Your North East Wedding news and ideas from around the region

Awards finalist Lyndsey Morgan Make Up

Want to look your very best for the big day? Be sure to book up for Durham make-up artist Lyndsey Morgan's new pre wedding pamper packages, with LVL, dermaplaning and brow shapes and tints now available alongside her regular make-up services. "LVL is a treatment that gives the natural lashes length, volume, lift and colour," explains Lyndsey, Make up Artist of the Year finalist in the 2022 English Hair & Beauty Awards. "It's perfect for opening up the eye area and a fab alternative to false lashes, lasting between six to eight weeks. Dermaplaning, meanwhile, is a manual exfoliation technique using a medical-grade scalpel to gently remove dead skin and peach fuzz. It's a quick procedure that gives immediate results, diminishing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and superficial pigmentation. Alternatively, why not book me for a brow shape and tint, tidying and refining your eyebrows while keeping a soft and enhanced look ready for your bridal make-up?"

These are the UK areas with the happiest couples

There are always misconceptions about a north vs south divide, but apparently when it comes to love there is! A study by confused.com analysed government data to reveal the UK areas with the most marriages. When looking at where in the UK has the most weddings per person, one place stands out, which is Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, with 2,770 weddings per 100,000 people. Dumfries and Galloway are close to Gretna Green, which is traditionally identified with couples eloping from England, which is likely to be why many couples choose to tie the knot here. Another Scottish area comes in second, with Argyll and Bute hosting 1,165 weddings per 100,000 people each year. Located on the west coast of Scotland, Argyll and Bute is a unique area to get married. Here you can be wed on the beach, in a historic church or castle, or on the famous Mull of Kintyre. The most common wedding destination outside of Scotland is Kensington and Chelsea, in London with a marriage rate of 1077 per 100,000.

Wedding Album of the Year winner

Professional photographer Rebecca Carpenter won the inaugural Wedding Album of the Year competition with a stunning set of images in a book printed and produced by Henley Albums. The new award was set up by The Photography Show to celebrate the talent and craft of professional wedding photographers and album makers, and championing the power of print, with the finalists being displayed at this year's show at the NEC. Rachel Carpenter, who describes herself as a destination wedding and elopement photographer, shot her winning album for her clients Helena & Mark, who got married in Las Vegas.

Supergroup Claire Richards & Duncan James surprise couple on their wedding day

Pop royalty, Claire Richards and Duncan James, joined forces on Saturday 17th September, as the ultimate wedding band - Simply Wed - to surprise one lucky couple with a performance of poptastic floor-filling songs on their wedding day. Anna Novelli and Samuel Hold from Bournemouth were delighted when the power duo 'crashed the wedding' at the Larmer Street in Wiltshire, to surprise guests and the lucky couple with the performance of a lifetime. The couple - both Steps and Blue superfans - were overwhelmed with joy to have the newly minted wedding supergroup perform, having known all the routines to Claire and Duncan's biggest hits since childhood!

Top tips on how to save money on a hen-do

Hen-dos provide a great opportunity to bring together your nearest and dearest for pre-wedding celebration and excitement. However, with many brides now opting for more exotic or expensive locations for their celebrations, the cost of a hen-do can quickly add up. Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to make savings on your upcoming hen-party: Take advantage of drinks packages – Nightclubs are synonymous with hen-dos, however entry and drinks can get pretty pricey. Venues will often offer discounts on pre-purchased drinks packages so it's worth checking what deals you can strike before getting there.

How to wear pink when attending weddings

With Breast Cancer Awareness month approaching, Cliff Bashforth, managing director of Colour Me Beautiful, shares his top tips on how to wear pink!

"The key to wearing pink is to ensure that it doesn't wear you, says Cliff, "Cooler skin tones look amazing in cerise or hot pinks, indeed most shades from dusty rose to bright fuchsia, whilst warmer skin tones will always look their best in coral or salmon pinks. Dark hair and bright eyes - opt for the boldest, brightest hues you can find. Hot pink (cool), mango (warm). If your eyes are dark choose a deeper shade such as fuchsia (cool) or salmon pink (warm).

