Huntsmill Farm Weddings

Buckinghamshire stone barn wedding venue


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Find us! MK18 5ND
Give us a call on 01280 704852

The Shed at Huntsmill Farm

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I am so hugely excited to reveal our big secret…the Shed at Huntsmill Farm. This beauty is our brand new outdoor wedding structure! We’ve been wanting to hold licensed weddings outside for such a long time so we’re super happy we can now offer this second space as an option for your wedding day. The licence application is with the Buckinghamshire Registrars and we’re expecting the approval any day now. Its location is perfect for warm spring and summer weddings and it has incredible views of the Buckinghamshire countryside.

We wanted it to fit into the surroundings and not look out of place on the farm so we opted for a rustic style. We used reclaimed roof timbers from one of our old barns along with corrugated tin for the roof.

We’re in the process of adding a PA system with speakers and a microphone to make sure everyone can hear the ceremony. This will also allow you to play music as you walk down the aisle. Your guests will be sat on sturdy wooden benches and we’ve angled it so everyone fits in nicely.

The Shed was built over the winter so there’s little in the way of crops behind it in these images but in a few short months the view will look very different!

In the beginning

This is how we started. Getting the perfect angle was actually quite tricky and there were a fair few debates between ourselves and our amazing builders on what we should do.

We got there in the end though and it wasn’t long before the basic structure, which the builders built in our old stables barn, was in place.

The roof

Next up the roof was carefully added through some of the coldest winter days we had. By this stage it really started to take shape and you could begin to imagine what the finished structure was going to be like.

Barnaby especially enjoyed the process and having the builders around and tried to be in every photo I took of the shed!

The floor

Then came the snow and ice and things got a bit more tricky! Our heroic builders pushed on to start the floor and another debate ensued as to how high the floor should be. Not too high so guests can’t see properly and not too low so there’s still a sense of occasion. Willow also decided she’d like to join in the game of getting in all the photos!

Once the floor was finished the sides went up and the snow melted. The different textures look really fab together and there’s lots of places you can add decorations for your ceremony.

Finished!

We hope you love it as much as we do. It makes me smile when we walk past it, it’s like it has always been there. Not to be left out, Hazel got involded in the photobombing too!

Huge thanks to our builders Tom, Lewis and Ian for bringing our vision to life!

A quick round up of Huntsmill Farm 2020 styled shoots

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We’ve been lucky enough to have four inspirational wedding styled shoots here over the past year and I thought I’d do a quick round up so you can see all the beautiful creations the amazing teams came up with. Two have been published in top wedding blogs with two awaiting publication in 2021. I know you’ll love them as much as I do!

One

First up we have a delightfully elegant shoot organised by Kimberley Rose Designs and shot by Elsie Love Photography. This one was published on Bridal Musings and has a real ‘classic with a contemporary twist’ vibe.

I love the beautiful roses accompianed by blousy foliage used throughout by Forever Blossom to create an English country garden feel. The amazing ceremony backdrop along with the foliage running down the aisle makes it all feel gloriously abundant.

Yellow is my favourite colour so I absolutley adore the ribbon and roses that just pop of the page! The beautifully sophisticated stationery by White Cottage Wedding Stationery fits perfectly. The green envelopes and indulgent wax seal are just flawless! I could talk about this shoot all day but if you’d like to see more then you can find the full gallery on Bridal Musings.

Credits

Two

Next up we have something completely different! We challenged our own Wedding and Events Coordinator Emily to do her first styled wedding photoshoot for us and she absolutely rose to the occasion! This shoot was carried out in a covid-secure way during the summer and was such a joyful day. It was the perfect creative outlet for everyone after being stifled for so long by the goverment restrictions on weddings. This was also the first time our new rustic tables got their first outing!

Emily wanted to create a wedding that was bright and fun but also eco-friendly, using sustainable elements throughout. I think the team absolutely nailed the brief! The incredibly talented Sam Bennett (one of our preferred partners) photographed and filmed this with stunning results! Keep your eyes peeled for publication on the Festival Brides blog early in 2021.

This wedding shoot was a delight from start to finish! We were very lucky to have some Huntsmill favourites involved including flowers by Sorcha Herbert, hair and make-up by Niki Lawrence, stationery by Anna Jayne Designs and cake by Cherry Tree Cakerie. You can find them all on our preferred partners page.

