There are so many amazing wedding venues around Surrey, but for some couples there is nothing quite like celebrating at the family home. A marquee wedding offers the chance to set up your own space, embrace the outdoors and get every detail exactly the way you want it. Here are our top tips for making yours a big success…

Talk to the experts

One of the major factors in choosing a marquee wedding is that it puts you in complete control of your event. Not only is there huge scope to choose the size and design of your space, you can put it (almost) exactly where you choose. However, that does come with its own set of complications, so don’t under-estimate the work involved in bringing a marquee wedding to life. It’s really important to work with a company who will be able to talk you through all the details. A company such as Surrey-based Inside Outside Marquees will help you get to grips with the unglamorous details you may not have considered. Take for instance loos, electrics, water supplies, heating – all things that can easily get disregarded while you’re busy imagining the fun parts!

Say it with flowers

Think about the style of wedding you’re creating as that will dictate the type of structure you choose. For example, will it be fixed frame, open-sided, or even a giant tipi. Once you’ve decided that, and where you’ll locate it, the options are endless when it comes to designing the interior of your marquee. Linings, drapes, dressing and decorations, not to mention lighting, will all have an impact on the final mood you’ll create. Flowers add the finishing touch and can raise the bar from special to absolutely spectacular. Hanging foliage is a big trend right now. Alice at MeadowFolk Flowers told us, ‘By hanging foliage and flowers from the ceiling, you’re bringing the outside in, and creating a woodland canopy above the guests. Try stringing swags of foliage garlands around the sides of a marquee, hanging beams for foliage to cascade over, or use metal hoops to create a chandelier effect. It really does transform a reception room into a much more enchanting and romantic space.’

Fabulous food

Having your wedding in a marquee shouldn’t limit your options for catering at all. At Kalm Kitchen we can help you plan every part of the process involved in delivering exceptional food to your guests. We love using nature to its advantage when serving up food outdoors or under canvas. For summer weddings we can set up a whole host of beautiful grazing stations; from botanical-inspired edible gardens to patisserie bars, kebab stalls and tables stacked with summer treats. If you’re after something more formal, that’s also no problem. Fine dining can be achieved as long as you’re working with a professional catering company who know and understand all the logistics of bringing your most imaginative plans to life.

Great British weather

One of the biggest points for discussion when planning a marquee wedding is… the weather! Of course there’s nothing you can do about it if the heavens open, but it’s good to have contingency plans in place. Make sure you’ve set aside enough space that everyone can be under cover if needed, and that you’ve set up adequate access if the ground gets damp. Heating is a good idea to keep guests warm as the sun dips – even in the height of summer. And if you’re blessed with high temperatures make sure you have a way keeping your guests cool too.

If you’d like to talk to one of our team about planning your marquee wedding, call us on 01483 813360 or drop us a line at info@kalmkitchen.co.uk. Find out more about Inside Outside marquees, and download their handy marquee guide here.

Credits… Photography: (main image)… Anneli Marinovich {annelimarinovich.com/}. (Clockwise from top left)… 1 & 2. Anneli Marinovich {annelimarinovich.com/}. 3. Wild Weddings {www.wildweddings.co.uk/}. 4 & 5. Mary Anne Photography {maryanneweddings.com/}.

Are you dreaming of a wedding that sums up the spirit of the English countryside? Alice at MeadowFolk has made it her trademark to take all the charm and beauty that the UK has to offer, and capturing it in her stunning floral displays. Far more than just a traditional florist though, she has a passion for growing a wide range of her own flowers from seed. So, you end up with exactly the bouquet you’d imagined. We caught up with Alice to find out a little more about the inspiration behind her creations…

Q// How would you describe MeadowFolk’s signature style?

My floristry style is wild, natural, seasonal and British grown where possible, with me growing lots of the flowers myself. This  enables me to always include something a little unusual and unexpected, like Sweet Pea trails, unripe raspberries or alpine strawberries.

Q// What is trending right now in wedding floral design, and is there anything in particular that’s emerging as a new trend?

Hanging foliage, one hundred per cent. By hanging foliage and flowers from the ceiling, you’re bringing the outside in, and creating a woodland canopy above the guests. Be that by stringing swags of foliage garlands around thesides of a marquee, hanging planks, beams or ladders for foliage to cascade over, or by using metal hoops to create a chandelier effect. It really does transform a reception room into a much more enchanting and romantic space. An emerging trend I’ve noticed would be grooms and their squads veering away from traditional buttonholes and going for larger, more unusual floral décor. I created mini foliage hoops that the groomsmen wore on their lapels for a wedding last summer. The hoops symbolised eternal love, and they looked pretty cool too!

Q// What advice would you give to brides who are currently making the flower choices for their big day?

Picking an overall vibe that you want your wedding to achieve really helps narrow down flower choices for your big day. Bohemian Woodland – English Country Garden – Wildflower Meadow. They all conjure up completely different flowers in my mind that would best suited to their vibe. So, lead with that and ask your florist to suggest a few for you.

Q// And finally, what would be your ultimate bouquet to create? And what are your all-time favourite flowers?

I love creating big, blowsy bouquets, full of movement and containing unusual elements like rosehips, and seasonal beautiful blooms. I’d really love to create more foliage bouquets; there are so many textures, colours and scents that foliage can bring to the party. My all-time favourite flower? Too many to choose from! But a bouquet of apple blossom would be just dreamy. Cosmos, Scabious and Ranunculus are up at the top too. And scented garden roses of course – with Margaret Merril leading the way for her scent and glorious stamens!

To find out more about Alice, visit her website meadowfolk.co.uk/

The days of a cake being the only sweet centrepiece at a wedding celebration have long gone. Instead, we’re increasingly being asked to create spectacular dessert tables. This wonderful spread of sweet treats gives guests the opportunity to graze long into the night. And they look amazing too. Brides magazine has picked up on this trend, and features some of our creations on their website. Have a look here to see a couple of the spectaculars we created.

Gold Luxe

Some of our other highlights include this beautiful Autumnal-themed Gold Luxe Patisserie Bar for Kat and Angus’s wedding. The line-up included Banana Mess, Chocolate Mess and Blackberry and Blueberry Cheesecake. These mini marvels were decorated with gold leaf for a luxurious feel, while vivid purple hydrangeas and golden stands completed the opulent display.

Boutique Chic

Thily and Wain opted for an exotic-flavoured Patisserie Boutique at their celebrations at Fetcham Park. Laden with sweet treats and adorned with the prettiest pastel-toned flowers courtesy of Fairy Nuff, it achieved the luxurious wow factor that Thily and Wain had dreamed of. The display included Sparkling Elderflower Jelly, Mango & Raspberry Panna Cotta, and Coconut Tapioca and Papaya Tart.

Summer sensation

A dessert table is also a great opportunity to find new ways to present traditional concepts. What could sum up the British Summer more than our interactive Eton Mess stand featuring an array of meringues, ripe, scarlet-coloured fruits, cream, wildflower & elderflower jelly, pink rhubarb compote and honeycomb. A help-yourself display invites everyone to get up from the table, graze, get involved, and lose any sense of formality.

Do get in touch if you’d like to talk about how any of our dessert tables could be a beautiful part of your big day. Info@kalmkitchen.co.uk 01483 813360