24/4/2007 - Bigger share of economic wedding cake for Cumbria

Cumbria County Council will be declaring its intentions to grab a bigger slice of Britain's economic wedding cake tomorrow (Wednesday 25 April).

Members of the media are invited to County Hall in Kendal at 7:30pm to see the county council unveil its biggest ever guide for would-be brides and grooms.

In addition to this year's bumper wedding edition, the county council's Registration Service will also be publishing Cumbria's first ever civil partnership guide.

Since November 2005, more than 150 gay and lesbian couples have united in civil partnerships in Cumbria and the county council's registrars expect to perform even more ceremonies this year.

Last year, more than 2,300 couples got married in Cumbria's nine Register Offices with a further 2,110 opting for a ceremony in a hotel or other approved premises.

This year's wedding guide includes details on 116 approved premises in the county - more than ever before.

The UK wedding market is valued at £3.62 billion and the county council wants to help Cumbria become a nationally renowned location for brides and grooms wanting to tie the knot.

The wedding guide and new civil partnership guide include information on dozens of local businesses providing services including wedding photographers and hotels.

Around a dozen local wedding photographers have submitted photos for the coveted front-covers of the two new guides and the winning images will also be revealed at the Kendal event.

Councillor Elizabeth Mallinson, cabinet member responsible for Cumbria's Registration Service who will be attending the launch, said: "Cumbria is a fantastic place for people to register their commitment to one another.

"The county's breathtaking beauty and the excellent service provided by our team of registrars have already helped Cumbria to win a place as one of the region's top wedding destinations.

"These new guides are all about building on that success and helping the county to become one the nation's premier destinations for weddings and civil partnerships.

"In doing so, we can help more Cumbrian businesses tap in to this economically important market and create more jobs for people across the county."

ENDS

Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337