Whatever time of year you choose to host your wedding day with us here at Millbridge Court, both the venue and grounds lend themselves to the seasons perfectly.  Whether it be a glass of Aperol on the lawn in the summer sun, a candle lit winter wedding breakfast, or a picturesque golden hour!

With the clocks changing this weekend and the British Summer time right around the corner, we wanted to showcase just how beautiful the venue could be on your wedding day, regardless of season, to give you a little bit of inspiration!

Wishing you a very happy Easter!

Spring

T – Mariell Lind Hansen; B – Photos from Sophie

 

TL – The Springles; TR – Chloe Martin Photography; B – Matthew Lawrence

 

T – Catherine Carter Weddings; BL – Pierre Goff Photography; BR – Jasmine Andrews Photography

 

VLA Photography 

 

Summer

T – Sophie Duckworth Photography; BL – Charlotte Stoneham Photography; BR – The Springles

 

TL & B – Kit Myers Photography; TR – Jonny MP

 

T – Kit Myers Photography; B – Kerry Ann Duffy

 

TL – Jonny MP; TR – Catherine Carter Weddings; B – Sarah Legge Photography

 

Autumn

T – The Springles; BL – Story Box Films; BR – Kit Myers Photography

 

L – Mariell Lind Hansen; TL – Jonny MP; BR – The Springles

 

Kit Myers Photography

 

L – Holly Rose Weddings; R – The Springles

Winter

T – Jessica Bevan Photography; BL – Eloise and Mitch; BR – Frankee Victoria

 

L – Kit Myers Photography; R – Eloise and Mitch

 

TL & BL – Kit Myers Photography; R – Fresh Shoot Studios

 

T – Fresh Shoot Studios; B – Jonny MP

 

Jessica Bevan Photography

 

 

 

As the nights are drawing out, and lighter evenings are coming, we wanted to inject a little pop of colour into your wedding flowers inspiration and talk all things floral trends for 2024. We caught up with some of our lovely floristry partners for an insight into their world!

We asked Camilla Creations:

What is your favourite display to create?

I adore creating table flowers, specifically bowl arrangements. They work perfectly for both round and long tables, and are the perfect choice for impact without becoming over powering to the room, or impairing guests’ view and interaction.

Favourite flower?

This changes with most seasons, and it’s almost impossible to pick one! If I really had to choose, it would be sweet peas. They are so delicate, with the most divine scent. I use them as much as I can when they are with us between the Spring and Summer.

Any tips for couples looking to book a florist for their big day?

My first piece of advise would be not to enquire with too many florists, as it will quickly become overwhelming. Look through your venue’s recommended suppliers and chose no more than 3 florists whos style align with the vision you have with your date. My second piece of advise would be to not base your decision on the cheapest quote received, but on the proposal that has you the most excited, and the florist who you feel you can trust to not only deliver what you desire, but exceed your expectations!

We asked Hannah Berry Flowers:

What do you see being the biggest trend of 2024?

Colour! Clients are being braver and choosing bolder colours to work with which excites me a lot! Maybe inspired by the release of ‘Barbie’ last year or ‘Peach Fuzz’ – the Pantone colour for 2024. We have lots of  colourful weddings this year!

What is your favourite flower?

Now this is a hard one! It really depends on the season … I adore a delicate Galanthus Nivalis aka a Snow Drop. One of the first flowers to pop up after a long dark winter and there are so many different varieties. When you take the time to take a closer look at them, you really appreciate their delicate flower form and pure white colour.

A close second is a woodland Digitalis aka a Fox Glove. A tall, charming and some what magical flower form in pretty colours – I just adore them.

Do you have any tips for couples when they are choosing their florist?

Create a mood board of inspiration and have a list of desired floral items you can share with your floral `designer. This will really help them understand and develop personalised designs that reflect your ideas. If you have a budget in mind for florals, its important to share this information too. This will allow them to be honest with what they can achieve and help guide and suggest designs that will create the biggest impact on the day.

