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.

---

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

1. How did your passion for floristry come about?

Ever since I can remember, I’ve have always had a passion for flowers! The home is never complete without a flower in a room. I have always loved growing them, picking them and making things with them, whether it was creating pressed flower cards (when I was young) daisy chains in the garden, or drawing or painting them. Whilst working as a waitress at a local wedding venue through my uni years, I used to get excited to see the flower scheme arrive for that weekends wedding & I think that may have been where it all began!

---

2. When did you make the leap to setup HBF & create flowers for gorgeous Wedding Days & what drew you to Weddings in particular?

Floristry was a career change for me … having worked in the television industry previously as a camera operator and editor, I found the job wasn’t fulfilling my creative side enough, so out of curiosity and love for flowers I looked into work experience in a local florist shop.

My work experience soon turned into a full time position. Without any qualifications in floristry, I longed to further my knowledge and learn new technical skills, so I enrolled on a course at Merrist Wood Agricultural college where I studied and gained my Level 3 in Floral Design. This provided me with the skills, technical ability and confidence to work as a freelance florist. For two years I enjoyed working with various inspiring and creative floral designers and from this point, I just knew creating wedding flowers was the career for me. In 2013 HBF was born and I haven’t looked back since.

---

3. How would you describe your style of floristry?

It took a while for my style to evolve, but I can strongly see now my signature style is natural, earthy and organic for sure! Always lots of detail and texture and many of you will know I often love to add the odd Pheasant feather in!

---

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

The design process and building a working relationship with each client is the most important part to providing the perfect flower scheme.
Getting to know & understand the clients is crucial, so I always ensure that the design process is thorough. This can also be the most challenging part, as often the clients know little about flowers and it’s my job to take on board and understand their thoughts, ideas and inspiration and turn this vision into a reality.
These lengthy design meetings happen in my studio and I provide bespoke detailed proposals and mood boards throughout the course of meetings.
I never commit to more than 1 wedding a day as I want to provide all my clients with an exclusive service. It will always be myself who delivers the flower scheme alongside my team and we will always be onsite for the day to deliver and install, pin on the buttonholes/corsages and transport all the flowers from the ceremony area to the wedding breakfast room after the ceremony has taken place. We always ensure that every detail, no matter how small, is absolutely perfect before we leave the venue.

---

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

My favourite thing about creating flower schemes is starting with a crips blank piece of paper (normally the year before) and seeing the ideas and creations evolve. Delivering the bespoke flower scheme on the day of the wedding is the cherry on the icing and knowing you have worked hard alongside your clients to develop and create their dream flowers.

---

6. What top tips & advice do you offer couples along the way?

I am always keen in using seasonal flowers (although most varieties of flowers are available all year round now.) It keeps the designs fresh and the flowers are usually better quality if its the right time of year for them.

---

7. What floristry trends are you seeing for 2019/2020?

I can see grasses (all different heights and varieties) especially Pampas Grass are going to be very popular next season! Great for me as I love a grass : )

---

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

Whats not to love … when you first enter through the front door, I always feel the need to take my muddy boots off as its like walking into a really homely room with the lush pink sofas and the smell of the scented Neom candle burning! Then theres the 2 stunning barns which are a complete blank canvas for decor and styling. I feel this sets the foundations to each unique flower scheme. I often say the views from the outside ceremony space looks as though you are looking through a frame at a stunning oil painting landscape, with the odd cow grazing away. And the hidden bridal cabin (The Hideaway) – simply magical!

---

9. Outside of creating beautiful Wedding Flowers, what other hobbies/ passions do you have?

Walking Dug (my very naughty Cocker Spaniel) pottering and growing flowers in my flower cutting garden, crocheting, painting and sailing (not that I get much time to do the latter!)

---

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

@local_milk (blogger & creative)

@the_blue_carrot (Florist)

@floretflower (Florist)

---

www.hannahberryflowers.co.uk

Well, what an unbelievable year we have had here at Millbridge Court, filled with gorgeous Wedding Days, inspiring industry events, stunning Tasting Evenings & celebrations & much more.