Niki suggested using a coloured wig in line with Emily’s bright and bold theme with fabulous results. It really picks up the accent colours in the devine flowers which brings the whole look together.

The multi-talented Emily created an incredible macramé ceremony backdrop. Smaller pieces of macramé were dotted throughout the shoot to add a whimsical feel to the bold colours. Anna from Anna Jayne Designs echoed this element in her stationery. I love love love the lemon envelopes!

There are so many elements of this shoot which would be easy to recreate for your own wedding. The bold flowers, lemon place names and macramé pieces are all really easy ways to create a statement style. Watch out for a macramé ‘how to’ from Emily coming soon!

Credits

Three

Third up is a shoot that has just been published in Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. This boho-inspired outdoor styled shoot, the brainchild of Roshni Photography, has a fun, dreamy feel. Peachy hues, dried flowers and macramé elements (including Emily’s fab backdrop) set the perfect summer scene. The low table, cushions and rugs create a fun, relaxed vibe I am so onboard with!

Dried flowers are so big right now and The Thatched Florist perfectly illustrates exactly why in this shoot! The flower crown is fun, yet understated and so wearable for a real wedding.

These photos make me yearn for long balmy summer days. I love how warm and inviting this shoot is. Plus anything with a horse in always gets my vote!

Credits

Four

Lastly we snuck the final fabulous styled shoot in before BoJo got jiggy with the tier system in December and what a spectacular one to finish on! Gemma from Gemma Randall Photography and Victoria from Very Special Events bring together classic elements of white and pale blush to create a shoot that oozes elegance and style. The crisp clean styling against the pale stone of the barn walls is a look that is completely timeless and very easy to recreate for your own big day. I also really love a bow tie!

The paper cranes are just beautiful and make me want to grab a handful of paper and start folding. Such a clever idea to turn something very simple into a complete showstopper piece.

As this shoot is so recent I don’t have any publication details to share but I’m sure it will be snapped up straight away. As soon as I have the details I’ll add the link to the published blog so you can all see the full gallery.

Credits

Its always a privilege to host such creative, professional wedding suppliers and I can’t wait to see the styled shoots 2021 will bring us!

Elope to Huntsmill Farm

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Two blog posts in two weeks, I’m spoiling you! Today I’ve got something a little different for you. I’d like to announce a new option for getting married at Huntsmill Farm. If you’re so ready to get married but don’t want the pressure of a ‘big’ day then this might something for you. We have put together a simple elopement package which allows you to have the beautiful farm setting, an intimate ceremony and a luxurious stay all rolled into one. No fuss or frills, just love.

Some people are planners. They thrive on organising everything and really get into curating the perfect wedding. I was one of them – Pinterestaholic right here! For others though the thought of a big wedding with all the glitz, glam and planning that goes into it can be a bit overwhelming. This is where an elopement at Huntsmill Farm could be the option for you! We want to provide the perfect intimate wedding without the pressure.

What’s included?

So what would an elopement at Huntsmill Farm look like? The barn is available for your ceremony and any drinks you’d like afterwards. We can provide two witnesses or you can bring your own. Our gardens and grounds are yours for the duration of your stay so you can still get beautful photos of your day. You get the Old Dairy, our newly renovated honeymoon cottage, for one night, stocked with a bottle of chilled champagne. We have also curated a select list of suppliers who have created their own exclusive Huntsmill Farm elopement packages. To find out more visit click here.

If you think eloping might be for you then Hitched have published an amazing article all about it which you can find here. It details all the practicalities and legalities and deals with everything an elopement involves including things you might not have thought of.

New Rustic Tables

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Back in the summer whilst still in lockdown Henry and Louis started a little project to keep their brains ticking over and help them look forward to a time when weddings might begin again. They beavered away diligently and we now have some amazing rustic tables. Ta da! We’ve had the idea for a while now as when we’ve seen wooden tables against the stone walls of the barn they look so good and create a very different look to the round tables. At least something good came out of lockdown. They’re now all finished and we have 14 shiny new tables ready for use! They can seat up to 100 and come at no extra charge so you can choose to have either the round or rustic tables depending on your style and the look you want for the day.