We asked Bloomantic:

Valentine’s day commemorates the season of love; what better way to celebrate than to reminisce with some of our gorgeous couples who truly felt the love on their wedding day.

Grab a cup of tea and join us as we wander back to some of those magical moments. No two weddings are the same at Millbridge Court, just as no two couples are the same, but the memories and joy will forever align.

From all of us at Millbridge Court, we hope you feel the love this Valentine’s Day, in whatever shape or form that may be.

 

T – VLA, L – Alice Cunliffe Photography, R – The Springles

S & M – Married at Millbridge December 2023

We held our wedding at Millbridge Court just before Christmas, and the team could not have been more accommodating, helpful, and generally wonderful from start to finish. It’s a beautiful venue and the team are genuinely so invested in you having the best day. Huge thank you to the Millbridge team for everything!

L –  Carrie Lavers, TR – Jonny MP, BR – Catherine Carter Weddings

N & A – Married at Millbridge September 2023

We recently married at Millbridge and in the words of every single guest – the best wedding they’d ever been to!

It’s easy to be biased at your own wedding but the team at Millbridge Court made everything run so smoothly. Their professionalism is second to none and they were so friendly and informative throughout the whole process from our first viewing to even the day after when I thought I’d lost my wedding shoes! I really couldn’t relate to anyone who said they were stressed during the planning phase because Millbridge had it so in hand, and the members area of the website made our lives so easy – even down to choosing suppliers like make-up artists and DJs.

The venue itself lends itself so beautifully to indoor or outdoor weddings and we got to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Arbour for our confetti toss despite having an indoor ceremony. We loved the close knit feel of Millbridge, even down to having our closest friends and family stay at Millbridge and breakfast the morning after, which was such a nice touch to be able to catch up and talk about everyone’s favourite moments of the day (and drink lots and lots of coffee).

I cannot thank Shelby, Chloe, Hayley, Caroline and all of the other wonderful members of staff who made our day so perfect enough for their hard work.

Whilst I could ramble on forever about how perfect our wedding day was, I’ll stop here but if you’re looking for a venue, Millbridge is the one.

L – Kit Myers, R- The Soul of my Lens

R & E – Married at Millbridge August 2023

WOW! We had the most incredible wedding day at Millbridge Court and cannot fault the staff throughout our planning process and on the day. Everyone was so friendly, helpful, and made sure that we didn’t have to lift a finger on the actual day – they made us feel so calm. The food was incredible (thank you Kalm Kitchen!!) and our suppliers were fantastic. Although they do this daily, we felt so special and like we were the only wedding that week. Everything was so personal, and they thought about every little finishing touch. Without a doubt the best day of our lives!

T – Alice Cunliffe, B – Frankee Victoria

I & D – Married at Millbridge August 2023

Having our wedding at Millbridge Court was the best decision ever!! All our guests were full of compliments about how beautiful the venue was and how smoothly the day ran. Throughout the planning of our wedding, they were always really helpful and quick at responding. On the day and the morning after they were so kind, supportive and helpful. Thank you!

T – VLA, BL – Catherine Carter Weddings, BR – Kit Myers

C & B – Married at Millbridge June 2023

Millbridge Court was actually the first venue we looked at and we fell in love with it instantly. From the gorgeous green outside space to the wonderful bridal loft, it feels like you’re stepping into a gorgeous warm welcoming country home. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful this venue was and how it perfectly complimented us as a couple. The pictures speak for themselves!

The Millbridge team are incredibly attentive and helpful, even though they are communicating with hundreds of couples they made us feel so special and as if we had their undivided attention at all times – all the way from the open day through to our wedding day. Same goes for their caterers Kalm Kitchen – their food is as beautiful as it is delicious, and they helped us so much through all the selection processes and overall set up of our special day.

We can’t thank the Millbridge team and Kalm Kitchen enough for all of their help.