The Photography Show & The Video Show is open today!

Multi award-winning wedding and portrait photographer Roberto Valenzuela, marine biologist and explorer Cristina Mittermeier and renowned landscape photographer Colin Prior are among the compelling line-up of global speakers at The Photography Show & The Video Show. They will be joined by Jack Harries, Christina Ebenezer, Kaylee Greer and Chase Jarvis among others, who all will share their expertise during this unmissable four-day event showcasing photography, taking place 17th to 20th September 2022 at Birmingham's NEC venue.

The best ways to save money as a wedding guest

Attending a wedding can be one of the most joyous times of the year but it can also be one of the most expensive too, from things such as gifts to drinks. The frugal team at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have explored special ways for wedding guests to enjoy the festivities without the worry of overspending. Taking on group initiatives such as splitting the taxi costs and getting a group gift can cut wedding expenses in half. Rebecca Bobbington, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: "We wanted to give those attending a wedding some useful tricks to make the big day less of a financial burden....

Roberto Valenzuela - Super Stage speaker at The Photography Show this weekend!

At The Photography Show this weekend, Roberto Valenzuela - a photographer, author, and educator based in Beverly Hills, CA - will discuss and demonstrate what to do to transform your photography, and photography business, from average to remarkable. Roberto will share some powerful personal stories that propelled his business into the spotlight in the US and around the world and how to turn your business into a career you can rely on. As a member of the prestigious Canon Explorers of Light group, Roberto is one of the most influential photographers in the world. He's developed his unique teaching style by following the same rigorous regimen he developed as a professional concert classical guitarist and educator before becoming a photographer - he believes that it's not talent but deliberate practice that is at the core of skill and achievement!

The Photography Show & The Video Show launches its First Ever Wedding Album of The Year competition

The Photography Show & The Video Show is launching its first ever Wedding Album of the Year competition to celebrate the best of the best from all around the country; showcasing the talent and craft of professional photographers and album makers in the UK and championing the power of print. There's nothing like a beautifully designed and presented wedding album to immortalise a couple's special day - a permanent and tangible reminder of those happy memories and moments, to be enjoyed for years to come. Wedding Album of the Year will celebrate these memories and the photographers that captured them.

Your big day: six tablescaping trends to look out for in 2023

Your wedding day is such a big event, and you'll want the table to really look it's best. Here, Kate Cartwright from tableware brand Burleigh Pottery offers some tips on the trends coming up in 2023, so you can gain some inspiration for your tablescape. Your wedding is one of the most important events of your life, and so you'll naturally want everything to be as close to perfect as possible. The tablescape is no exception — your wedding table is where everyone will sit down and celebrate together at your special day, so you'll want it to look beautiful, both for the meal itself and the photos you'll keep to look back on in years to come. Here, we'll go through some new trends in wedding tablescapes for 2023, so that you can get a range of new ideas for how you might design your ideal place settings for yourself and your guests.

Planning a Hen Do? Here are 6 ways to do it on a budget

With wedding traditions dying fast, modern couples are truly setting the bar for what's possible at contemporary nuptials. What will always be popular though, is the hen/stag or ('sten' if you're joining forces) do! Although, even these have altered in their format, gone are pub and nightclub crawls till the early morning, and in are wellness breaks, pottery and classes and the much-loved British Brunch! The UK's leading bottomless brunch platform, Bottomless Brunch, has compiled a list of ways you can save costs whilst planning an unforgettable hen party.

Wedding gift list ideas from designer Emma Britton

Decorative Glass Designer Emma Britton has launched a new glassware collection, Exotic Floral, which is proving very popular amongst guests looking for wedding day gifting ideas.Exotic Floral adds a touch tropical splendour to your table featuring dahlias, red hot pokers, canna lilies and digitalis firebird. This new floral design is inspired by the geometrics and structural beauty of these flowers and is etched on to various glassware items such as high balls, tumblers, wine glasses and champagne coupes - the latter is the perfect gift set of two for newlyweds.

