We asked – and you voted – for the Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025. The competition was fierce, reaching 10 million people nationally, with over 500,000 votes also cast. Which just goes to show winning’s something to shout about. Especially as it’s free to enter and is also entirely based on the public vote. Now, let’s move on to our winners’ party shall we?

Searching for a venue to host our awards wasn’t hard. Step forward the winner of our Best Event Venue category, Maldon’s Vaulty Manor. You only have to look around to understand why so many people choose here to celebrate their wedding or other celebration. Thanks to the sun we were also able to enjoy the outside space. We even had a few pics taken in the adjacent field. No crops were harmed in the making of these awards.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Vaulty Manor

If you’ve seen our Essex Awards parties before you also know we don’t do things by halves, starting with these first class snaps from Steph Friend Weddings & Film. We also always know who to turn to for the best videography: Pursey Productions‘ Jake – don’t forget to check out his footage on our YouTube channel above. We’re also loving this super-snazzy pic of Jake with Essex Editor Claire.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Pursey Productions

Next is a huge thank you to Southend’s KMS Hire for their Luxury Photo Booth. Props and an attendant were also included, and everyone got to take their pics home. KMS Hire also supplied the MUDDYESSEX letters. And, as seems to be the case at every one of our ‘Es-SEX’ parties, many winners also managed to get just the right angle to only have those last three letters in shot. Cheeky.

KMS Hire Photo Booth Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards

Also returning for a second year running was multi award-winning wedding and events DJ Samuel Hann. Based in Colchester, as always he knew exactly what tracks to play to get everyone in the party mood.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards DJ Samuel Haan Essex DJ

We were also lucky enough to nab Chelmsford-based live illustrator Trudi from Scribble & Sparkle. Perfectly capturing our Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards winners, everyone got to take home their portraits, too.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Trudi Scribble and Sparkle Essex live illustrator

Let’s talk food and drink, with Vaulty Manor supplying ice cold bubbly, beer and soft drinks. Then there were their canapés. Honey and thyme roasted beetroot and whipped goats’ cheese tartlets, and house-cured salmon Gravadlax with dill crème fraîche and pickled ginger crostini were just a few options. And also lots of sweet treats like Osea honey and lavender miniature brûlée and triple chocolate Belgium brownies.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Vaulty Manor canapés

MPWR Hour Best Sports Fitness Instructor

Let’s not forget about the ice cream and sorbet selection from Colchester’s The Sundae Cycle. Available to hire for all events, the only problem was what flavour to choose! Salted caramel was popular, as well as peaches and cream and mango sorbet. We spied a few winners coming back for second helpings. Because it’d be rude not to.

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Sundae Cycle Company

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards winner eating ice cream

On to the goodie bags, filled to the brim with Essex-made treats. What was inside? Food and drink heaven, courtesy of Fairfields Farm Crisps, Jack Rabbit Brewing Company, Leigh On Sea Brewery, Maldon Salt, TEMPRD Chocolate and Tiptree Gin. And also vouchers from The Yoga Club Billericay, Osea Leisure Park and Osea View Café.

In fact, so many Essex businesses were kind enough to gift our winners we couldn’t fit it all in the bags! They also took home cupcakes from Leigh on Sea, Rayleigh and Southend on Sea’s Best Local Food/Drink Producer, Wilma’s Bakery. And cider from Best Local Farm Shop/Deli winner, Chelmsford’s Lathcoats Farm. Plus Maldon’s Shaken Udder Milkshakes. It meant everyone took home far more than expected. And were all rather happy about it.

Wilma's Cupcakes Best Local Food/Drink Producer

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Lathcoats Cider

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards Milkshakes Maldon

After plenty of eating, drinking and networking it was then time for Claire’s speech, congratulating the Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards winners to rounds of applause. Followed by even more eating and drinking. And most of us then formed an orderly queue to hold Best Women’s Style Winner Kerry’s seven month old. We won’t mention the fact that later on he had a little accident down his dad’s shirt. Oops. We just did.

As you can guess, the party was a huge success, and it was lovely to hear the winners talking about how much their award meant to them. It’s fair to say we had a lot of fun (and also lots of bubbly).

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Holistic Healing By Holly

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Vaulty Manor

So, to everyone who voted, supported and also celebrated with us – thank you. You’re the reason the Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards are what they are: personal, passionate and proudly local.

All that remains is to scroll for your Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 winners, not forgetting Best Bar, Il Vino, who couldn’t make it due to previous commitments. And who knows; this could be you next year if you put yourself (or the lifestyle businesses you can’t live without) forward for 2026. Because you know it and we know it: Essex always does it best.

Meet your winners

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Chelmsford Theatre — **ARTS, CULTURE & THEATRE:** Chelmsford Theatre

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Beauty Studio Medi Spa — **BEAUTY SALON/CLINIC:** Beauty Studio Medi Spa

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Downham Hall — **BOUTIQUE STAY:** Downham Hall

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Market West — **CAFÉ:** Market West

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 The Little Seafood Bar — **CASUAL DINING:** The Little Seafood Bar

**CHILDREN’S BUSINESS:** The Happy Yellow Door Company

**DESTINATION PUB:** The Cricketers Arms

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 All Things Alpaca — **FAMILY EXPERIENCE:** All Things Alpaca

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Lathcoats Farm — **FARM SHOP/DELI:** Lathcoats Farm

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Blossom & Bells Bespoke Florist — **FLORIST:** Blossom & Bells Bespoke Florist

Andrews-Jeakins Colour Specialists Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 — **HAIR SALON:** Andrews-Jeakins Colour Specialists

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Abigail's Lifestyle — **LIFESTYLE STORE:** Abigail’s Lifestyle

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Wilma's Bakery — **LOCAL FOOD/DRINK PRODUCER:** Wilma’s Bakery

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 Sévine Brasserie & Bar — **RESTAURANT:** Sévine Brasserie & Bar

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 MPWR Hour Dance Fitness — **SPORTS/FITNESS INSTRUCTOR:** Kelly-Anne Chambers, MP WR HOUR Dance Fitness

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 London & Me — **WOMEN’S STYLE:** London & Me

Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 The Yoga Club Billericay — **YOGA/PILATES STUDIO:** The Yoga Club Billericay

Meet your winners

And now for those photo booth snaps

Raise a glass! It’s the Muddy Stilettos Essex Awards 2025 winners’ drinks

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