TL – Kerry Ann Duffy, TR – Rebecca Searle, BL – Catherine Carter Weddings, BR – Kerry Ann Duffy

S & D – Married at Millbridge April 2023

Millbridge Court is such a stunning venue, and we are so lucky we were able to host our wedding there. The grounds are so beautiful and colourful, it didn’t do the pictures justice! Everything has such a personal touch it really makes you feel at home. To the entire team at Millbridge Court we want to thank you for being so friendly and helpful throughout the entire process and as well to the team on the day. You really made it special, and we wish we could repeat the day all over again. We truly were sad to leave the following day (especially the gorgeous hideaway cabin) and hope we can visit again very soon!

M – Alice Cunliffe

The 2024 wedding season will soon be upon us, and for all you 2024 brides, the dress may be the one of the next big things on your list of to-do’s! We wanted to catch up with some of our partners and talk about all things bridal trends.

We asked Bridal Indulgence:

What do you see as the biggest trends for 2024?

Minimalist elegance: clean lines, simple silhouettes, and understated details have been popular in wedding dresses. Minimalist designs often feature sleek fabrics, such as satin or crepe, with minimal embellishments.

Statement sleeves: dramatic sleeves have been a prominent trend, with options like fitted sleeves, puff sleeves, or bell sleeves. These statement sleeves can add a touch of romance or vintage charm to a wedding dress.

Bows: who doesn’t love a bow? From a small bow that works as a finishing touch to a big dramatic bow that is the statement of your dress; they’re feminine and fun and we’re loving them!

Non-traditional colours: while ivory remains a classic choice, some brides want something a little more non-traditional like blush, champagne, or even bold hues like black or blue. These unconventional colours can add a unique touch to the wedding dress.

Detachable elements: wedding dresses with detachable elements, such as removable skirts, sleeves, capes, or overskirts, continue to be a popular choice. These versatile designs allow brides to have different looks throughout their wedding day, without spending out on multiple dresses.

What is your favourite look?

That’s really hard to narrow down just one look! But we’re currently loving how brides are switching up their look throughout the day with same dress with detachable sleeves, straps, and overskirts.

 

We asked The Farnham Boutique:

Give us a little insight into the designers you are stocking this year?

We have 4 designers at The Farnham Boutique, and each brings something different to the party. Made With Love brings contemporary, sophisticated elegance. Madi Lane brings romance. Evie Young boasts drama and Dama Couture has a bohemian coolness that we are so excited to introduce in 2024!

Veils – yes or no?!

YES! Veils add something quite spectacular to your photos (especially when the wind blows) and of course to your dress. It’s all about picking the right one. We love a long plain veil for that dramatic look!

What is your absolute all-time favourite look?

It’s so hard to choose as it changes all the time. At the moment we love the plain, fitted dress but it all depends on who wears which dress. Every bride is so unique, and the dress has to reflect that.

We asked Sophie Rose Bridal:

What do you think the biggest trends for this year will be?

It’s all about the sleeves! Long sleeves, puff sleeves, detachable sleeves, they’re all back and I’m VERY happy about it. I’m not a big believer in trends when it comes to wedding dresses, as I think it’s about simply wearing an outfit that makes you feel truly you and your most beautiful self, but I find sleeves often help women feel so much more comfortable and confident, so I’m all for it.

How would describe your collection for the upcoming year?

 I’ve just released the Studio Collection, which is a collection of dresses that have an edge of simplicity but still with a romantic, relaxed feeling. I think women are realising more and more that there aren’t any ‘shoulds’ when it comes to bridalwear and wearing what makes you feel most comfortable is what’s important. More intimate weddings are also becoming more popular, and I think the Studio Collection suits that really well.

Any tips for brides looking for their dream dress?

