NEARLYWED NEWS

Bromley Court is a hotel steeped in history and has the atmosphere of a wonderful and intimate country house. Years of hospitality experience have gone into fine-tuning its rooms and event spaces to guarantee you a great stay and the team like to keep things simple by making sure everything you could ever need is included as standard.

Wedding Showcase Evenings at Bromley Court Hotel are the ideal opportunity for you to experience the venue’s function rooms set up for a wedding breakfast. You’ll have the chance to meet the friendly team, who will be on hand to help you plan your perfect day with plenty of ideas and inspiration.

The next event is 28th July from 6pm. To find out more call the Hotel’s wedding coordinators or 020 8461 8608, 8610 or 8614 or check out https://bromleycourthotel.co.uk

A SLICE OF THE ACTION

Medway-based Erica Dunn started as a hobby baker 11 years ago after a cake made for her son’s birthday was not at all what she was expecting. “It looked terrible and tasted awful, so I had a go myself and became hooked,” she tells us. Since then she’s made hundreds of celebration cakes, big-day bakes and cupcakes for friends and family, with people regularly exclaiming: “You’re so talented,” and, “Your cakes are fantastic to look at and taste amazing too!” So it was, in October 2021 that she decided to take her hobby to the next level and her registered business EriCakes was born.

Her introduction to the wedding industry came as a baptism by fire when friend and fellow baker Chelsea Prior of Chelsea Buns Cake Design asked her to finish, decorate and deliver one of her couples’ cakes when she suddenly went into labour in December 2021. “It was due to be Chelsea’s last cake of 2021 and she’d baked it, ready to decorate and deliver before starting her maternity leave. When she asked me to help I jumped at the chance. I was so nervous, but also extremely happy with the result. I feel like this cake gave me back the excitement and love I have for making wedding cakes, and I can’t wait to make more in the future,” Erica explains.

To find out more about EriCakes, head over to www.ericakes.co.uk or @EriCakesofficial

NEWS Nearlywed

Catch up on the latest from around the county

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!

The ultimate space for bride-tribe preparations has arrived in Ashford. Based in a beautiful, light and airy oast barn, The Pretty Prep Studios have been thoughtfully and purposefully designed for wedding day mornings with every detail in hand from umbrellas in case it rains, to boxes for belongings to hide any untidiness from photos. There are four beauty stations, so no more fighting over plug sockets or mirrors and there’s plenty of free parking so you can leave your cars if you wish.

The kitchen and dining area is the ideal place for some morning snacks and bubbles, where your best gals can chill after they’ve had their turn in the hair and make-up chair. We adore the circular changing oast, a luxurious area with plenty of space for slipping into your wedding dress. What’s more, we all know these things can’t be rushed, so the studio is available as early as you need it and for as long as it takes.

The Pretty Prep Studios can accommodate bridal parties large or small – even with 10 or more people, there’s still plenty of space. To find out more, head over to www.theprettyprepstudios.co.uk

www.jasondoddphotography.com

JEWEL IN THE CROWN

The team at Fitzgerald Jewellers in Canterbury are super-excited to have been shortlisted for no less than six prestigious awards this year: Bespoke Jewellery Retailer of the Year, Retailer of the Year (six stores or fewer), and Store Design of the Year all in the Retail Jeweller awards; Best New Store or Store Refurbishment of the Year – Professional Jeweller; Retailer of the Year – NAJ Awards; and Best Jewellery in Kent – Muddy Stilettos Awards.

Having moved to new premises at the beginning of December 2021 the business has gone from strength to strength. The new store is more than 2,000sq ft, which has really given it space to grow and be able to showcase its fantastic brands, as well as placing the focus on its own handmade jewellery that the team is so proud of. Everything within this collection is handmade on site in the new open workshop, which allows customers to see the goldsmiths working on their bespoke commissions, including wedding rings, and repairs.

The staff, who are passionate about what they do, will give you a warm welcome in store, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy the homely feel it exudes with an eclectic mix of vintage and antique furniture, plants and soft lighting. We love the huge conservatory area, which boasts a bright and stunning view of Canterbury Cathedral.

Find out more at www.fitzgeraldjewellers.co.uk

CONGRATULATIONS!

2022 marks a decade in business for Treats on a Tricycle, an accomplishment of which the team are understandably very proud. Given this wealth of experience and many a wedding behind it, the company has become one of the South East’s most recognised ice cream professionals offering vintage ice cream.

Treats on a Tricycle is available to bring a touch of nostalgia and class to your big day providing services from traditional ice cream tricycles and a designated Pimms tricycle, to the rare vintage ice cream van, Little Esther.

Ice cream is, of course, where it’s at and this supplier caters for all dietary needs being one of the few fortunate enough to have all of its ice creams, sorbets and vegan alternatives produced in the same place. Made on a farm in nut-free premises, the milk and cream used comes from the farm’s own pastures. All products are gluten-free, egg-free and contain no artificial flavouring or colouring, with local, natural ingredients used wherever possible. From a selection of more than 25 incredible options, you can choose up to six for your guests to enjoy.

