As Featured in Essex Life Magazine

We’ll never forget the moment we first saw Essex Stays in Essex Life magazine.

It wasn’t planned or expected. We were just in Marks & Spencer, grabbing a coffee and doing the usual wander, when we spotted the magazine on the shelf. Out of curiosity, we picked it up, flicked through a few pages… and there we were.

Our little business. In a magazine.

We both just looked at each other like, “What the helly belly… is that actually us?”

As a small, family-run venture that started with a simple idea - creating a space where people could come together to celebrate properly - seeing Essex Stays featured in a well-known regional publication felt surreal.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day. The changeovers, the messages, the planning, the constant improvements. So moments like that make you stop for a second and realise how far things have come.

From those early days to now welcoming hundreds of groups through the doors, building a reputation, and creating a place that’s become part of so many weddings, birthdays and special occasions… it’s something we’re incredibly proud of.

Seeing Essex Stays in Essex Life felt like a quiet nod from the local community. A reminder that what we’re building here matters.

And standing there in Marks & Spencer, coffee in hand, flicking through the pages and spotting our name, was one of those moments we’ll always remember.

Emma & James