Eloise and Mitch recently became a Millbridge Court Partner!  We loved working with them throughout the 2023 season and so we wanted to catch up with them to give you a little glimpse into the world of a wedding photographer.

What first made you fall in love with photography?

I have always adored photos. Being able to have a glimpse into my family’s life before I even existed is magic. I love to be able to look back on memories and moments. Photography gives us the opportunity to pause time, capturing unique instances that would otherwise pass by in a blur.

The excitement stems from knowing that every photograph tells its own story, revealing emotions and experiences that words often fail to capture adequately. Each photograph is like opening a door into another world brimming with nostalgia and joy. In our fast-paced lives, having the ability to document and preserve these memories brings me happiness.

What made you decide to work in the wedding industry?

I always loved the idea of being in the wedding industry and it all began when I started working for a venue as a wedding planner! I was so young; I took a few years out to go travelling and this is where I met Mitch. He was an established filmmaker in the music industry and the creative element really intrigued me.

We first met in September and then moved in together February. When you know, you know! After a few years, our perspective shifted from living for the weekends to cherishing each moment. We realised that true happiness lay not in accumulating possessions but in cultivating meaningful experiences. We found ourselves yearning for something more meaningful and purposeful in our lives. Our shared experiences and deep conversations made us realise that true fulfilment came from pursuing our passions which was telling visual stories through photo and film. We went with this gut feeling and we started ‘Eloise and Mitch’ which really is the best thing we have ever done!

How would you describe your style of photography?

Photos with feeling!

To be a good photographer, I believe you have to be very empathetic. It’s about immersing yourself into the world of your subject and truly understanding their emotions, their struggles, and their joys. It allows you to connect with people on a deeper level, gaining their trust and enabling you to capture raw, authentic moments that resonate.

Our ethos is “It’s about beauty in the passing moments.” Being able to read between the lines, anticipating what might happen next. The ability to understand others’ perspectives creates photos that truly mean something.

What is your favourite part or parts of a wedding day to capture?

I love looking out for moments with meaning and joy! Every moment is so special on your wedding day and it’s such a pleasure to document. A moment that tends to be filled with joy is just after you have said “I do”.

What top tips and advice do you give to couples ahead of their wedding day?

Remember it’s a celebration of your love. Try not to get too caught up with “trends” and “what your wedding should be”. Your wedding should feel personal to you both.

Be present and just have the time of your life!!!

Can you share some of your favourite moments from your Millbridge Court couples?

There are so many to choose from! A moment that springs to mind is Louise and Jacks’ Day, it was torrential rain, and we all ran outside with umbrellas and embraced that moment. It was so romantic and fun which in turn created some of my favourite images.

Apart from your camera’s, what other things can you not go to a wedding day without?

Good energy and trust! This is all I need!

What do you love most about Millbridge Court?

The venue is just beautiful. The way that the team ensure that the day runs seamlessly and how they are always thinking about the little details. I love how there is room for everyone to get ready at Millbridge Court and how they have a beautiful hideaway too for the evening of your wedding.

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

 

Who doesn’t love a crisp Autumn morning with leaves falling, mist lifting, changes in colours, cosy moments, incredible romantic lighting?!  We certainly do; there’s just so much to embrace during this time of year!

We thought we’d share some Autumn wedding inspiration to get the creative energy flowing for couples booked, or looking to book an Autumn wedding.  As always, we’ve shared some rather beautiful images from recent wedding days here at Millbridge Court, and we hope you love all the gorgeousness just as much as we do!

 

L – Holly Rose Photography, Longacres; R – Aurora Grey Photography

 

L –The Springles, Hannah Berry; R – The Springles, Meadowfolk

 

L- Holly Rose Photography; R- The Springles, Meadowfolk

 

L & B- The Springles; R- Alice Cunliffe Photography, Hannah Berry

 

Jonny MP, Jenni Bloom

 

Alice Cunliffe Photography, Hannah Berry

 

T- Alice Cunliffe Photography; L- Jonny MP, Jenni Bloom; R- Holly Rose Photography, Longacres

 

 

Aurora Grey Photography, Bud Flora, Kalm Kitchen

 

L- The Springles, Hannah Berry; R- Aurora Grey Photography, Bud Flora

 

T- Jonny MP, Jenni Bloom Maria Antoinette Cakes; B-Aurora Grey Photography

 

Alice Cunliffe Photography, Hannah Berry

Catherine Carter Weddings recently became a Millbridge Court Partner!  We loved working with her throughout the 2022 season and we have since caught up to give you a little glimpse into the world of a wedding photographer.

How would you describe your style of photography? 

Capturing both composed moments and raw emotion in elegant timeless frames.  I use a layered strategy, merging documentary, fine art style and a hint of editorial.

What first made you fall in love with photography?

I have always been an artist from a young age and loved exploring different mediums, painting, drawing and photography.  Photography won my heart, I love being able to create beautiful images from raw organic moments.

What made you decide to work in the wedding industry?

I am a true romantic and I love working with honest true moments.  I love each and every wedding I go to.  Seeing the individuality of each day from the dresses and suits to the flowers and the stationary.  There are so many layers to a wedding and to be asked to be a part of someone’s day.  Being trusted with those very important memories is a real honour.  Weddings are so much fun and it is such an exciting industry to work in!

Can you explain a little about what couples can expect when they book with you? 

