ESSEX BAKER SPECIALLY SELECTED Manningtree bakery Lady BakewellPark, shared a taste of Essex with more than 600 guests at one of London’s most glittering charity events recently: The Winter Ball. The event was held in the ballroom of London’s Dorchester Hotel, raising more than £400,000 for the nominated charity Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. As part of the celebrations, each guest received an exclusive, luxury biscuit courtesy of Lady Bakewell-Park, decorated in bespoke marbled patterns of red, teal and grey icing. The total of 600 biscuits took a day’s work in the kitchen, with each biscuit baked and decorated by hand with an individual message featuring the Noah’s Ark logo and The Winter Ball 2021 wording. Becky Seabright-King, owner and head baker at Lady Bakewell-Park said, “It was a pleasure to play a part in The Winter Ball. Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is such a worthy cause, and to play a small part in raising this fantastic amount of money is a real joy. All of our biscuits are made with the extra ingredients of love, care and attention to detail, so to make something special for an occasion like this is a real joy.” Visit: www.ladybakewellpark.com EXTRA WEDDING TOUCHES AT ESSEX BARN Positioned within the picturesque village of Navestock, Essex, boutique wedding venue Old Brook Barn is a 17th-century barn set within 23 acres of English countryside. Accessed via a charming timber bridge it’s perfectly positioned alongside a natural brook. A secluded courtyard is to the front of the barn furnished with a gazebo, rustic bar area and bespoke timber furniture lovingly created to match the character of the barn. With its exposed beams, high ceilings and carved wood detailing, the barn has been lovingly restored retaining many of its original features. The team at Old Brook Barn are in the process of refurbishing a shepherd’s hut which will be available for wedding couples. Positioned opposite the wedding barn, it will have its own private meadow garden and herb garden. What’s more, the venue has reintroduced its rowing boat which couples had loved, and there are plans to start offering woodland ceremonies from the summer – watch this space! Visit: http://oldbrookbarn.co.uk NEWWEDDING OFFERINGS AT HYLANDS ESTATE With its elegant white Neoclassical façade and panoramic parkland views, Hylands House is one of the most famous wedding locations in the East of England. The venue is adding another wedding location to its considerable line-up, with outside ceremonies planned in the historic grounds for the very first time. A new outdoor wedding area will be launched in spring 2022, giving big-day couples the chance to say their vows under the graceful tree canopy of the estate’s woodland. Work is underway to create a sylvan glade for weddings just between Hylands House and the Victorian Pleasure Gardens. The area will be able to accommodate up to 100 guests, with trees providing natural cover when needed, a bespoke oak structure for purpose-built seating, and a discreet outdoor sound system will ensure guests will hear every moment. The outdoor ceremony area isn’t the only new wedding offering at Hylands. When the house was closed during the pandemic, the team pressed on with plans to transform a series of rooms on the first floor. Creating a luxurious wedding suite, it gives wedding parties space to get ready that can’t be found even in the largest hotel rooms. The Wisteria Room has huge antique mirrors to give brides a full view of their dress with hanging space to accommodate long trains and accessories; while The Rose Room has a salon-worthy beauty area and plenty of seating, and finally, the Repton Room has comfortable sofas and bespoke wardrobes with plenty of hanging space. Every room has a safe, fridges and integrated tea and coffee-making facilities, and an opulent bathroom has even been created where guests can take a shower when they arrive. Email hylands@chelmsford.gov.uk, call 01245 605 500, or visit https:// hylandsestateweddings.co.uk to find out more. PSST! DID YOU KNOW... Essex has joined in with the prestigious East of England Tourism Awards to celebrate success and excellence in the tourism and hospitality sector amidst challenging times. The awards also recognise businesses and individuals from across the East of England that have shown resilience, imagination and growth within this critical sector. With the rise in interest in staycations and more people holidaying in England in 2021, Essex tourism has enjoyed the benefits brought by first-time visitors from elsewhere in the UK as well as Essex residents going out closer to home and supporting the local economy. Four shortlisted Essex businesses: ♥ The Lion Inn at Boreham, up for the Taste of the East of England award. ♥ The English Spirit Distillery in Great Yeldham, is shortlisted for Small Visitor Attraction award. ♥ RHS Hyde Hall gardens has been shortlisted for Large Visitor Attraction award. ♥ Suenos Guesthouse (meaning ‘dreams’) has been shortlisted for the B&B award and is the only five-star luxury accommodation in Southend-on-Sea. To discover more about the East of England Tourism Awards, visit: www.tourismawards.co.uk or www.visitessex.com www.weddingsbyanesta.com www.weddingsbyanesta.com All images https://mattchungphoto.com 10
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