Your Midlands Wedding news and ideas from around the region

Tie the knot at Broadfield in Hereford

Broadfield is an elegant yet relaxed setting, boasting a mixture of heritage and modernity. The bedrooms have luxurious beds and antique furniture; the sofas are grand yet comfy; and many rooms have wood panelling, stucco ceilings, and, of course, beautiful fireplaces. Parts of Broadfield date back to the 13th century, which can be seen in the mixture of stone and brick. The building is south-facing, with glorious views from the bedrooms and principal reception rooms. To the front are stone courtyards, and to the back are huge gardens. Broadfield is set in five acres of gardens within a further 22 acres that include a well-stocked rose garden, south-facing lawns, an orchard, woodland and a magnificent kitchen garden. The fold yard is a walled courtyard with Italianate loggia.

The Speech Surgery: funny photo inclusions yay or nay?

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches: My husband has been asked to be his brother's best man. We have lots of funny photos of his brother through the years. Should we utilise them in the speech? A decade ago, nearly every best man speech involved a PowerPoint presentation of embarrassing photos of the groom. These days are over. Maybe it's because social media now allows people to look back at laugh at their mates 'fedora' or 'drop crotch' years without needing to wait for a wedding. Or, maybe it's just because using PowerPoint is generally awkward and clunky anywhere other than the boardroom.

Don’t let your wedding decor go to waste: five creative ways to repurpose it!

With the time, money and effort you put into creating the perfect wedding setting for your special day, it only makes sense to make the most out of it, don't you think? If you want to give your decor another ounce of life but are not sure how, look no further. Experts at Diamonds Factory have shared five ways you can repurpose your wedding decor beyond the ceremony. 1.Get creative and repurpose your extra wedding invitations into a DIY project.

Rituals opens new store in the West Midlands

Rituals, a brand dedicated to sustainable and personal wellbeing, has launched its first store in Merry Hill in the West Midlands. With an expansive innovation portfolio in body care, home fragrances and natural skin care, Rituals is inviting couples to visit and enrich their wellbeing. Annemarie Forsyth, the managing director of Rituals, says: "We are so excited to be opening this store in the Merry Hill Shopping Centre, expanding the Rituals interactive experience in the UK. Living in these ever-changing, fast-paced times, we understand more than ever the need for creating moments of joy and feeling balanced in our everyday lives.

Six things you need to insure when tying the knot

As wedding season draws nearer, couples are scrambling to tie up loose ends and ensure their special day goes off without a hitch. Amidst the excitement and anticipation, there have been 11K Google searches for 'wedding insurance' in the past month alone. The insurance experts at Bionic have looked into some of the most useful insurances to have for your big day. As of 2023, the average amount spent on wedding venues in the UK was nearly £8,000, meaning a significant amount of money would be at stake if the day were to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the venue. Similarly, the average spent on wedding videography and photography was nearly £3,000. In the event of any technical faults on the day, you could be at risk of memories of your special day not being captured, and also losing out on thousands if you weren't to take out cover.

Discover The Priest House Hotel in Derby

Set in a tranquil and stunning location on the banks of the River Trent, The Priest House Hotel has a rich history that can be traced back almost 1,000 years. Combined with its own Grade II listed water wheel, opulent surroundings and contemporary style that complements the charm and romance of the English countryside, the venue is perfect for weddings. Set in more than 60 acres of woodland, gardens and meadows with breathtaking views of the rolling countryside and the River Trent, the grounds are something out of a fairytale. Watching the sunset over the river with the gardens lit up makes for magical evening transformations. The Garden Suite is a spacious room with original exposed wooden beams and fairylights to add that extra sparkle to events.

Leading Celebrant says industry needs infusion of new talent

The UK celebrant industry is seen as boring and is ripe for reinvigoration, according to Richard Lavender, founder of UK Celebrant Academy, a new training company for modern celebrants. There is now much more demand for celebrant-led ceremonies than ever before, as people want weddings that reflect their unique stories and values. "Celebrants, unlike registrars, provide completely unique and personalised ceremonies, with no limitations on location or content. But there are a lot of celebrants who are providing boring cookie cutter ceremonies. The Celebrant industry needs an infusion of new blood that will bring energy, humour and fun to special days whether they are weddings, funerals, baby naming or vow renewals," says Richard.

