NEWS Nearlywed All the latest from around South Wales WEDDING SHOWCASE ALERT! Lakeside Venue is hosting a wedding showcase on 26th March 2023. This is the perfect time to meet local companies, chat with wedding coordinators and find inspiration for your special day. This exclusive-use wedding venue is situated in the rolling Welsh Hills and is surrounded by a charming lake, five acres of private grounds and has car parking for more than 50 cars. Easily accessible from The M4, the property is easy to get to but feels like a world away in its own pocket of Welsh countryside. The showcase is taking place between 11am and 3pm. For more information, visit www.lakesidevenue.co.uk THE GLORIOUS VALE OF GLAMORGAN It’s been a big year for weddings in the Vale of Glamorgan since the law changed in England and Wales to allow outdoor weddings and civil partnerships at licensed venues. A lot of work has gone into making the Vale of Glamorgan a top wedding destination, and due to the beauty of its natural environment, the area has a large number of venues for outdoor weddings and civil partnerships, including in Llantwit Major, Penarth, Barry, Cowbridge and Cosmeston. There is a diverse selection of wedding venues available in the Vale, whether you want to get married in a Harry Potter-esque castle at Hensol or St Donat’s, an art gallery or theatre, or at Penarth Pavilion, there’s plenty to choose from. The Council also announced in 2022 that weddings and civil partnership ceremonies would also be available at the beach huts at Barry Island. A new weddings-focused website was also launched by the council, which allows you to view a list of featured venues, approved suppliers, pay for your registration online and features an online portal which allows you to register, personalise and preview the ceremony online by selecting and amending features such as vows and poems. Discover more at www.yourvaleceremony.co.uk AWARD-WINNING GIN Hensol Castle Distillery’s Welsh Dry Gin has won an award at the prestigious World Gin Awards 2023. The ceremony, which showcases the best gins from all over the globe, saw Hensol Castle Distillery’s Welsh Dry Gin win the award for ‘Best in Country’. It will now go on to compete to win the title of ‘World’s Best Classic Gin’. The Welsh Dry Gin also scooped a gold medal in the ’Classic Gin Category’, while the distillery’s two flavoured gins, which were launched in February 2022, also made the award podium. The Blood Orange Zest Gin won a silver medal and the Wild Strawberry and Hibiscus Gin won a bronze medal in the ’Flavoured Gin Category’. Chris Leeke, Hensol Castle Distillery’s managing director, said: “To be recognised on this prestigious platform, competing against some established names, is a huge success for our relatively new distillery. Despite only opening in 2021, we’re already racking up the accolades. Our success is a testament to the skills of our master distiller and the hard work of our team, and it puts us in good stead to continue our offering throughout 2023 and beyond.” Hensol Castle Distillery’s range is available in Asda and Morrisons and throughout restaurants, pubs and bars in South Wales. It has also secured sponsorship deals with Cardiff City Football Club and Glamorgan Cricket to become the official gin supplier of both clubs. You can even treat your friends and family to a gin miniature to celebrate your big day, which are perfect as favours. If you’re getting married at Hensol Castle, the bottles can be personalised to include your names alongside the date of your wedding. To find out more, head over to the website www.hensolcastledistillery.com Getty Images LOCAL NEWS 11
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