Your West Midlands Wedding news and ideas from around the region

Wolverhampton Art Gallery was built in 1884 to house the city’s art collection

Situated in the heart of the city centre, Wolverhampton Art Gallery was built in 1884 to house the city's art collection. This Grade II* listed building combines classic 19th-century architecture with modern, contemporary design to provide an exclusive and cultural venue. The property is located opposite St Peter's Gardens where couples can go and take beautiful photographs.

Inside is a grand piano, a space for drinks and canapés after the ceremony, 18th-century paintings, and a grand décor.

Involving your family pet on the big day? Check out this personalised offering

Involving your four-legged friend on your wedding day? Are they taking a staring role walking down the aisle? If so, then you have to take a look at these smart and stylish personalised leather dog ring bearer pouches (£24) from Create Gift Love. Create Gift Love design and make personalised keepsake gifts and accessories to celebrate all of life's special moments, all handmade to order in its UK workshop from sustainable natural materials.

Crumplebury has launched an exclusive new package

Crumplebury, an award-winning wedding venue in Herefordshire, has launched an exclusive new package called The Crumplebury Takeover. Couples will be able to take over the whole site for three days, which includes 1,500 acres of private grounds, 11 spoiling suites, the Hen House, indoor spaces from the Grand Hall to the Art Gallery and a stunning outdoor ceremony area nestled in a secret woodland glade.

"When it comes to weddings here, the sky really is the limit," says Crumplebury founder and creative director Keeley Evans. "Every wedding is wonderful, but The Crumplebury Takeover gives couples the chance to curate something truly memorable and personal to them."

The most popular 2023 trends according to Pinterest

To provide insight on the most popular wedding trends for spring 2023, the experts at Aura Print compiled a list of 25 popular trends after scouring Pinterest to discover the number of Pins for each. And here are the top 15 most popular spring 2023 wedding trends to be insipired by...First place for the most popular wedding trend for spring 2023 goes to the floral-themed trend. This trend had 22,148 Pins on the image sharing platform. It can include things like floral arches, flower-themed cakes or flower crowns. With a total of 11,765 Pins, the blue-themed wedding trend places second in the study. The trend also appeared on 116 Pinterest boards from 2022 onwards, cementing its popularity for the upcoming season. What is more, there's been a great interest in navy blue wedding invites, which had a whopping 16,725 Pins.

The Wroxeter Hotel boasts fabulous grounds and views

Situated in the heart of Shropshire yet easily accessible from major roads, The Wroxeter Hotel boasts fabulous grounds and views, with several outdoor seating areas and points of interest that look great in photographs. This Georgian county house has many original features along with some modern twists and fabulous wedding spaces.

The Wroxeter Hotel is an ideal venue for exclusive use and affords a real house party feel. Able to accommodate 40 or more guests overnight, exclusive use gives couples the run of the whole venue from midday on the day of the wedding.

Fancy a big-day cocktail bar? Check out Whitebox Cocktails

Whitebox Cocktails, the ready-to-serve cocktail specialists, have everything you need to create the ultimate in wedding cocktail offering. From classic cocktails like the Pocket Negroni and Squeezy's Margarita, to unique and refreshing long drinks like Hippy Fizz and Disco Baby, take the hassle out of the perfect pour on your big day with a wide range of ready-to-serve cocktails to suit every taste. Expertly mixed by the award-winning team of bartenders, Whitebox Cocktails' convenient single-serve cans mean there's no need to limit your cocktail menu, as there's no mixing, no mess and no long wait at the bar. For casual weddings, cocktails can be served in ice buckets for guests to help themselves and enjoy straight from the can. Alternately, for a more elevated occasion, simply chill and serve the cocktail in a glass with ice and a garnish of choice.

The best UK cities for a hen do

With Google search volume data revealing a 402% search increase for 'hen party ideas' since December and 2023 wedding season in touching distance, organising a pre-wedding celebration is already on the bridal party to-do list. Getting all of your nearest and dearest pals together for a hen party can be challenging - whether it's catering to availability, budget, activity preferences or dietary requirements. Hen party decoration supplier, Ginger Ray, has done a little digging to find the top 19 UK cities to host your pre-wedding celebrations.

Wedding Belles of Four Oaks has won Best Bridal Retailer in the West Midlands

Wedding Belles of Four Oaks has won 'Best Bridal Retailer in the West Midlands' at The Wedding Industry Awards. The company was born from a passion and love for all things girly and bridal in 2007. The owners tell us: "We feel very proud of how our shop has grown and become one of the leading "go-to" wedding dress boutiques in Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. Your wedding dress appointment with us in our Sutton Coldfield boutique is a special and exciting time, and we feel privileged to be a part of it. You will feel in safe hands as we know how important your wedding dress is, and with more than 35 years of combined experience in bridal styling, you really are in the best place."

New book launch: The modern couple's guide to wedding speeches

The Modern Couple's Guide to Wedding Speeches is for grooms and brides who want their wedding speeches to be memorable for the right reasons and to kick off their marriage with a bang. This book is intended to benefit you whether you are straight or gay, whatever your religious beliefs are, or where you live. Heidi encourages us to reconsider old traditions, and tear up the outdated rulebook to create a modern wedding guide. Because speeches are such an important part of the day, she encourages couples to think about who they want to give speeches and what they want from the speeches.

County Wedding Magazines' competition winner!

Here at County Wedding Magazines HQ, we love nothing more than to hear from the winners of our competitions. In the crazy world of wedding planning, it's exciting for us to be able to offer our lovely readers some exciting giveaways and competitions which will hopefully give you a much-needed pick-me-up during on the countdown to your wedding day.