Take time to research where you’re going to book an appointment to try on dresses. If somewhere resonates with you and they have the style that excites you, then they’re the places to go. I’d also suggest going with only a couple of people maximum. Choosing your dress can only really be your decision and having lots of voices as part of that decision can be very overwhelming and confusing! There will be plenty of fitting appointments that your special people can be a part of if you wish, so you can still have them as part of your dress experience.

 

Our Details Date Nights here at Millbridge Court are fabulous evenings we always look forward to.

Once our couples have booked their wedding day with us, it is their first opportunity to come back and see the venue, not only dressed for the first time, but to speak to a handful of our partners and start getting inspired!  Excitingly, we got to showcase our brand new wood fired pizza this year, with Kalm Kitchen firing up the oven for our couples to enjoy a slice.  It is safe to say, they are delicious!

Having hosted the last one of 2023 just a couple of weeks ago, we wanted to look back at the fun we had along with thanking the amazing talent that helped make the evenings a success!

 

T – Eden Blooms, Sarah Legge; R – Philippa Sian Photography; L – Kalm Kitchen, Philippa Sian Photography

 

L – Camilla Creations, Philippa Sian Photography; R – Kalm Kitchen, Sarah Legge; B – Hannah Berry Flowers, Lucca Studios, Jonny MP

 

L – Le Papillon, Sarah Legge; R – Lulu’s Cake Kitchen, Sarah Legge; B – Gable & Grain, Sarah Legge

 

T – Kalm Kitchen, Philippa Sian Photography; L – Anna Lewis Cakes, Poppy Wild Floral, Philippa Sian Photography; R – Kitty Joyas, Catherine Carter Weddings

 

T & L – Sarah Legge, Gable and Grain, Topiary Tree by Carrie Macey; R – Poppy Wild Floral, Lou Paper, Philippa Sian Photography

 

L – AV Entertainment, Sarah Legge; T – Kalm Kitchen, Catherine Carter Weddings; B – Sarah Legge, Eden Blooms

 

T – Kalm Kitchen, Sophie Duckworth Photography; L – Kalm Kitchen, Sarah Legge; R – Kalm Kitchen, Sophie Duckworth Photography

 

L – Bridal Indulgence, Philippa Sian Photography; R –  Creative Spark, Philippa Sian Photography; B – Laura Paper Hearts, Sophie Duckworth Photography

 

Farnham Boutique, Sarah Legge

 

T – Little Steps, Sarah Legge; L – Lucca Studios, Jonny MP; R – Poppy Wild Floral, Lou Paper, Philippa Sian Photography

 

L – Kalm Kitchen, Sophie Duckworth Photography; R – Love from Lila, Sophie Duckworth Photography B – Hannah Berry Flowers, Lucca Studios, Jonny MP

 

The warm, sunny days seem like a distant memory after the frosts and teeniest sprinkling of snow we had yesterday!  But as we cosy up by the log burner with a cup of hot chocolate for the next few months, we just had to share details of Alex and Alex’s August celebrations to take us back to those summer evenings.

Tell us a bit about yourselves – how did you meet and what’s the proposal story?

We met at New Year’s Eve party 12 years ago when we were both at school – for the proposal, we went on a long weekend for Lex’s birthday back in March last year to Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds. The proposal wasn’t without a few attempts – the initial plan was to propose to her whilst on an early Sunday morning walk but the opportunity didn’t arise, and after an activity packed day, I eventually popped out the ring and the question whilst we were enjoying a bottle of champagne on the terrace of our Airbnb before dinner!

Why did you choose Millbridge Court?

Millbridge Court was the first venue we looked at in person and we fell in love with it straight away. We weren’t really interested in a traditional wedding in a Church and whilst we both loved the barn style, we also wanted something with a modern touch.

From the outside, Millbridge is quite understated – it looks like an extremely well presented house from the road. However, once you walk down the steps into the main area, you’re struck by the most amazing layout – two wings with extremely high ceilings and enormous glass windows that really fill the venue with light. The flow of the wedding venue also works incredible well and with a summer wedding in mind, we absolutely fell in love with the outside courtyard, garden and ceremony area!

