There's no denying it anymore, we're well and truly in 'wedding season' now.
Are you getting ready to tie the knot? Concerned about how much damage your big day will do to your bank balance, but still want to make sure your guests have a good time? If this sounds like you or someone you know, then thankfully, Aldi has just launched a new competition, and it could be exactly what you're looking for.
The budget supermarket is pretty well-known for its wine selection at this point, so if you're engaged and would consider yourself to be an Aldi wine advocate, then 60 bottles of the retailer's finest award-winning vino could be yours for free.
Aldi is looking for engaged couples to supply free wine to on their wedding day / Credit: Aldi | Matthieu Joannon (via Unsplash)
Launched to celebrate David and Victoria Beckham's silver wedding anniversary (for some reason?), this new competition is open to all engaged couples across the UK - with three lucky lovebird duos set to be chosen as the winners of a selection of the supermarket's top tipples, all paying a resemblance to some more pricey picks.
One of these wines Aldi's popular Pierre Jaurant Bordeaux, which wine expert, Sam Caporn, says "allows for a taste" of the Beckhams’ favourite Château Mouton Rothschild, that would set you back a whopping £3,600 per bottle.
Aldi says its also chosen to launch this competition for lucky couples now after some recent research has revealed that, despite the rising cost of living crisis continuing to make its impact felt on millions nationwide, the average wedding now costs around £20,775.
Three lucky winners will be chosen to win 60 bottles of the supermarket's finest vino / Credit: Aldi Corporate
This is apparently the first time the figure has topped £20,000 too, according to the research.
So, if you're engaged and you fancy being in with a chance of receiving a wedding party-sized supply of Aldi’s wines, then all you'll need to do enter sending an email to aldiweddingwines@clarioncomms.co.uk with your full name, proof of age, date and location of your upcoming wedding, and 150 words explaining why you think you should be chosen as one of three lucky winners.
The competition closes on 25 July, with the three winners contacted after that deadline date, and you can find out more and full T&Cs here.
Featured Image - Al Elmes (via Unsplash)
Shopping
Inside Moida, the new Korean beauty and skincare store in Leeds city centre
If your skincare routine has been needing an upgrade, there's some good news waiting for you inside Trinity Leeds.
The shopping centre has just welcomed Moida, a brand-new beauty retailer specialising in authentic Korean skincare, bringing some of the world's most sought-after K-beauty products to Leeds.
Named after the Korean word meaning 'to gather' or 'come together', moida is all about making Korean skincare easy to discover and accessible for everyone.
Inside the new store that has taken over the old Claire's Accessories site, shoppers can expect an extensive range of handpicked products from some of the biggest names in K-beauty, including Beauty of Joseon, Dr. Althea, TIRTIR, Medicube, Biodance, and more cult-favourite brands.
The collection has been curated by a team of Korean beauty experts with close links to Korea, meaning customers can expect everything from viral TikTok sensations to exclusive products that are often difficult to get hold of elsewhere in the UK.
Moida K-Beauty has opened in Trinity Leeds. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: "With Korean skincare still increasing in popularity, moida brings an exciting new concept to the centre. Offering guests viral products alongside everyday essentials, plus the chance to browse new brands in-store will be a fantastic experience.
"We know moida is going to be a brilliant addition for both existing fans of K-beauty and those keen to discover it for the first time."
It's the latest announcement following the recent launches of Lane7, Footasylum, LEGO, Jerk Junction, The Fragrance Shop and schuh at Trinity Leeds.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has confirmed it'll be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK - but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues 'for all their hard work' throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That's not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a 'special' 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it's important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to 'ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day'
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year's Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: "Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
"Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
"We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them."