My approach for each wedding is to put you at ease and get to know you well and find out what is important so I can capture your beautiful unique wedding story in a way that is right for you.  Whilst creating stunning photographs is my priority, I also wish to make the experience as stress free as possible for you and your family and friends.  You may see me popping my camera down for a minute and helping carry a dress, put a buttonhole on, straighten a chair or help a guest.  To me, this is all part of the wedding photography package and the top priority for myself and all of your suppliers is to make sure you have the perfect wedding you have dreamed of.

What is your favourite part or parts of a wedding day? 

I love the morning of a wedding, it is such a special part of the day for you to really soak in that the wedding is here and for me to witness all the excitement and happiness is so special. I also love the time for the couple photos, again it is such a special time where I urge you to take a step back and let the day sink in and have some time as a couple on your own. This is where the magic happens, emotions are high and by embracing that time together I step back and capture beautiful moments between the two of you.

What top tips and advice do you give to couples ahead of their wedding day? 

Embrace every moment and emotion! You have planned this day for many months and you have to let go of the day and enjoy each part, if anything goes slightly wrong it doesn’t matter, as long as the two of you get married everything else falls into place. Take that time to step back and let it all soak in.

What do you love most about Millbridge Court? 

I love the intimacy of Millbridge Court, it is such a stunning venue that keeps all of your friends and family close together. I also love the people that work there and the other suppliers that I often work with there too. Everyone always pulls together as a team and we all want the same – to create a beautiful day for you.

What photography trends are you seeing for 2023?

Blur-motion photography, which captures movement – these images especially in black and white can look amazing!

Veil shots have been very popular this year but I think it will carry on into 2023 especially those beautiful bridal portraits in the morning using the veil and creating those elegant artistic photographs.

 

Top L: Florist – Buds Floristry Bridal Attire – Flora Bridal – Bridal Indulgence MUA – Sophie Mills Bridal

Top R: Florist – Designed by Carley Bridal Attire – Enzoani Bridal Hair – Rebecca Elgar

Bottom L: Florist – Made with Grace MUA – Olivia Mills

Bottom R: Florist – Flower Pocket Bridal Attire – Enzoani from Surrey Brides MUA – Olivia Mills

L&R: Florist – Designed by Carley Bridal Attire – Enzoani Bridal Hair – Rebecca Elgar

Middle: Florist – Flower Pocket Bridal Attire – Enzoani from Surrey Brides MUA – Olivia Mills

Florist – Buds Floristry Bridal Attire – Flora Bridal – Bridal Indulgence MUA – Sophie Mills Bridal

Last month, we hosted our very first Details Date Night at Millbridge Court, a brand new event exclusively for all of our recently booked couples.

The aim of the evening is to give those Brides and Grooms who have recently secured their Wedding Date the chance to see the Venue once again and begin to think about the details of their day in finer detail. They can chat with our Planning Team who are on hand to offer advise and answer any questions that they might have and there is also the opportunity to meet and speak with a handful of talented MBC Partner’s who have a great understanding of the Venue and how Millbridge Court Wedding Days flow. Couples also have the chance to see all the bedrooms, measure items (measuring tapes and detailed floor plans are provided by us), see the Ceremony Room set up, eat some delicious Kalm Kitchen food and of course, have some bubbles!

For our first Details Date Night we had with us the wonderful Hannah Berry Flowers and Boutique Blooms creating stunning and inspiring floral arrangements, Spongeworks and Forever Cakes who displayed beautiful Cakes and Macaron Towers with utterly delicious samples for our couples to try, guests were serenaded by Laura’s Paper Heart and Music by Kate & Dave throughout & in The Loft (our Bridal Changing Room) we had Wedding Dress Designer Sophie Rose showcasing her gorgeous gowns and Wedding Hairstylist and Makeup Artist Hanna Wildman. Last but not least, we also had wonderful MBC Partner Photographers Matthew Lawrence and Philippa Sian displaying their stunning images and thank you to Philippa for kindly capturing all of the breathtaking details of the Date Night, a handful of which we have shared below to give you an insight in to our exciting new event. Xx

 

Boutique Blooms

Hannah Berry Flowers

Hannah Berry Flowers

(Left) Spongeworks, (Right) Forever Cakes

Kalm Kitchen Cheese Table

Kalm Kitchen Cookie Corner

 

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

 

With Autumn well & truly upon us, it seemed like the perfect time to share with you all one of last years stunning October Wedding Days.

C&I’s vision for their day was simply breathtaking & the suppliers that brought their autumnal vision to life did so perfectly.  Their florist was none other than the wonderful Jay Archer Floral Design who created the most phenomenal Ceremony Archway, not to mention the stunning floral arrangements in both the Ceremony & the Dining Barn, abundant with rich, colourful flowers & foliage. Little touches such as dried leaves lining the aisle & hanging fresh leaves from the pegs & shelves really added to the theme & made such a spectacular visual impact.

In charge of capturing the beautiful details & styling touches, as well as all of those special moments was Guy Collier, a photographer who always manages to tell the story of the day so seamlessly, from the Bridal preparations, right up until the dancing is well underway. Whittling the images down to choose which ones would be featured below was near to impossible, so this may just be one of our longest blog posts to date, but there were just far too many exquisite details, happy moments & beautiful couples shots to choose from.

In a few weeks time, it’ll be C&I’s first Wedding Anniversary, so we wish you both the happiest day & hope that your first year of marriage has been utterly wonderful in every way. Thank you for letting us share in what was such an amazing day! Xx