Walking on sunshine

Icannot believe that my dear friends Melissa and Dave will be celebrating their first anniversary this month! Where on earth did that year go? For those of you who are new to the magazine and, possibly happily for you, missed my endless and excited rambles about preparing to be a bridesmaid for fellow CWM editor Melissa, I hope you’ll indulge me as I reminisce!

Not wanting to start out on a negative note, but hands up: I hate the summer. It’s just too hot! Many a time I’ve contemplated taking a summer home in Iceland, but alas the budget doesn’t permit. In 2022 though, my season horribilis was made all the merrier by the excitement of a wedding. Sage green and blush pink was the palette of choice, while the vibe was rustic. Still on trend this year, I’d go so far as to call it a timeless theme. On 22nd July, we’d just about made it through the hottest days of the year, when thank goodness, the temperatures started to cool to a bearable level. An al fresco ceremony, a reception with the venues’ folding doors flung open, and some memorable moments for the newlyweds spent with their photographer in the nearby cornfields during golden hour: It was all a summer wedding should be, and more.

EDITORIAL

Deputy Managing Editor

Kelly Andrews | 01376 535 611 kelly.andrews@county.wedding

I’ll admit to liking one thing about the season though, and it came into play on Melissa and Dave’s big day, as indeed it would at any wonderful wedding. First and foremost, it’s the long days. Making the best of the great outdoors is something we can do to the max during the summer. There are no more hours in the day, of course, but somehow it feels like there are, which is a huge plus when you’re celebrating such a momentous occasion. So, if you’re thinking about hosting your entire day outside, you won’t want to miss the advice of our experts over in Hot Topic from page 77. Or if you want to at least have the option to spill out of your venue and into some glorious gardens, check out our venue feature from page 25.

I hope you find inspiration aplenty among the pages of our summer issue. There’s a bumper crop of stunning shoots to keep an eye out for containing bags of seasonal gorgeousness (from page 49), as well as our venue styling hotlist (page 57).

DESIGN

ACCOUNTS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Sarah Ellis | 01376 535 602 sarah.ellis@county.wedding

Julia Owen | 01376 538 495 julia.owen@county.wedding @CountyWeddingMagazines @CountyWeddings @countyweddingmagazines Visit

Enjoy and keeeep planning!

Kelly Andrews, editor

Set on an idyllic lake, surrounded by 3 acres of natural woodland, the Inn on the Lake makes for an unforgettable wedding venue

Offering:

◦ Gazebo Ceremony over the lake

◦ Exclusive wedding packages

◦ On site wedding planner

◦ Accomodation

◦ Amazing photo opportunities

Contact our events team today to begin planning your dream wedding

Going Strong

Happy birthday to Lympne-based wedding florist Emily&Me, which is currently celebrating a decade in business! “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since I founded Emily&Me from my kitchen table,” says business owner Sam Reynolds.

It’s an inspiring story, as over the years Sam has won countless titles and awards including three Kent Wedding Awards and two UK titles.

Outstanding customer service, exceptional flower quality and a gift for interpreting a couple’s vision have kept this local lovely at the top. So we send our congratulations to Sam and her team as we look forward to seeing more beautiful designs in 2023!

Find out more at www.emilyandme.co.uk