Hello lovely readers!!

 

I hope you’re all well and had the most fabulous Valentine’s weekend last weekend. Certainly it would seem there were lots of wonderful men getting on bended knee because we’re in the midst of the busiest weekend we’ve had since opening. So, if you’re a new fiancé to some lucky other half, then we are sending you a humungous congratulations from Millbridge Court!

 

This week, it’s all about training day! And no, I don’t mean a day filled with team building exercises or powerpoint presentations but rather a day filled with scrumptious food, Wedding chit chat and all rounded off with some rather wonderful wine tasting. It all sounds rather fun (which undeniably, it was) however the main objective was to get the team together and learn about the in’s and out’s of what each of us does on a daily basis. We are all striving towards the same goal, so it seems only right that we have the very best understanding of what goes in to every single element of a perfect Wedding Day, from how to build canapés, to how to show perspective couples around a Venue.

 

We also have a new team Member, the lovely Kellie, joining us at Millbridge Court so it was a great chance for her to meet everyone, join in the fun and learn about how we all work together as a team.

 

The most photo worthy part of the day was, of course, the food! Myself, Kellie and Aidan were put through our paces in the kitchen and were taught how to build canapés by the Head Chef Tom and Chris. We also assembled THE most phenomenal chocolate Mille-Feuille, which is available as a Dessert option to all of our wonderful couples. How did we do? Well, thankfully the look we were going for for the dessert was rustic, so I think we managed that part well enough, although I’m not sure we’ll be asked back to assemble the intricate canapés. After their demonstrations I thought it’d be a breeze… Plainly, I was wrong. I also didn’t think I could be more in awe of the incredible work that they do and the truly delicious dishes they manage to produce day in, day out. And again… I was wrong.

 

So here’s some images of what we got up to…

As you can see… we’re always entirely serious.

The Chocolate Mille- Feuille… The most scrumptious sharing Dessert option. One per table for all of your Wedding guests to tuck in to. It took Chris a whole day to make the chocolate puff pastry from scratch and then it was down to us (under his expert guidance) to stack the pastry and fill each layer with chocolate custard, cream, raspberry jelly, fresh raspberries, popping candy, chocolate shavings, blueberries, honeycomb (the list goes on). It was like nothing I’ve ever eaten before… chocolate heaven.

And then it was time for us to try the main course. Carving at the table. On the menu was twice cooked pork belly with marinated pearl cous cous, baked fennel, lemon & thyme roasted potatoes and roasted summer vegetables with a parsley and basil pesto and all laid out on rustic wooden boards (I know what you’re thinking… Tough day in the office, right?). This will work so wonderfully for those couples who are after a more informal dining approach to their Wedding Breakfast and with the abundance of scrummy food available, no guest will be going hungry.

Time for wine tasting…

Here at Millbridge Court, we have a cellar stocked full of gorgeous wines and this was our opportunity to talk through each of our house wine’s, Prosecco’s & Champagne’s. Learn about where and how they’re made, what dishes they compliment particularly well and of course, to try them and see the variety in flavour.

Ahead of our busy Wedding season, these kind of day’s are not just immensely enjoyable but also crucial to us continuing to grow as a team and I feel very privileged to be able to work with such a hugely talented bunch of lovelies and most importantly, all under one roof!

Next week… it’s all about tastings! So just a heads up that you probably shouldn’t read it whilst hungry! Xx

Hello lovely readers!

I know… it’s been a little while, hasn’t it?! I do apologise for my blogging absence but no need to worry, weekly updates will resume from now on!

So far, 2015 has been phenomenal for Millbridge Court in so many ways. So many gorgeous couples can now say they’re getting married with us THIS year and our first Wedding is only a matter of months away. To say we’re all very excited is a huge understatement! And as if that excitement wasn’t enough… last week at Millbridge Court we had our very first snow day!!!

So, as always, I had my camera at hand to hop outside in my wellies and take a series of gorgeous photos (before taking advantage of all of that fresh snow and running around like a big kid). It really was magical to see the grounds under a cloak of white and amazingly, the roads were very clear so although you wouldn’t have thought it from a mile away, it was like walking in to an undisturbed winter wonderland once I arrived on site.

Here is a little glimpse at just how magical it all looked…

 

The Arbour in all of it’s snowy glory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun then came out and the snow disappeared just as fast as it arrived (sadly) but here’s to hoping we have a few white, winter Wedding’s in early 2016!

