Frankie plans all our weddings here at Millbridge Court so we wanted to sit down with her ahead of the upcoming wedding season and find out all about her and what she loves most about planning your special days!

What is your role?

I plan all of our lovely Millbridge Court Weddings, from introductory calls to tasting evenings to final planning sessions. I take our couples from first booking to their big day. I am here to answer any questions, help make planning decisions and handover all the important details to our operations team on the day.

What drew you to wanting to work in the wedding planning industry?

I have always loved the idea of working in events, seeing how they go from an idea to how it is executed on the day, and all the moving part. The opportunity came up to work at Kalm Kitchen, and it perfectly fit with what I wanted in a job. I get to work with amazing people, on such exciting occasions. Behind the scenes, I put my planning mind to use, and create the detail that goes into each and every event. I am an organiser through and through!

What do you love the most about helping our couples plan their wedding day?

I love working with people, and working with people on such a joyous and exciting event makes it all the better! Watching the excitement a couple have when planning their day through to their satisfaction when all their hard work starts to come together.

What is your favourite part of a wedding day?

This is such a tough one because there are so many wonderful parts of a wedding! I think the most amazing thing to see is when a couple have walked back down the aisle and are taking a moment and looking at each other like ‘we just got married!’. After so much hard work and build up there is such a release of emotion, and there is so much more excitement to follow.

 

Kit Myers Photography

Favourite station of Kalm Kitchen’s?

Our new taco station is amazing- the styling looks so fab and the tacos are delicious.

Do you have any top tips for our couples who are at the start of their wedding planning journey?

Of course!

* Have a wedding email that you always check! You are going to get bombarded by information and questions from suppliers so having it all in one place will help you get organised
* Remember the day is yours, of course you want your lo

ved one to have an amazing time, but it is most important that you have an amazing time
* No question is silly- you don’t plan a wedding everyday but we do!
* Everything takes longer than you think on the day, we can help you make a timeline that will be doable so you are not stressing about time on the day.
* Have fun with it! It can be such a daunting task planning a wedding- there is so much that goes into it. Make sure you take time to enjoy the process.

 

Jonny MP

 

And finally, if you could create your dream Kalm Kitchen wedding menu, what would it be?

Canapés
Sticky pork belly skewers with crispy onions and lightly pickled cucumber ribbons
Tempura Violetto artichoke with saffron aioli
Butternut squash beignet with caramelised mustard seeds and coriander yoghurt
Moussaka – pasta crisp with aubergine red pepper and potato ratatouille, soubise sauce, sheeze crisp
Smoked Salmon cream cheese and salmon roe on horseradish blini
Croissant truffle pudding with black garlic emulsion

Starter
Salmon mi cuit with chive emulsion, cucumber chutney, puffed capers, tempura scraps and egg yolk

Main
Asian glazed belly of pork with pickled shitake, daikon fondant, ginger crumb carrot, red apple sauce and lemon grass jus

Dessert
Slice at the table Rocky road brownie with marshmallows, meringue and candy floss

 

Carrie Lavers 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:

Meet Grace!  She’s been a Millbridge Court partner for just over a year now and every time she is here at the venue, we are in absolute awe of her floral gorgeousness. The rustic designs, use of natural foliage and our shared love for Autumnal floral installations – we just had to share some of Grace’s recent work – simply stunning!

How would you describe your style of floristry?

Romantic, feminine, elegantly wild, unconventional and artistic.

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

 

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.

We are always so excited to receive a gallery from The Springles, and with the autumnal light hitting just right, we simply had to share a snippet of Maya & Adam’s wedding day from October last year.  From the bohemian dress from Farnham Boutique to the tables adorned with mini white pumpkins the day was such a pleasure to host.

How did you meet?

We were introduced by our mutual friend Hatice at University.  Adam studied Forensic Computing and I studied Musical Theatre – so definitely not in the same buildings!

Why did you choose Millbridge Court?