We did see a number of other venues (predominantly in the Cotswolds following our engagement) but none of them could match the wow factor that we experienced when first visiting Millbridge

What did you love about having a summer wedding?

We loved the idea of having a summer wedding as we felt we could really utilise all the amazing space that Millbridge has to offer – the main building and the outdoors areas allowed the wedding day to flow so naturally. The ceremony area in garden was also a special place to get to say our vows, and we received so many compliments about how stunning the ceremony was.

Aside from the venue, it goes without saying that we both love summer and so having the opportunity to celebrate our day with family and close friends in the sun outside with some Aperol Spritz seemed like the perfect situation!

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

As soon as we came across Eloise & Mitch’s Instagram and website (including their portfolios) with their natural and candid style, we immediately knew that we wanted to have them photograph our wedding and we feel incredibly lucky that they were available! The way Eloise captures photos is so special – she is so incredibly talented and made us feel so comfortable. We absolutely cherish the memories that she has been able to capture for us and will continue to do so – we’ve received so many comments on our photos and how she interacted with our guests, and we will definitely be using her again when an opportunity arises!

We chose Adam Sayer (London Piano Man) as our musician after being invited to a close friend’s wedding the previous year and watching him perform his sets there. He just knew how to read the room and what to play to get the guests up on the dance floor, which is exactly what we wanted for our wedding! During his sets, he also welcomes loads of song requests from guests and is able to play them flawlessly!

For our wedding flowers, we wanted quite a simple theme. We went with Holly and the Dragonfly (Holly and Laura) as our florist as throughout the whole planning process, they made everything so incredibly easy. When we talked about our ideas, they always considered our budget and made sure we kept within it, especially with ideas about how we could reuse arrangements throughout the day. When we finally saw them come to life in the day, the arrangements completely wowed us, especially the set up in the outside ceremony area and the bridal bouquet!

Did your vision for the wedding change over the planning process?

Not really, we always chose Millbridge Court with the intention of a summer outdoor wedding and we were lucky enough with the weather to be able to capitalise on this! The one thing that we did change was our view of the late night food during the planning process. In-between us choosing the venue and our wedding day, Millbridge decided to install an outdoor pizza oven. As self-confessed pizza lovers, once we saw this, we immediately knew that we had to have pizza as our food option in the evening and it’s safe to say it did not disappoint!

Are there any memorable anecdotes from the day you could share?

Seeing Lex for the first time before she made her way down the aisle was both an emotional but incredibly happy experience and one that I will never forget for the rest of my life. I remember us both being quite nervous throughout the ceremony as we both don’t massively tend to enjoy being the centre of attention, however once we were pronounced husband and wife, it felt like we were suddenly able to relax. Walking back past all our close friends and family with confetti was such a special occasion.

On a funnier note, we had some welcome drinks in Farnham the day before the wedding with close friends and family. Lex, as the bride, was naturally allowed to escape relatively early on to ‘rest’ before her big day but I was unfortunately cornered and stopped from leaving by some of her family and friends. I woke up feeling absolutely terrible but miraculously recovered well before the ceremony. Somehow, rumours had gotten back to Lex, who quizzed me when signing the marriage certificate!

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

Being England and peak summer, it is obviously natural for the weather to not be straightforward and for it to be the biggest unknown factor. Despite the glorious sunshine displayed in our photos, there were some incredibly nervous moments throughout the week building up to the big day as it was pretty much torrential rain until Saturday evening. We therefore thought our dreams would be scuppered for the Sunday but fortunately, we got so incredibly lucky with the sun.

Favourite part of your wedding journey?

For us, it was amazing to see how everything that we had been planned over the previous 12 months culminated into a truly magical set up on the day – from the floral arrangements, to the food and from the outdoor ceremony to the evening dancing. It was especially memorable to see the venue we fell in love with filled with all our closest friends and family enjoying themselves.