So… the countdown was up and Tuesday was the long awaited Millbridge Court Preview.  We had 130 guests RSVP to come visit us in Frensham, Surrey (all of which arrived) so it was all hands on deck to make sure everything was looking spectacular, and with a mere few hours to go, we got there!! And that was all thanks to the incredibly talented suppliers that helped us put it all together. Because of this, I wanted to write about each and every one of them.

So where to begin with the lovely suppliers…

Well, it’ll have to be Anneli Marinovich, the extremely talented lady who photographed the Millbridge Court Preview so beautifully and captured everyone’s work so perfectly.

Having been obsessing over all of Anneli’s gorgeous blog posts over the Summer as she travelled around the UK and Europe capturing numerous fabulous Weddings, I could not have been more excited to show her the finished Millbridge Court and have her photographing our Preview. And I’m sure you will agree, the images are just stunning!  Thank you Anneli, for giving your time so generously.

So, the first photos I am going to add are some gorgeous exterior and interior shots of Millbridge Court in all it’s Preview glory.  

Boutique Hotel Lounges…

 

Boutique Hotel Bar…

Boutique Hotel Private Dining Room…

Boutique Hotel Bedroom…

As some of you may have seen on our Instagram or facebook page, the flowers really were a pivotal part of the Millbridge Court preview and that was all created by the phenomenally talented Kate Avery Flowers.

Kate arrived on site on Monday morning bringing with her what seemed to be an entire flower market and a team of equally lovely florists who quickly got to work transforming Millbridge Court with rich, autumnal arrangements. With Kate being one of the very first people I put on my Millbridge Court Partners List, I know how beautiful her work is but I was absolutely stunned by just how breathtaking every single aspect of her work was, from the smaller moss vases placed around our boutique hotel, to the cascading flower wall in our Dining Hall, every little bit was exquisite.

The gentleman providing the ambiance for the whole evening was the brilliant Matt Maurice. One of the fantastic things about Matt and Lotte from Matt Maurice Event Music is that upon a site visit when Millbridge Court was still very much a building site and having had a brief chat with them about the Millbridge Court Preview, they totally got our vision. They also generously provided us with the festoon lighting that lit up the outside ceremony area so wonderfully and can also provide free standing spot lights, numerous different dance floors and decks to suit each different event. Hence why the set up Matt brought with him last Tuesday night fit in so fantastically with the relaxed atmosphere we wanted to create.

 

Adding the finishing touches to the evening reception room were the lovely ladies at Bubblegum Balloons. Following on from an exciting meeting a few weeks prior where we discussed which colours would work well, they arrived and set up in a flash. The cranberry, plumb and copper tassels couldn’t have been more perfect alongside Kate’s flowers… modelled beautifully by Kalm Kitchen’s Nina.

Completing the evening reception room was The Photo Emporium. Whenever I got the chance to glance over, it was always full with guests, and I must admit, once most of the guests had left I did get the chance to get a few photos with co-workers and family. Photo booths have been a staple at weddings for a few years now and it’s fair to say that they just never get boring. It’s guaranteed endless fun! The Photo Emporium set up is also really unique and they even offer the opportunity to upload photos directly on to your social media account.

Then we have the wonderful Dom and Ali from Prezola who kindly styled (to perfection) our Boutique Hotel Private Dining Room and our round table set up at the end of the Dining Hall. The Private Dining Room was set up for breakfast with beautiful Sophie Conran crockery, which complimented our décor perfectly. From the egg cups, to the butter dish… I wanted to keep it all!

The round table set up at the glass wall in our Dining Hall looked absolutely spectacular! Copper details were a theme that ran throughout the entire event so the elegant and intricately designed crockery and glassware put together by Prezola worked seamlessly alongside Kate’s autumnal floral arrangement.

Bringing sparkle to the Boutique Hotel lounge was the most spectacular ‘Love’ sign, generously given to us by Vowed and Amazed. It was the perfect statement piece and our book case looked like it was made for it.

We then had the gorgeous ladies from Amore Make-Up, Lyndsey and Sophie, taking charge of our Lips, Lashes & Tashes bar, providing each and every guest with the ability to look extra glam at the Millbridge Court Preview. It was such an easy decision to have them as a part of this special event, as not only are they extremely talented but they are also so kind and bring such a lovely energy to any event.

The ladies at work…

But their hard work started a lot earlier on in the day, as they did Make-Up and hair for the Kalm Kitchen waitresses and did so with such ease in a very short amount of time. And the main reason I can testify how fabulous they are is they also did my make-up as well!  I loved it so much that I didn’t want to take it off at the end of the night.