With the help of the magic Roo Stain (who you can find on our preferred partners page) we had a little photo shoot to show you the various layouts you can opt for depending on the number of guests you have. They’ve even been road tested in a couple of actual weddings. I know, crazy talk right now! Below you’ll find set-ups for 55, 70 and 100 people. We’ve also arranged them for weddings of 30 and 15 so you can see what a Covid restricted layout might look like. We think they look ace!

55 people

  • 55 people
  • 55 people
  • 55 people
  • 55 people

70 people

  • 70 people
  • 70 people
  • 70 people

100 people

  • 100 people

30 people

  • 30 people
  • 30 people
  • 30 people

15 people

  • 15 people
  • 15 people

If those aren’t enough to wet your whistle then check out how lovely the rustic tables look in Becky Harley’s dreamy photography of a recent wedding here.

We hope you love them as much as we do! As always if you’ve got any questions then don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can find all our contact details here.

Top Tips – Eco-friendly wedding flowers

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I am so excited to be back on the Huntsmill blog and today I have a real treat for you! I have had the privilege to work with Lizzy from The Flower Story on a tropical themed styled shoot we did back in July 2019. Today she’s hear to talk to you all about how to have beautiful but more eco-friendly flowers at your wedding. She’s a true master of her craft so settle in and listen up!

Flowers are such an important part of a wedding. Not only are they beautiful and smell delicious but they work hard for you too. They can bring a colour scheme together and fill your ceremony room with life, movement and texture.  They also create memories  – the scent of a stunning garden rose will forever transport you back to your wedding day. Plus let’s face it, there is nothing like an arrangement of really good flowers (I admit it, as a florist and flower lover I might be a little biased here!)

Historically weddings and being eco-friendly haven’t gone hand in hand. However, times are changing fast and at The Flower Story sustainability, recycling, re-using and reducing are all very important aspects of the business and we always take time to chat through this with our clients.

If you are planning a wedding and you would like to have flowers but want to be more eco-friendly here are a few things you can think about.

Sourcing flowers

If you are conscious about air miles then British and locally grown flowers are a great option. British flowers are known for their quirky looks and beautiful scent. Each flower will be slightly different but it will be full of character!

British flowers are at their peak between April and September. So if you love an organic, natural look and your wedding falls in the right month ask your florist about using locally grown flowers in your arrangements.

Seasonality is an important consideration when exploring locally grown flowers. Joules from Willow and Thyme has written a great blog post about this here.

Alternatives to cut flowers

If you want to steer clear of cut flowers there are alternatives. Herbs, plants and trees are all beautiful and can be used at your wedding. Ceremony arches made out of birch trees surrounded by foxgloves, grasses and moss look beautiful and after your wedding they can be planted in your garden.

Small potted herbs and plants intertwined with ivy and votives look great dotted down long tables. After your wedding you can create a herb garden that will provide herbs for cooking for months after your big day.

Recycling

Think about the vessels you are using for your flowers. Try and avoid plastic and use glass vases, or even better recycled, glass vases. Don’t feel you have buy lots of new vases or tea light holders for your wedding. You can hire them (your florist will have plenty to choose from), borrow them from a friend or hunt down gorgeous second hand ones in charity shops. Or you can use jam jars or gin bottles. All of these make great vases and look beautiful when filled with flowers.

Single use plastics

Recent studies have shown how damaging floral foam is to the environment. For many years florists have used foam as a way to anchor flowers in arrangements using it in arches, table centres, urn arrangements – pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately it is a non biodegradable plastic which is full of carcinogenic chemicals. It’s pretty nasty stuff.

When you talk to your florist ask them how they are planning to make your stunning ceremony arch or statement urn. A good florist will have plenty of foam free alternatives up their sleeve. Perhaps it will be something as simple as chicken wire and water filled vessels. And not only does this give your arrangements a more natural look your flowers will be a lot happier sitting in water too.

Re-using

Think about what is going to happen to your flowers after your wedding. If you would like your guests to take flower posies home with them this may determine the type of table centres you have. Small hand tied bouquets dotted down your guest tables are easy to scoop out of their vases and give to your guests. Flower filled urns are easy to donate to flower lovers. Flower garlands wound round candelabras can be a little trickier!

And if you are having a statement flower arch or a flower filled milk churn ask your florist to pop all the flowers into buckets for you when they are taking them apart.