Any words of wisdom for future couples?

The day itself is such an unbelievable day and will forever be one of the best days of our lives, but in contrast to the year of planning, it does go by so quickly! In the lead up to ours, people had given us advice to make sure that, at some point during the day, we took some time to ourselves to just absorb everything and spend some together away from socialising with all your family and guests. It was such great advice that I would wholeheartedly recommend every couple do the same!

 

With the warmer summer days coming to an end, and the cosy autumn nights here to stay for a little while, we wanted to take a minute to reflect on what a wonderful season we have had.  We feel so lucky to have been a part of so many beautiful celebrations and we cannot thank our couples enough for choosing Millbridge Court!  We are very excited to see what the next few months bring and look forward to hosting our beautiful winter weddings…

But before we get too excited about the festive period, we couldn’t not share a day full of so much colour, love and the most stunning hand crafted dress!  L&A’s celebrations were nothing short of the perfect Spring day!

Tell us a bit about yourselves – how did you meet and what’s the proposal story?

We met at medical school 9 years ago. We were living in the same flat in the halls of residence. We were really good friends, and then eventually got closer and started dating – Adam came to meet my parents before Christmas! I took Adam to one of the nearby country parks by the sea, and we had a really lovely time, and it was beautiful. Adam took me again 7 years later, but this time popped out a ring! A really beautiful proposal, with just the waves and sunshine to witness it!

Why did you choose Millbridge Court?

We got warm, friendly vibes when we visited. We loved the décor, and the outside ceremony area was stunning. We could imagine it well and it was always a dream to get married outside with lots of greenery and flowers! Living in England though, we were very much aware that it might rain, but loved how Millbridge were so flexible with deciding on inside/outside on the morning of the wedding. The wedding hall is also beautiful, with high ceilings and so much natural light!

What did you love about having a Spring wedding?

The outside ceremony 100% – we were SO lucky that on the day it was super sunny, honestly very blessed! The garden and the flowers were looking stunning outside too and the guests could all hang out and have drinks outside too.

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

We chose Gill Pike for our flowers – she was suggested to us by Millbridge but also, we loved her style. She was very friendly and personable when we met her, and we loved how chilled she was. When we talked about our ideas, she always kept in mind our budget and made sure we kept within. The flowers were beautiful – she killed!

Botanico cakes by Naomi was our wedding cake designer – again she delivered so well, made a scrumptious cake that all the guests complimented, and managed to create a stunning cake with her intricate flowers.

The band that we had were called Slingshot – we loved their music list and the sound of them, and they had amazing reviews. They absolutely smashed it – all our guests were up on the dance floor and asking for their contact numbers by the end too!

The wedding dress was by Sophie Rose Bridal – she did the best job of creating Lynnie’s dream dress, we could not have asked for more. She was so personable, and her studio was such a welcoming environment.

We had photography and videography done by VLA. They are a married couple who have worked a lot at Millbridge – they are very passionate about their work. They captured so many magical moments, and created a beautiful wedding video that we still love to watch.

The wonderful Stephanie Dorelli was in charge of making Lynnie look her absolute best on the day. She had a trial arranged a few months beforehand, and Stephanie’s studio created the most relaxing and friendly atmosphere for having a pampering day. Lynnie was quite anxious beforehand because she had had a previous experience of where she didn’t look herself after having make up done for her. So it was really reassuring when Stephanie asked for Lynnie’s pictures beforehand so she knew what look she normally went for so that on the day, she would still look like herself, just a very glowed up version! Stephanie did the best job with the make up, but the hair was the best part – she created the most beautiful whimsical look with braids and a flower crown – it was even better than we had imagined. She also offered to help with our bridesmaids’ hair and helped pin in flowers and do the finishing touches which was really appreciated – thank you!

Did your vision for the wedding change over the planning process?

