Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Watersmeet in North Devon opens for the season and offers spring deal

Regarded as North Devon's premier coastal escape, with its wildly romantic views, Watersmeet Hotel & Restaurant has now reopened for the season. The winter months have certainly been busy for this stunning Edwardian property, which saw Watersmeet add yet another trophy to its cabinet - Condé Nast Johansen's hugely prestigious Best Waterside Hotel for UK and Ireland 2024. Watersmeet has also enjoyed some internal refurbishment, spearheaded by the luxurious and spacious Combesgate Room with its breathtaking coastal vistas. Other highlights include the creation of a multipurpose area on the lawn for informal and formal alfresco dining and smaller wedding ceremonies and private parties.

Worried about your dad's wedding speech? Here's some top advice from Speechy

'The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. At Speechy, we believe that all great speeches have good story-telling at the heart of them. So instead of hunting down one-liners, encourage your dad to simply tell his favourite stories. Remind him that he can call on your mum or siblings for help with content and constructive feedback, and send him links to lots of various speech examples to get his brain thinking.

The Garden Café Newquay launches sunflower growing competition with seed giveaway

The Garden Café Newquay is thrilled to announce the launch of its inaugural Sunflower Growing Competition 'Reach for the Sun'. As part of its ongoing commitment to fostering community engagement and celebrating nature, The Garden Cafe will be distributing free sunflower seeds to eager participants with every purchase, inviting them to cultivate their very own vibrant blooms. A prize of a special treat at the cafe for the most impressive sunflower posted on their social media will be given over the summer. Participants can collect their complimentary sunflower seeds during open hours from The Garden Café in Trenance Gardens Newquay with the competition running through into summer.

The best place in the UK for a springtime wedding

A new study has revealed the areas in the UK with the best vendors and venues for spring wedding ceremonies, with Essex being crowned top for both. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analyzed data from a popular wedding planning site, to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated vendors and venues, including vineyards, cake companies, and stationery brands. Most brides and grooms will agree that planning a wedding is stressful, as trying to pull off an event that feels unique to the couple while managing expectations, budget, and family can be difficult at times. Thankfully, beautiful venues exist to help make the whole process easier.

The National Pub & Bar Awards 2024 announce winners

Pubs and bars from across the UK are celebrating after being named the best in their respective regions. The award wins are part of the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards, which each year crowns nearly 100 County Winners from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, giving each site a unique platform to promote themselves and increase guest footfall from locals and visitors alike. These hospitality operators have demonstrated excellence across several elements including design, service, style of offer, marketing and investment. The venues now have more than two months in which to trade off their win, before making their way to the National Pub & Bar Awards grand final on 26 June.

Does your mum need help with her wedding speech? Read these tips from Speechy

The Speech Surgery with Heidi Ellert McDermott, founder of Speechy & author of The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. Firstly, reassure your mum that we work with lots of mothers (both of the bride, and increasingly, the groom's) so it's no longer unusual to see a mum on the mic. Whether your mum is standing in for your father, speaking in addition to him or your dad isn't part of the picture, we generally find mothers have a lot to say! In terms of getting your mum excited at the prospect of delivering a speech, rather than dreading it, send her a few blog posts to show her how simple writing her speech can be.

Your ultimate hen do survival guide by SilkFred

With April being the most popular month for hen do's, and online fashion destination SilkFred finding that 625 people will be attending at least one hen do this 'hen do season' (with 93 of respondents attending 3+ hen do's)*, we've sat down with Georgie Mitchell, Wedding Planner, Coordinator and Wedding Expert at Silkfred and Head Stylist Megan Watkins, who have shared their ultimate 'Hen Do Survival Hacks' to manage everything from budgets and schedules to styling tips and mastering the art of saying "no".

Five myths about Champagne

For centuries, great occasions in life have been punctuated with Champagne. However, there are several myths surrounding the drinking, storing and essence of Champagne. As a result, the Champagne Bureau UK* wanted to bust those myths to separate fact from fiction and demonstrate how best to enjoy the pinnacle of sparkling wine, as well as ensure that you aren't fooled by some of the most common Champagne myths. Myth: Pop the cork and spray Champagne in times of celebrations. The blunt pop of the cork and the fizz of the fine bubbles – instantly reminiscent of celebration – is a sparkling start to any special occasion.

Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals come to Tate St Ives

Mark Rothko's Seagram Murals are pivotal works in the history of modern art and are among the most celebrated paintings in Tate's collection. For the first time, five of these works will go on show at Tate St Ives in a new display opening on 25 May 2024. These mural-sized canvases were originally commissioned for the fashionable Four Seasons restaurant in New York's Seagram building, designed by Mies van der Rohe. They marked a shift away from the bright colours of his earlier paintings towards maroon, dark red and black. Rothko wished to create a deep connection between the viewer and his works, stating: "I am interested only in expressing basic human emotions – tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on."

Moonpig reveals weddings cards are the hardest to write

Greeting cards have been a popular way to express celebrations and affection for our loved ones. We're used to purchasing cards for milestones from birthdays, weddings, new jobs and more, but how often do we struggle with what to write in a card? With the recent growth in popularity of AI models like ChatGPT, Moonpig has launched its "Smart Text" tool, a feature which uses generative AI as a writing assistant for customers who need help in those moments where they don't know what to put in a card to their loved ones.

