Rachel and Fiyin’s Spring wedding day was so full of love and laughter!  Surrounded by family and friends, they created so many beautiful memories that will be cherished forever.

We caught up with them to relive their special day and give you a glimpse into just how much fun was had, from those loud “Yam Seng” to the incredible traditional wedding attires…

How did you meet and what’s the proposal story?

We met for the first time through mutual friends who invited a bunch of us to a pizza night in Shoreditch. We didn’t actually speak after that until the same friends invited us to a karaoke event, they hosted a year later. Honestly, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be together!

The proposal happened on our bucket list trip to Iceland. We had just polished off dinner at a restaurant in Reykjavik and before heading back to the hotel we decided to go for a walk around the stunning Harpan concert hall to take some pictures. It was at this time that Fiyin, being the opportunist that he is, decided to get down on one knee and propose!

Why did you choose Millbridge Court?

Initially we didn’t really have an idea of what kind of wedding we wanted, but we came across Millbridge Court online and were really impressed by the aesthetic and how it seemed both modern and classic at the same time. The location also suited us well as we were London-based and wanted it to be easily accessible for our friends and family, but at the same time it was remote enough to feel like a countryside escape. With Rachel being a passionate foodie, the catering was also something that caught our eye from the get-go with impressive menu options offered by Kalm Kitchen.

Ultimately, we are so glad that we went with Millbridge given that from the moment we reached out, they had been really responsive, personable and eager to help which meant a great deal to us, especially throughout the planning process.

What did you love about having a Spring wedding?

Having a Spring wedding was one thing we were set on from the start of the planning process. It’s that time of year when the skies start to get brighter, but it doesn’t get overwhelmingly hot during the day and the sun sets later in the evening. Of course, with Spring comes the blossoming of nature and wildlife, and there was just something so beautiful about the symbolism of new beginnings at springtime which made the idea of having a spring wedding all the more special.

Tell us more about your suppliers and why you chose them.

We chose Philipa Day as our florist as we loved her organic style using a combination of flowers and colours that perfectly suited the fresh spring theme we were going for.

From the moment we came across Emma Jane Lewis’ portfolio online, we knew that we wanted her to photograph our wedding. Her photos are romantic, candid, and editorial all at the same time and there were so many key moments throughout the day that we’ll always be able to look back on thanks to her.

Our decision to hire a photobooth was a pretty last minute call but might have been one of the best things we decided to do! Picture Blast provided a really easy booking experience and set up on the day without a hitch. Our guests loved taking photos with the fun accessories it came with – and the best part is, the photos were all saved digitally so it was very amusing looking through them all when the link was sent to us!

We made the conscious decision to get our friends and family involved in some parts of the day too. It made the day so much more meaningful knowing some of our nearest and dearest also had a part to play in our big day.

Were there any family traditions that featured in your day?

At the end of the meal, we went around to each table to toast our guests – a Chinese wedding tradition called ‘Yam Seng’ (equivalent meaning to ‘Cheers’ in Cantonese), Rachel’s dad encouraged everyone to raise their glasses and shout “Yam Seng” at the top of their lungs. It definitely brought plenty of laughter and even a little bit of competition between the tables as to who was the loudest!

Our first dance then featured the two of us in traditional Yoruba wedding attire which were custom made for us in Nigeria. We danced our way into the reception hall surrounded by friends and family before our Nigerian guests sprayed us with cash – talk about a grand entrance!

Tell us something that we wouldn’t know about your day from the pictures.

The food was absolutely incredible. It was one of the things our guests kept bringing up as a key highlight from the day; from the canapés to the bountiful sharing platters and the late-night snacks, it was all so delicious and beautifully plated. Hats off to the Kalm Kitchen team for doing such a fantastic job!

Favourite part of your wedding journey?

The day itself! The planning process was tough at times and there were days when we were both questioning “is this really worth all the stress?”, but when the day came, all of that faded away as we were surrounded by the ones we love and were reminded of what the day was really about.

Any words of wisdom for future couples?

Throw any expectations you have for the day out of the window and just focus on being present and making the most of it. Find five minutes for just the two of you together to take everything in and appreciate the moment. This might be the only time you’ll see all your loved ones under the same roof, and it flies by much quicker than you’d think!

We love nothing more than seeing our home filled with guests and helping our couples plan their special day.  Hosting our Date Nights is another excuse for us to do just that!  On these evenings we collaborate with our handpicked MC partners to create a special experience for each and every couple.  With preparations underway for our next Dinner Date Night, we wanted to whet your appetite with some inspiration from our 2022 tastings.

In March we picked a rustic set up with vintage oak tables, and it was the first time Jonny MP joined us for a Date Night and we were delighted that he dived into the kitchen to capture the team from Kalm Kitchen plating up lots of delicious dishes.  Muted Affair enterainted our guests during the drinks reception and provided ambient music for the meal.  Farnham Sound & Light provide a bit of sparkle with a fairy light wall and the tablescape was finished with beautiful blooms from Gill Pike and delicate stationary from Gable & Grain.