Top five wedding cars from Avis car hire

There's no better way to live up to the wedding excitement than making a grand entrance. With over 508K #weddingcar posts on Instagram, there are endless options for couples to be spoilt for choice when picking their dream wedding car. From vintage classics to chic campervans, Avis has analysed and rounded up the most Instagram-worthy cars for your wedding day. These top five wedding cars have also been carefully selected by celebrities to honour their big day, so they have the power to make the couples the 'talk of the town,' on their special day.

Bespoke wine label offering

Pink Diesel, from the iconic Rosé region of Provence, France, has launched a bespoke label offering to help transform the wine selection on your big day. Personalised with a beautiful illustration these bottles will create a memory that can be cherished and shared with your family and friends. This one of a kind service is designed to help couples #FuelGoodTimes with magnum bottles of expertly crafted light rosé which serve 10 generous glasses for only £32.95 per bottle, plus a £70 design fee.

Budget friendly ways to propose to your bridesmaids

Weddings are one of the costliest events in life which get more expensive year on year. Asking your besties to be your bridesmaids is undoubtedly one of the most exciting parts of the process, however, this can soon chip away at your budget when looking at personalised presents or expensive goodie bags to pop the question to them. To help save some costs, greetings card specialist thortful (thortful.com) has shared five budget-friendly, yet fun and creative ways, to ask your besties to be your bridesmaids. From having a spa day at home to custom fortune cookies, these bridesmaid proposal ideas are sure to get the reaction you want without breaking the bank.

Before I Do - the honeymoon must-have, you won't put it down!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ we do love a good book to get our teeth into - not literally of course, cake's great for that - and the description for this new novel Before I Do from Sophie Cousens already has us hooked! What would you do if the one that got away turned up the night before your wedding? Audrey is marrying Josh; steady, dependable Josh, the love of her life. They share a flat and a bank account, and it's the only relationship that Audrey's ever had that feels like something she can put her trust in. But romance should be full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey's found herself wondering if Josh really is 'the one'. So, when Josh's sister Miranda arrives at their rehearsal dinner with Fred - Audrey's 'What If?' guy, the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with but never saw again - Audrey can't help but see it as a sign.

Brits would end a relationship if they're not engaged after five years

With a +360% increase in Brits searching for 'how to hint at an engagement' and a +215% increase for a 'dream wedding'* it seems many Brits are eagerly waiting for their partner to pop the big question – but how long do Brits wait? A new study by greetings card marketplace thortful.com, who polled 1,000 Brits who are either engaged or newly married, revealed just how long you might be waiting for a ring and the nation's true thoughts on everything to do with getting engaged.

The study showed that our partners are proposing 7 months too late as the preferred waiting time is just 2 years. And, on average, Brits would call time on a relationship if they're still not engaged after 5 years of being in a relationship.

Natural ways to relieve wedding day nerves

Wedding day jitters are normal — but not necessarily welcome! In this article Jo Webber, Herbal Education Lead at Pukka Herbs, shares four natural ways to keep them at bay. Weddings are one of the most significant life events you can go through, so its no surprise that wedding day jitters are so common. Even the most committed couple are bound to get butterflies when standing up in front of everyone they know to say their vows, and no matter how excited you are to tie the knot, nerves before or even during the ceremony are completely normal. That said, no one wants nervousness and anxiety to get in the way of enjoying their big day. But how can you relieve your wedding day jitters in a natural way? Here, I'll share four simple methods for curbing your nerves ahead of a wedding.

UK couples turning to ‘pet-nups’

With around 60% of UK households owning a pet, it's no surprise that who gets custody of any animals can be a key area of negotiation when relationships break down. Megan Bennie, a solicitor specialising in divorce and family law at Kent law firm Furley Page, said: "For many people a pet is not just an animal, it's a fully-fledged member of the family, so it's no wonder that pets can be a particularly emotive topic for clients when relationships end. Unfortunately, a pet's treatment by the law hasn't kept up with the way they are generally viewed by their owners."