The Falmouth Hotel set to host Spring Wedding Fair

The Falmouth Hotel in Cornwall is set to host a Spring Wedding Fair on Sunday 21st April from 11 am until 2:30 pm with free entry. This iconic hotel is the perfect location for a wedding ceremony that couples and their guests will remember forever. Visitors are invited to visualise how their special day could be at this landmark wedding venue. The Falmouth Hotel offers beautifully appointed ceremony rooms for intimate and large-scale weddings and events. There are 71 individually styled bedrooms, five acres of beautiful gardens overlooking Castle Beach and delicious food served at the Castle Beach Restaurant.

Thinking of doing a joint wedding speech? Read Speechy's top tips

The Speech Surgery' with Heidi Ellert McDermott, Founder of Speechy & author of 'The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches. A joint speech follows the same etiquette principles as your standard bride and groom speech but allows you to present it as a team and play up to your relationship dynamic. But, despite the two voices, be careful not to make the speech double the length! No more than 1,500 words maximum. When it comes to writing a joint speech, it all comes down to your ability to collaborate, discuss and bounce ideas off each other.

Things to consider when booking your big-day musicians

As the UK's largest and most sustainable musician bookings platform, musicians for weddings account for around 50% of Encore's bookings. As such, the company is well-versed in the most cost-effective ways to cut down on one of the more expensive aspects of a wedding. Please see below some best tips to help you save the most money when booking your wedding entertainment. On average, couples book musicians for their wedding seven and a half months in advance, but if your big day falls on a Saturday during peak season, you should book your musicians at least nine months in advance.

Caerhays Estate to host Wedding Fair by the sea and it’s FREE to visit

One of Cornwall's most extraordinary estates is preparing for its annual wedding showcase. Caerhays will be hosting an extravagant Wedding Fair on Sunday 7th April, which will celebrate the Estate's third licensed wedding site which is just a stone's throw from the sea. Considered one of the most incredible wedding locations in the region, the Caerhays Wedding Fair will see more than a dozen hand-picked wedding suppliers attend and will be hosted in conjunction with Absolute Canvas at Beach Meadow, adjacent to Porthluney Beach. Running from 11 am until 4 pm, tickets are completely free and visitors will have the opportunity to explore all four of Caerhays wedding locations.

Planning a hen (or sten) party? These activity-based bars need to be on your list

Tasty food, gorgeous cocktails and a bit of healthy competition equals a winning recipe for an amazing time for your pre-wedding get together! How does a side of shuffleboard or darts with your cocktails sound? Whether you're looking for a daytime plan or something to keep you partying into the early hours, Electric Shuffle and Flight Club are great options. Both have resident DJs banging out the tunes, and both offer fab bottomless brunch packages if an afternoon booze session is more what you're after. They're also perfectly designed for the most amazing insta-worthy pics

Valleyside Escapes scoops Gold at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards

Valleyside Escapes, a luxury glamping site in Bickleigh and the sister arm of the rustic wedding venue Valleyside Barn has been honoured as the top glamping site in the South West and awarded gold in the Glamping Business of the Year category, at the 2023/24 South West Tourism Excellence Awards. Emma Wright, who runs Valleyside Barn & Escapes with her husband Matthew said, "To be honoured as the top glamping site in the South West is phenomenal and we are so happy and proud of this achievement! In 2022 we welcomed our first 'wedding glampers' and last year 70% of our couples also opted to book our glamping tents for their wedding accommodation. The option of being able to have their closest family and friends stay on-site to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime moment is appealing."

Revealed the UK’s best venues with woodlands to achieve dreamy cottage-core weddings

A recent study revealed the UK's highest-rated venues for woodland-themed weddings, with Creeksea Place being named the best. The research conducted by photo wall art creator StoryBoards analysed user-generated review data to identify the UK regions with the highest quantity of top-rated woodlands venues by creating an overall rating score. The study has revealed that Creeksea Place is the most highly rated woodland in the nation. Located in Essex, the manor house, which includes picturesque woodland, has been rated five stars over 220 times giving it a perfect score of ten out of ten.

The new Yankee Candle® SS24 collection

Find an oasis this spring with the new Yankee Candle® SS24 collection, Under the Desert Sun. The new collection will brighten the home with fragrances that exude memories of warmer days, including four refreshingly light and bright fragrances including, Desert Blooms, Aloe & Agave, Sweet Vanilla & Horchata, and Stargazing. Inspired by the unique beauty of the desert, the new collection has been designed to help escape the ordinary and satisfy wanderlust, immersing the home in sun-drenched scents. The Under The Desert Sun collection features exotic fragrances such as aguaro cactus, aloe and blue lotus, as well as soothing lavender and eucalyptus.

Three spicy but sophisticated hen party ideas

Throwing a hen party that will please all attendees can be tricky. Striking a balance between risque and tame activities can be one of the most controversial challenges you'll face when planning. In fact, some of the more crude hen party gimmicks came out in the top 10 most hated parts of a hen party in this report. However, you can create a hen party that strikes the perfect balance between spice and sophistication, ensuring a night to remember for both the bride and her friends. Jess Martin, Hen Party expert at Ginger Ray has shared three amazing themes for the perfect spicy but sophisticated hen party:

Manhay Farm in Helston unveils wild west-themed hen party packages

Saddle up for an unforgettable hen party experience at Manhay Farm, a picturesque venue nestled amidst the rolling hills and breathtaking scenery of Cornwall where the Wild West comes alive with a range of exciting activities and festive celebrations. Partygoers can embrace their inner cowgirl or cowboy and let the good times roll inside the enchanting barn that will transform into a Wild West saloon, complete with rustic décor, hay bales, and Western-themed props. Hen and stag parties can learn the iconic line dance steps with the professional line dancing instructor and test their rodeo skills with the mechanical bull riding challenge.