2018 has also seen some really exciting changes here at Millbridge Court, with the renovation of the Bridal Changing Room, the extension of the Outdoor Ceremony aisle & the creation of our Secret Garden; a tranquil space in front of The Hideaway that our Brides & Grooms get to enjoy throughout their Wedding Celebrations, & with our desire to always keep evolving, we can’t wait to see what the next year will bring.

Thanks to the plethora of talented industry professionals who we are lucky enough to work with & who transform & capture the Venue on a weekly basis, we can share so much inspiration with all of our followers. From all of us here at Millbridge, we want to wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Xx

We can’t quite believe how quickly this year has flown by here at Millbridge Court! We have been so lucky to have been a part of so many magical Winter Wedding Days throughout 2018 & so we thought, as the festive season is well & truly upon us, that we would share some moments from those really beautiful days with you all.

There really is so much that we love about Winter Weddings, from the rich colour palettes, magical nighttime photography, Wintery shots of Brides & Grooms around the grounds, being able to make the most of romantic lighting throughout the day’s celebrations & so much more.

So thanks to the wonderful & talented photographers who have shared their images with us, we have put together some highlights from all of our favourite things about Wintery Celebrations here at Millbridge Court in the hope that it will give you all oodles of inspiration.

Hoping you all had the most wonderful Christmas with your nearest & dearest!

Xx

Rich Colour Palette’s

Wintery & Autumnal Couple’s Shots

Cosy Lounges

Romantic Lighting

Seasonal Ceremonies

Wholesome Kalm Kitchen Menu’s 

Those Romantic Nighttime Pictures

Throughout April, there was something rather exciting going on at the end of the Millbridge Court grounds. After months of planning, landscape gardeners got to work planting Laurel hedging, ferns & installing an incredible pair of vintage gates in front of our Bridal Suite, the Hideaway… & now that all of their hard work is complete, we’re excited to introduce to you all, The Hideaway Secret Garden!

A botanical sanctuary just beyond our flower meadow that creates that extra bit of magic & privacy for our couples on their Wedding Day & the morning after the celebrations. A tranquil & peaceful space to be able to enjoy all to themselves.

We hope that all of our MBC Couples love it just as much as we do! Here are a few sneak peeks to give you a taster of whats beyond the gates. Xx

And we love that we have already received pictures of photographers using the Secret Garden as a backdrop for gorgeous couples shots… here are L&S captured by The Springles last week.

And J&T captured beautifully by Joanna Nicole Photography earlier in May!

We can’t wait to see many more over the course of the Summer!

1) What is your Role at Kalm Kitchen?

My role in Kalm Kitchen, as a wedding events manager, is to create a calm and unforgettable planning experience, leading up to the big day. We are passionate about providing creative and delicious food for your wedding day and providing an exceptional service throughout the journey, going that extra mile, with meticulous attention to detail. On the event day we will execute your plans to perfection and bring everything we’ve discussed to life.

 

2) What made you want to be an Event Manager at Kalm Kitchen?

My work life has always consisted of running events and the joy and accomplishment I get from them are next to none. My best friends got married in April 2017, before I had started with Kalm Kitchen, and I was heavily involved with the planning process. I knew from then that this was the industry I wanted to be in. Meeting new faces has always been a pleasure of mine and making my client’s dreams come true only makes it better. Kalm Kitchen had impressed me so much with their styling, food menu and work ethic, that as soon as I heard they were looking for an event manager, I didn’t think twice about applying for my dream role.

 

3) What do you love the most about being a part of the Kalm Kitchen family?

The word family is exactly what I would describe Kalm Kitchen to be. We all have our quirks and strengths, which I feel really develop us in our roles. The owners of Kalm Kitchen, Jen and James, have been such an inspiration to me and I cannot thank them enough for the time and effort they put into all of us, which then reflect in our events. Kalm Kitchen has not only given me great colleagues to work with, but friends for life!

