Editor loves and inspiration

I don't mind telling you I've fallen head over heels in love with real wedding woofer Barclay. His fur dad, Dan, wasn't too happy though when he had to wash him on the morning of his wedding after the naughty chap decided to jump into the venue's pond.

Find out more about Stacey and Dan's (and Barclay's) big day from page 26 of the current issue, free to download at www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

There's something about Rookery Hall (www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/rookeryhall) in Nantwich that says 'romance.' With its fountain lawn, wonderful gardens, beautiful architecture, stunning views and stylish banqueting suites, it's hard to imagine a more fitting location for saying “I do.”

Set in 38 acres of lawns and gardens in the Cheshire countryside, this Georgian manor house offers a contemporary and stylish home for your wedding accommodating up to 160 guests. Striking, elegant and full of character each ceremony setting offers an idyllic backdrop.

To find out more about Rookery Hall and other historical venues in the region, download the latest issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding at www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

Following the joys, stresses and excitement of wedding planning, when it comes to your honeymoon, it's time to breathe deeply and slow down. Capo d'Orso, one of the properties in the family-run Delphina Hotels & Resorts portfolio, is the ideal place to get in touch with nature and get to know your wedded partner all over again. It truly is a couple's paradise, where privacy is paramount. Even during peak season, the hotel has so many intimate spots, hidden hammocks and secluded nooks for you to sunbathe and read a book or simply enjoy a glass of wine gazing out to sea, you'll never feel overlooked.

Find out more in the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding free to download at www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

Conceived in 1989 as an experimental lab, Atelier Versace focuses on innovation and research. The Atelier's pursuit of only the highest quality ingredients and exceptional craftsmanship has now been translated into a range of exclusive fragrances, which has recently expanded to include four beautiful new scents: Amber Nectar, Rose Flamboyante, Rêve de Myrrhe and the special edition Patchouli Précieux. All fragrances are £300 for 100ml, available at Harrods and Selfridges.

Download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding for more beauty news: www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

Emma has been the owner of Maria Modes for nine years, which is a little different from most boutiques. A wedding department store, it offers not only bridal but bridesmaids, menswear and mother-of-the-bride/groom too. Located in Macclesfield, it's set over three spacious floors. “We aim for laid-back luxury as our mantra, bringing you the most gorgeous offering (if I do say so myself!) of fashion forward and traditional wedding dresses, and everything in between,” Emma says.

For more local bridal bouqtique inspiration and wisdom, download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding at https://www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

Cynthia Green was born in Bolton and her illustrious 27-year-long career as a celebrant and registrar is peppered with firsts. She conducted the first same sex civil partnership ceremony in 2005 and made history by leading the UK's first opposite sex civil partnership at midnight in 2014. She has also conducted the first and only ever Scientology wedding. To date, Cynthia has married more than 20,000 couples.

Find out more: download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding free at www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

Take the hard work out of sourcing your wedding entertainment. Alice from entertainment booking service Entertainment Nation says, “How you want your day to feel is the most n nailing your wedding entertainment. ne atmosphere with elegant musical backdrops, a string quartet, singing guitarist or instrumentalist would be ideal to keep the drinks and chatter flowing. However, if something quiet and understated isn't your vibe and you want everyone dancing and singing like no one's watching, a pop, indie or rock band is a no-brainer. Perhaps a funky soul and disco band would go down a treat with you soul music lovers! Want to make your wedding unforgettable? Alternative entertainment like singing waiters and DJ live bands, known for getting the whole crowd involved, are stand-out options for a memorable wedding celebration that's personal to you. For top advice, recommendations and a really friendly expert team, contact us at Entertainment Nation and we'll help make your wedding dream a reality!” Find out more at www.entertainment-nation.co.uk

For more entertainment ideas, download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding free at www.yourcheshiremerseyside.wedding/free-download

The Queen at Chester has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment with upgrades to 104 bedrooms and public spaces including its glorious wedding spaces. So, photographer Jaine Briscoe-Price and team wasted no time in putting together this lovely local shoot, to showcase the venue in all its shiny of the building with classic patterned wooden floors, panelled new glory!

Inside the magnificent brick and stucco Italianate building, located opposite Chester's railway station, and said to be the first skyscraper of it's time, you'll find a sleek and homely new look. The design was carefully conceived to honour the heritage and history walls and plush fabrics, complete with a fresh, modern finish.

Alice and Tom met in the pub on Christmas Eve 2013. Alice was trying to break up a fight between mutual friends at the time, and Tom swept in to pull her away. “He'll say it as my bright orange hair that attracted him, while I love the fact that he just wasn't fazed by the drama unfolding around him and fully focused on me,” Alice remembers. “I also thought he had great fashion sense, although his choice of socks really had me questioning that on our wedding day!”

Tom proposed on Christmas Eve 2020, exactly seven years after they met. Alice had had a busy morning at home, baking for the family, when Tom came home from work with a Christmas Eve box containing all of her favourite treats. At the bottom she found a photo from that night they met in the pub. “It wasn't until then I realised he was on one knee,” Alice remembers.

Little did they know at this point that Alice was already expecting twins. So, their wedding planning had to be put on hold for a while. After a tough pregnancy, a premature birth and a long hospital stay, their original plan of a Vegas wedding was off the cards.

Happily, now recovered and with two bouncing babies, Meols Hall was the first and only venue the couple visited. “I came across it while researching online and initially, the brickwork and layout ticked so many of our boxes, so we knew we had to go and see it,” Alice explains. From the moment they drove into the grounds they both knew they’d be booking their wedding that day! “We had complete goose bumps at how beautiful it was,” Alice continues.

Find out more about the big day - download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding HERE.

Lucy and Matt met at the MMA Academy in Liverpool where Lucy had joined the Muay Thai class and Matt was a coach and fighter. It wasn't love at first sight and they took a while to pluck up the (Dutch) courage to take things further on a night out in the City. “It was definitely a case of opposites attract,” Lucy says. “Neither of us was each other's type, but somehow it seems to work and within a few weeks we were living together!”

We fast forward a way into the couple's relationship. By this time Lucy and Matt had a number of holidays under their belts, although a trip to Menorca for a friend's wedding wasn't where Lucy was expecting to receive a proposal of marriage. After some stress hiding the ring in his golf bag, Matt overcame his nerves and got down on one knee within 10 minutes of arriving at their villa. “It was perfectly unplanned and spontaneous, just like Matt,” Lucy remembers.

The couple had in mind a secluded location for their big day, somewhere they could enjoy with family and friends in complete privacy. Talhenbont Hall was only their second viewing but they soon decided there was no reason to look anywhere else. They barely made it through the gate before Matt exclaimed: “This is it!” North Wales is one of their favourite places being close to March Loop where they love to camp with their dogs. “So, this felt like the perfect place for us to get married,” Lucy explains. “The whole place was stunning and we could see ourselves saying 'I do' outside in the pagoda. After that it was hard to envisage our wedding anywhere else.”

The date was set for 31st July 2024. To find out more download the Jan/Feb25 issue of Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding HERE.