In the Autumn of 2022, CWM ran a competition, 'Win a two-night stay in the heart of The Lakes!' and the winners were nearlyweds Steph and Michael! The lucky pair enjoyed a stay, with dinner, bed and breakfast at The Wild Boar Inn a traditional Lakeland inn with oak beams, log fires, an in-house microbrewery and smokehouse all in the rolling countryside of the Gilpin Valley.

The Grand Station originally opened in 1854 as a Grade II listed building

The Grand Station originally opened in 1854 as a Grade II listed building formerly known as the Lower Level Train Station. In 2012, after the building was derelict for almost 30 years, it was transformed into a popular venue for weddings, events and conferences.

Situated in the heart of the city, the Grand Station is just a short walk from Wolverhampton's train station and town centre. Boasting a large outdoor space, the exterior was designed by engineer Sir John Fowler, with the rack work by Mr Henry Robertson and the roof and layout by Mr Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As Wolverhampton's former train station, the space has retained its historical feel, but has transformed the former train platforms into modern venue spaces.

10 Most Instagrammed UK Wedding Venues

With over 278,000 UK weddings expected to take place in 2023, there's no doubt that couples across the country are already scrolling through Instagram in search of inspiration! With this in mind, Aura Print has discovered the most Insta-worthy and beautiful wedding venues of the UK. Analysing over 200 venues around the UK, they searched Instagram to discover which venue was being talked about most, narrowing it down to the 10 most desirable wedding venue locations in the UK.

How to save money on your next wedding gift

Receiving an invitation to a wedding is always an exciting time. However, deciding what gift to buy the couple, and especially how much to spend, can be daunting - now more so than ever due to the increased cost of living. Data from VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals guests will spend an average of £113.39 for each gift they buy when attending a wedding which, for many of us, is a hefty amount. Anita Naik, Savings Expert at the UK's most trusted savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk, has some great tips on how to save money on your upcoming wedding gifts without skimping on the sentiment:

Ansty Hall is a finalist at The English Wedding Awards 2023

Ansty Hall, a 17th-century Georgian house in Warwickshire, is a finalist at The English Wedding Awards 2023 in the 'Romantic Wedding Venue of the Year' category.

Situated within eight acres of private grounds, Ansty Hall boasts magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and has original staircases, high ceilings, open fireplaces and 62 bedrooms. The property can be hired on an exclusive-use basis, and there's even space to arrive via a helicopter for those looking to make a grand entrance.

Unique theatre venues for your vows and and bows!

Finding the wedding venue of your dreams can be a difficult task, especially if you're looking for something with a little less traditional with a little more drama. According to Google trend data, searches for 'unique wedding venues' have seen an uplift of 769% in the last month, and more specifically, searches for 'theatre weddings' have risen by an enormous 1250%. SeatPlan reveal the most unique, musical, dramatic, and theatrical wedding venues around the UK, so you can be centre stage and in the spotlight on your big day.

Swinfen Hall Hotel is an elegant Georgian manor house with a mixture of old and new styles

Swinfen Hall Hotel is an elegant Georgian manor house with a mixture of old and new styles. Set at the end of a sweeping drive, the property stands proudly amongst 100 acres of gardens and parklands and boasts a private deer park, ornamental ponds, a Victorian walled garden, a courtyard garden complete with a bar and a luxury marquee. In the middle of the deer park sits an impressive red tree which is an artistic impression of the venue's commitment to fighting climate change. It was created by local artist MC Vincent and is a constant reminder to be as ethical and environmentally responsible as possible. Inside, is ornate oak panelling, high ceilings, stained glass windows and 17 guest bedrooms and suites.

Weddings don't need to cost the earth

With nearlyweds looking to opt for more sustainable choices when planning their nuptials, Talking Tables' new wedding rental scheme ensures this special occasion will look beautiful, without costing the earth. Would be spouses can choose from its best-selling tall glass candle holders in a variety of colours to suit every theme, both clear and brightly coloured bud vases, and handmade silver stainless steel plates and bowls. Tables can be exquisitely dressed for a fraction of the cost to buy and be happy knowing the items will bring more joy to others rather than sitting in the back of your cupboard - a sustainable solution!

5 songs to avoid on your big day

On top of organising flowers, dresses, venues and speeches, choosing the music for your wedding is yet another decision to make. But where do you even begin? The options are seemingly endless and the song you do pick will be the one that you define as 'yours' for the rest of your lives together. Wedding decor specialists Ginger Ray have crunched the numbers to reveal which songs and artists have made it onto the most Spotify wedding playlists and could be, dare we say it... overdone. So, whether you want to embrace the most popular choices (they are favourites for good reason after all) or whether you want to know which songs to avoid if you are looking to create a more unique soundtrack for your big day, here is Wedding Spotify, Wrapped.

St Maur are offering readers the chance to win a luxury cocktails hamper

The team behind internationally-award-winning St Maur Elderflower Liqueur are offering Your West Midlands Wedding readers the chance to win a luxury cocktails hamper worth £150!

St Maur is a hand-crafted premium elderflower liqueur from the Heart of England. The versatile drink is perfect for both sipping and mixing. A beautiful aperitif on its own and sublime in brunch and pre-dinner cocktails, any time of the year.

Inspired by romance, St Maur was first created exclusively by William and Kelsey Seymour, Earl and Countess of Yarmouth, for their wedding guests at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.

Bantock House Museum and Park is an Edwardian house situated within 43 acres of parkland

Bantock House Museum and Park is an Edwardian house situated within 43 acres of parkland and formal gardens and is just 10 minutes from the centre of Wolverhampton. Designed and built by the former owners, this historic property includes three gardens, original features, carved oak-panelled rooms, decorative glass tiles and period furnishings inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement, with plenty of locally-made enamels, japanned ware, jewellery, and toys.