And lastly, when your flowers have done their thing don’t thrown them in landfill. Pop them in the compost bin, let them break down and then work them back into the soil.

If you’d like to talk to Lizzy from The Flower Story you can find all her details on our preferred partners page here.

Top tips – how to style an Autumnal Wedding?

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Photo: Anna ti Creates

Beautiful natural landscape, rustic and warm wedding colours and hearty autumnal flavours… it’s no wonder couples opt for an autumnal wedding! If you are planning a small gathering to say ‘I do’ this autumn we have plenty of autumnal wedding ideas for you!

Colour Scheme

We all start off with our colour scheme and what we will be working with during this beautiful season. Here is an example of some modern autumn colours which would work perfectly with the orange and yellow coloured leaves falling off the trees!

Image: Here Comes the Guide Blog
Photo: Hannah Hall, Styling: Beau Bright Events, Flowers: Florae Foray

Bridesmaid and Groomsmen

If your wedding is in a cooler location you may want to pick a heavier fabric for your bridesmaid dresses or have an entourage wearing pashminas or fur over coats to keep the chill at bay. The men can also bring in the style with vintage suits, dark polished brown shoes or walking canes with a floral inspired accessory.

Photo: Hannah Hall, Suit: Vintage Suit Hire, Flowers: Florae Foray

Wedding Flowers

If you are planning a seasonal wedding, then you will have some amazing choices of blooms at this time of the year. You can treat yourself to Cosmos, Zinnias, Snapdragons, Delphiniums, Dahlias, Amaranthus, Echinacea, Roses, Amaranth, Poppies, Sunflowers, Feverfew (which are part of the daisy family) Scabious and Chocolate Cosmos (which is an amazing deep red colour) and decorate them with Ammi, Verbena (beautiful deep purple), Ivy, Flowering Mint and Lavender (for an amazing scent), Acorns, Rosehips, Thistles, Dusty Miller, Crab apples, Feathers, Autumn Leaves and Chinese Lanterns.

Photo: Hannah Hall, Flowers: Florae Foray, Dress: Viviem Bellish Bridal

There are so many more amazing varieties to choose and mix together to create a wonderful flower display or bouquet.

Wedding cake trends

At this time of the year it’s a great excuse to take on a More rustic style cake, with drizzles of ganache or caramel down the side, “rough” buttercream icing now known as a naked cake! These look stunning decorated with lots of season fruits and flowers. If you are wanting to stick more to your theme and incorporate an autumnal touch, you can create something amazing just like Cherry Tree Cakery did to this inspirational cake! At this wedding the florist used orange and dark pink flowers with deep green foliage and dark red berries all displayed on wooden hanging beams and wall displays. We think this cake really hit the brief along with the rest of the theme!

Photo: Hannah Hall, Cake: Cherry Tree Cakerie

Reference: Wedding Venue

Top Tips – How to style a smaller gathering?

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By, Little Orchard Vintage Hire.
Photo by: Sally Masson

So far 2020 has forced all of us into rewriting rules and traditions arounds weddings and events. So often I hear my couples who have had to reschedule their nuptials asking how they can create intimate weddings that still feel personal to them once guidelines allow receptions to resume for small numbers.

Intimate weddings can be just as relevant and even more personal with just a little intentional tweaking and makes for an even more personalised experience for you and your guests. Small gestures can make big differences and you can find your day ends up leaving even more indelible memories as they’re so unique in some rewritten traditions you’d have been unable to focus on in ‘the good old days!’

Photo by: Chloe Ely

If you’ve chosen a venue like Huntsmill Farm you can now comfortably accommodate your entire wedding party onsite, as opposed to guests travelling far and wide to join you, which makes for a much more personal event, and is a wonderful way to ensure the celebrations are extra magical.

Creative occasional seating around your venue (whether it be outdoors or inside) is often a luxury that space doesn’t afford, however to create intimacy within your venue if your head count is reduced, consider styling it with small lounge areas designed to evoke either an informal boho area with bamboo furniture and floor cushions, or a formal drawing room with velvet chairs, rugs, and side tables. This can be created with socially distanced spacing – without the need for yellow and black chevron tape on the floor, or catching up with loved ones at an awkward distance around the bar. You can feel your hosting your nearest and dearest from the comfort of your own home. Draw on the surroundings of the venue by cohesively including the style and colour scheme of your day by adding touches such as small bud vases of blooms from your florist on side tables, beautifully coloured tapered candles, arrangements of scatter cushions that reflect the general style of your day. Meaningful luxury is key to achieving quality without quantity!

