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A Gateshead couple are on cloud nine after winning a competition of a lifetime, where the stunning star prize was an exclusive all-expenses paid wedding day at Kirkley Hall near Ponteland in Northumberland.

The lucky names of Chris Laws and Gemma Wilson were drawn from a hat during a special ceremony hosted at the rural 17th-century Grade II building. 

Chris, aged 32, works as a courier and Gemma, aged 30, is a stay at home mum. They unknowingly grew up together and attended the same secondary school.  Their relationship has blossomed over the past eight years ever since they got chatting over a drink in a local pub.  Chris popped the question last Christmas by jokingly going down on one knee and proposing using a Haribo wedding ring.

During World Vegan Month, we take a look at vegan wedding trends with Whirlowbrook Hall, a premier wedding venue in South Yourkshire…

What’s not to love about the quintessential British tradition of afternoon tea? Combine that with a vegan wedding and you’ve got the wedding breakfast of dreams.  As more and more couples are looking for something a little bit different for their wedding catering an afternoon tea inspired menu fits the bill perfectly. Add to that a choice of vegan only sandwiches and cakes then you’ve really got a beautiful wedding that suits all tastes and food preferences.

When putting on a wedding breakfast, the layout and décor must be every bit as memorable as the food itself. From taking things al fresco to getting imaginative with table shapes and layouts, there are plenty of options to wow your guests aside from just the menu. 

Our variety of historic spaces (including the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Banqueting House) leave plenty of scope for creative concepts, and our teams are well-versed in delivering wow-factor receptions guaranteed to stand out in guests’ memories. So whether you’re planning for a heritage space or pared-back blank canvas setting, here are our top tips to help you deliver awe-inspiring, quirky dining…

Take things outside 

Debbie Gillespie Cake Design (formerly Farnley Fayre) was established in 2014 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.  Comprising of just its founder, Debbie Gillespie, the company aims to provide unique and innovative wedding cake designs for creative couples.  

Inspiration for her designs are taken from her beautiful Yorkshire surroundings so woodland influences with natural textures and bold sugar florals feature heavily.   There is also a strong use of art and sculpture, using watercolour-style handpainting, modelling and different stacking techniques to build alternative design ideas. 

Jay Z and Beyonce; David and Victoria Beckham; Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne – just some of the celebrity couples who have celebrated their love by renewing their marriage vows. But if you think that having a second wedding is the realm the rich and famous, think again.

A survey* showed that almost a fifth of UK couples plan to renew the vows they made on their wedding day – or have already done so. 

Around a third of couples who plan to have the happiest day of their life again do so to coincide with a milestone anniversary, while around a quarter see it as an opportunity to have the wedding they always wanted but could not afford the first time around.

Tapenade, celebration specialist caterer, is offering an extraordinary gift to couples planning to marry next year. All wedding reception bookings made before 31 December 2018 will include a complimentary evening menu for all guests. 

The offer translates to an average saving of approximately £500 based on 50 guests, allowing the happy couple to put the extra budget towards their special day. 

Engaged couples are always offered a complimentary sampling session of Tapenade’s award-winning wedding breakfast menu before committing to a booking. During the consultation, they will also be invited to trial their complimentary evening menu, a culmination of easy-to-eat favourites that offers a choice of four different cuisines.

Roses may be the most popular wedding flowers, but why not include some poppies in the mix and add that extra bit of ‘feel good factor’ to your special day… The Royal British Legion have launched a unique range of wedding favours and a fascinator to enable you and your guests to help support the important work they carry out, providing care and support to members of the British Armed Forces, veterans and their families. 

Each wedding favour includes a keepsake silver tone Poppy Pin on a stylish white name card, which you can personalize as appropriate. Each pack contains 10 cards and pins and costs just £17.99. 

Landed Weddings offer an impressively luxurious portfolio of country house venues. You will find country house venues to suit all budgets, from large moated manor houses to country cottages.

Also, many properties offer flexibility and allow couple to host their wedding indoors or in a marquee. 

So all you'll have to do after you've chosen your venue is polish your tiara and tell the butler to pop the Champagne on ice!

We take a look at a selection of venues from across the UK  – prices start from the below and are based on bookings for an entire weekend.

After months of sun and saltwater, skin needs time to recover. Autumn is the time for transition, and the best Autumn skincare routines will help to correct any summer damage that’s occurred and help you get back into your daily skincare routine. Enter centre stage, the new Sudocrem Skin Recovery Cream.