Category Archives: Essex Weddings
East Mersea Hall Wedding Venue Open Day
East Mersea Hall
East Mersea Hall
The beautiful East Mersea Hall opens its doors for future brides and grooms of Essex to take a look around their stunning new wedding venue with their Open Day set for Sunday 11th October 2009.
The Hall is an Elizabethan Grade II listed country family home which dates back to the 16th Century, beautifully set amongst 36 acres of woodland and gardens.
The wedding venue is a newly appointed venue for Colchester and Mersea Island and is available to hold civil ceremonies, and wedding receptions.
Previously known as “The Hall” the new wedding venue was once a fortified settlement and was surrounded by a moat.
Weddings at East Mersea Hall
The lake and gardens around the property now provide a certain unique character and a romantic setting for bridal parties to capture their wedding day with a stunning backdrop for the wedding photographs.
Getting married at East Mersea Hall
To take in the beautiful scenery yourself, then visit the wedding venue on their Open Day on Sunday 11th October 2009, entrance is free and the day runs from 11am to 4.30pm and the first 30 brides to register via e-mail will receive a bottle of bubbly upon arrival. For full details read our wedding fayres in Essex page, or drop an email to sarahmaydays@aol.com or call 01206 383499.
Weddings at the Kursaal in Southend
Weddings at the Kursaal in Southend
We’re delighted to hear that the first wedding has taken place at the iconic Kursaal complex on Southend’s seafront.
Having originally opened in 1901 as the Kursaal Ballroom, the Essex building expanded into an amusement complex in the 1930′s. By the 1980′s the Kursaal said farewell to Southend’s entertainment reportedly for the last time leaving the building to rot away.
However with huge financial support in 1998 the Kursaal reopened it’s doors with ten pin bowling being the main attraction and maintaining it’s distinctive dome.
Now, the Kursaal has re-invented itself again as a wedding venue for brides and grooms of Essex looking for a historic building in Southend to marry, having become a fully licensed and approved wedding venue by Southend Borough Council.
The Kursaal have 2 rooms available for wedding ceremonies, and civil partnerships and have a whole string of weddings planned for the summer.
Getting Married in Southend
The first couple to take advantage of the licence being granted are Westcliff residents Louise and Tony Nicholls who tied the knot in front of around 50 family and friends.
According to our source, Louise said: “I had always loved the building as a child, and the room itself has a beautiful glass ceiling.
“Also, we wanted somewhere very different, but even some of our friends and family were a tiny bit apprehensive at first.
“However, when they saw it they were won over. Now even my sister is thinking of holding her 40th birthday there.”
Southend wedding, but not honeymoon
Rather then choosing to remain in Sunny Southend Seafront for their honeymoon, the newly weds headed to Italy.
Kursaal Functions spokesman Matthew Chambers said: “We have already got several more weddings booked for this year”
The Kursaal sounds to us like another fantastic place to get married in Essex.
Visit our main page if you’re looking for plenty of wedding venues in Essex.
Denise Van Outen Wedding with Lee Mead
Having announced their engagement back in February (read our Denise Van Outen engagement article) we’re delighted to hear that our Essex Girl Denise has just celebrated her wedding to Lee Mead on a beach in the Seychelles.
We were hoping that Denise may of stayed true to her roots and enjoyed the finest Essex beaches in Southend or Clacton, however the happy couple opted for perhaps a slightly more sun kissed and romantic option.
Friends of Van Outen were beginning to worry that her long-cherished dream of settling down and starting a family may not come true, that was until TV’s “Any Dream will Do” star Lee Mead swept her off her feet when Denise was a judge on the show.
27 year old Lee went on win the talent show, and earned the lead role in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
According to a source, Denise, 35, just told people they were going on a holiday, the only wedding guests in the Seychelles were both sets of parents, and a small group of best friends.
The Bride opted for a strapless white wedding dress with her hair tied back at the Labriz silhouette luxury resort.
After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds were happily seen kissing on a boat. – For pictures please see the Daily Mail.
Denise and Lee stayed in the hotel for ten nights, reportedly in the Presidential villa, being the most expensive room at the hotel, with it’s own private pool.
Denise’s long awaited dream white wedding comes 8 years after splitting from her on / off boyfriend Jay Kay, lead singer of Jamiroquai. Once labelled a “ladette” Denise has always been a traditional girl at heart.
She and Lee say they started dating in November 2007, a claim disputed by Mead’s ex-girlfriend who states that their relationship was a secret for months.
Lee previously said: “Denise and I clicked instantly. We had the same sense of humour”.
“I knew at once it was right. She is very down to earth.”
