Tag: barn wedding surrey
Married at Millbridge – R&F
Rachel and Fiyin’s Spring wedding day was so full of love and laughter! Surrounded by family and friends, they created so many beautiful memories that will be cherished forever.
We caught up with them to relive their special day and give you a glimpse into just how much fun was had, from those loud “Yam Seng” to the incredible traditional wedding attires…
How did you meet and what’s the proposal story?
We met for the first time through mutual friends who invited a bunch of us to a pizza night in Shoreditch. We didn’t actually speak after that until the same friends invited us to a karaoke event, they hosted a year later. Honestly, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be together!
The proposal happened on our bucket list trip to Iceland. We had just polished off dinner at a restaurant in Reykjavik and before heading back to the hotel we decided to go for a walk around the stunning Harpan concert hall to take some pictures. It was at this time that Fiyin, being the opportunist that he is, decided to get down on one knee and propose!
Why did you choose Millbridge Court?
Initially we didn’t really have an idea of what kind of wedding we wanted, but we came across Millbridge Court online and were really impressed by the aesthetic and how it seemed both modern and classic at the same time. The location also suited us well as we were London-based and wanted it to be easily accessible for our friends and family, but at the same time it was remote enough to feel like a countryside escape. With Rachel being a passionate foodie, the catering was also something that caught our eye from the get-go with impressive menu options offered by Kalm Kitchen.
Ultimately, we are so glad that we went with Millbridge given that from the moment we reached out, they had been really responsive, personable and eager to help which meant a great deal to us, especially throughout the planning process.
What did you love about having a Spring wedding?
Having a Spring wedding was one thing we were set on from the start of the planning process. It’s that time of year when the skies start to get brighter, but it doesn’t get overwhelmingly hot during the day and the sun sets later in the evening. Of course, with Spring comes the blossoming of nature and wildlife, and there was just something so beautiful about the symbolism of new beginnings at springtime which made the idea of having a spring wedding all the more special.
Tell us more about your suppliers and why you chose them.
We chose Philipa Day as our florist as we loved her organic style using a combination of flowers and colours that perfectly suited the fresh spring theme we were going for.
From the moment we came across Emma Jane Lewis’ portfolio online, we knew that we wanted her to photograph our wedding. Her photos are romantic, candid, and editorial all at the same time and there were so many key moments throughout the day that we’ll always be able to look back on thanks to her.
Our decision to hire a photobooth was a pretty last minute call but might have been one of the best things we decided to do! Picture Blast provided a really easy booking experience and set up on the day without a hitch. Our guests loved taking photos with the fun accessories it came with – and the best part is, the photos were all saved digitally so it was very amusing looking through them all when the link was sent to us!
We made the conscious decision to get our friends and family involved in some parts of the day too. It made the day so much more meaningful knowing some of our nearest and dearest also had a part to play in our big day.
Were there any family traditions that featured in your day?
At the end of the meal, we went around to each table to toast our guests – a Chinese wedding tradition called ‘Yam Seng’ (equivalent meaning to ‘Cheers’ in Cantonese), Rachel’s dad encouraged everyone to raise their glasses and shout “Yam Seng” at the top of their lungs. It definitely brought plenty of laughter and even a little bit of competition between the tables as to who was the loudest!
Our first dance then featured the two of us in traditional Yoruba wedding attire which were custom made for us in Nigeria. We danced our way into the reception hall surrounded by friends and family before our Nigerian guests sprayed us with cash – talk about a grand entrance!
Tell us something that we wouldn’t know about your day from the pictures.
The food was absolutely incredible. It was one of the things our guests kept bringing up as a key highlight from the day; from the canapés to the bountiful sharing platters and the late-night snacks, it was all so delicious and beautifully plated. Hats off to the Kalm Kitchen team for doing such a fantastic job!
Favourite part of your wedding journey?
The day itself! The planning process was tough at times and there were days when we were both questioning “is this really worth all the stress?”, but when the day came, all of that faded away as we were surrounded by the ones we love and were reminded of what the day was really about.
