NEARLYWED NEWS

https://jamesthomasphotography.co.uk LOCAL NEWS

LUCK OF THE DRAW

SAFE AS HOUSES If you’re after an exclusive and bespoke wedding package in a venue packed with history, consider Colchester’s Wivenhoe House. This 18th century four-star hotel, once painted by Constable, is a magnificently restored country house with a wealth of history between its walls. Offering a trio of wedding offerings, designed to make the most of any size wedding, their Classic Brettingham Package starts at £78.95 per person and includes your wedding breakfast, welcome drink and NEWS Nearlywed Prosecco for toasts, evening buffet options and a night in one of the hotel’s bedrooms, including breakfast in your room the next morning. Alternatively, choose the Deluxe Rebow Package, starting from £96.95 per person. This includes a three-course wedding breakfast, half a bottle of wine per person, welcome drinks and Prosecco, and a luxury evening buffet selection. You’ll also get chair covers, bows and a sweet cart filled with treats, as well as a luxury bedroom with breakfast the next day. Or why not consider the Luxury Constable Package from £111.95 per person? Starting with a choice of welcome drinks and canapes, it includes a luxury wedding breakfast, half a bottle of wine per person and Prosecco for toasts. Add to that your evening buffet, chair covers and bows, sweet cart and accommodation – plus you can stay in the hotel the night before and get ready in a luxury room as part of the All the latest from around the county deal. www.wivenhoehouse.co.uk Give your guests some entertainment they get to take home with https://jamesthomasphotography.co.uk Rayleigh illustrator Kirstybowks Bespokes. Sketching in real-time during weddings and other special events, owner Kirsty strives to create unique keepsakes that will forever capture the magic of your special day. Choose her Intimate Wedding Package, £350, which includes live drawing for two and a half hours during drinks or your evening reception, plus an additional A4 illustration of you as newlyweds after the event. Alternatively, there’s her Wedding Bell Package, £450, again offering an illustration of the pair of you – but with four hours of live drawing for your guests to enjoy! “I love documenting the big emotions as well as the day’s quiet, intimate moments,” says Kirsty. “There’s nothing better than capturing some of the fun and spark of the day with my trademark style.” Visit www.instagram.com/kirstybowks_bespokes to find out how to book.

WRAP IT UP

Looking for ideas to add to your gift list? Look no further than Raynebased luxury homeware company Amara. They’ve recently introduced some private label collections and new brands to their site, beginning with Lisa Todd Designs’ hand printed Ubuntu range – a colourful celebration of two cultures expressed through abstract patterns on dinnerware, vases and table linens.

There’s also former Gucci designer Gergei Erdei’s cushions, inspired by neoclassical shapes with a sculptural appearance; rugs, placemats, table runners and ottomans from quirky brand Podevache; unique ceiling lights, wall lamps and floor lamps from DelightFULL; and some seriously glam barware and kitchen musts from Nick Munro. The best news is you can even create your own gift list thanks to their partnership with The Wedding Shop, as a selection of products from Amara’s brands are available to add via The Wedding Shop website.

Visit www.weddingshop.com to find out about registering your gift list or visit www.amara.com for more of their homeware.

YOU BEAUTY! If you’re in search of a beauty salon for all your pre-wedding needs then consider Colchester’s e.m.skin clinic & beauty, previously known as Amy Gordon Skin Clinic & Beauty Boutique. The multi award-winning advanced skin clinic and beauty salon, situated on North Hill, came under new ownership back in June, when senior beauty specialist Emily Farrell took www.stevebradingphotography.com over the business from founder Amy Gordon.

Now launched as e.m.skin clinic & beauty, the brand offers a vast range of luxury treatments. “This is an exciting new step for us at the salon,” says Emily. “While our clients will notice the change in name, the quality of our service, treatments and products remains as high as ever. Over the past five years the salon has always been ready to provide the best and most innovative treatments through a team of expert therapists and specialists.” e.m.skin clinic & beauty are experts in skincare, HD brows, nail treatments, eyelash extensions, waxing and tanning – visit www.emskinclinicandbeauty.co.uk to find out how to book.

SPOTLIGHT ON: RI RI’S BRIDAL!

Ria Carroll, owner of the Billericay boutique, on why An Essex Wedding readers should pay her a visit…

“We are in our ninth year of business and stock a huge range of bridal gowns from designers Evie Young, Madison James by Allure, Phoenix, Danielle Couture and Mary’s Bridal. Our bookings are exclusive one-to-one appointments, so the whole bridal floor is for you and your bridal party alone – with no other shoppers to distract you! We have a huge variety of dresses in sizes ranging from 8 to 24, with our prices in the region of £850 to £2,500. My team is personal and genuinely passionate about giving you a magical experience. I’m also a resident bridal expert on E4’s One Stop Wedding Shop, where I help brides-to-be see their wildest wedding dreams come true! You’re most definitely in the safest of hands when shopping with us.” www.riris.co.uk TOILET TALK

Want a festival-style wedding – but without those dreaded festivalstyle portaloos? Basildon-based His & Hers Luxury Toilets is the answer! “All of our units are of a seriously high quality, with Molton Brown hand wash and cream as standard,” says owner Alison Martin. “We provide fresh flowers in the larger units, in the colour choice of the customer; with complimentary toiletries for the ladies, with these units also having background music. We do free site visits for customers who are unsure on venue space, and we can even supply attendants for functions if required.”

READER OFFER! His & Hers Luxury Toilets are offering £50 off any unit booked for An Essex Wedding readers for 2023. Terms and conditions apply; please visit https://hisandhersluxurytoilets.co.uk for more info.

LET’S PLAY TAG Looking for something different to do for your hen or stag? Try the new interactive gaming course at King George’s Playing Fields in Brentwood.

TAGactive is a game for all ages and takes place in an obstacle course arena split into zones, each of which contain a large number of illuminated TAGs. Players collect points by ‘tagging’ these with a sensor on their wristband, the points value of each TAG being determined by the degree of difficulty in reaching it. A player’s score then appears on an electronic scoreboard to add an extra dimension of competition with rivals, as well as trying to post the best score of the day – or even of all time.

“TAGactive bridges the worlds of activity, gaming and technology,” says Shaun Beagle, Area Everyone Active’s contract manager. “This is something which people of all abilities can enjoy, and is sure to result in healthy competition between friends and family.”

TAGactive sessions are bookable via the Everyone Active app and website – visit www.everyoneactive.com for more info.