Your North West Wedding news and ideas from around the region

SJS Smith Jewellery is offering a new wedding ring workshop

SJS Smith Jewellery, a jewellery school based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is offering a new wedding ring workshop.

Owner Sam Smith tells us: "Our workshop is designed to provide couples with a unique and romantic jewellery journey by allowing them to make their own wedding rings. The service is perfect for couples who want to add a personal touch to their special day."

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.

Leeming House is a grand Georgian property within 22 acres of gardens

Leeming House is a grand Georgian property within 22 acres of mature and tended gardens. Boasting impressive views of the surrounding lakes and fells, this is truly a magical setting for weddings in the Lake District. You and your guests will receive the best personal attention and care on your big day with exclusive use of the hotel and its gardens.

The Blue Room, a beautiful space with floor-to-ceiling windows and room for 30 friends and family, is perfect for intimate weddings.

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.

UK's 15 most Instagrammed venues to get hitched

As UK searches for "wedding venues" skyrocketed by 110%* over the past months, the wedding experts at Aura Print scoured social media for the most popular autumn/winter wedding venues nationwide, and tallied Instagram hashtag numbers to reveal which venue stands out as the most memorable for weddings this season. Top 15 most Instagrammed wedding venues for autumn/winter 2023 to be inspired by...

Save money on wedding party gifts

With more and more couples choosing to thank their bridesmaids and groomsman with presents, Anita Naik, savings expert at the UK's most trusted savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to save money on your wedding party gifts, without sparing the sentiment: Spend within your budget: Set a budget and stick to it. Often people can go down a rabbit hole when browsing for gifts, looking at items that are way over budget. It's important to set yourself a strict budget and spend an amount that you're comfortable with.

Louisa Jackson Bridal is a new company offering eco-friendly wedding dresses

Louisa Jackson Bridal is a new company based in Fleetwood, Lancashire, offering a stunning collection of eco-friendly wedding dresses. Designed to bring beauty and versatility to brides of all shapes and sizes, the team at Louisa Jackson Bridal pride itself on being inclusive.

Susie from Louisa Jackson Bridal tells us more: "We stock beautiful dresses from size four to 36 and offer custom options outside of these sizes. Our dresses can be customised to suit your requirements, and we also stock off-the-peg gowns from other top designers in a range of styles and sizes, so there's something to suit everyone."

County Wedding Magazines launch new websites!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ the office is abuzz with excitement at the launch of our new websites – I'm sure you can hear the *collective oohs and ahhs* from where you are! So yes, it's here, after months of hard work, sweat and tears (maybe less tears but more cheers!), our shiny, new, glorious websites are ready to be viewed by our much-loved readers – we really hope you like them as much as we do! Wedding planning at your fingertips - What's new, we hear you ask? Well, everything! The County names are as important as ever, it's our ethos after all, but we have a lush new font and modern colour scheme that really makes our County Wedding Magazine titles jump off the page.

Shaw Hill Golf & Spa Hotel is a Grade II listed Georgian manor

Shaw Hill Golf & Spa Hotel is a Grade II listed Georgian manor set within 192 acres of Lancashire countryside. The award-winning property is situated off Preston Road in Whittle-le-Woods and is accessible via a private driveway that is sure to impress guests when the grand house comes into view. The on-site 18-hole golf course surrounding the building is ideal for taking a few minutes away from the wedding and capturing memorable photographs.

The best of English sparkling wine, with Amelia Singer this National Champagne Week (1-7th October)

There's the New World of wine, and then the New New World: English Sparkling Wine is on the rise. This National Champagne Week, wine expert, Amelia Singer selects her favourite bubbles from our own green pastures... Which country comes to mind if you think of "wine"? For most, I imagine France, Italy, or perhaps even the USA these days, probably dominates. We all know, however, that the world is a-changing and so should our concept of wine and where it comes from. English wines are on the rise, and it's my opinion, along with a fair few of the worlds top wine experts, that they are the new frontier of wine making – even beating out top champagne houses in sparkling wine competitions.

Personalised wedding gifts from Pen Heaven

Find beautifully crafted, meaningful, and personalised wedding gifts to cherish forever with Pen Heaven. A master of exquisite stationary design, Pen Heaven was founded in 2008 and offer a comprehensive range of luxury writing instruments, leather journals and gifts. Specialists in classic brands such as Parker, Cross and Lamy, Pen Heaven also boast some more unusual and hard-to-find items such as the Japanese hand painted Platinum range, Italian calligraphy sets and the design focused Worther brand. Offering an in-house, by-hand engraving and embossing service, Pen Heaven are the ultimate destination for meaningful gifts with a personal touch perfect for big-day gifting.