‘The Speech Surgery’ with Speechy's Heidi Ellert McDermott

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches' We're planning on having five speakers at our wedding. How do we make sure the speeches don't take over the whole day? Great speeches can add so much fun and meaning to a wedding day – but you can have too much of a good thing. Guests don't want to feel like they're sat at a conference, so firstly, think about how you schedule the speakers. Perhaps have a couple before the meal, two before the dessert and one (funny speech) after everyone's finished eating. You want your guests to interact with each other on a regular basis, rather than listening to a succession of speakers for an hour!

The Office for National Statistics: journeying through modern life

The Office for National Statistics has published an article exploring life's most important milestones and how they have changed over time. Using a range of data sources, the article looks at key life events such when people enter the workforce, get married, and earn the most money. Kerry Gadsdon, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: "Everyone's journey through adulthood is different, but we can use a range of data to explore key events in life. We've examined how these milestones of adulthood have changed over the past decade and can see how society is shifting. "In England and Wales, people are doing many things later in life; like leaving their parent's home, getting married, and retiring. But not everything has changed. Most people still enter the workforce at 23-24 years old and make the most money in their 30s to 50s."

These are the UK’s most popular manor house wedding venues for Bridgerton-inspired ceremonies!

As we all wait in anticipation for tonight's first episode of season three of Bridgerton to hit our screens, we're ready to immerse ourselves in Regency splendour once again. If you're engaged, in the throws of wedding planning, there's so much to be inspired by when watching this hit series. New data collected by ethical jewellery brand Sacet has revealed the top manor house wedding venues across the UK that would make the perfect location for a Bridgerton-inspired ceremony. By analysing a number of factors, including number of reviews, professionalism, quality of service and value for money, of over 230 wedding venues that offer manor house weddings in the UK, the top 20 were revealed.

Discover Champagne & Lace's new bridal store

The team at Champagne & Lace are excited to announce their new bridal store in Louth, Lincolnshire! The motherand-daughter-run business has outstanding knowledge and understanding of brides, ensuring everybody has the most enjoyable appointment! The new space will allow the team to continue offering a fantastic service to clients, who will have the whole store to themselves for two hours with their undivided attention, but now on a more extensive and grander scale! It will be a truly personal shopping experience with extra personal touches. Original features like the staircase have been lovingly restored along with the original signage under the new sign, so history is always kept.

Make sure your big day is protected

A wedding is a special day for a couple, but it can also be an expensive one. Between venues, caterers, photographers, dresses, and entertainment, the costs can add up. For those planning a wedding, it's important you insure yourself against anything that could go awry just before, or on the big day. For those aiming to tie the knot this year, Alex Cross, Insurance Director at Tesco Bank shares his top tips on things to consider for your wedding day to make sure you're covered so things can run as smoothly as possible.

Tie the knot at The Barn at Drovers

The Barn at Drovers is a 16th-century venue situated on a working organic farm. The farm's food is sourced directly from the fields and foraged from the hedgerows and there are stunning courtyards and gardens with 150 acres to explore. The venue is made up of two barns. The Rustic Barn has a wagon wheel and wooden ladders suspended by steel beams, old potato box slats for walls and plenty of straw bales. While the Industrial Chic Barn has wooden beams, a corrugated ceiling and wonderful old olive buckets as lights suspended from the beams. Al fresco celebrations are held in the field or charming woodland. All the venue's food is cooked on open fires and there are lots of outdoor spaces for summer weddings.