4) What tips & advice do you give to couples during their planning journey?

I would tell them to enjoy every moment of it. I think it is natural to want perfection for the big day, which can add too much pressure and cloud the enjoyment of talking through their ideas.

 

5) What is your favourite part of a wedding day? 

Seeing our couples for the first time in the morning has always been so special for me. I love that initial catch up and excitement you share together. It is such a lovely moment that I wish I could bottle up every time.

 

6) What new wedding food trends should couples be looking out for over the coming year? 

Food stations are an amazing statement for the big day. The “wow factor” that comes with them offers such a great experience for guests and something delicious they do not expect. Our Lemonade and Lollipop stand works perfectly for a hot summers day and looks incredible! Or, for the evening, our Honeycomb and Hot Chocolate station satisfies those sweet cravings and brings everyone together as the night draws in. Complete Bliss!

 

7) If you could choose your dream Kalm Kitchen menu, what would it be?

I love the sharing experience for the wedding breakfast. I would have a middle eastern sharing board with an abundance of dips, breads and my personal favourite, halloumi!

As a vegetarian I would have our delicious arancini ball, which is available in an abundance of flavour and accompaniment combinations, to suit every taste. Mine would be a mozzarella, basil pesto and pine nut arancini on a bed of caponata and fresh basil. Dreamy!

A sharing dessert is a must! I am a chocolate fiend, so mixing this together with salted caramel and layers of meringue to create a slice at the table pavlova is perfection. You can nominate one person per table, and dress them in aprons, chef hats and moustaches, to collect the pavlova and serve the guests on their table. These are the little touches that create lasting memories of your special day. You just know it’ll be a talking point for years to come.

 

8) What do you love most about Millbridge Court? 

I know I can speak on behalf of all our couples getting married at Millbridge Court, that this is the dream venue.  The balance of contemporary design and country home works perfectly and instantly makes you feel at home when you walk through the front door.

 

9) What are your favourite linen and glassware colour combinations at the moment? 

I am in love with vintage oak trestle tables paired with our luxurious urbane napkin range, it effortlessly really brings an outdoor feel inside. Having a spot of colour in the water glass elevates the whole design of the table. An idea would be to speak with the florist to match the colour palette of the flowers and unite all the elements together in harmony. My personal favourite is to have a bronze coloured water glass with a chalk urbane napkin as showcased in the most recent May tasting evening.

 Chalk glassware & urbane napkin featured at our Tasting Evening

 Flowers: Lavender Hill Company, Photographer: The Springles

 

10) Who are your three favourite Wedding Industry professionals/brands to follow on Instagram? 

@natspaperstudio is a must for stationary lovers. I am in love with her designs, and her “Crazy Cat” charm just adds to the personality of her amazing work

@bubblegumballoons Their installations are the work of dreams. With a huge range of clients under their belt, they have proven that balloons are stylish, luxurious and most importantly fun!

@kindredxstylingbyjen showcases creativity and adventure. If you want to feel inspired by the latest trends and interiors to elevate your style, Jen is your girl.

Here’s the Lovely Pete, in action

Photographer: Millie & Belle

Last Sunday, we hosted our Annual Spring Preview & what a gorgeous preview it was, thanks to the amazing MBC Partners that joined us; creating inspiring displays & chatting away with our lovely MBC couples.

Showcasing stunning tablescapes in our Dining Barn were Alice (Meadowfolk), Carrie (The Topiary Tree), Katie (Blackberry & Bloom) & Gill Pike who each created such varied arrangements, from the rustic to the bold & beautifully blowsy… there was something for everyone. We had amazing wooden banquet tables & cross back chairs provided by Academy Furniture Hire & each table was complimented by coloured glassware from Crystal Hire.

