Loving all things wedding? Check out this new novel

woman sat on sofa reading book Credit: Katy Birchall The Wedding Season

red book cover with a woman on it holding flowers

If while planning your wedding day you have fallen in love with the wonderful world of weddings, then this new release from Katy Birchall, The Wedding Season will certainly keep you in the wedding bubble.

The perfect accompaniment when taking a break from the wed min, this will have you laughing out loud!

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organised, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember. But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya's entire life plangoes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples' nuptials on her own. Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been.

From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realises that despite herself, she might just be having fun. By the time the final wedding arrives, she's not the same woman she was at the start of the season. And maybe her own love story isn't over just yet . . .

Katy Birchall The Wedding Season (Paperback Original, Hodder & Stoughton, £8.99)

You may also be interested in

New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches

New app launches to simplify one of marriage’s biggest admin headaches

Changing your name after marriage can mean updating details with countless organisations, from banks and subscriptions to official documents and employers. New app Name Change Navigator aims to make the process easier, guiding newlyweds through each step from one platform. Founded by Rebecca Dainton, Head of Product at Flutter UK & Ireland, the app was created to reduce the stress and mental load associated with name changes. It supports a range of naming journeys, including traditional surname changes, double-barrelling, blended surnames and other choices following marriage, civil partnership, divorce or personal identity changes. The launch comes as younger generations increasingly rethink traditional naming conventions, with technology offering a more streamlined approach to this often-overlooked part of newlywed life.

READ ARTICLE

Expert at Cake Box, shares 2026 wedding trends

Expert at Cake Box, shares 2026 wedding trends

Weddings may be rooted in tradition, but 2026 is seeing couples put their own spin on the big day. From reimagined wedding cakes to more personal, less conventional celebrations, today's couples are increasingly choosing what feels meaningful to them rather than simply following the rules. To explore how wedding traditions are evolving, Okay Rahman, Head of Product and in-house cake expert at Cake Box, shares their insight into the biggest wedding trends of 2026 — and how couples are putting a fresh, modern twist on some of the most-loved elements of the day. He said... "We're seeing that wedding cakes are becoming much more personal in 2026. The traditional tiered cake certainly hasn't disappeared, but couples are feeling less tied to the idea that a wedding cake has to look or taste a certain way. These days, it's being treated as another part of the styling of the day, so the design reflects the couple, the venue and the overall feel of the wedding.

READ ARTICLE

Are Brits risking their finances by avoiding the pre-wedding money talk?

Are Brits risking their finances by avoiding the pre-wedding money talk?

For many couples, talking about money can feel far less romantic than talking about the wedding itself. But as more Brits prepare to tie the knot — and with stronger legal rights on the horizon for unmarried couples — new research suggests we may be leaving some important financial conversations until it's too late. From avoiding money talk on first dates to steering clear of prenups, the findings reveal a nation surprisingly reluctant to discuss how to protect their finances, even when differences over money are already putting relationships under strain. Two thirds of Brits (66%) say they would not get a prenuptial agreement before marriage (48%) or have already opted against one (17%) - compared to 42% in both France and Spain. New findings from Europe's second largest neobank, bunq, reveal that Brits are markedly more resistant to prenuptial agreements than their continental neighbours – despite Britain's reputation as the less romantic nation.

READ ARTICLE

Couples could legally get married anywhere - legal comment

Couples could legally get married anywhere - legal comment

The UK Government has unveiled a new consultation to reform the wedding laws in England and Wales which is exploring how wedding ceremonies are conducted, particularly looking at wedding venues. The proposals are seeking to modernise the outdated legislation in this area which will eventually provide couples with greater freedom to decide where and how they will get married. At present, when a couple gets married, they need to have their legal ceremony in a licensed building or a registered place of worship. The existing laws have a further requirement that couples must ensure the individual officiating their wedding ceremony is either an authorised religious minister or a civil registrar.

READ ARTICLE

Follow Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding Magazine on Instagram

VISIT SITE

Follow Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding Magazine on Facebook

VISIT SITE

Subscribe to Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding Magazine for free

VISIT SITE

Submit your wedding to be featured in Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding Magazine

VISIT SITE