Your Herts and Beds Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Rituals opens new luxury wellbeing store at The Maltings Shopping Centre in St Albans, Hertfordshire

Luxury beauty and wellbeing brand Rituals Cosmetics has opened a new store at The Maltings Shopping Centre in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Spanning 128.5 square metres, the new space offers an immersive introduction to Rituals' signature bath, body and home collections, designed to inspire moments of mindfulness and self-care in everyday life. The opening forms part of the brand's ongoing UK expansion strategy, reinforcing its commitment to bringing luxury wellbeing experiences to regional lifestyle destinations. Shoppers can expect a calming environment that encourages them to pause, relax and enjoy Rituals' holistic approach to modern living.

‘Tis the season to say ‘I Do’ - but don’t forget this crucial step, warns expert

December is the most popular month to get engaged, accounting for more than 11% of proposals¹. But, as peak proposal season approaches, new research from MoneySuperMarket reveals that many couples could be putting their engagement rings - and their wallets - at risk. The research* revealed that two-thirds (66%) of engaged or married couples don't have their rings covered under their home insurance and more than a quarter (27%) don't have any insurance at all. The data highlights a growing protection gap, particularly among younger generations with over a third (38%) of 18-24 year olds having no cover, compared to 24% of 25-34 year olds.

Wedding Song of 2025

The Post Barn, the award-winning Berkshire venue, is delighted to announce its Wedding Song of the Year 2025, as chosen by their 2025 wedding couples. Topping the list is "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey, capturing hearts with its dreamy, cinematic vibe. Following closely are: We Found Love – Sydnee Carter; You Make My Dreams – Alex Francis; No Judgement – Niall Horan; Perfect – Ed Sheeran. In total, The Post Barn played an impressive 9,092 songs for their wedding guests throughout the year. The average listening age of these tunes? A youthful 26, reflecting a vibrant, contemporary taste among couples celebrating their special day.

Dough with the Flow celebrates five years of wood-fired wedding pizzas from family-run Hertfordshire caterers

Family-run business Dough with the Flow is celebrating its fifth anniversary, marking a milestone for the much-loved Hertfordshire-based caterers. Founded in 2020 by Lara Walton and Charlie Walton, the company was born from a shared love of pizza and great food during lockdown. Specialising in Italian-style sourdough pizza cooked in real wood-fired ovens, Dough with the Flow uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients to deliver authentic flavours. With a varied menu including gluten-free options, they help couples create relaxed, memorable wedding dining experiences.

Braxted Park Estate Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Braxted Park Estate, Essex, for inspiration on Sunday 15th February, 2026! The sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Inderpreet Jass of Indi Jass Designs transforms bridal henna into lasting keepsakes and artistic canvases

Bridal henna specialist Inderpreet Jass of Indi Jass Designs is redefining how brides can treasure their wedding-day henna forever. Known for her intricate, meaningful designs, Inderpreet is introducing a henna canvas service that allows bespoke bridal henna artwork to be transformed into a beautiful canvas keepsake for the home. Alongside this, she offers henna-inspired canvas artworks for those seeking lasting decorative pieces. Brides looking for inspiration can also explore her published design books, including a bridal henna sketch collection and a mindful colouring book, both available on Amazon, extending her artistry beyond the wedding day.

2026 wedding trends that are set to dominate your feed

As wedding-related searches such as 'dream wedding' and 'wedding décor inspo' are up 10,000% year-on-year according to Pinterest trends, it's clear that couples are turning their attention to the finer details of their nuptials. To guide couples through 2026 wedding planning, Jess Levick, Assistant Buyer at Suit Direct, and Lucy Hook, Floral Lead at Bloom & Wild, reveal the key wedding trends shaping celebrations next year, covering regency romance, natural colour palettes and hyper-personalised celebrations.

How to save on wedding photography without compromising on quality, according to photographer Tim Payne

Your wedding photos are lifelong keepsakes, making photography one of the most important investments for your big day. We spoke to Tim Payne for his expert advice on how couples can make their wedding photography budget go further without compromising on quality. From choosing off-peak dates and digital-only packages to being strategic about coverage and understanding hidden costs, Tim shares practical tips to help couples get the images they love while staying within budget. Whether you're planning a large celebration across multiple venues or a more intimate day, these insights offer smart, realistic ways to approach wedding photography with confidence.

County Wedding Events coming Kimberley Hall, Norfolk!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Kimberley Hall, Norfolk, for inspiration on Sunday 8th February 2026! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples face-to-face with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Built in 1712 during the reign of Queen Anne, Kimberley sits at the centre of a 700 acre park laid out in 1778. The house boasts spectacular views past grazing cattle and Norfolk's greatest concentration of ancient oaks, to a large lake at the bottom of the River Tiffey valley. Centrally located in Norfolk, 9 miles west of Norwich and close to arterial road, rail and air links (plus a private airstrip), Kimberley is ideally positioned.

Crondon Park Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Crondon Park, Essex, for inspiration on Sunday 8th February 2026! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Set in the beautiful valley of Crondon, with stunning views across the Essex countryside and our championship golf course - Crondon Park has established an outstanding reputation as a premier venue in Essex and the UK.

What are Prenup and Postnup Agreements?

Nuptial agreements have seen a rise in popularity in the UK, with high profile divorces highlighting the risks of not having a prenup or postnup in place. In addition, people now tend to get married later in life when they have accumulated more wealth and therefore have more assets to protect. Claire Porter, partner within the family team at leading Cheshire-based law firm SAS Daniels, discusses nuptial agreements for pre and post-marriage...