The beautiful flowers weren’t just confined to the Dining Barn with Gill Pike showcasing her breathtaking foliage Moongate Arch in our Ceremony Barn, the perfect backdrop to any Ceremony & Carrie Macey created a statement urn arrangement outside the Millbridge Court entrance, a wonderful way brighten up a rainy day!

Further brightening up the grey day was Laura from Laura’s Paper Heart who serenaded our guests so beautifully throughout the event.

In our Bridal Changing Suite we had the amazing Carolanne Armstrong & Sharon Roberts doing Express Hair Styling & Make Up Sessions for our Brides. Such a wonderful opportunity to ask these very knowledgeable & talented ladies any questions & to trial a hairstyle/make up look for their Big Day.

Showcasing gorgeous Wedding Cakes were Andi Freeman & Melissa ( Thirty One Cakes) who also had delicious testers for our couples to try & the even more tasty treats were provided by Kalm Kitchen who circulated Canapes, yummy bowl food & they also put together yet another incredible Patisserie Boutique, with added foliage & Spring Flowers from Blackberry & Bloom.

We had MBC Partners Philippa Sian Photography, Jon & Laura from VLA Wedding Photography, Neale James & Sophie Duckworth showing our Brides & Grooms the phenomenal Wedding Days they have captured at Millbridge Court over the years. Thank you also to Ash Videography & Chris & Amy from W4 Wedding Films for not only joining us, but for putting together really beautiful videos of Sundays Event (you can find these on our Instagram & Facebook page).

Thank you so much to everyone that came to our Preview, we hope that you all had a really wonderful time & left truly inspired for your Wedding Day.

Xx

When the likes of MBC Partners Philippa Sian photography, Bubblegum Balloons & Bex from Blush Floral Design are brought together for a Wedding Day, we just know that the Venue will look utterly breathtaking & that every last detail will be captured so perfectly… & J+T’s Wedding Day turned out to be just as spectacular (if not even more spectacular) than we had anticipated.

The gorgeous florals & styling details started from the entrance with Bex creating cascading floral arrangements which overhung the doorway & these beautiful touches continued throughout the Barns & into the gardens. The Archway in to the Arbor Garden was adorned with blush, pink & white blooms; white rose petals lined the aisle & two elegant arrangements situated in copper vases framed the Arbor. The perfect styling and backdrop for a Summer’s Wedding Ceremony!

J+T’s vision for their Wedding Breakfast came to life so wonderfully. The Bubblegum Balloons installation of giant pink metallic & peach balloons along the beams of the Barn was such a showstopper & extra touches such as Glimmer & Thread’s sequin table runners & glamorous Louis chairs (provided by Academy Furniture Hire) created such a luxurious look. Adding to that luxury was Bex who created abundant dome centrepieces bursting with peonies, hydrangeas, roses & eucalyptus.

The amazing Philippa Sian Photography was the Bride & Grooms chosen photographer, & as always with Philippa, every last detail & all of personal touches were captured so amazingly & the love & emotion of the day is translated beautifully in her pictures.

Thank you to Philippa for sharing the wonderful images of J+T’s day with us & thank you most importantly to Mr & Mrs Maunders for allowing us to be a part in your incredible celebrations! Wishing you so much happiness in your married lives together! Xx

 

Suppliers:

Photographer: Philippa Sian Photography

Florist: Blush Floral Design

Wedding  Cake: Jo Turner Cakes

Balloons: Bubblegum Balloons

Table Runner: Table Cloth Hire: Glimmer & Threads

Furniture Hire: Academy Furniture Hire

 

In August of last year, we hosted the utterly stunning Wedding Day of Mr & Mrs Levey & we’re very excited to be sharing a selection of images from E+L’s special day below.

The vision that they had for their Wedding Day was so romantic; a vision that was optimised in their Ceremony flowers which were created by Seventh Heaven Events. Two beautiful floral urn arrangements, abundant with blowsy white, peach & blush flowers framed the Ceremony Barn, they also had delicate floral pew ends & rose petals lining the aisle for E’s entrance. The sensational arrangements didn’t end there, as Seventh Heaven also made abounding centrepieces for each table, the soft colour palette of which went perfectly against the white table linen & metallic vases & candle holders.