Not really, we always Imagined an outdoor wedding with lots of flowers, people dancing and enjoying themselves. I think the weather was very much the biggest factor in this, which was out of our control. However, we knew that If it was bad – we would still have had the incredible indoor area. Millbridge were so thoughtful and considerate about everything, nothing was a chore!

Are there any memorable anecdotes from the day you could share?

One of our groomsmen had a few too many drinks and had to have the microphone taken off him. He was getting a bit too risqué with his announcements – this made us laugh a lot and is a story we reminisce on when talking about our wedding day!

For both of us, the moment we saw each other, as Lynnie walked down the aisle was one of the best moments of our lives. It was emotionally overwhelming, with so much happiness, seeing all our loved ones and each other. The beautiful outdoor setting made it even more joyful, everything just coming together and feeling so perfect, It was amazing.

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

Lots of Lynnie’s family had flown over from Myanmar. We weren’t sure if they would be able to make it. We haven’t been able to see them for around 4 years because of COVID and then the political situation in their country, so to have them there was incredibly special.

When we first met at university, we were put in a flat together with 4 other people. All of us are still friends 9 years later, and all of those original flatmates were at the wedding.

Favourite part of your wedding journey?

The whole process was very enjoyable, from booking the venue to picking the flowers. But it was really nice to see how it all culminated on the day, walking into the venue and seeing all the wonderful flower arrangements and tables set up was an incredible feeling. But most of all when we saw each other for the first time on the day as Lynnie walked down the aisle. That was the best part of the whole journey.

Any words of wisdom for future couples?

Start by giving yourselves plenty of time to plan – we had 2 years from getting engaged to getting married, and it meant we had time to enjoy the whole planning process rather than having to rush to get things organised. Then, on your wedding day, make sure you take some time for yourselves to absorb everything. It is one of the best days of your life, but it goes so quickly and you want to savour it as much as possible.

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.

We first met Dan & Alex in February 2019 and after many postponements, we are beyond thrilled to say we finally hosted their special day in August this year!

With creative input from Alex, who sparked the big ideas, and Project Manager, Dan, taking the lead on the organisation, we knew the day would be carefully curated with every detail given thought.

We caught up with them to share with you a little glimpse of their journey.

Let’s start at the beginning, how did you two meet?

We met at Southampton University – Alex used to be in the musical theatre society alongside one of my housemates and so I got dragged along to watch their version of ‘Wicked,’ it was there I first laid eyes on Alex and knew I wanted to meet him properly!  Once we’d started talking, we very quickly became inseparable.

So when you had decided on forever, why did you choose Millbridge Court?

Millbridge Court was actually the first venue we visited.  We loved it straight away, the high glass fronted ceremony and reception rooms, the grounds, the staff, the relationship with Kalm Kitchen and the fact it lends itself to your own styling suited us perfectly.  Though as we were yet to see any other venues in person at this stage, we held fire on a booking and continued with other viewings.  At each venue we found ourselves constantly comparing back to Millbridge Court, or looking for ways to reshape how that venue worked to make it more like MC and so quickly realised that it was the one for us!  It couldn’t have been a better decision as everything came together even more perfectly than we could have hoped.

We loved working with you on your wedding journey!  Tell us a bit about what inspired your day.

As a same sex couple, we knew there were elements of the day that weren’t as traditional as you may see at other weddings.  We wanted to make the day our own while nodding to tradition where we felt we could – for instance, we each had three ‘Groomsmaids’ and our Mums walked us down the aisle.

The food was a big thing for us and the highlight has to be our starter.  We got engaged in Hong Kong and wanted to include an element in our day inspired by the city.  Kalm Kitchen created a Dim Sum dish which was absolutely delicious and something our guests really enjoyed, especially as it was a little unusual for a wedding breakfast!

We tried to give some thought to the little details that could make the day feel a bit different to weddings people had been to before (no easy task as people are so creative and have thought of almost everything!).  We managed to include a sky banner, timed to go over during the drinks reception which made for some amazing photos, and with the money paid being donated to charity, it was a win all round.  A ‘Lip Sync For Your Life’ sign complete with 5 toy microphones was also great fun in the evening and helped people get even further into the party mood!