On the topic of waitresses, a huge thank you goes to Twobird’s Bridesmaid’s for lending us seven of their gorgeous dresses for the Kalm Kitchen staff. It really added such an elegant touch to the proceedings and almost everyone I spoke to commented on how fabulous they looked.

Adding sophisticated touches throughout the Millbridge Court Preview was gorgeous calligraphy by Judy Broad. With so much yummy food and drink on offer, Judy’s handiwork was the perfect way to notify people of all of the delicious ingredients. And on top of this, Judy included signs for the Prezola table and our Lip’s, Lashes and Tashes bar. The Cox & Cox copper frames adding a wonderful finishing touch.

I would also like to thank Luella’s Boudoir for lending us some beautiful pieces for our Bridal Changing suite. The Rachel Simpson shoes on our pink velvet chairs were particularly lovely touch.

To call Kalm Kitchen a partner is an understatement, Kalm Kitchen are one half of Millbridge Court and to have had them involved from the very early stages of the build has just been so wonderful. I am so grateful for their support throughout the process and to finally be able to host an event together after all this time was such an incredible feeling… I think this is a perfect excuse to show you the photos of the team pre preview.

Jen and James Middlehurst…

The Chefs…

From deciding on the concept for the Preview, to creating a number of design element’s throughout such as the flower mirror and the cascading flower wall, Jen Middlehurst has been a pivotal part of the Millbridge Court Preview and for this deserves a humungous thank you.

On the day itself, the array of culinary delights that Kalm Kitchen provided was not only delicious but also inspiring. It’s obvious why a very common hashtag on their social media is #creativecatering that’s for sure. And I’m not just talking about their intricate canapés, served on antique picture frames and bird cages or the chocolate mousse eggs on the beautifully decorated Patisserie bar but also the live food station situated in the middle of the dining hall where chefs were preparing bowl food individually for each guest. On top of the bar were also a mixture of potted herbs, which were accompanied by a pair of scissors so guests could choose which one to cut off and add to their meal. Inspiring and certainly a big talking point throughout the evening.

On top of this, the service itself, headed up by Events Manager Lara Kellaway was seamless and utterly perfect. I could honestly write an essay about this lovely bunch, but I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Thank you lastly (but by no means least) to Jo from Something PR for helping us put the Millbridge Court Preview together and for all of your hard work… Team photo!

So… what an amazing evening and what a phenomenal effort from everyone involved. I am so excited for what the future holds at Millbridge Court and thank you to everyone who has been a part of it so far. X

(From the outside looking in… just as we imagined it.)

Photography: www.annelimarinovich.com

So, its been a few weeks since my last blog post and as we are just 8 days away from opening our brand new doors to the press and public, here are a few gorgeous external shots of Millbridge Court taken by Steve Middlehurst, Kalm Kitchen’s resident photographer. Internally, there are so many amazing changes happening but I think I’ll leave the extremely talented photographer who is capturing our launch to do those touches justice.

Below is the view of Millbridge Court from the Arbour. As you can see, all of the turf is down so our lawns are now complete. The hedging surrounding the Ceremony area will be high and dense by next Summer making it entirely secluded for the ultimate, private outside Wedding Ceremony in the heart of the Surrey countryside.

And the countryside adjacent to Millbridge Court… well, its just stunning (see evidence below)

The tiles are now on the roof of the beautiful Arbour…

And the Boutique Hotel now has a gorgeous balcony for one of our seven bedrooms. Not only a lovely space to relax prior to and post Wedding celebrations but a wonderful vantage point for a photographer for that all important group photo.

And finally, here is a dramatic shot of our patio and grounds from the inside of Millbridge Court. As you can see, come rain or shine the bi-folding doors are such a wonderful asset; bringing the outside, inside.

I’m afraid until the preview, that’s all folks… It’s been a long 8 months of construction and we are now only 8 days away from the #millbridgecourtpreview. I cannot wait for everyone to see Millbridge Court come to life!

Completion is so very close and yet more drastic changes have taken place over the past seven days.

The grounds have been progressing wonderfully at both the front and back of the Millbridge Court site in the heart of Frensham. The car park is being graveled throughout today and will be completed tomorrow creating a beautiful finish to the large front area where we will be able to fit 50 car’s on the day of a Millbridge Court Wedding. We are now just awaiting our gorgeous laurel hedging to be planted around the edge of the parking area to complete the front entrance.

In our Outside Ceremony area, turf has been put down from the fencing at the outer reaches of the Millbridge Court site to the surrounding hedging at the top of our aisle… all we are missing are some of our gorgeous chiavari chars, a Bride, a Groom, a bundle of happy guests and we’re ready!!