By the time we visited Millbridge Court we had seen around 8 venues.  We wanted a space that was light and airy with beautiful countryside surroundings.

The thing that stood out most was the attention to detail and support from staff on the day!

We love the attention to detail from your day! What was your main inspiration?

We absolutely wanted to capture the autumnal time of year throughout our day.  Adam proposed outside our first home just after Halloween, so there were pumpkins everywhere.  Once we found our florist we knew these had to be incorporated in our decorations.

 

Who took charge of the planning or was it a shared experience?

It was definitely a shared experience, which was lovely as we both had equal input into our day.  We booked Millbridge just before the first lockdown so we spent a lot of hours in Pinterest!

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

We had an amazing team of suppliers; we chose the majority as they felt they could deliver our theme.

Our florist was Alice from Meadowfolk.  I had scoured through Instagram to try and find a florist who had that calming Boho vibe.  Alice was so excited by our theme of using pumpkins, music and cricket throughout the day.  She came up with so many ways to subtly add these touches.

Our photographers were The Springles (Kat & Ash), what a fantastic duo!  They captured every special moment from our pre-wedding shoot to the day itself.  They were both so helpful from start to finish.  Their style is what made us want to instantly book after a visit at Millbridge.  It’s autumnal dreamy vibes.

Most people think I was crazy for doing it, but I made our wedding cake.  I run a baking business called Sass&Bake and I couldn’t imagine anyone else making it.

Wow, Maya you are super talented!  If anyone needs an excuse to get some deep dish cookies on order, do it now!

Tough question, favourite part of your wedding journey?

We both loved our ceremony (of course) as we incorporated so many special things to us.  From readings that childhood friends wrote, to our grandparents favourite songs as we walked down the aisle.

But our absolute favourite part of the day was during our wedding breakfast.  I think a lot of couples will tell you how fast the day can go.  Just after starters At Last by Etta James was playing in the background.  We both instantly welled up as our son was born to this song.

 

Any words of wisdom for future couples?

Enjoy yourselves and make sure you take a few moments in the day to soak it all in, but you’re safe hands with the fantastic Millbridge & Kalm Kitchen teams.

1. How did your passion for floristry come about?

As a child, I spent most of my time outside – building fairy houses, climbing trees, picking bunches of wildflowers and making ‘potions’ from crushed up rose petals. I remember knowing the names of trees and flowers before I could even begin to spell them – so floristry & a love for nature has always been a huge part of my essence.

  

2. When did you setup MeadowFolk & what was it that drew you to the Wedding Industry in particular?

I set up MeadowFolk after working in an awesomely creative florist shop for a year – because I realised how much I loved the process of communication with the bride and groom, and bringing their flowery visions for their wedding day to life. I also wanted to be able to grow flowers specifically for each couple – so I bought a field and started growing flowers full time to use in weddings I was working on in 2015. By 2019 I was so busy with the wedding floristry side I didn’t have the time to grow flowers on such a big scale anymore – and so I sold the field last year & downsized to growing flowers right outside my workshop which is much more manageable & means I can simply nip outside to select stems for a wedding as and when I need em! The wedding industry is an awesomely friendly thing to be a part of – we all just LOVE celebrating love!

 

3. How would you describe your style of floristry?

My style of floristry is closely linked to the seasons, wildly romantic & meadow-esque

 

4. What can couples expect when they choose you to create their dream Wedding Flowers? 

I create a moodboard & bespoke quote for each client after some initial emails so that they can really begin to see what their wedding florals will look like. We then meet up to chat all things flowery & I bring a bag of treasures for them to see in person (candlesticks, vases, ribbons etc.) Next time we meet is on their wedding day, but I’m always available to email.

 

5. What do you love most about what you do?

Showcasing how beautiful mother nature is by bringing flower filled magic inside to celebrate LOVE!

 

6. What top tips & advice do you offer couples along the way & are there any Tips you would give to Millbridge Couples in particular?

Be clear about what you don’t want in terms of flowers/colours – sometimes this can be more helpful to florists that knowing what you do want.

