Editor loves and inspiration

Marianne Fashions of Cleadon Village in Sunderland has put together their 2024 trend predictions: “There are more informal weddings taking place in hotels and venues abroad. As a result, mothers-of-the-bride and grooms are seeking a design that has a softer look and is less restricting, yet is still glamorous and fun to wear again on holiday and special nights out. Designers have not been slow to cater for this trend, with designs now featuring bardot necklines, gently nipped waists flowing down to cascading hemlines, tailored trouser suits, dresses and jackets that are never out of fashion, and silk trouser suits with matching flowing blouson tops. Veni Infantino, Couture Club, John Charles, Simon Ellis, and many others have all these styles in plain and printed fabrics in several colours. All of these you will find at Marianne Fashions of Cleadon Village, with matching shoes and handbags and a choice of hats to hire or buy to complete the look.”

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After a successful year capturing weddings across our wonderful region, Durham-based photographer Dash Photography is preparing to launch a new website. “I’m working hard behind the scenes to get the new website ready,” says the owner, Brendan. “I’m looking forward to its reveal this winter with some special offers for 2024 and 2025. Our approach to wedding photography is to produce images that tell the story of your day. We want to capture all of those special moments as they happen without being too intrusive or distracting. We want your day to be about you, but we also want you to have fantastic and creative images that record the emotions of your special day and create memories for you to treasure. We also understand that not every couple is looking for the same style, so we are able to combine our signature style with a traditional approach or a more creative editorial style if needed.”

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Hannah and Robs met on a dating app. “However, after six months we went our separate ways as it just wasn’t the right time,” says Hannah. “Two years, a pandemic and two break-ups later, I messaged Robs again – and that was it; I wasn’t letting her get away! I’ll never forget tipsily screaming, ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’ at Durham Pride in the rain, and she moved in five months later.”

Neither Hannah or Robs wanted to get married – or so they thought. “One day we were sat in a pub when it hit me how much I’d love to marry her, so I could introduce her as my wife,” continues Hannah. “Telling Robs there and then, I was shocked when she liked the idea as well. I had a bit of a cry – I might have had a pint or two! – but nothing further happened at that point in time.”

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North East Carriage Co Ltd is a family-run business that has been supplying horse-drawn carriages and wedding carriage hire for over 25 years. “We offer a one-to-one service that allows us to provide you with a truly bespoke experience,” says the team at North East Carriage Co Ltd. “We make sure everything, from decorations down to the colours, is supplied just how you want it. We invite you to come and visit our farm to view our selection of horses and carriages, and we welcome you to choose the horses to lead your carriage on your special day.

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Hair stylist Ruth Moore tells us why a ponytail is a popular trend for 2023.

" A low, loose ponytail can actually be the most glamorous of all and is also a big trend for late 2023 brides. Look at Pinterest and make a moodboard of different ponytails you like. This is a good way to show your stylist what you want and is great for sharing your vision with your mam. Too many people think of a ponytail as being hair shoved up for the gym or for keeping cool. Sure, that’s sometimes the case, but for weddings, it’s a classic, sleek style that looks incredible."

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Ruth met Scott through a mutual friend. “Lockdown hit, so we started FaceTiming as well as messaging,” says Ruth. “Scott works offshore, so when he returned – and after restrictions were lifted – we went to the beach for our first date. We then met nearly every night to go for a walk and grab some food. We moved in together quickly, and there was no looking back!”

Scott asked Ruth to marry him in their kitchen – not what he’d planned! “Scott spent ages looking for the perfect ring; a pink morganite oval design with diamonds all around,” continues the bride. “He then booked a night away at a lovely hotel that I’d been asking for months to visit. It fell on the same day as my nephew’s christening, so we spent a lovely day with family, where I enjoyed a few drinks. Scott, the designated driver, then took us home to get our stuff, letting my mam in to collect our dogs before quickly telling her his plans. Realising they’d taken themselves off into another room, I got suspicious and started asking why they looked so proud of themselves. Scott got overexcited and impulsively got down on one knee in the kitchen, asking me to marry him there and then! I ended up jumping on him and pushing him over, landing on the floor in a heap with three excited dogs piled on top, with my mam crying with happiness in the corner. By the time I’d sent messages to family and friends, the house was full of guests and champagne, meaning we had a huge party and missed the trip away! Scott’s still wounded at paying £600 for a night we didn’t get to, but we’ll forever have the brilliant memory of how his proposal ended up!”

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Charlotte Dodds from Cakes By Oscar tells us the latest wedding cake trends.

"Recently I've seen a big change in what couples want for their wedding cake, regularly receiving requests for rich chocolate fudge cake, lemon sponge and Cherry Bakewell flavours. Couples that approach me love getting a taster box of what I offer, customising the flavour and filling combinations in a way that suits them to make their cake that bit more personal. Clients often don't know where to begin with ordering a cake – or the questions to ask – so I always point out that the sky is the limit, and not to feel tied to traditional flavours and designs. The minimalistic appearance is still popular, with lots of preference for a 'semi naked' or plain white icing, accompanied with flowers from local florists. Couples also like to source decorations for their cake from North East independent suppliers, which is a great way to support local."

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Kathryn and Chris met at work in 2018. “Chris joined the company after he'd been travelling around Asia, and we hit it off straight away,” says Kathryn. “Within a few weeks we had our first date – and never looked back. I moved into Chris's Gateshead flat where we spent our nights cooking, dancing around the kitchen, or wandering to the city centre for drinks. We knew this was something special, because no matter how much time we spent together, we were never bored. Being together just feels like home.”

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The owner of Beauquets, Sophie Jackson, tell us more about her company and the latest floral trends.

"“Based in Middlesbrough but covering the whole of the North East, I'm here to create bouquets, buttonholes, and everything in between. Whether you want flower crowns and wrist corsages, or centerpieces and venue décor, I'm here to bring your floral dreams to reality. Right now, I'm seeing that a natural, informal vibe is a big trend, with brides wanting their bouquets to have a looser form that's both classic and romantic. For table décor, budvase arrangements using single flower varieties are becoming very popular – and gypsophila (or baby's breath) is also making a huge comeback.”

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Briony met Jonny when she gave him a lift along with some of her friends. “He was being annoying, lifting my seat latch and finding it hilarious pushing me backwards and forwards while I drove,” she says. “It made me realise he wasn't a safety first kind of lad – and I didn't want him in my car again! However, that didn't last long, as we ended up hanging about with the same people. It wasn't always an easy ride – his group of mates suffered a great loss of a friend, and that's when I realised life's too short, deciding to drunkenly confess my feelings 10 years ago. We became a 'Facebook' couple on 26 May 2013 – because nothing's official until it's social media confirmed!”

See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yournortheast.wedding/free-download