I also thought I’d take a picture of the extra guests we had today in the adjacent field to our Outside Ceremony area… The cows! Personally, I think they’ll be a fantastic asset to an outdoor Wedding in the Surrey countryside, so here’s to hoping it’s a permanent feature.

As you can see from the below photo looking up towards our Dining & Ceremony Halls, we just have a small amount of turfing to do before the grounds are finished and completely covered in luscious green grass ready for as many al fresco drinks receptions as the English weather will allow us to have.

Moving inside, I wanted to give you all another look at the Dining Hall which this week has had the walls finished, the up lighting put in, the wooden floor has had it’s final coat of varnish and it’s looking breathtaking! Just out of shot we have nine dimmers ready to set all lighting to whatever level of brightness or dimness happy couples would like at different stages of the celebrations.

Stay tuned for photos of our evening reception bar which is being installed next week, leaving our ceremony hall completed, as well as photos of the finished car park area and much more!

Completion is so very close and yet more drastic changes have taken place over the past seven days.

The grounds have been progressing wonderfully at both the front and back of the Millbridge Court site in the heart ofFrensham. The car park is being graveled throughout today and will be completed tomorrow creating a beautiful finish to the large front area where we will be able to fit 50 car’s on the day of a Millbridge Court Wedding. We are now just awaiting our gorgeous laurel hedging to be planted around the edge of the parking area to complete the front entrance.

 

In our Outside Ceremony area, turf has been put down from the fencing at the outer reaches of the Millbridge Court site to the surrounding hedging at the top of our aisle… all we are missing are some of our gorgeous chiavari chars, a Bride, Groom and guests and we’re ready!!

 

I also thought I’d take a picture of the extra guests we had today in the adjacent field to our Outside Ceremony area… The cows! Personally, I think they’ll be a fantastic asset to an outdoor Wedding in the Surrey countryside, so here’s to hoping it’s a permanent feature.

 

As you can see from the below photo looking up towards our Dining & Ceremony Halls, we just have a small amount of turfing to do before the grounds are finished and completely covered in luscious green grass ready for as many al fresco drinks receptions as the English weather will allow us to have.

 

Moving inside, I wanted to give you all another look at the Dining Hall which this week has had the walls finished, the up lighting put in, the wooden floor has had it’s final coat of varnish and it’s looking breathtaking! Just out of shot we have nine dimmers ready to set all lighting to whatever level of brightness or dimness happy couples would like at different stages of the celebrations.

 

Stay tuned for photos of our Venue bar which is being installed next week, leaving our ceremony hall completed, as well as photos of the finished car park area and much more!

This week’s progress has been so exciting to watch; visually the Millbridge Court interiors have been coming on leaps and bounds, so here’s a few snaps to keep you updated.

Let me start with our gorgeous Ceremony Hall. All internal and external structural scaffolding is down making it very easy to appreciate the sheer height and grandeur of the room. Having been on site at dusk at the end of the week I was astounded at how much natural light was flooding in through the glass wall, it looked simply magical and will be the perfect light for a first dance for those Summer Weddings and Ceremonies in those Winter months. As you can see, excitingly the gorgeous wood floor is down, all we need are some chandeliers, and skirting boards and we’re almost ready for a stunning Millbridge Court Wedding Ceremony.

The Dining Hall, similar to that of the Ceremony Hall, has had the internal scaffold removed and the wooden floor has been put down over the weekend. The wall lights have also been put up and will add a great soft lighting option for Wedding Breakfasts throughout the year.

Although the Dining Hall has always looked large throughout the building process and with a capacity of 150 it always needed to be a very big space, the size of the room now that the structure is completed really does take my breath away every time I see it. The beams add such an amazing amount of drama to the room and manage to add traditional barn qualities to an otherwise contemporary space.

This week, we had the arrival of our bi-folding doors and they are well worth the wait. With one glass door able to open and close individually and the other 3 panels folding away completely it really does bring the outside in and when pulled back, makes Millbridge Court feel like it’s open sided. The slate patio has also been put down and will extend to the lawns; in the milder months it will be filled with gorgeous outside seating areas creating the perfect central location for an outdoor drinks reception.

Now, with the final photos I just wanted to show you all how breathtaking Millbridge Court looks from underneath the Arbour. Even from that distance, the inside of the Dining Hall and Ceremony Hall are visible and I can’t wait to see them both full of Wedding guests having the most wonderful celebrations.

And it only seemed right to show you the view of the beautiful Surrey Countryside behind the Arbour. The most magical backdrop for an outside ceremony or on those chillier days, for some couples photos under the hand made and loving crafted structure.