Bouquets can always be reused for top table or cake table decoration. I encourage bridesmaids to ‘hunt the vase’ for their bouquet, as I leave vases for them in areas that need an extra floral touch.

Candles & foliage can transform a space into something beautifully magical – simple, but really effective if you’re on a tight budget.

When it comes to creating an abundant table set up, more is definitely more.

  

7. What do you love the most about Millbridge Court?

How flexible the space is – it lends itself to both the rustic, wild vibe – but also the more elegant/luxe vibe too!

 

8. Do you have a favourite installation or setup that you’ve done at Millbridge Court so far?

For sure Louise & Tim’s wildly bohemian & autumnal macramé archway. They’re brief of ‘just go wild’ is the BEST thing a client can say to me! (And you can find a selection of The Springles images from L+T’s stunning Autumnal Wedding Day below.)

 

9. What floristry trends are you seeing for 2021 & beyond

Seasonality & sustainability is becoming a real focus for couples now. With many coming to me because they love that I grow my own flowers and buy from local flower growers too – 2020 has taught us a whole bunch – one of them being how important it is to support local, small businesses.

 

10. What are your three favourite industry professionals/ brands to follow on Instagram?

@FloretFlower – flower farm for endless flower growing inspiration

@Lavendersflowers – florist over in America…colour combo queen!

@Wedhead_london – husband & wife furniture/prop hire duo of dreams.

 

Photography: The Springles, Wedding Cake: Dotty Rose Cakes

 

Over the years, we have seen Millbridge Court transformed in so many breathtaking ways, whether that be through stunning florals, creative styling, balloon installations, opting to have alternative chairs, tables and linens, to list but a few.

A popular way for couples, Florists and Stylists to get creative in the Barn’s has been by utilising our shelves and pegs which feature in both the Ceremony and Dining Barn. Throughout the seasons, we here at Millbridge Court style the shelves with three tall glass bottles which have an individual flower placed in each of them and for some Wedding Days, particularly those with a neutral colour palette, these are left in situ throughout the celebrations, however we also see couples choosing to style the shelves in a way that ties in to their style and vision for their day. This might simply be by replacing the flowers with the type and colour of blooms that feature in their floral scheme, or it might be by adding flowers, plants, lights alongside the bottles, by hanging jars, ribbons etc from the wooden pegs or by removing the bottles altogether and adding abundant arrangements or cascading foliage. We have even seen some couples adding shelves in order to create a continuous arrangement down the entire length of the Barn.

For those of you still planning your Big Day, we thought we would share a handful of images showcasing the multitude of ways previous MBC Couples have styled the shelves in order to hopefully provide you with some wonderful inspiration.

Happy browsing, lovely readers! Xx

Eddie Judd Photography, Jay Archer

(Top & Bottom Left) Philippa Sian Photography, Blush Floral Design, (Bottom Right) Nataly J Photography, Bloomantic

VLA Photography, Hannah Berry Flowers

 (Top) Sophie Duckworth, Hannah Berry Flowers, (Bottom) Chris Morse Photography, Lisa Lusbin

VLA Photography, Hannah Berry Flowers

(Top Left) Miss Gen Photography, Eden Blooms, (Top Right) Amy James Photography, (Bottom Left) Philippa Sian Photography, Blackberry Bloom Flowers, (Bottom Right) Charlie Davies Photography, Eden Blooms

Kerry Ann Duffy, BloominGayles

Philippa Sian Photography, Jay Archer

(Left) Philippa Sian Photography, (Right) Jamie Dunn Photography, Lavender Hill Company

Stylish Wedding Photography, Kate Avery Flowers

 (Top) Philippa Sian Photography, Boutique Blooms, (Bottom) Philippa Sian Photography, Jay Archer

 (Top Left & Right) Philippa Sian Photography, Fairy Puff Flowers, (Bottom) VLA Photography, Topiary Tree by Carrie Macey