Any words of wisdom for future couples?
Throw any expectations you have for the day out of the window and just focus on being present and making the most of it. Find five minutes for just the two of you together to take everything in and appreciate the moment. This might be the only time you’ll see all your loved ones under the same roof, and it flies by much quicker than you’d think!
Wedding Cake Inspiration from Scrumptious Bakes by Emma
Tell us a little bit about Scrumptious Bakes with Emma?
Scrumptious Bakes by Emma is based in Odiham, Hampshire. We specialise in beautiful, bespoke wedding cakes, macaron towers and macaron and personalised cookie wedding favours, all made with the finest organic, award-winning and sustainable ingredients.
Our contemporary classic aesthetic is imbued with subtle luxury and timeless style, and we are renowned for our exceptional ingredients and decadent touches.
Four generations of my family have been professional bakers and confectioners, and my mum is a former Michelin-starred chef. As a small child, I fell in love with baking in my grandma’s kitchen, and I take huge pleasure following in my family’s footsteps.
I started my business in June 2018, 16 months into recovery from a life-changing injury that damaged my sacroiliac joints, pelvis, lumbar spine, sacrum and coccyx. As I became stronger and could stand again, baking became a way for me to reconnect with my body, mind and soul. I have always found baking very mindful and easily lose myself in kneading soft dough or gently scooping and folding macaron batter.
Baking for family and friends initially gave me a sense of purpose; a clear, achievable goal and focus, which helped to relieve the trials of chronic pain and rehabilitation. It helped me to re-discover a sense of identity, to feel pride, to feel empowered. It rebuilt my self- confidence.
I found the concept of beginning my own business simultaneously exhilarating and challenging. Stimulating my mind was equally as important to my recovery as each physical step, and dreaming about my business, and how it would look and feel gave me hope and strength.
I am so proud of my business and all it has achieved so far. We have won several awards, and were recently invited by British Vogue to feature in their 2020 ‘Match Made In Vogue’ luxury wedding campaign. I am so excited to keep building on our success, and really looking forward to all that the future will bring.
What made you create these particular looks for your photoshoot and do you have a particular favourite or favourites?
I am inspired by so many different elements when designing centrepieces for our couples. These include: Seasonal, fresh produce; the beauty of the natural world and its tones, colour palettes and textures; the relaxed movement of soft foliage and the subtle beauty and natural cascade of flowers in bloom; and of course, most importantly, couples themselves and their stories.
Each wedding cake and macaron tower featured in the shoot celebrates our unique style; at once creative, unique, irresistibly elegant, mouth-wateringly delicious and thoughtfully designed.
Our contemporary classic aesthetic underpins each wedding cake and macaron tower. Traditional tiered wedding cakes for example have a modern feel with tiers of varying heights, carefully crafted from soft, light sponges and smooth, whipped buttercream, rather than fruit cake and sugar paste. Similarly, deliciously fragrant macarons, a French classic, are filled with indulgent Belgian white chocolate ganache and tower in a contemporary ombré cascade, perfectly complimented by soft, silk ribbon.
It is hard to choose a favourite design, but I love this organic three-tier Madagascan vanilla wedding cake, featured by British Vogue this October.
One of the ways to make your cake or macaron tower a true centrepiece is by extending its lines beyond where you would expect them to traditionally finish, encouraging the eye either higher or lower than it would usually look.
This design does this beautifully, with the delicate, soft ribbon by Eden Blooms adding a touch of subtle, contemporary elegance. By letting the ribbon drape delicately over the edge of the table, the long, tall lines of the cake are naturally elongated. It looks as striking, if not more so, from a distance, and works especially well as the width of the ribbon balances the height of the cake.
I also love the gently textured buttercream ruffles around the top of each sponge, the extra tall tiers, and the intriguing fresh flower cascade. It really is a design that captures the eye and draws you in, just like a piece of art, and I loved working with Hazel of Eden Blooms to bring it to life.