We hope you’ll join us in wishing owners Rebecca and Cliff a huge congratulations on reaching this milestone, and here’s to many more! Find out more at www.treatsonatricycle.co.uk

SAY “I DO” IN 2022

Built around the original Georgian Dower House, Mercure Tunbridge Wells is a charming four-star hotel offering the ideal combination of the traditional and modern for your big day. And if you’re looking for somewhere to tie the knot this year, the hotel has some great offers on late availability for some dates in 2022.

The package, priced at £4,500, allows you to invite 50 days guests and 70 evening guests. It includes a wedding planner, ceremony room hire, reception drink, three-course meal, wine with the meal, toast drink, dedicated on-the-day manager to act as toastmaster, table linen and napkins, chair covers and sashes, private function room hire, private staffed bar, hire of the hotel’s cake stand and knife, evening buffet, bedroom for the newlyweds on the wedding night including breakfast, and complimentary wedding menu tasting prior to the big day.

That’s not all, as there’s a list of added extras included worth £2,000 all at no extra cost. Six centrepieces and ceremony table décor, ceiling drapes, table plan and place cards, evening finger buffet upgrade, DJ with booth and lights, and bridal suite upgrade.

Dates available on this package are: Sunday 28th August, Saturday 3rd September, Friday 9th September, Friday 16th September, Saturday 24th September, Saturday 5th November, Wednesday 28th December, Thursday 29th December. While dates are correct at time of writing, please enquire with the wedding team for up-to-date availability at events@mercuretunbridgewells or 01892 628 298.

Check out www.mercuretunbridgewells.co.uk

PERFECTLY AUSTEN

Once a regular haunt of much-loved novelist Jane Austen, Goodnestone Park has announced a new state-of-the-art orangery – the ultimate space for weddings.

A vast, privately-owned estate in the heart of the Kent countryside Goodnestone Park boasts a grand house, built in 1704. One of Jane Austen’s favourite retreats the property was home to her brother, Edward, who settled there shortly after he married Elizabeth Bridges. In fact, in 1796, Jane decided to use the estate as a writing retreat, penning her most famous novel, Pride & Prejudice there. Literary scholars believe Goodnestone Park inspired some of the houses in her works since she frequently wrote about it in her letters.

The next stage in the stately home’s history sees it launching a custom-made luxury timber-framed marquee, which will be the first orangery to be built on the site, situated next to the House, overlooking jaw-dropping parkland. In partnership with marquee specialists LPM Bohemia, The Orangery will play host to weddings and other events. The design has been carefully considered, reflecting 17th- to 19th-century gardening trends and will be hand-crafted in the heart of Kent using locally-sourced natural materials and sustainably sourced timber. John Preston, director and co-owner of LPM Bohemia explains, “When conceptualising The Orangery’s design, we aimed to seamlessly fuse the historical setting of Goodnestone with a modern sensibility, while honouring the timeless gardens via the marquee’s botanical-themed lining.”

You’ll be able to book the marquee for an all-encompassing Goodnestone experience, with private hire encapsulating the surrounding 15 acres of greenery, Serpentine Walk, additional guest accommodation at Bonnington Cottage and the option of an evening tipple and bite at the local Fitzwalter Arms village pub, owned by the estate. Expanding on its current wedding offering the venue has teamed up with The Wedding Dolls, a Kent-based wedding-planning service, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2022.

To find out more, check out https://goodnestonepark.co.uk

EVERLASTING LOVE

A Kent-based small business has sown the seed for a stunning new method of wedding flower preservation. Owned and managed by Yasmin Balcombe, Bespoke Botanicals offers resin wedding flower preservation across a range of styles and designs. With traditional bouquet framing now falling out of fashion, this new take has proven to be a hit with stylish couples everywhere!

Flowers can be set into resin in an assortment of different ways, from a photo frame containing the florals from your special day, to a set of botanical coasters or resin display blocks featuring everlasting blooms. Preserved wedding flowers can make a great gift to add to your wish list, while smaller designs work beautifully as favours on the day. Other designs include free-standing floral letters, ornaments of various shapes and sizes, framed dates and letters, keyrings, jewellery, ring holders and even a side table.

If you’re thinking about having your bouquet preserved, be sure to reserve your date online in advance to ensure availability. Most flowers can be preserved, whether freshly cut, kept safe after the big day or already dried. Blooms are sent directly to the studio, where they’ll be carefully dried and arranged to maintain their natural shape and beauty. This process takes anywhere from three days to three weeks depending on flower variety. Once dried, they’ll be arranged in the mould and you’ll be given the option to collaborate on the ideal layout. As soon as it’s been approved, it will be cast in crystal clear resin becoming an everlasting heirloom. The entire process takes several weeks, with resin poured gradually in layers and left to cure, maintaining the natural vigour of each and every petal.

Dates are filling up fast, so head over to www.bespokebotanicals.uk now to find out more.