Your Sussex Wedding news and ideas from around the area

Wedding expert reveals the top 2025 trends

With weddings becoming more personalised than ever, many couples are rethinking the traditional elements of their big day. In 2025, couples are all about individuality and creating an experience that truly reflects them. For those looking for inspiration on what's 'in' and what's 'out' for weddings this year; Jeremy Hinds, Wedding and Engagement Ring expert at F.Hinds, shares his top tips for planning a celebration that feels both modern and timeless.

Fab Food For You: Committed to supporting British farmers

At Fab Food For You, nestled in the heart of East Sussex, commitment to supporting British farmers and sourcing local produce is more than a business choice, "It's a deeply rooted passion," says owner Jacquie Keeley. As a catering company led by a farmer's daughter for the past 15 years, she well understands the vital role that local agriculture plays in our communities, economy and environment. However, recent developments have posed significant challenges to UK farmers. In October 2024, the government announced changes to inheritance tax, capping relief at £1million. This policy shift has sparked widespread concern among farming communities, as it threatens the viability of family-run farms and could force many to sell portions of their land to meet tax obligations.

Indulge in a Pallet Picnic with The Fabulous Filly

Luxury horse box bar company The Fabulous Filly has launched a fab new service: Pallet Picnics. We love this new idea, which allows you to create the dreamiest picnic setting alongside The Fabulous Filly. Add a touch of bohemian elegance to your bridal shower – the team will supply everything you need to create a relaxing and stressfree event. If Balearic, Parisian or Moroccan al fresco style is more you, the team can personalise your event with bespoke food and drink packages, complete with vintage glassware and crockery. Why not hire The Fabulous Filly for any special occasion beyond the big day? Think floral afternoon teas, themed garden parties, baby showers, christenings and even fur-baby birthday parties!

Celebrate National Tea Day with the Nation’s Best Tasting Tea!

Birchall Tea is a family-owned tea company with a heritage dating back to 1872. Known for its exceptional quality and flavour, Birchall Tea sources the finest ingredients to create a wide range of blends enjoyed by tea enthusiasts worldwide. Committed to sustainability and ethical practices, Birchall Tea continually seeks ways to support environmental and social causes. To celebrate National Tea Day 2025, Birchall is giving customers 10% off any online purchase, but hurry as it's available for today only!

County Wedding Events comes to Nutfield Priory, Redhill, Surrey

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Nutfield Priory, Redhill, Surrey, for inspiration on Sunday 18th May! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Romance beneath the stars at Black Down

From admiring crystal-clear constellations to witnessing the mesmerising Northern Lights, astro-tourism is rapidly growing in popularity. In 2025, the trend is set to reach new heights, with a 53 per cent increase in travellers seeking destinations to experience the Aurora Borealis, while almost a third plan to visit Dark Sky Reserves this year. To help stargazers find the perfect location for their next cosmic adventure, Planet Cruise has conducted a study ranking the top UK destinations for astrotourism. While Snowdonia, Wales, takes the top spot, the good news for Sussex locals is that Black Down, West Sussex, makes it onto the list in seventh place.

Countdown to the County Wedding Events Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World, Surrey

We live and breathe weddings at County Wedding Magazines and Events, so we can't wait for our Signature Wedding Show at Mercedes-Benz World, Surrey on Sunday 27th April! It's one of our biggest wedding shows of the spring wedding show season. The event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Chilston Park Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Chilston Park, Kent, for inspiration on Sunday 27th April 2025 - 11pm - 3pm! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. There is something about Chilston Park that gives the perfect wedding day a little extra sparkle. Hold your dream wedding ceremony in an elegant period room; this 17th-century manor house has plenty to explore. Surrounded by 77 acres of stunning Kent parkland, Chilston Park is tailor-made for memories.

10 per cent off at The Walled Garden at Cowdray

The Walled Garden at Cowdray is a historical and charming setting for weddings. Surrounded by beautiful, private gardens and set against the stunning backdrop of Cowdray Ruins and Lawns polo pitches, you'll find this local lovely nestled in the West Sussex countryside. Whether you wish for an intimate occasion with 10 guests or a lavish celebration for up to 100, The Walled Garden is an ideal wedding venue to begin your married journey. Dating back to 1550, this historical gem features two spacious reception rooms and a first-floor suite, the Dressing Room. At its centre is a flourishing walled garden featuring many floral delights including lavender, roses and cherry trees. What could be more romantic?

Couples seek help with their Wedding Checklist

With the average 2025 wedding costing £20,822, it's understandable that couples are feeling the pressure to ensure their special day runs smoothly. Wedding costs have more than doubled since the pandemic and with higher budgets often comes increased planning and the need for checklists. Last year "wedding checklist" received 6,600 average monthly searches online as UK couples turned to Google for guidance, to make sure nothing was missed. As your 2025 wedding day approaches and the big elements are secured, from venue and dress to guest list, there will still be a number of important details to manage in those final weeks.

County Wedding Events coming to Frasers, Kent!

