Champagne on the lawn, roses in full bloom, warm, heady nights - there’s absolutely nothing nicer than an English summer wedding. And since the weathermen are predicting weeks of sunshine, blue skies and soft, southern breezes from now until the autumn, there’s no better time to tie the knot.

Whether you’ve recently become engaged or are about to say “I do”, this issue is packed with features on everything you need to organise the biggest day of your life.
When the sun has got his hat on, the great outdoors is the only place to be. So we’ve researched amazing wedding venues where you can dine al fresco and dance under the stars, brilliant hen and stag dos to get you out into the wild and quintessentially English mini-moons, with lashings of adventure, right here on your doorstep.

We’re binning the Bolly and plumping for award-winning wines grown and bottled here in the west, and discover stunning liqueurs handmade in the heart of rural England – perfect for quirky favours that’ll make your guests’ day. And it’s cupcakes all the way to lend a real 1950s feel to your celebration.
We’ll get you to the church on time with the roof down, whether your vehicle of choice is a super-sleek Ferrari, a horse and carriage or vintage double-decker bus, and there are gorgeous gifts for your bridesmaids too.
You’ll treasure your wedding photographs for ever, so we’ve tracked down a celebrated west photographer to show you how it should be done. Plus we’ve come up with 20 questions to ask the people taking your pictures to make sure your album is exactly right.

There are pages of exquisite wedding gowns to grace the most elegant of brides and fabulous dress designers just waiting to make your dress dreams come true. And because we understand finding the perfect outfit for the groom can be a minefield, we’ve researched key looks to carry him through the day in style with bespoke suits he’ll love.

Enjoy the summer, and this issue of West Weddings. Happy planning!