Photo: Chloe Ely

Your budget can be proportioned greater per head and it doesn’t need to be in ways that break the bank. Personalisation can continue with hand calligraphy on custom name place boxes your guests can keep or use something other than paper. Fill the space with props that truly reflect you both, your story, your adventures, hobbies, family heirlooms or career choices. U shape seating for dining is also a way of bringing everyone together socially, and have you considered a ‘sweetheart’ top table for two? Enjoy your first meal together as a married couple, without feeling your traditional top table suddenly accounts for a third of your entire guest list leaving the room feeling suddenly very bare.

Rather than working around the constraints of social distancing when walking down the aisle (which comes up a lot as a frustration these days) take the opportunity for these unprecedented times to kick off your traditional heels, and be unique! Who is to say your partner can’t be the one who enters last and greets you and your father (or whoever has been given the honour of giving you away) at the alter? Rules are being rewritten by the day this year – be empowered to rewrite some of your own plans and feel proud that you embraced the opportunity to be unique!

Good luck and embrace the new!

Nickie x

Top Tips – Huntsmill and the surrounding area

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We are really lucky to be surrounded by some amazing landscape here at Huntsmill. But not only this, on our doorstep we have some great places to visit so you can really get involved with the local countryside and what it has to offer. Down the road we have country manor houses, national trust gardens, picturesque villages and beautiful walks. So we have put together some of our favourite places to visit whilst you are staying with us:

Photo: National Trust – Georgian Landscape Gardens and Park

Stowe

Just 5 mins down the road is the beautiful village of Stowe. Here you will find a National Trust Georgian landscape garden and park with perfect views, winding paths and lakeside walks. These gardens are full of hidden meanings and were created as an earthly paradise. When you arrive at the park you will be greeted with a fusion of modern and restored eighteenth-century buildings where visitors of the past were welcomed to Stowe. The sheer size and space is perfect for those who love the outdoors or enjoy walking.

Whilst here in Stowe you can also visit ‘Stowe House’. With over 300 years of history there is something for everyone. You can book full story tours, browse David Wynne magnificent collection of maquettes on display, or just explore a small taste with a history tour.

Brackley

Photo: Evenley Wood Gardens

Brackley is little historic market town just on the borders of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Here there are lots of food and drink establishments to choose from such as, pubs, cafes and farm shops serving a variety of homemade goodies. The town also offers a few independent boutique shops to browse at your leisure. But if you’re looking for somewhere to walk we would recommend heading too Evenley Wood Gardens where you can enjoy a peaceful stroll and discover 60 acres of Northampshire woodlands. You can follow a network of paths through the beautiful woods where you will find colourful oak and maple trees.

Evenley Village

Photo: Evenley Parish

Evenley village is somewhere we like to send our couples for a delicious pub dinner at the local Red Lion pub. The parish of Evenley is one of the prettiest in the county and one the locals are all very proud of. Evenley still retains an old world charm while moving into the twenty first century. 

Waddesdon Manor

Photo: Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon was purchased in 1974. Since this time members of the Rothchild family have taken it in turns to enhance and nurture the aesthetics and conservational value of the estate. The family have made their mark on the landscape, from Baron Ferdinand and Miss Alice’s extensive planting and landscaping, to James de Rothschild’s golf course and stud, which still thrives today. More recently, Lord Rothschild and his daughter Beth have recreated major features, such as the Millennium Avenue of trees linking the Manor and Upper Winchendon. They host a number of different experiences at the estate from, food markets, Christmas fairs, walks and talks, open air cinema, school events, behind the scenes tours and arts and treasury exhibitions. If you don’t fancy booking on to any of the offerings you can also just enjoy a beautiful dog walk around the grounds.

Photo: Waddesdon Grounds

Sulgrave Manor and Gardens

Photo: Sulgrave Manor

Sulgrave Manor is home to an accredited museum collection and is open to the public during their open season from April to September. Within the manor they share stories about Sulgrave Manor and its owners. They offer experiences such as, Mayflower 400 tour, Haunted experience and Murder mystery. If you’re looking for some real spooky history then this place is definitely worth a visit. 

