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

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 Gardens at Polehanger offers a rustic setting for weddings

As couples travel down the beautiful tree-lined driveway, they'll discover The Gardens at Polehanger. The well-manicured gardens provide a secluded spot to host memorable wedding celebrations. Plenty of spaces have flowerbeds full of colour and uninterrupted countryside views. The blank canvas venue allows couples to bring in their own structure and all other suppliers, meaning they can get creative to bring their vision to life – the bigger the imagination, the better! Pairs can have a celebrant-led blessing and receptions in the beautiful gardens with 120 people, or couples might opt for structures such as marquees, yurts, stretch tents or tipis – there are many possibilities. Pairs will exclusively use the site for their wedding day, including the six-bedroom farmhouse.

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.

The five best weather apps to keep your eye on it leading up to the big day

Wedding jewellery experts Austen & Blake have listed some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on in the lead-up to your big day. The UK weather has been anything but predictable lately, with September set to be a particularly rainy and unsettled month, according to The Met Office. Top-rated apps help to track and plan your wedding day accordingly. Weather apps are invaluable when it comes to planning your nuptials, but sometimes there's no avoiding the inevitable. That's why, along with listing the best apps for tracking grey skies, the jewellery experts have teamed up with a professional wedding photographer to provide tips on how to get the best rainy snaps.

Even when the weather's a washout, it doesn't mean your wedding photos have to be! Here are some of the best weather apps to keep an eye on and how to strike the perfect pose if rain is predicted:

Edworth Manor is the ideal backdrop to weddings

Edworth Manor is a working farm just one mile south of Biggleswade, which one family has run for more than 200 years. Nearlyweds can expect a personal service from the experienced team, who will help guide them through the planning process. Guests get a glimpse of farm life as they travel up the drive past grass meadows and tractors before reaching the venue. Couples often comment on how peaceful and tucked away the setting is. The meadow offers a perfect space for photos with a rural backdrop; couples are often snapped underneath the trees or in front of the timber-clad barns. The venue doesn't have a ceremony license, but the 12th-century church is available for blessings with permission of the Churches Conservation Trust. Celebrant-led ceremonies occur in the 18th-century barn at Edworth Manor, a rustic space that's one of the largest in the area with plenty of historic character. Guests are taken back by the oak timbers and attractive alcoves, which offer a fantastic canvas for couples to personalise as little or as much as they like.

Don’t like your engagement ring? Relationship experts reveal what you need to do!

A marriage proposal is filled with an overwhelming amount of emotion and is a moment both you and your partner will remember forever. But once the initial rush fades, what if you come to terms with the fact that the ring placed on your finger isn't what you envisioned it to look like? Leading diamond jewellers, Diamonds Factory, teamed up with relationship experts Georgia Sturmer and Sharin Shafer, who have shared their top 3 tips on how to handle this delicate situation in the best way possible.

Discover Shendish Manor Hotel's new wedding packages

Shendish Manor Hotel & Golf Course has released new Dry Hire Packages to help couples plan dream weddings. Located in Hemel Hempstead, the property provides a stunning setting with high ceilings, chandeliers and antique fire places. Lovebirds will fall in love as soon as they travel up the winding driveway through the parkland and discover the Victorian manor house. The team have released the Amber, Ruby and Sapphire packages that have been created to help support lovebirds through the wedding planning process. Each package includes exclusive use of The Apsley Suite and Bar until midnight, exclusive use of The Manor House from 9 am until 9 pm, a dancefloor, complimentary parking, discounted bedrooms, a four-poster bedroom for newlyweds, tables and chairs, corkage included and more.Visit the website to compare the packages to find the perfect option for your big day

Fraser Hart launches its stunning lab-grown diamond collection

Fraser Hart, one of the UK's leading purveyors of fine jewellery, is redefining affordable luxury with the launch of its Born Lab Grown Diamonds collection in 10 new stores nationwide. Optically, physically and chemically identical to an earth-grown diamond, here cutting-edge technology is used to create timeless diamonds in a laboratory setting. Blending craftsmanship with innovation, Born Lab Grown Diamonds are breathtaking in their clarity, delivering the same sparkling wow-factor as traditionally mined gems, but with a more accessible price tag. The Born collection includes a stunning choice of "buy now, treasure forever" heirloom jewellery pieces. With exquisite diamond rings starting at just £799, diamond and white gold stud earrings from £799, classic diamond encrusted tennis bracelets from £5,250, and diamond pendant necklaces from £850, investing in luxurious, exceptional quality and utterly timeless diamond jewellery pieces has never been more attractive.

The wellness journals from Lovendu you need in your life

With Mental Health Awareness day falling in October, and as we approach the end of the year, take positive steps to improve your wellbeing in 2024 through journaling. The benefits of daily journaling are huge, from reducing stress and improving your mental health to boosting productivity and providing an opportunity to get in sync with your emotions. It's the ultimate act of self-care – and Lovendu makes it easy to take control of your life and truly thrive.

Discover this award-winning venue in the Marston Vale

Set in an award-winning Millenium Country Park in Marston Moretaine, The Forest Centre is a non-traditional wedding venue focussing on the beautiful natural environment at the Forest of Marston Vale. This scenic setting includes woodlands, meadows, wetlands and lakes – perfect for taking memorable photographs. The venue is a modern and contemporary building with various spaces, food, drink and entertainment options for special events. With help from the in-house caterers and wedding coordinator, the team will do everything to help lovebirds create truly personal experiences. The venue can host alternative celebrant services at The Forest Centre or in the outdoor spaces, as well as more traditional ceremonies

Getting married? Alcohol-free menu is the new must-have

Samantha Gilchrist, CEO of the UK's largest wedding venue collection, The Gilchrist Collection, conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults to find out their wedding drinking habits. The study comes as the collection launches its new alcohol-free drinks menu, created in partnership with First Dates star bartender, Merlin Griffiths. The survey revealed that almost half (47%) of those who had attended a wedding in the last five years didn't drink alcohol during at least one of the events they had been to. Sober guests said they were often left feeling uncomfortable at weddings sipping an un-festive soft drink, as 35% of respondents said they are questioned on why they aren't having alcohol. Sadly, a quarter admitted to drinking alcohol at a wedding just to avoid awkward questions or having to share personal or medical information as an excuse.

The Iris & Lolli Jewellery team celebrate their first year in business

Introducing Iris & Lolli Jewellery, which creates nature-inspired accessories lovingly made by hand in Hertfordshire – perfect for weddings! Leaves, shells, seeds and flowers are recreated using recycled silver, giving the pieces a second life. Creating a beautiful, timeless jewellery collection means couples can treasure the items for years to come. Made using only sustainable materials and eco-friendly packaging, the team partnered with Ecologi to plant a tree for every piece sold. Proud to be female-owned and launched in 2022 by Julia Cordes, Iris & Lolli Jewellery is a tribute to her two daughters, after whom the brand is named after, inspiring them to build a better world.

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...

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."

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.

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.