When we reached September the team took inspiration from the autumnal days to come, with an earthy colour palette accented with gold and pink. Lavendar Hill not only adorned the tables and canapé trays but created a hanging installation in the Dining Hall.  For this evening the ethereal vocals of Lauras Paper Heart filled our front lounge for the welcome and continued over dinner.  The charming tassel place cards were provided by LouPaper and the fantastic Farnham Sound & Light were back with the super popular fairy light wall, if you don’t have a lighting installation booked for your wedding… what are you waiting for?!  This fantastic evening was captured by the wonderfully talented Matthew Lawrence.

By November we were ready to embrace the icy months so chose a modern winter palette.  The majority of couples attending our last tasting experience are holding their weddings with us in Spring, so we kept a hint of vibrance showcasing our latest cocktail…Pink Paloma, which was quite the hit!  Kalm pulled out yet another amazing dessert station with ‘Table of Tarts’ which a certain member of the team now has an eye on for their upcoming wedding…

A big thank you goes to LouPaper and Farnham Sound & Light for joining us once again, this time with chic, monochrome stationary and a Dining Hall filled with fairy lights, which added warmth.  The tablescape was even more beautiful than we had imagined on paper, bought to life by the talented Hannah Berry and captured by new MC partner Catherine Carter.  Live music can help a create wonderful atmosphere, so we invited Music by Kate & Dave to join us with their bespoke musical arrangements.

Seeing utterly stunning Millbridge Court Wedding Days grace the pages of glossy Bridal Magazines is always so immensely exciting & seeing L&A’s Summer Wedding Day in the July Issue of Wedding Ideas Magazine was certainly no exception.

Their day included a host of immensely talented MBC Partners who brought a vibrant, romantic & elegant Wedding Day to life, so to see lots of gorgeous Summertime Wedding inspiration courtesy of Boutique Blooms, Spongeworks, Kalm Kitchen, Bubblegum Balloons & Sarah Legge Photography & to read all about L&A’s celebrations, click on the link below:

Wedding Ideas Magazine Real Wedding Feature- Lizzie & Ashley

Interactive Wedding Breakfasts have become increasingly popular in recent years & with Kalm Kitchen offering so many varied, innovative & utterly delicious options to Millbridge Court Couples, we thought we would ask Kalm Kitchen’s Pete & our very own Tash a few questions about interactive menus & we’ve also shared a selection of stunning imagery from MBC Wedding Days to leave you all feeling thoroughly inspired.

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Why do you think interactive dining has become so popular in recent years & what do you think this type of Dining brings to a Wedding Day? 

Pete: The Wedding breakfast in the past is a time for formalities with the Bride and Groom’s close friends and families. Interactive dining adds an informal feel to show the personalities of the couples and provides a social element to the meal. From a visual perspective it is an amazing abundance of pure deliciousness.

Out of all of the sharing options you offer to couples, are there any particular interactive dishes and food stalls that are becoming increasingly popular for 2019 Wedding Days?

Pete: The beauty is that each couple we work with have individual tastes that we can create bespoke ideas with and bring to life. My favourite interactive dish was bringing an edible potted garden to the table. The real treat is coming up with the delicious food combinations that fit in with the theme, we’re talking potted vegetables in terracotta pots with hummus and edible soil and a full abundance of gorgeous fresh produce for guests to create their own crostini’s. Absolutely delicious!

How do you see this trend of interactive dining evolving in the future?

Pete: I see many possibilities for the future of interactive dining. With technology always evolving we already have in restaurants, screens on the table to take orders. I can imagine to start with this would be pricey, but I can envision a wedding breakfast in full high technological fashion.

Kalm Kitchen have always been known for their stunning Patisserie Bars and food stalls. What ways have you seen couples put their own stamp on or personalise their food stalls or sharing dishes?

Tash: My absolute favourite is the fun the couples inject to the carve or slice at the table dishes, whether this is with personalised aprons, chef hats or comical moustaches, not only does this make for hilarious photos but it really changes the atmosphere in the room.

The patisserie bar is always wonderful to see as it looks different at every wedding, with so many style options to start with the couple can really make this their own with their décor, whether they choose the copper arch and add the luxe with gorgeous flowers or they choose the Perspex clean line and then add a pop (not literally) of colour with some balloons.

What recent Kalm Kitchen interactive creations have you been blown away by? 

Tash: I was lucky enough to be here when Kalm photographed their new stations alongside MBC Partner Hannah Berry, not only where all 3 stalls (DIY Eton Mess, Hot Chocolate & Honeycomb and Lemonade and Lollies) spectacular and visually impressive they were also delicious, I’m still dreaming of that honeycomb to this day.

 

Sharing Dishes

Food Stalls

Patisserie Bars