Bicester Village

Photo: Bicester Village

If you feel like you want to treat yourself with some new designer clothes, Bicester village is a brilliant open air shopping experience where you can find outlet designer clothes at brilliant prices. You can download their app which allows you to plan your boutique list in advance if you are looking for something specific and do not want to just browse the shops.

We love advising our couples when they come and stay for a weekend wedding on different experiences in and around the area so we hope these tips help!

Please be aware that due to Covid 19 some of these places are currently closed.

If you would like to see more of Huntsmill Farm you can watch our Virtual Viewing with our lovely wedding coordinator Emily.

Meet our team – Claire

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Everyone I’d like you to meet Claire! She has worked at Huntsmill for 5 years. She started working as a self – employed cleaner once her son started pre-school and at the same time, she re-trained as a bookkeeper – this is where her role at Huntsmill developed. Claire now works as the Facilities and Administrator Coordinator, her daily routine involves bookkeeping, accounts, accommodation bookings and administration and she also manages the maintenance and cleaning of all the accommodation. Claire is a huge part of our team making sure all the cottages are kept beautifully clean and maintained for all of our lovely guests! Claire enjoys the great outdoors, she loves walking, running and spending time with her nearest and dearest her family and friends. What you might not know about Claire is she hates Zombie movies… which is a good thing they are not real!  

Let’s get personal!

Tell us about yourself

Hey my name is Claire, and I live down the road from Huntsmill Farm in Brackley. I have known everyone at here for 5 years now and I have enjoyed every min! My favourite part of starting my day at work is driving into the farm with the landscape and the picturesque courtyard, its beautiful rain or shine!

What is your favourite cuisine?

Anything Mediterranean, but my all-time favourite dish is Paella.

What are your favourite flowers?

Lilies, but roses in a bouquet.

What are your pet peeves?

Rudeness and others inability to put lids on jars/ bottles!

If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be?

A Koala – I like to eat and sleep.

What’s your drink of choice?

Rhubarb Gin and Ginger Ale.

If you could choose one karaoke song what would it be?

Any Abba song.

Let’s talk weddings!

What is your favourite part about working at Huntsmill Farm?

The welcoming, relaxed atmosphere.

What are your favourite features at Huntsmill which you enjoy at work every day?

Driving into the picturesque courtyard at the start of work – all the stresses of my morning routine fade away.  The farm landscape is also a feature I love! It’s beautiful, rain or shine!

What are your top three tips to couples planning their wedding?

  1.  Get organised!  If like me, organisation is not your top skill, there is help out there. There are some great wedding planner apps available. Huntsmill Farm also offer a wedding planning list to set you on your way. 
  2. When planning your wedding, stick to ideas that you and your ‘spouse to be’ love, it’s all about you two!
  3. Relax – don’t pre- stress about what might not go to plan on your wedding day.  The Huntsmill team are very good at looking after you, plus wedding guests are so wrapped up in the atmosphere they tend not to notice little occurrences.

What is a common enquiry from bride and grooms when booking the accommodation?

The most common enquiry regarding accommodation is which cottage is most suitable for getting ready in? 

Answer – Blacksmiths Cottage for size, perfect for a large entourage and Stables Cottage for the amazing view.

What are your top tips when making the honeymoon accommodation comfy and romantic?

All our cottages are designed with our guests in mind, to have a comfy and restful stay. Our honeymoon cottage is very luxurious, it boasts a pink roll top bath in the bedroom and a wood burner in the lounge to cosy up to.

My top tips would be to make sure honeymoon accommodation is comfortable and equipped, ready for the newlyweds to move in and relax after a busy day of celebrating.  

What’s your favourite part about working in the wedding industry?

Weddings are a very positive experience and it is nice to be part of it.

If you were getting married now what would your wedding day look like?

My partner and I married in November 2001, early 2000’s weddings were very minimal and sparkly, so I would head down a different path and go for full-on Boho, colourful flowers and lots of lighting accessories.

Which wedding has been your favourite so far, from colour scheme, flowers and props?

I love all the wedding themes so far, but my favourite has to be ‘Boho Chic.’  I also think the hanging flower installations hung from the barn beams is an amazing styling feature.  

Why do you think couples should choose Huntsmill Farm?