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Frasers, Kent for some much-needed inspiration on Sunday 11th May, 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Licensed to hold civil ceremonies, the idyllic rural setting at Frasers offers rustic charm and elegance. With panoramic views across the countryside, it provides a beautiful backdrop for your wedding photographs all year round.

Outstanding employees are honoured by Elite Hotels

Elite Hotels, a privately-owned collection of three luxury hotels in prime locations across the southeast of England - including Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club, near East Grinstead and The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne – has just celebrated its outstanding employees of 2024. Three award ceremonies took place at each of the three hotels, providing a chance for employees to express their gratitude for hard-working individuals during 2024. The Employee of the Year is selected based on the colleague who receives the most Going the Extra Mile (GEM) awards over the course of the year.

Blog spotlight with Sunflower Celebrations

Here at Your Sussex Wedding, we love to stay up to date with local suppliers' blogs, they are the ones with their fingers on the pulse of weddings after all! So, when celebrant Gayle Davis-Tyrrell from local lovely Sunflower Celebrations told us about her new post, we knew it was one to share. Over to Gayle... As we enter 2025, the wedding landscape continues to evolve. Micro-weddings, with guest lists of 50 or fewer, are becoming increasingly popular. This shift reflects a growing desire for more authentic and unique celebrations, prioritising personal connections. There are some key trends shaping 2025 weddings.

Ashdown Park Wedding Fair hosted by County Wedding Events

If you're newlyweds-to-be embarking on your wedding planning journey, pop along to the County Wedding Events wedding show at Ashdown Park, East Sussex for inspiration on Sunday 13th April, 2025! Sister company to County Wedding Magazines, the event brings couples that are desperate for face-to-face wedding planning in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events. Surrounded by the Ashdown Forest, which according to the famous children's author, A. A. Milne, is the woodland that inspired his Winnie The Pooh stories, the Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club offers the heights of luxury in the heart of East Sussex.

From smart invites to livestreams: the tech-savvy wedding trends of 2025

Like the tides of fashion, wedding trends come and go; however, the coming online age of nuptials is coming in fast and causing quite the wave. From AI-generated floor layouts and digital invites, modern couples are finding new ways of broadcasting their love. Here are some of the biggest trends in technology that will shape weddings in 2025, and how the industry is adapting to meet couples' expectations.

Spoilt for choice at Pangdean Old Barn

All weddings here are exclusive use and you can hold your ceremony at Pangdean in one of the venue's beautiful locations. Choose from the 300-year-old romantic barn with its high ceiling and twinkling lights, the more intimate stables or outside under the apple trees in the charming Mulberry Lodge. Whatever, the weather, the team will have it covered and none of the options here are considered second best, so you can relax in the knowledge that you've beaten the elements and still got to have your dream day. It's even possible to switch the ceremony venue on the morning of.

150 years of the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne

This year marks a remarkable milestone for The Grand Hotel, as it celebrates 150 years since its construction. Since opening its doors in 1875, The Grand Hotel has been more than just a place to stay or to celebrate, it has been witness to history, a haven for world travellers and a symbol of Eastbourne's very best. To mark this milestone, the Hotel has an array of exciting events and promotions, allowing guests to experience its timeless elegance, exceptional service, and the rich history that has delighted visitors for generations. Celebrations will continue throughout the year, so sign up for the Hotel's e-newsletters and keep an eye on your inbox and its social media for more ways to celebrate.

Countdown to County Wedding Events' Signature Wedding Show at Ascot Racecourse

We live and breathe weddings at CWM towers, so we can't wait for our Signature Wedding Show at Ascot Racecourse on Sunday 6th April 2024! It's one of our three Signature Wedding Show of 2025's Spring wedding show season; and a must-visit for all those that got engaged over the winter months. The event brings couples in touch with local professionals who are on hand to help plan the wedding day. From photographers to cake makers, musicians to florists you're sure to tick a lot off of your to-do list by attending one of our County Wedding Events.

Say I Do with Chelsea Peers

Chelsea Peers have made the morning of the wedding even more stylish than before. You and your bridal party can now get ready in soft satin and lace trimmed nightwear, bringing together the joys of wedding morning excitement and the wow factor for your photo album. Why not have your bridesmaids in matching pyjamas? The bridal collection caters to the whole wedding party and would make those getting ready photos all that more special.

Baliffscourt offers a romantic setting with an elegant ambience

Sumptuous, timeless and inspiring, Bailiffscourt offers a romantic setting with an elegant ambience. Narrow passageways with flagstone floors lead you through intimate lounges and sitting rooms, and Gothic mullioned windows frame picture-perfect views of the gardens and rose clad courtyard. Mere steps away from the Hotel is the luxurious and contemporary spa with facilities that include an indoor pool, outdoor heated infinity pool, hot tub, fitness suite, relaxation lounge and six treatment rooms. What's more, there are 39 bedrooms and suites, some with open fireplaces and four-poster beds scattered throughout the house. The gardens even boast an original and very pretty 13th-century Norman chapel, as well as a helipad for an indulgent arrival or departure.