The Wedding Cake, which was such a gorgeous focal point in the Dining Barn, was created by Rachelles Cakes. A three tiered, marble effect cake with gold leaf & stunning handmade flowers. Such a delicate, show-stopping design & oh so elegant.

The Bride & Groom thought of every little detail when planning their day & their stationery really took centre stage. Particularly the incredible acrylic engraved ‘Welcome to our Beginning’ sign hung by our bi-fold doors, which was later replaced with their exquisite seating plan, all created by the talented duo that are Two Little Birds.

In charge of capturing all of the beautiful details & the love & emotion of the day was Leanne Jade, who did so perfectly from those special getting ready moments, all the way through until the the first dance. Thank you to Leanne for allowing us to share Mr & Mrs Levey’s day & the biggest thank you of all goes to E+L for allowing us to be a part of what was such a special day. Wishing you so much happiness in your married lives together!

Xx

** Love the look of an August Wedding Day at Millbridge Court? Well we have a newly available August Wedding date here at Millbridge Court this Summer, Friday 10th August 2018, so if you’re yet to find your dream Venue & would like to find out more information, please do get in touch with us on team@millbridgecourt.co.uk. **

 

Suppliers:

Leanne Jade Photography

Seventh Heaven Events

Rachelles Cakes

Two Little Birds (Stationery): Website coming soon. Can be found on Instagram under @2littlebirds_

Berkshire Events (Light Up Letters)

 

Are you newly engaged and looking for the perfect Wedding Venue for your Big Day? Well, in celebration of Valentines Day and all of you lovely couples who have just embarked upon your Wedding Planning journey, we have been organising a Valentines Viewing Evening.

Taking place on Thursday 1st March between 5pm-8pm we are offering you the chance to book in an appointment with a member of our experienced Wedding Planning team who will take you on a tour around the Venue and accommodation, offering you the opportunity to have an in-depth chat about all things Millbridge Court Weddings. In addition to your viewing, there will also be members of our fabulous in-house catering team, Kalm Kitchen, on-site who will be available to chat to you about menu options and answer any initial questions you might have regarding your Wedding Breakfast. They will also be showcasing some delicious treats so you can get feel for their style of presentation and try some of their stunning food.

Here at Millbridge Court, we currently have a few gorgeous Summer and Autumn Wedding dates still available for this year, so should you be looking to have a 2018 Wedding, our Valentines Event will be the perfect opportunity to come and visit us as our in-house Wedding Planners will be on-hand throughout the evening to discuss your initial ideas for your day, offer guidance and share details about our amazing suppliers list.

Our viewing evening is by appointment only and couples will be booked in on a first come, first serve basis, so to ensure you don’t miss out, we recommend getting in touch with us as soon as possible to book your preferred appointment time. To do so, please do email us on team@millbridgecourt.co.uk; we very much look forward to hearing from you.

---

In the meantime, we thought we would share with you all some beautiful pictures of recent Millbridge Court Wedding Days and Events to give you a small taster of all of the wonderful things you can do with the space and to provide you with some gorgeous Wedding Day inspiration. Xx

Philippa Sian Photography, Blackberry & Bloom Flowers

Michelle Lindsell Photography

VLA Photography

Charlotte Razzell Photography, Gill Pike Florist

Matthew Lawrence Photography

Philippa Sian Photography, Blackberry & Bloom Flowers

The Springles, Topiary Tree by Carrie Macey

Michelle Lindsell Photography

Philippa Sian Photography, Jay Archer Floral Design

Philippa Sian Photography, Hannah Berry Flowers

The Springles

Philippa Sian Photography, Jay Archer Floral Design

Charlotte Razzell Photography, Gill Pike Florist

RS Brown Photography