Meet Erishia of Your Forever After Celebrant, creating inclusive and deeply personal celebrant-led wedding ceremonies

Based in Hertfordshire, Erishia is the creative force behind Your Forever After Celebrant, known for crafting inclusive, meaningful ceremonies for couples from all backgrounds. Specialising in celebrant-led weddings, Erishia designs ceremonies that are deeply personal, filled with love, laughter and unique details that reflect each couple's story. With complete freedom of location, couples can exchange vows wherever feels most meaningful to them, from gardens and beaches to non-traditional spaces. Working closely with every couple, Erishia ensures they feel fully supported throughout the process, creating ceremonies that honour values, traditions and individuality.

Be inspired by Pantone's Colour of the Year 2026 for your nuptials

Pantone, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards and digital solutions for the design community, today introduced PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, a billowy white imbued with a feeling of serenity as the Pantone Colour of the Year selection for 2026. An ethereal white hue, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer serves as a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection. At first, you'd be forgiven for thinking 'well it's a white tone, and there is a lot of white at a wedding already - so what's new?'.

Meet Sally Brown of Perfect Memories Photography, capturing relaxed, award-winning wedding moments across the UK

Introducing Sally Brown, the photographer behind Perfect Memories Photography. With years of experience behind the lens, Sally has become known for her relaxed, friendly approach that helps couples feel confident, comfortable and completely themselves. Based in Hertfordshire and capturing weddings across the UK, her style blends timeless artistry with authentic storytelling, focusing on genuine, unposed moments filled with emotion. Sally works discreetly throughout the day, building strong rapport with each couple to ensure natural portraits that feel warm, elegant and deeply personal, preserving not just how the day looked, but how it truly felt.

Expert Reveals: The Biggest Wedding Trends for 2026

You've found the love of your life, and you're happily engaged. It's finally time for your main-character moment, your wedding, and we're here for it. Whether you're just getting started on planning or you've been swimming in tulle for months, one thing's clear: 2026 is the year of "I do, my way." According to Nick Bramer, Co-owner & Marketing Director at Country House Weddings, "2026 is shaping up to be the year of personality-driven weddings. Couples are blending tradition with innovation to create days that feel unapologetically 'them'." Below, Nick shares the biggest wedding trends set to define 2026.

Darling Buds hosts festive wreath-making workshops alongside bespoke wedding florals in Hoddesdon

Based in Hoddesdon, Darling Buds creates beautiful, bespoke floral arrangements for weddings and special occasions. This winter, the team is inviting guests to enjoy festive wreath-making workshops, perfect for pre-wedding gatherings or creative time with friends. Hosted at Mayhem Function Hall, sessions take place on Saturday 29 November, Thursday 4 December and Saturday 6 December, with tickets starting from £66 per person. Founded in 2021 by owner Sam Eccleston, Darling Buds specialises in designing meaningful wedding flowers that reflect each couple's unique vision and story.

Legal experts warn couples not to change wedding plans amid wedding law reforms

Proposed changes to 19th Century weddings laws could be about to change everything for couples, but one legal expert has urged wedding planners to hang fire before making any changes to their big day. Legal experts from The University of Law say: "While there have been various updates to wedding laws in recent years, such as legalising same-sex marriage and changing the legal age requirement for marriage, nothing has changed the laws that govern marriage to this extent since the 1800s. "The main thing couples need to know now, is that nothing is going to change in the immediate future. The reforms still need public consultation, then the usual Parliamentary processes before implementation, all of which could take many years.

7 Ways Marriage Celebrations Will Change By 2035

Planning a wedding used to follow a predictable script – white dress, church ceremony, big reception with 150+ guests. But it seems those days are numbered. According to this expert, the next decade promises to completely reshape how couples say "I do," driven by technology advances, environmental concerns, and evolving social attitudes. Wedding expert Nick Bramer from Country House Weddings, a family-run business specialising in exclusive-use venues across the UK, has witnessed these changes first-hand at their castle and country estate locations. "We're seeing couples make bold choices that would have seemed impossible just five years ago," says Bramer. "The traditional wedding playbook is being rewritten entirely."

No ring? No proposal! New study reveals the top reasons for a proposal turn down

A new survey of 2000 UK adults has revealed timing is everything when it comes to a proposal, but so is taste. In an era where perfect proposals are deemed as Instagram-worthy backdrops and a professional photographer, this study reveals that the fundamentals are what couples are really wanting. A new study, commissioned by professional jewellers, F. Hinds, shows nearly 3 in 10 (29%) would be turned off by a public proposal, whilst another 29% would say no if it happens on someone else's special day, such as a birthday or even another person's wedding day. The engagement ring itself still plays a pivotal role. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 (20%) say the ring, or lack of one, can make or break the moment, proving that in an era of bigger is better, the perfect ring is still the ultimate "yes" factor.

Legal officiants vs legal venues

The wedding industry in the UK is worth £14.7billion, and the average cost of a wedding is over £20,000. With not only the cost, but the time and effort put into your wedding and making it one of the most special days of your life, you want to make sure that the event does actually legally marry you and your partner! Joanna Newton, a partner at Stowe Family Law, advises on the changes, and what couples need to consider.... In England and Wales, for your marriage to be legally binding, your ceremony venue needs to be a registered location. For more and more people, this is their local registry office, as they are choosing to have their wedding in venues that, whilst special to the couple, are unlicensed. In many cases, this means couples are having two weddings – one for the legal bit and one for the fun!