The wedding barn, accommodation and surroundings are stunning, that coupled with the care taken by the Huntsmill team to ensure your wedding day is super special, is something I can whole heartedly recommend. 

You can book a viewing at Huntsmill Farm here, or have a browse of our Instagram page.

Top tips – how to choose your wedding guest list

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Photo: Nikki Moments

Compiling your wedding guest list is probably one of the first things you’ll do when you start Planning your wedding. It will affect your choice of venue, and how you allocate your budget. For some couples this is a fun easy process, but for others it’s not so easy. There is no simple way to list out your nearest and dearest, but it is always important to write down three different guest lists so you can work together on who you both really want there and who you can think about later if your venue allows for the space. We have put together a small guide which may help you put your lists together.

We don’t like the idea of the A, B and C lists, so we would suggest keeping it simple with ‘list 1, 2 and 3’ or even ‘Green, Yellow and Red (maybe change Red to Orange!)’. Of course, who you invite to your wedding is personal and everyone’s network of friends and family are completely different. You may have a large family but a small friendship group, your aunties may feel like second mums and your cousins like siblings so creating some structure to your lists may really help.

Photo: Jane Morgan

Green List: The Guests you need to invite to your wedding.

These are the people you can’t imagine getting married without or even the people you must invite – your desert island disc of wedding guests. This might be a handful of people, for some it might be 50! The best way to tackle this is to sit down with your other half and ask yourselves, “if I was to get married tomorrow, who would you want there”?

  • Parents
  • Siblings
  • Your own children
  • Closest friends

Yellow List: The guests you really want to invite to your wedding.

This list is normally an extension of list 1. These people are the special people you would like to invite, but if they can’t make it last minuet it wouldn’t ruin your day.

  • Grandparents
  • Nieces and Nephews
  • Closest Aunties and Uncles
  • Your wider circle of pals

Orange List: The guests you want invite to your wedding if your venue and budget allows.

This is where it can get difficult. These are guests you’d really like to have along at your wedding or would be difficult not to invite. But when it comes down to the number of bums on seats you are allowed at your venue and your budgetary restraints or even if you’re looking for a small intimate occasion then at some point the list has to come to an end.

  • Your wider circle of Aunties and Uncles
  • All your Cousins
  • New relationships you have developed
  • Your closest work pals
  • School friends or old friends you haven’t seen in ages
  • Travel buddies

Bonus List: The guests you might feel obliged to invite to your wedding.

Depending on the kind of wedding you are having, or even who is paying for it! This selection of guests may make the cut or not. Sometimes, if your parents are paying for the wedding, they may like to have a number of guests they would like to ask along. But when it comes to feeling obliged to invite your PT, Boss or a friend of a friend who you met at a dinner party – that’s when it’s time to hit the brakes.

  • The neighbours
  • Friends of your parents
  • Children of guests
  • People who invited you to their wedding
  • All your work colleagues
  • Everyone at the gym or golf club

Top tips to making your wedding guest list:

  • The Knot have designed an alternative wedding guest list manager which is hassle free. This online spreadsheet helps you easily export your guest list to create a seating chart and track any rsvp’s or dietary requirements and one you can easily access on your mobile.
  • It is important to remember that the more guests you take on, the more organising you have to do. So it’s important to remember, less guests less work for you.
  • When inviting people who you spend time with (such as your football team mates or book club friends) It’s important to give them a plus one on their invite as they will not know anyone else at the wedding.
  • Having children at your wedding will be lovely and bring lots of fun to the day, it is important to remember what they may need if you are going to include them. Early tea organised for them on a kids table and area where they can play freely and safely. If you are not going to include children then give lots of notice to the parents so they can arrange alternative childcare. The exception to the rule is for guests with newborns and breastfeeding babies, it is important to invite the mother and the baby even if you are not having children at your wedding.
  • Always include the names of the people invited on the invite and the response cards so there is no confusion to who is included on the wedding day. It’s a common problem where the whole household thinks they are invited and then you have to try and squeeze more in without planned.
  • Any guests which you couldn’t include on the day, you can always try and include in the evening. The afters are a magical escape clause that allows you to have every cousin, old school pal or great great aunt along for a boogie and a slice of cake.
Photo: Hannah Hall

Reference: One Fab Day

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