Thinking about holding a barn wedding? Surrey is blessed with many brilliant venues, and Kalm Kitchen is lucky to have links to some of the best. We asked three of our favourites to share their top tips and latest news…

Gate Street Barn

Q// Tell us a bit about your venue

We are a Green Oak Barn that seats up to 150 guests and up to 200 in the evening. The venue is completely exclusive use with luxury onsite accommodation. The countryside setting, flexibility & small family business makes it a very personal service. We have our lovely Pedigree herd of Longhorns in the field adding to the character of the Barn.

Q// What’s the secret to hosting the perfect barn wedding?

Keep it simple and pick suppliers you can trust to do a great job. Don’t be tempted to micro-manage on the day and enjoy it to the full!

Q// What are some of the most effective styling touches you’ve seen that can add maximum impact to a barn wedding?

We love fairy lights at Gate Street Barn – you can never have enough! Dressing the chandeliers in the main Barn always looks wonderful. Rustic props always look great alongside a Kalm Kitchen Patisserie Bar.

Q// What have you got going on at Gate Street Barn at the moment?

We are getting ready for the busy Summer period with freshly painted exterior windows. The gardens are looking beautiful, and we have come into the 21st century finally with our new, high-speed ethernet internet!  We have also recently introduced packages to the venue and lots of offers for remaining 2019 dates.

Find out more at www.gatestreetbarn.com/

Millbridge Court

Q// Tell us a bit about your venue

Millbridge Court is a restored 19th century house in the heart of the Surrey countryside with two purpose built stylish, modern barns available for exclusive hire. With magnificent oak beams, high ceilings and windows, which span the height of the walls, the barns are flooded with natural light and have stunning views across the quintessentially English garden. Celebrations are extended with the use of our eight boutique bedrooms, not forgetting The Hideaway which has been named one of the best UK Bridal suites by You & Your Wedding.

Q// What’s the secret to hosting the perfect barn wedding?

The secret to hosting the perfect barn wedding is to complement the character with your own style. Whether your barn is traditional dark brick or like us a light, airy space, ensure that you inject your personality to make it your own. Think about the heating too. Our ceremony space has both underfloor heating and air-conditioning, which is ideal for all weather. Nothing worse than attending a barn wedding and being chilly. The high ceilings can sometimes make the area hard to control with temperature, so do prepare for this.

Q// What are some of the most effective styling touches you’ve seen that can add maximum impact to a barn wedding?

Barns make for a gorgeous setting for a wedding due to their character. At Millbridge, we have the perfect balance, of style vs character. The barns are neutral with the clean lines, but still encapsulate that hint of traditional charm with the vaulted ceiling and beams. We have the added element of wooden shelves with pegs underneath in both barns. The ways that couples have decorated these are incredible, whether it’s layers of trailing foliage – or, very recently we had a bespoke piece designed for the couple, which was fantastic. The structure was a wooden hanging frame with flowers placed in test tubes dotted throughout in spring colours.

Q// What have you got going on at Millbridge Court at the moment?

We have two Saturdays remaining for 2019: Saturday 14th September and Saturday 21st December. So if you are looking to get married this year get in touch! Also we can finally reveal that we have been busy planning a new addition for Millbridge called The Lodge, which increases our guest bedrooms and comes complete with an upstairs den. The Den is another preparation area for the wedding party to use to get ready and relax before the big moment. This is also a great way to ensure the couple remain separate on the morning leading up to the ceremony, keeping that element of tradition if required.

Find out more at www.millbridgecourt.co.uk/

Micklefield Hall

Q// Tell us a bit about your venue

Micklefield Hall’s private elegant Georgian house, designed by Sir John Slone, stands in a fine parkland setting, only 25 miles from central London. The recently renovated Grade-II listed Great Barn is truly unique. Every wedding at Micklefield Hall is tailor-made to suit your requirements, and the venue and grounds are yours for the whole day. Quirky features include a cloistered walkway, garden room with an open log fire and a French fountain. These are what make The Great Barn at Micklefield a genuinely unique venue, and the perfect setting for your wedding.

Q// What’s the secret to hosting the perfect barn wedding?

Be prepared, and attention to detail. We ensure that all staff and suppliers care as much as the Micklefield Hall team do. That ethos dictates who we employ and who is on our approved supplier list.

Q// What are some of the most effective styling touches you’ve seen that can add maximum impact to a barn wedding?

The best thing about the barn is that you don’t have to do too much decoration, so keep it simple! The beauty is in the oak – some of which dates back to 1490. Nice table linen, china and glassware, simple flowers and candles are all you need to enhance the natural beauty of the barn for it to look stunning.

Q// What have you got going on at Micklefield Hall at the moment?

Our team is growing! We have recently employed a fantastic gardener, Jake, who has transformed the gardens. We also have a new event manager starting with us. Lauren, who has been studying Event Management at University will join the Micklefield Team in the middle of May. The addition of six bedrooms and a new breakfast room last summer has proved very popular with our brides and grooms as well this year.

Find out more at www.micklefieldhall.com/

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.

 

Who: Sophie & Oliver | When: December 2017 | Where: Gate Street Barn

Gate Street Barn in Surrey was the setting for Sophie and Oliver’s chic winter wedding with a decidedly 1920s feel. From the bride’s spectacular beaded corset to the wild style bouquets wrapped in burgundy and ivory lace ribbons, the day had an array of intricate touches. And it was all planned and executed in just seven months.

With a close eye on budget, the couple still managed to achieve the stylish look they dreamed of, without cutting corners. By festooning the barn with lights and florals, the couple transformed the space into a stylish but cosy setting – perfect for the time of year. They also injected their own modern, geometric twist with design details and graphics. And one of the couple’s favourite touches was a heartfelt display featuring framed photos of all their relatives on their wedding days.

We worked closely with the couple to imagine a menu which would cater to every taste. First of all, guests feasted on a selection of canapés served up on imaginative vintage platters. For starters, it was an Antipasti sharing board or vegan kale salad. The main course made the most of the winter setting with a comforting crowd pleaser of chicken and leek pie with creamy mash and roasted carrots.

Sophie and Oliver chose to go non-traditional with their cake and served up a four-layered carrot cake with a smooth butter icing created by Digbys at Vauxhall station. Their guests loved it, and the couple made sure they got a slice too!

Party time

The party continued well into the evening, dancing to tunes from Chris Haslam at Chess Disco. The couple’s first dance was made even more memorable as they were showered with a dried petal flower cannon. Just one of many magical moments during a spectacular day.

Read more about Sophie and Oliver’s big day at Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. If you’d like to talk to us about unforgettable food for your wedding or event give us a call on 01483 813360 or email info@kalmkitchen.co.uk.

Credits… Photography: Kat & Ash at The Springles {www.thespringles.com}. Florist: Carrie Macey at Topiary Tree {www.topiary-tree.co.uk/}. Venue: Gate Street Barn {www.gatestreetbarn.com/}. Videographer: Ashleigh at Ash Videography {www.ashvideography.com/}. DJ: Chris Haslam at Chess Disco {www.chessdisco.co.uk/}