Another week gone and another week of exciting progress on the Millbridge Court site. As always, here’s a taster of what those changes look like…

And they’re looking amazingly green! The landscape gardeners have been working tirelessly leveling the grounds with fresh soil, planting photonia hedging, beautiful hydrangeas, acer trees and much, much more.  And on Friday they laid down lots of luscious green turf… Doesn’t it look fantastic?  Now all this picture is missing is a fabulous Kalm Kitchen Drinks station and lots of lovely Wedding guests… But I’ll hold that thought until our first wonderful Wedding next year.

The Outside Ceremony area has also progressed once again with the making of the aisle. The slate tiles have been put underneath the Arbour and then extend down the length of the Ceremony space creating the perfect entrance for all of those beautiful Bride’s lucky enough to have the sun shine on their Wedding day at Millbridge Court.  Soil has also been put down and leveled in preparation for the turf to be laid on Monday.

 

The final windows were put in place last week and so the scaffolding has been removed completely from both the Ceremony and Dining Hall. It’s so amazing to be able to fully appreciate the vast expanse of glass that we have here at Millbridge Court. The scale is truly phenomenal! In those daylight hours, guests can appreciate the gorgeous Surrey surroundings without even having to step outside and in hours of darkness, the chandeliers, the up lighting running along the floor, the candle light and fairy lights will reflect back inward making the evening celebrations, and in those winter months, the Dining, even more magical.

 

Another exciting week has flown past and with my inside knowledge on whats in store, I can’t wait to show you the changes that this week will bring… Stay tuned.

Another exciting week has flown by in Frensham, Surrey and we are now another week closer to completion…

The front of the Millbridge Court Boutique Hotel has really come on leaps and bounds over the past seven days. All of the original features have been lovingly restored as you can see from the exposed brickwork in the photograph below, and the beams above the doorway. Almost all of the walls have had their final coat of paint and the beautiful wooden floor has been laid down throughout the Hotel ground floor, extending in to the private dining room.  Excitingly, it’s now just a few weeks away from being fully furnished!

And… in other very important news, we now have electricity throughout the Hotel!

Moving towards the exterior of Millbridge Court, the dark wood cladding on the connecting building between the Boutique Hotel and the Barn has been completed, and as you can see from Barry, the painter in the right hand side of the photo below, he is so ecstatic about this, he’s even dancing on his ladder!

The landscapers arrived in force this past week and have started to work wonders with what will be our beautiful lawns leading out from the Ceremony Hall and Dining Hall. Specifically, they have begun planting stunning Fertinia Red Robin hedging around the Outside Ceremony Area so that it will by next week be completely enclosed and private. The wooden pergola which marks the top of the Outside Ceremony aisle has also been put in place and will no doubt be the perfect feature for lots of lovely florists to decorate and style throughout the Summer months.

The rate in which Millbridge Court is progressing is really amazing and the builder’s, decorators, painters, electricians and landscapers are all working tirelessly throughout the week and weekend to make sure they reach the deadline nearer the end of this month. Stay tuned for next weeks changes!

So, it’s been another amazingly busy week on the ever-changing Millbridge Court site and the big news is (drum roll please) we have windows and doors!!! The glass doors in the Ceremony Room, connecting corridor and the Dining Hall arrived late last week and as planned, they are letting in a tonne of natural light…

 

The glass walls were also being constructed this weekend (5 days later than planned thanks to the not so Summery weather we’ve had over the past week) and I managed to snap them in action in between viewings on Saturday…

 

At the other end of the Millbridge Court site, the porch has been put over the front entrance and is being tiled. It’s also amazing to see how carefully and intricately the original brickwork has been restored on the front of the Hotel. Having previously been covered with white paint, it has taken six months of stripping and repointing and all of the hard work has definitely paid off!

Now, here’s a quick sneak peek of the changes going on inside. The private Dining Room in the Hotel has been given a base coat of paint ready to be decorated this coming week. With a stunning wooden dining table running down the middle of the room it’ll be the perfect communal space to have breakfast the morning after the big day with family and friends, or perhaps a private dinner the night before?  Exclusive use at it’s finest.

And the alcove in the Hotel entrance has had the windows fitted and the floor cleared ready for the beautifully rustic wooden floorboards to be laid down this evening (oh yes, the hard working builders are working in to the evening, even on a Sunday).

 

And I’m afraid that’s all for this week’s sneak peak’s, folks. So much is in store over the next 7 days so stay tuned for next weeks update!