Congratulations to both Denise and Lee from everyone here at Essex Wedding Services.
Feel free to share your thoughts or comments on their wedding below.
Information on Essex Weddings
We’ve had a few requests lately to provide more information about the legal side of getting married in Essex, to help engaged couples plan their wedding in Essex county.
So, we used our knowledge, researched a little more and wrote this guide to getting married in Essex.
There’s plenty of useful information to help you get started when you’ve just become engaged, with links to the Essex county website too.
Hopefully if you’re a newly engaged couple in Essex and are starting your wedding planning process, you’ll read through our information and find it useful.
So, now that you’ve found us, ensure you bookmark our website and keep coming back whenever you’re looking for ideas for your wedding in Essex.
Happy Wedding Planning !
Honeymoon in Essex at Maison Talbooth Colchester
We’ve spent plenty of time lately talking about weddings in Essex, but not much about having a honeymoon in Essex, so today we thought we’d look at taking a few nights honeymoon at the fantastic looking Maison Talbooth hotel in Colchester, Essex.
The Maison Talbooth, Colchester, Essex.
The Maison Talbooth opened around 40 years ago, and is widely regarded as one of the finest hotels Essex has to offer, making it a great option for a wedding night, using one of their suites as your honeymoon suite. Tranquility is the essence of the 4 star Maison Talbooth hotel, a Victorian country house in a stunning setting near Dedham, Constable Country. So peaceful and romantic, a perfect choice to relax and unwind after your wedding day.
In fact the Maison Talbooth now has 12 fantastic suites to offer, all with King size beds, and look a perfect place to start your matrimony together.
Perfect Honeymoon Hotel
Alongside the comfortable suites, the hotel also has plenty of features to keep newly weds entertained, in a very relaxing way – exactly what you need after your wedding day and months of wedding planning. The hotel features a swimming pool with outside hot tub, pool house and tennis court.
During your honeymoon visit you can also step back, relax and indulge yourself with a relaxing massage, facial, manicure, or range of other treatments, in their new treatment rooms.
The hotel’s tennis courts are also available for the more sporty brides and grooms, with delightful views around the courts.
Maison Talbooth weddings
The hotel’s main restaurant, Le Talbooth will be one of the the highlights of your honeymoon, in an idyllic setting beside the River Stour, the restaurant is a short walk away from the main hotel, or a courtesy one minute care ride.
In the Summer, newly weds can enjoy Al fresco dining on the terrace with fine wines and a very relaxing atmosphere.
Lunches are served in the Garden Room, with the emphasis on healthy light salads and snacks.
Maison Talbooth also offer the fine English tradition of afternoon tea, for you to start your married life in a delightful fashion. You’ll need to book as it’s very popular with local business types, but it’s a fine selection and very relaxing – perfect for sitting back and reflecting on your wedding day together.
For more details on staying at the Maison Talbooth, or to enquire about a wedding at the venue, see their details below, or email milsoms@milsomhotels.com
Maison Talbooth
Stratford Road, Dedham
Colchester, Essex
CO7 6HN
Weddings at Hedingham Castle – getting married in Essex
As we’ve mentioned on numerous occasions before, getting married in Essex can be the best decision you’ve ever made, as wedding venues in Essex are amongst the best in the entire country, and today we look at weddings at Hedingham Castle.
Hedingham Castle in Essex, half a mile from the A1017 between Cambridge and Colchester, is a Norman motte and bailey castle.
The castle may occupy a site of an earlier castle believed to have been built in the later eleventh or early twelfth century by Aubrey de Vere I, a Norman baron. Hedingham was one of the largest manors among those acquired by Aubrey I by circa 1080 and it became the head of the Vere barony by the later twelfth century. The castle is still owned by one of his descendants, The Honourable Thomas Lindsay and his wife Virginia.
For more details on the historic castle visit Wikipedia
Getting married at the wonderful old castle is simply a dream come true for every bride, the ceremony takes place by candle-light in the magnificent Banqueting Hall which holds up to 100 seated guests and around 30 more can watch from the Minstrels’ Gallery above. Brides and Grooms have the choice of a traditional ceremony or may opt for a medieval theme wedding with authentic costumes.
The castle is closed to the public during wedding days and the grounds of the castle make a sensational backdrop for your photographs. After the ceremony the guests can enjoy the wedding reception within their marquee on the Tulip lawn.
Hedingham Castle has on open day for weddings on 1st February 2009 from 11am to 4pm – visit our main website for other wedding fayres in Essex.