INNSiDE by Meliá has revealed an in-house dog sitting service

INNSiDE by Meliá, part of Meliá Hotels International, has revealed an in-house dog sitting service at its Manchester location. The new service will give couples the flexibility to travel with their dog, whilst also enjoying nonpooch-appropriate activities and attractions in the city.

To complement this new service, Manchester-based company Sticks & Socks have created pet hampers available to purchase at INNSiDE's kiosk. The hampers contain grooming items such as a pampering nose and paw balm, eco-friendly organic shampoo, travel pack dog wipes and snacks, including organic and natural dog treats, a box of sausages and tasty biscuit bites. It's also full of useful accessories to make your dog's stay at INNSiDE more comfortable, such as a collapsible bowl, dog blanket and toys.

County Wedding Magazines' readers share their prize win story!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, we love nothing more than to hear from the winners of our competitions. In the crazy world of wedding planning, it's exciting for us to be able to offer our lovely readers some exciting giveaways and competitions which will hopefully give you a much-needed pick-me-up during on the countdown to your wedding day. In March 2023, CWM ran a competition, 'Win a minimoon in Northern Ireland!' and the winners were nearlyweds Jennifer and her partner.

Skitby is a barn with exposed timber and traditional sandstone walls

Surrounded by acres of Cumbrian countryside, Skitby is a rustic barn with exposed timber and traditional sandstone walls. Boasting impressive views of the Lake District, the property has a contemporary interior, well-manicured gardens and an outdoor seating area, meaning there are plenty of places to explore and take those all-important photographs.

The Ceremony Wing can accommodate 100 of your friends and family for the service and 45 for an intimate reception, whereas the Main Dining Space can hold 140 loved ones.

Halloween hen party ideas for 2023

If you're looking to throw a hen party that's nothing short of magical, mysterious and oh-so-memorable, then you're in for a treat, not a trick, with a Halloween hen party! This bewitching night is filled with laughter, eerie enchantment and spine-tingling surprises. Halloween, with its unique blend of the spooky and the playful, makes for a perfect theme that'll have everyone howling with delight. And just think of the costumes! Leading hen party company, Fizzbox is our guide as we embark on a haunted journey through the land of Halloween hen party ideas that will make your last night of freedom the talk of the town.

Wedding day aesthetic according to your star sign

Jewellery brand Diamonds Factory, has spoken exclusively to celebrity psychic and astrologer Inbaal Honigman, who has shared her top tips on how to plan your wedding according to your zodiac. Vibrant Colours for Aries, known for their fiery and youthful nature, embrace the vibrant energy of red. This intense hue symbolises their passion and dynamism. To capture their directness, a bow and arrow motif, reminiscent of Greek deity Eros, perfectly embodies Aries' spirit on their special day.

Rock on Ruby has launched new products starting from £12

Rock on Ruby is an online, independent business based in Manchester specialising in personal apparel. With new pieces starting from £12, there are lots of options available for every budget, including memorable gifts for the happy couple, the groomsmen and bridal party.

The bridesmaid-t-shirt is one of the best sellers, embroidered with your chosen title, such as maid-of-honour or mother-of-the-bride, these tops can be personalised on the sleeve with a name or date, making them the perfect keepsake for after the wedding.

Let's talk about sleep - the importance of rest

A new nationwide study has revealed as many as 86 percent of us now regularly struggle to drift off - not good if you're wanting to look and feel your best physically and mentally in the run up to your wedding day and on-the-day itself! Research has revealed the top 20 natural sleep inducers in the modern age – and counting sheep or mugs of Horlicks did not make the cut. In fact, modern Brits are more likely to get intimate with their other half, listen to a true crime podcast, watch a comedy show, tidy their room from top to bottom, or cuddle up with their pet. But the survey shows, simply reading a book is the number one snooze inducing activity (23 percent), followed by scrolling through social media (22 percent), despite the consensus that looking at phones is bad for our sleep patterns.

Calling all newlyweds and nearlyweds - County Wedding Magazines need you!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, there's nothing we love more than our real wedding features - and we couldn't do them without you! If you would like to see your wedding grace the pages of one of our County Wedding Magazine titles, then please do get in touch! Grand and big-budget extravaganzas, to small and intimate I dos, themed from beginning to end, or personalised with a sentimental touch - we want to hear about them all!

The Grade II listed Lancashire Manor Hotel has stunning spaces to tie the knot

Lancashire Manor Hotel is a Grade II listed property with plenty of spaces to tie the knot. The original stone manor house is at the heart of the hotel and contains a lounge area and above it, in the original farmhouse bedrooms, is a honeymoon suite.

The Lathom Suite, seating up to 100 guests, is decorated in a mixture of traditional and contemporary décor and has a bar, natural light, a movable dancefloor and can be divided into a smaller reception room for more intimate celebrations.