enjoy wearing, from either small piece for that understated look or statement one-off pieces that have that wow factor. All of my jewellery is crafted from solid recycled sterling silver. Being as environmentally friendly as possible is very important to me and it is a strong ethos within my work. I'm based in Winchester, Hampshire where all of my designs are crafted."

UK's 15 most Instagrammed venues to get hitched

As UK searches for "wedding venues" skyrocketed by 110%* over the past months, the wedding experts at Aura Print scoured social media for the most popular autumn/winter wedding venues nationwide, and tallied Instagram hashtag numbers to reveal which venue stands out as the most memorable for weddings this season. Top 15 most Instagrammed wedding venues for autumn/winter 2023 to be inspired by...

Save money on wedding party gifts

With more and more couples choosing to thank their bridesmaids and groomsman with presents, Anita Naik, savings expert at the UK's most trusted savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to save money on your wedding party gifts, without sparing the sentiment: Spend within your budget: Set a budget and stick to it. Often people can go down a rabbit hole when browsing for gifts, looking at items that are way over budget. It's important to set yourself a strict budget and spend an amount that you're comfortable with.

Surrey's Simply Laura Calligraphy exhibiting at Mercedes-Benz World's Signature Wedding Show

Surrey's Simply Laura Calligraphy is exhibiting at County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World on Sunday 29th October 2023. Laura says," If you're recently engaged and planning a wedding, firstly congratulations! When it comes to stationery designs, the possibilities are endless, from save the dates to place cards and on the day signage, Simply Laura Calligraphy helps bring your special day to life through print. Come and Meet me at Mercedes-Benz World Signature Wedding Fair on Sunday 29th October 2023!"

County Wedding Magazines launch new websites!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ the office is abuzz with excitement at the launch of our new websites – I'm sure you can hear the *collective oohs and ahhs* from where you are! So yes, it's here, after months of hard work, sweat and tears (maybe less tears but more cheers!), our shiny, new, glorious websites are ready to be viewed by our much-loved readers – we really hope you like them as much as we do! Wedding planning at your fingertips - What's new, we hear you ask? Well, everything! The County names are as important as ever, it's our ethos after all, but we have a lush new font and modern colour scheme that really makes our County Wedding Magazine titles jump off the page.

Reigate’s Lebnani Restaurant has launched cookery classes

Gather your besties and get your aprons on for a hen or stag do with a difference! Reigate's Lebnani Restaurant has just launched a series of cookery classes hosted by chef Jad Youssef. Learn and master the art of creating traditional Lebanese dishes, in a fun and intimate atmosphere. During the class, guests will receive a special Lebnani apron to wear and take home as a keepsake. On arrival enjoy a welcome drink and Zeytoun olives, then roll up your sleeves and enjoy a hands on cookery class, followed by a sit down meal where you can enjoy your prepared dishes, with a glass of Lebanese wine! Whether you're a kitchen novice or an experienced home cook, looking to expand your repertoire, these classes are tailored to suit all levels and an opportunity to immerse yourself into the vibrant world of Lebanese cuisine!