Contact Hedingham Castle :
Hedingham Castle, Bayley Street, Castle Hedingham, Essex. CO9 3DJ
Tel 01787 460261
Hen nights in Essex – hen party ideas
If you’re looking for great hen party ideas, then there is really no need to travel abroad for your hen do.
It is becoming more popular for the bride to be to jump on an aeroplane and spend a weekend somewhere in Europe for their hen weekend, but with the Pound particularly weak against the Euro at the moment, and the “budget” airlines raising prices to cover themselves against the credit crunch – we recommend you spend your hen party in Essex.
To help you with a couple of Essex hen party ideas, we’ve found two different ideas to ensure you’ll have a great hen party to remember, both are available in Essex so you needn’t spend fortunes travelling anywhere else for your fun.
Hire a hot tub for the weekend
Don’t waste money at expensive spas, hotels or bars – hire a jacuzzi for the weekend and get all your hen party friends round for one massive great laugh in your own back garden.
www.partytubs.co.uk hire hot tubs in Essex for any kind of party and are just perfect fun for a hen night.
They even collapse down into boxes so they can squeeze them easily through your doorways and can install the hot tubs virtually anywhere.
Prices for hiring the hot tub for your hen party start at just £99 for a midweek night, or just £130 for a full weekend. This means that the hire costs less then most flights around Europe if you were considering a hen weekend away.
Delivery is free within 20 miles of Colchester, Essex, and can fit upto 6 people, so this is a simple, affordable and fun hen night idea for Essex girls of all ages.
Get the drinks from your local supermarket, crank up the stereo and have a fun hen night in the cosiness of your own home by hiring a jacuzzi.
For full details visit www.partytubs.co.uk and tell them you heard of them here.
Pole Dancing lessons in Essex
Get the girls giggling all night long and discover your inner foxyness with pole dancing lessons.
Under the guidance of a professional instructor you and all the girls on your hen party can learn how to transform a 10ft metal pole into one of the most erotic activities your husbands and boyfriends can imagine.
The hen do fun is suitable for all ages, shapes and sizes and allows all the girls to leave their inhibitions behind and let their hair down for one big fun hen night.
The hen herself of course has the most fun, where she gets to show off her newly aquired skills in front of all the hen party at the end of the night! It’s no holds barred as the girls get to shed as little or as much clothing as they dare to.
Get in touch with www.chillisauce.co.uk for full details of how to have the liveliest hen party in Essex.
Follow this link for more details on Essex Hen Parties – or take a look at this page for all your hen party accessories.
Make sure you let us know how you get on, and more importantly send us some photos for our hen party stories page !
Christmas day wedding in Essex
Christmas day wedding in Essex
A couple from North Essex will be celebrating their Christmas day in a slightly different style this year, by getting married as part of a church service.
Peter Jeary, 53, and Jane Englefield, 42, will embrace the true Yuletide spirit by getting married in a five-minute section of the Christmas morning service at St Mary’s Church in Great Bentley, Essex.
When asked what made them choose such an unusual day for their wedding celebrations, Miss Englefield replied “It is very special. Christmas is our favourite time of year – everyone is in the mood and the idea of going to a church at Christmas is still important to most people.”
Although we think it’s an utterly fantastic day to get hitched, we are a little suspicious of Mr Jeary’s motives and suspect that he choose the date so that he would never forget his anniversary.
Either that, or perhaps he’s trying to avoid buying two gifts 
Either way, Essex Wedding Services wishes you both the very best of luck for the forth coming wedding, and happiness for your future together.
Planning a wedding on a special day ? Let us know all about it, fill out the comments box below.
Stacey England – Essex Wedding Photographer
If you’re in the planning stages of your wedding, one of the most important decisions your faced with is choosing your ideal wedding photographer. Unlike some of the other wedding services you’ll book for your big day, you’ll be displaying the wedding photographer’s work in your home for many years to come, so we thought we’d try and help you with the options you’re faced.
This week we caught up with professional wedding photographer Stacey England and posed a few questions that most brides and grooms consider when they’re planning their wedding. Based in Essex, Stacey is a professional photographer with a wealth of experience working throughout the UK.
With so many guests bringing digital cameras to the wedding, and some of them taking up to 100 snaps, what are the best reasons for a couple to hire a professional wedding photographer ?
One word professional !
A professional photographer is experienced & Qualified.
There is a big difference between Uncle Bob and his digital camera and a professional who takes photographs everyday as a living, with the latest technology & years of experience in posing and editing your wedding photographs, and guarentees they will come out and can offer you a top quality album to display your photographs in so that you’ll have your biggest day of your life treasured forever.
What advice would you offer couples when they are trying to choose between one photographer and another for their wedding ?