My other favourite design from the shoot is our Callebaut Belgian chocolate wedding cake. It is the perfect size for a smaller gathering of loved ones, and its combination of different height tiers is striking. I also love the contrast of the jewelled tones of its fresh flowers against the smooth chocolate buttercream finish, reflected beautifully by its gold mirror base; such a beautiful and simple way to elevate your cake. It also smelled absolutely amazing!
Tell us about the other suppliers that you collaborated with?
I loved working with Hazel Shaw of Eden Blooms and Anna and Simon Clarke of We Are // The Clarkes on the shoot.
Hazel is an extremely talented and experienced florist, and her Hampshire cutting garden is exceptionally beautiful, brimming with seasonal flowers and foliage. Hazel’s work is truly stunning, and I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Anna and Simon are based in Warwickshire, and produce creative, fun, joyful and honest images and films. Their relaxed approach and light, natural style was perfect for Scrumptious Bakes, and I love how evocative each of the images are. I very highly recommend them too.
We were also grateful to Just 4 Linen, whose beautiful linen and napkins helped to create the perfect backdrop for each shot.
Why was Millbridge Court your choice of location?
Millbridge Court is a truly beautiful space, filled with natural light. Its high-vaulted, airy halls with floor-to-ceiling windows and rustic wooden beams provide a stunning neutral backdrop, and the possibilities for styling are endless. Its picturesque surroundings, with lush, green fields, a wildflower meadow and a hidden fern garden create lots of opportunities for photos, and their warm service and can-do attitude echoes our own approach.
Finally, we love how their spaces are designed with current trends in mind whilst respecting the spirit of the past, in much the same way that our fresh and modern designs connect with our traditional baking heritage.
Thank you for hosting us Millbridge Court. We hope to see you soon!
… and here are more of Emma’s show-stopping Cakes captured by We Are The Clarkes on Shoot Day!
Autumn & Winter Wedding Days at Millbridge Court | A few Top Tips
We adore the Autumn & Winter months here at Millbridge Court; the crisp weather, the romantic lighting, the change in Colour Palettes, the unique styling details, there’s just so much to love. So with that in mind, we thought we would share just a few tips for those Couples who have booked, or are thinking of booking an Autumn or Winter Wedding Day and as ever, we’ve included some rather gorgeous imagery from recent Millbridge Court Wedding Days.
Tip 1. Embrace the Season with your floral design and Colour Palette.
(Top) Jonny MP Photography | Jenni Bloom Flowers, (Middle) Emmie Scott Photography | Michelle Geldhill, (Bottom) Catherine Carter Weddings | Hannah Berry Flowers
(Left) Catherine Carter Weddings | Hannah Berry Flowers; (Right) Jonny MP Photography | Jenni Bloom
(Both) The Springles | Meadowfolk
Tip 2. Offer a festive or seasonal drink to your Guests.
Cranberry Mimosa & our Gin Station captured by The Springles, Espresso Martini’s captured by Gin Fizz Photographic
Tip 3. With the daylight hours being shorter at this time of year, you can really make the most of the magical atmosphere that additional lighting and candlelight can create.
(Top Left) Kit Myers | Lavender Hill Company (Top Right) The Springles | Jenni Bloom Flowers (Bottom Left) The Springles | Creative Spark Services | Topiary Tree by Carrie Macey (Bottom Right) The Springles | Bubblegum Balloons
Tip 4. Offer a Menu that features warming dishes. Carve at the Table is always such a popular option throughout the Autumn and Winter months
(Top) Philippa Sian Photography (Bottom) RS Brown Photography
Tip 5. Beautiful Couples Shots happen all year round, so embrace the cold, even the rain or snow (!) & make the most of the gorgeous Winter light.
(Top) The Springles, (Middle) Diana V Photography (Bottom) Eleanor Joy Photography
(Left) Emmie Scott Photography, (Right) The Springles, (Bottom) DM Photography
Tip 6. Be sure to capture a magical photo under the festoon lights.
(Top) Jonny MP Photography (Bottom) DM Photography
Supplier Links:
The Topiary Tree by Carrie Macey