WoodWick® reveals its latest collections

WoodWick® reveals its latest collection designed to effortlessly elevate the home with its unique fragrances and contemporary designs - perfect for big-day gifting. What's more, the gorgeous colour palettes would also suit spring and summer wedding themes adding aroma to your ceremony or reception, evoking memories of your wedding day for years to come. Created to make a statement with its one-of-a-kind multi-sensory experience, the WoodWick® Spring/Summer 2024 range re-energises the home and adds an extra layer of sophistication. With the soothing sound of the crackling wicks, and trend forward scents evocative of the brighter days ahead, this collection is sure to add a bold, yet stylish, touch to the home.

Hotel Indigo Coventry has just opened

Hotel Indigo Coventry is now open after a multi-million-pound building project that took just 19 months from start to completion. The stunning new-build features 'Cogs Restaurant & Bar', which celebrates the amazing growers and producers in Warwickshire and the British Isles. The kitchen is open and fully integrated, allowing the chefs to be a part of the diner's experience. The bar, with 100 seats, is both stylish and captivating, creating the perfect atmosphere for pre- and post-dinner drinks. The hotel also boasts a fitness suite, a wine wall and an intimate meeting room for up to 12 people. Comprising of 101 stylish bedrooms, the rooms are designed around themes reflecting the vibrance and style of Coventry's historic neighbourhood.

New cake stands launched in Spring pastel shades

Innovative UK cake stand brand, Prop Options has launched a new, sophisticated range of interchangeable pastel-coloured cake stands, giving couples and cake designers bountiful colourful options when it comes to displaying their wedding cakes. Known as the Reeded Stand, these pastel-toned contemporary cake plinths have removable top plates, allowing designers and couples to mix and match colourways for a truly unique, fun, yet elegant, design. Prop Options is bringing out six colourways in its Pastel Reeded Stand collection, namely pink, lavender, green, yellow, blue and 2024 colour of the year, Pantone Peach Fuzz. The stands are also available in white, black, and gold.

New Smeg products ideal for wedding gifting this season

Whether you're compiling your big-day gift list and looking for inspiration, or you're a guest attending a wedding in the coming months, these new items from Smeg makes wedding gifting easy! Adding to its of portfolio cooking essentials, Smeg has introduced its first countertop scales. The KSC01 Kitchen Scales are a welcome addition for both budding bakers and professionals in the kitchen. Joining the likes of stand mixers and cookware in Smeg's portfolio, the brand's all-new digital scales are both outstanding in design and packed with its advanced technology.

Thornbridge Hall offers the perfect wedding backdrop

Thornbridge Hall is a Grade II listed stately home nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Peak District. The Hall and its 14 acres of formal gardens are set within 100 acres of stunning parkland. The team has lovingly restored both to create one of the country's most exclusive event venues. The Music Room is an ornate space that has been lovingly restored to its earlier state and now has a feel of the Palace of Versailles. The vows can take place with 40 loved ones and 12 for receptions. Alternatively, The Great Hall can host 100 seated guests and 50 upstairs in the gallery for grand celebrations.

7 top tips for including your pooch in your wedding

Considering including your pooch at your wedding? Here are 7 top tips from Petpals. With 57% of UK households boasting a furry friend, it is no wonder many couples dream of having their beloved dog join them on their special day. In fact, a whopping eight in 10 Brits say they would want their four-legged companion to be part of their wedding festivities. But before you entrust your pooch with the role of ring bearer, it is essential to be well prepared to ensure that your big day is nothing short of paw-some for both you and your pup. Here, Kevin Thackrah, Director of Petpals, the UK's longest-established pet-care franchise, shares some top tips on how to seamlessly incorporate your canine companion into your wedding day.

How to avoid guests over indulging on alcoholic drinks on the big day

One in six (16 per cent) wedding guests admit to driving home the morning after a wedding, when they could still be over the alcohol limit, reveals new research1 from Direct Line Motor Insurance. In a bid to remind drivers about the risks of getting behind the wheel after celebratory drinking, a car was crashed into a three-metre-high wedding cake outside Blenheim Palace2, one of the UK's most instagramable wedding venues.

With one in five (20 per cent) guests saying they have been driven home by someone they thought was over the drink drive limit, the morning after celebrating nuptials, the smashed wedding cake highlights the risks involved with driving the morning after.