Grooms

The stereotype has long played that the soon-to-be bride will build out an intense beauty, hair and fitness regime in the build-up to their wedding day, however it seems men are now getting in on the act. 

Beauty brand Procoal surveyed 1047 married men, to ask them about their pre-wedding arrangements, with some surprising results. To start with, 84% stated they personally plucked their eyebrows before getting married. A further 36% admitted to visiting a spa or salon in the month before their wedding day.

It's not just the bride that wants to look their best on their big day. Grooms also want to make sure they are in peak condition when they wait at the end of the aisle, all eyes on them, for their wife to be to walk down to them. That's why Vows and Venues has teamed up with Stuart Miles, the UK's leading anti-ageing expert and founder of MilesYounger.com to bring our grooms this amazing prize... an exclusive one to one Grooming and Style consultation for your big day, with Stuart Miles. This can be over Skype for convenience.

Grooming for the big day is so important to look healthy, handsome and your best. For the same reason that grooms are proud to see their stunning bride walk down the aisle, often a bride may want the groom to have put the effort in and not just with his clothing. The wedding day photos will be with you forever and grooming has never been more important. Vows and Venues spoke with Stuart Miles the UK's leading anti-ageing expert and founder of MilesYounger.com  to get his top tips for bridegrooms to look their best, not just during the ceremony, but all day.

Almost half of British women admit they were “disappointed” with the way their partner popped the question, according to a new study.

Researchers studied women who have been proposed to, and discovered as many as 40 percent were unhappy with how their partner asked for their hand in marriage – with a further 12 percent saying they were “bitterly disappointed”. 

And almost a quarter (23 percent) were left red faced from an over the top gesture, including flash mobs, lavish gifts and public displays of affection.

Two thirds of women felt a proposal should be all about the ‘little details’ rather than grand gestures – with 92 percent saying the special event should NEVER take place in public.

Forest of Arden’s Wedding Co-ordinators Explore the Recent Changes in the Wedding Planning Process

According to Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club’s wedding co-ordinators, Olivia Bevan and Faye Knight, the last 18 month has seen a shift towards grooms becoming more involved in the wedding planning process. 

Faye, explains: “We are seeing more couples saving up and paying for the wedding themselves, rather than getting help from their parents, which means both the bride and groom are wanting to be more involved throughout the planning process . 

“In the past it has often been the bride, usually alongside her parents, that we’ve worked with to plan the big day, but now we are seeing the grooms’ involvement at nearly every stage.”

‘I Do’ - Survey Finds That 25% Of Bride and Grooms Organise Their Own Stag and Hen Parties

Stag and hen parties have long held mythological status among those going on them. Brides- and grooms-to-be get nervous about what fate awaits them. However, according to a new research, these preconceptions are largely wrong, or at least they are on the wane.

The survey of over 2,000 respondents found that almost 90% of all UK stag and hen-do-goers regret nothing that happened on the stag do and would happily tell their partners everything that went on.

Long gone are the days when a simple church wedding and a slice of cake would suffice; brides-to-be and their grooms are now looking for something different, to stand out from the crowds and most importantly to be one of a kind. 

As reality TV stars and celebrities continue to push the boundaries, sharing their increasingly lavish gatherings with the masses, blushing brides-to-be up and down the country are considering how they too can be a princess for the day. 

The National Wedding Show is the go-to destination for discerning brides and grooms across the country and is returning this autumn with a spectacular line-up of the nation’s finest wedding suppliers and the hottest names on the high street.  The show offers everything from perfect wedding venues to fabulous flowers and show-stopping entertainment to exquisite stationery,  not forgetting the all-important wedding dress!  The autumn shows promise to be the best and most beautiful yet.

Get a glimpse of what the exhibitors below have to offer at the show:

Nervous about your wedding photography?

 “The Feel Good Zone”

 23-25 September 2016 London Olympia | 30 September – 2 October 2016 Birmingham NEC 22-23 October 2016 Manchester Central

The National Wedding Show will be fighting fit this autumn as a host of health, fitness and wellness experts head to the all-new Feel Good Zone to offer brides and grooms-to-be with inspiration – and ‘gymspiration’ - ahead of their Big Day. 

For the couple who is looking for luxe surroundings in which to spend their honeymoon - look no further than Kata Rocks. Recently named one of the most instagram-worthy destinations in the world - Kata Rocks in Phuket is quickly climbing the list of the world's top places to to go on honeymoon for the social media savvy. Here, bride and grooms will discover the best beaches, stunning views of the most beautiful blue seas and a level of luxury to be savoured and hash tagged.

Brides, grooms and their wedding parties are being invited to take a tour of the historic Stanbrook Abbey Hotel in Worcestershire later this month at the venue’s upcoming wedding fayre. Once home to a closed order of Benedictine nuns, the stunning grade II listed Pugin Abbey will be opening its doors on Sunday, May 29th to future husbands and wives so they can explore the venue and its extensive grounds at their leisure. 

During the day the hotel’s wedding coordinators will be on hand to answer any questions and offer advice and top tips to the brides-to-be.

Traditionally the bride arrives at the wedding marriage ceremony with her father, or the person chosen to give her away. The mother of the bride travels separately in a car with the bridesmaids to arrive about ten minutes before the bride.

The groom should arrive at the place of marriage well ahead of the bridesmaids together with his best man and the grooms party including the ushers.

Following the marriage ceremony the bride and her new husband travel together in the brides car to the reception venue.

One in ten of us spend more than a year planning a wedding, whilst a fifth of us spend up to six months. Yet ironically more than a third of us spend less than 15 minutes searching for finance options to help out with the costs of a wedding.

The research from Swedish challenger Ikano Bank also found that more than 300,000 people who borrowed money for their wedding wasted more than £450 by not shopping around for the best deal.

Nothing says blushing bride more than a beautiful smile -after all what could possibly be more important on the happiest day of one's life?

Dr Miguel Stanley is a smile revolutionary, who is helping both brides and grooms around the world improve their smiles and ultimately change their lives. Says Dr Stanley, “The Hollywood smile – you know what I’m talking about – the perfect, blindingly white smile full of identical, enormous, perfect veneers. No one wants that anymore.”

Weston Park is extending an invitation to prospective brides and grooms to an Open Day on Saturday 23rd January - 10am-3pm.  The historic 17th century house, its gardens and acres of Capability Brown classical landscaping make for one of the most stunning wedding locations in the country, as guests will discover.