I can only imagine how couples get confused and lost with which photographer to pick to shoot the most important day in their lives.
Things to consider when looking at photographers are:
1 – Is that photographer qualified? and to what standard!
2 – What professional organisation backs that photographer for example MPA The Master of Photographers Association.
3- Does the photographer have insurance?
4- Does the photographer have a backup photographer?
5 – What is the quality of albums/photographic paper and finish of the display albums?
6- Do you like the photographer? It is very important that you get on with your photographer! If you do not get on then you will not be happy or enjoy your day, and you will not get the photographs you wanted.
7- Male / female? Who would you feel more comfortable with on your day? I find that alot of women feel more at ease with a female.
8- Is the person you meet, actually the person who is going to be photographing your wedding? Some companies are known to get you to meet a sales person. This is very important.And is the photographer you want available?
9-Prices – The old saying! You only get what you pay for! applies I’m afraid! Cheap is not always best when you come to such an important part of your day! And expensive is not always meaning you are getting more for your money! I believe you need to budget around £950 to get a good photographer who does not charge the earth.
10- Recommendations! Does this photographer have reviews/recommendations?
There are several different styles of wedding photography, do you have a favourite style ?
I personally specialise in a very natural, relaxed, reportage & Fun Style! A good photographer should be able to lend themselves to the style that their couple are after, they should be able to listen to the couple’s requirements and fulfill these.
I have alot of couples who say to me Stacey we have never done this before can you help us! My answer yes of course i know what most couples have in the way of groups shoots and poses i can suggest these and show examples and together work to what style the couple wants.
After all its your day no one elses!
There are some beautiful wedding venues in Essex. Do you have a particular favourite wedding venue that you especially like taking photographs at ?
I think you need to look at as many venues as possible.
It really depends on venue you are after and what budget you have!
I do not want to favour any venues but a few to consider are: Mulberry House Ongar, Lords Golf & Country Club Rayleigh, Great Sir Hughes Barn Great Baddow & Hylands House chelmsford to just name a few.
How did you get into wedding photography, and what advice can you offer an aspiring photographer ?
Photography is a very competitive field and with wedding photograhy it is not something you can afford get wrong as its someones special day, to become a wedding photographer takes years of photography experience, its good to start on other fields of photography to gain experince with your equipment and technical knowledge. But firstly it is important to have the eye for framing photographs, then go to university or college for a qualifications, and then get recognised but a professional body by submitting examples of your work.
Finally, have you ever had a bad experience when photographing a wedding ?
No! I remain professional & organised at all times!
You must bear in the mind the season you are choosing when selecting your wedding date in regards to the weather, and you can have beautiful days in spring and autumn and you can’t guarentee sunshine on a summers day. No one can control the weather so bear this in mind when selecting your venue and discuss this with your photographer.
Stacey England LMPA
Master Photographer
www.seweddingphotography.co.uk
Thanks to Stacey for her time, if you’d like more info, please visit our Essex Wedding Photographers page or visit her personal website S E Wedding Photography.
Southend Radio Christmas Toy Appeal
Thought we’d write about something less wedding and more Essex today, and try to help a good cause along the way. We were contacted by our friends at Essex’s newest radio station Southend Radio, who are looking for support from Essex residents with their fantastic Christmas charity appeal.
The Southend Radio Christmas Toy Appeal
This Christmas, you can help Southend Radio do something very special. They’re collecting presents for local children who are in need, in care, and in need of an extra smile at Christmas.
The Christmas Toy Appeal is underway, and they are asking you to pop an extra gift in your basket when you are our Christmas shopping, and drop it in at one of the following collection points.
Southend Radio next to Adventure Island
Asda in Shoeburyness
Morrisons in Hadleigh
The Royals Shopping Centre in Southend
The Castle Point Council Offices on Kiln Road, Thundersley
They do ask that you consider the following when donating your gift:
Please ensure all presents are brand new
Please leave all presents unwrapped, so that we can make sure it goes to an appropriate child.
Please avoid any food or drink
Southend Borough Council look after youngsters from babies to teenagers, and will inevitably get more presents for smaller children, so why not donate something for an older child, such as a gift token?
Donations are being taken until Saturday 13th December, at the Southend Radio’s Festive Family Fun Day in Southend Town Centre, where you can enjoy live entertainment on the Southend Radio Soundstage.
You can find more details on their website, www.southendradio.com, and a huge thank you in advance for your support.
The Southend Radio Christmas Toy Appeal, supported by Inchcape Volkswagen, Comet Way, Southend – wishing you a very merry Christmas!
