Food

Rachel Warren, head of creative at London’s leading catering company, Rocket, offers on-trend ideas for your wedding.

1. Bringing nature indoors:

Use our seasonal British plants with roots, fragrance and native beauty. From tangled foliage and fresh greenery to potted herbs incorporated with dried poppy heads, cotton branch, willow  – all these ingredients make for a gorgeous table centre or canape tray decoration. Pots can display geographic reference or personal designs / place names or table numbers. They can even be a favour for guests to replant in their garden for memories of their own happy day.

2. Personalisation:

When the wedding season gets into full flow it can begin to feel like you’re living in Groundhog Day as all the weddings merge into one. That’s because they all have the same features such as similar cars, outfits, locations, speeches, meals etc. so it can all become a bit “samey”.

So what can you do to ensure that your big day doesn’t fall into the trap of becoming just another by the numbers wedding? Here are 4 ways to make your wedding more unique.

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Rebecca Hurley, Deputy Head of Events for BMA House says: “More and more couples are looking for more informal wedding breakfasts with a lot more mingling and strolling around than formal seating. This means we are seeing couples choosing the fun options of street food and food stalls over a sit down wedding breakfast.

Theming continues to play a pivotal role (for most couples, as they aim to make their wedding day stand out for their friends’ wedding) in the wedding planning process  However, how and where people look for inspiration is constantly evolving. We believe that social media channels such as Pinterest will continue to influence couples’ (decisions when planning their big day) decision making process in planning their big day. 

Everyone wants their wedding day to be memorable. This means a lot of time, effort and money often goes into the planning of saying “I do”. In fact, according to Money Saving Expert, the average UK nuptial costs around £20,500. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep the total down. A great way is by planning your own reception. Not only will this give you control over your budget, but you’ll also be able to personalise your celebration perfectly.

What can be a more unique and unusual birthday present than a murder mystery weekend?

Imagine attending a social dinner where a fictional murder occurs. One moment, people are enjoying the food and interactions, the next moment they are caught up in a murder mystery party.

These events have grown in popularity over the years and can provide entertainment and suspense for people of all ages. Guests and attendees all become part of the show as the story unfolds around their dinner table and the premises.

ENTER THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL 'CAKE OFF' AND FIND OUT! Set in the grounds of the magnificent Elizabethan country house, the hall near Chesterfield in Derbyshire provides a stunning venue for The Great British Food & Drink Festival.  The event is back this for three days between the 30th April and the 2nd May, opens its gates at 10am each day.

A romantic trip to Paris may not be the cards this Valentine ’s Day, but you can transport your sweetheart to the city’s chic patisseries with just one bite of the delicate heart-shaped macarons by Couture Treats.

A delicate crunch through the crisp shell into the smoothest ganache is a treat worth savouring as a sophisticated finale to a delicious Valentine’s Day meal – or curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea and the one you love!

Hen destinations, just like regular tourism destinations, can become overrun by groups of girls stumbling around wearing tiaras, sashes and matching pink tutus. Once the word is out, the crowds follow, so here, top hen do organiser Eventhuse, has compiled a list of the team’s favourite alternative hen do destinations in Europe.

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Eating more, tucking into chocolate spread and doing exercise you actually enjoy are just some of the unexpected tips for brides-to-be to get into shape this New Year.

The health experts from the online food retailer MuscleFood.com have compiled top tips and ideas that are set to make staying healthy in time for the big day a lot easier.

Instead of fad diets or ineffective exercising plans the simple tips include taking selfies to track your progress and ditching sugary breakfast cereals.

There are tips from personal trainer Courtney Pruce for people who hate being healthy and ideas from nutritionist Hazel Wallace on how to stay on track.

PARTY planners can now offer their guests a traditional British tea service as part of their celebrations thanks to one of Merseyside’s most unique venues.

The Tea Parlour, Mathew Street, Liverpool, which offers vintage afternoon tea in a traditional British setting, is available for private hire for a whole host of occasions. The Grade II listed venue is offering its facilities and catering to those looking for a venue with a difference for special events, such as hen dos, weddings, birthdays and baby showers.