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

We found the MC recommended suppliers list and attending the ‘Details Date Night’ so useful, it’s where we met a number of our suppliers!

Our florist, Alice at Meadowfolk, did an EXCEPTIONAL job!  The installation at the end of the aisle was absolutely stunning and everything she did exceed our expectations.  On top of this, she was also the most lovely, calming and reassuring person to have involved in the day and came up with so many of the ideas we managed to include.

Matt Tyler is the most incredible photographer and we never had the slightest doubt in him capturing photos we would love.  We were introduced to him by some friends who had booked him previously and we felt there was no comparison between his work and any others we looked at.  He was also a remarkably calming presence on the day.

Kate and Dave were the most incredible duo, who played during our ceremony and drinks reception. We deliberated for a LONG time over the song to walk down the aisle to and had toyed with ‘Two in a Million’, but worried a song by S Club 7 would come off as a bit cheesy – Kate sang it beautifully and the acoustic version they put together was perfection.  With people not quite able to place the song but loving the meaning behind the lyrics – exactly what we hoped for!

Forever Cakes designed and delivered the most incredible, delicious 5 tier wedding cake.  Karl at Moment Weddings captured the perfect video of the day so we can continue to relive it in years to come.  Simon Alexander entertained the guests with magic during the drinks reception (and got RAVE reviews from our guests!).  Caz Watts designed all our stationary and had so much patience as we made (a rather high number of) tweaks!  We found Bubblegum Balloons‘ ceiling installation in the dining hall a brilliant way to fill the space with extra colour and their team are also incredibly friendly.  Farnham Sound & Light helped us with the personalised dance floor, putting the ‘logo’ of our names across a vinyl print for some special photos during our first dance.  Our DJ was recommended by Jonny Ross Music, DJ Freddy de Lord got the music spot-on and his sax sets went down an absolute treat!

There were so many people involved in bringing the day to life, too many to list here but everyone did such an incredible job and we could not be more grateful for their efforts.

 You both looked absolutely fab!  Tell us about those suits…

We were SO happy with the way our suits turned out!!  They were made by King and Allen, a tailor we’d both highly recommend.  We felt in safe hands from the start as they had a 2-Groom wedding section on their website.

Again, looking to keep certain traditions in place, we didn’t want to see each other in our wedding outfits until the ceremony itself.  To make sure the colour of our outfits complimented each other, we visited and selected the cloth for each suit together – no one would want to see clashing suits on the day!  Once we’d picked the cloth, we followed the rest of the journey separately, visiting for fittings and adjustments at different times.

The lovely thing about having them made for us was choosing the extra details, like the bolder patterned linings and having our new surname sewn into each jacket!

Tough question, favourite part of your wedding journey?

Oooh this is an interesting question!  It actually has to be the week before the wedding, being in that bubble knowing the big day is finally approaching (we’d had nearly a 4 year wait… thanks COVID!).  I had heard from a number of people that the days ahead of the wedding could be stressful and so we were determined to be in a position that would allow us to enjoy that special time.

In the months ahead of the wedding, we worked through the ‘to-do’ list, making sure something was done every couple of days to really spread out the tasks.  It meant by the time we were a week away from the day, all we needed to do was pack and get ourselves to Surrey!

The morning of the wedding day was equally relaxed and full of excitement with Charlie (from MC) doing an *EXCEPTIONAL* job at looking after us and taking care of everything to allow us to just get ready and enjoy our time.

Any words of wisdom for future couples reading this?

We would have to say spread your to-do list over time.  It made the build up so much more enjoyable and avoided any last minute stresses.  Make sure you also plan the day for you and don’t get too caught up in what other people want/think.  While you want the guest to enjoy themselves, they will do exactly that just by seeing how happy you are on the big day.