Pretty chuffed to have one of mood boards picked as finalist again in the UK Academy of Wedding and Event Planning SS19 Pantone® colour trend challenge.
An unseasonably chilly Saturday at the start of the long Easter bank holiday weekend in 2018 saw the wedding of Sophie and Ryan at Merriscourt.
This was an Anglo-French wedding and a coming together of the couple’s two countries. In French, the word fête means an elaborate festival, party or celebration, which was certainly had in vast quantities at this rustic barn wedding.
Venue
Merriscourt is one of my favourite wedding venues in the heart of the Cotswolds. It offers freedom, creativity, transparent pricing, and above all lots of space. The venue is actually 3 interlinking converted barns around a beautiful courtyard, and is blessed with high ceilings and oodles of light.
There’s a real sense of calm and peacefulness about the surroundings and it feels very homely. You have full reign of the whole place during the event and can also stay over in one of it’s many accommodation options. Making this a real home from home that can be adapted just how you want it.
Décor
Sometimes less is definitely more. You don’t have to go crazy with décor when you have such a stunning venue. After all, you don’t want to overcrowd or cover up great features.
It’s brilliant to let the venue speak for itself. And this wedding did it in spade fulls. They kept it simple along with great food, great drink and great music. Some simple pink rose displays dotted around in a homely fashion was in keeping with the venue itself.
Ceremony
A touching civil ceremony was held in the Stone Barn (which was turned in to the dance floor later) first in English and then a surprise visit from the mayor of the bride’s home town prompted a French section to the proceedings as well.
Then it was out in to the beautiful central (albeit a bit chilly on this day) courtyard for some great confetti shots then back inside the warm barn for the festivities to begin.
Whilst the French friends and relatives were mesmerised by some of the English wedding traditions and timings, and the English were left lost during the French Mayor’s speech, the common factor that brought everyone together was the love of good food. The theme for this wedding was definitely a foodie’s heaven.
Food
The flavours, quality and quantity of food was flowing in abundance. The champagne reception in the Gallery Room alone was sumptuous and filling and we were not left wanting at all. Our glasses were never let to get dry as we were told that it therefore only counted as being just ‘one glass’.
The canapés kept coming and we situated ourselves by the oyster bar and theatrical Iberico Ham Station (carved by one of the chefs), along with olives nearly the size of my fist, almonds to die for and chillies the length of bananas.
Once sat in the White Barn with it’s stunningly high ceilings and tapestries, the sharing boards were astounding and mouth-wateringly good, comprising of:
Slow smoke shoulder of lamb and salsa verde
Char grilled halloumi and pesto
Chilli chicken and honey whiskey glaze
Scottish plank roasted salmon and charred lemon
Garlic and thyme roasted potatoes
Lentils, picked shallots and beetroot salad
Beef tomatoes, basil and rapeseed oil
Even the favours continued the great flavours, as they provided us with coffee granules to enjoy the next day. Then it was out on to the courtyard where a fire pit was lit to warm us and also for toasting marshmallows. Though we couldn’t be tempted to veer off course to get a delicious Belgian waffle from a parked up food van by the twinkling fairy lights of the central tree.
The celebration of food continued with the cutting of the cake. And it wouldn’t be a French fête without the inclusion of cheese. This time in the form of the wedding cake.
Entertainment
The night was completed with good music and lots of dancing, interspersed with some not very flattering pictures in the nearby photo booth capturing proceedings.
All in all, this French foodies fête barn wedding proves that keeping your guests fed, watered and entertained makes for a great wedding. Eat, drink and be merry!
Last October, Cogges Manor Farm hosted their first Wedding Open Day to showcase their wonderful barns and garden along with some highly talented, local suppliers who specialise in offering unique, bespoke and professional wedding services.
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Photography by Ric Mellis
Cogges Manor Farm is nestled in the lovely market town of Witney and offers two stunning seventeenth century barns for weddings. They are a perfect blank canvas where you can add loads of personalised details to make your special day complete.
At their Open Day, the Wheat Barn was dressed for an English country garden wedding, complete with beautiful pale pink accents and bird details, a hay bale aisle and framed ceremony focal point.
Photography by Hanami Dream
The barn was adorned with swashes of fairy lights (from Oakwood Events) across the beams giving the barn a warm romantic atmosphere.
Photography by Ric Mellis
The highly talented Paper Tree Design hung an impressive flower decorated heart (made from Tyvek) under the huge gilded frame, acting as a ceremony alter for the day. Wild rose paper garlands (printed with a pink gradient and threaded on to organza ribbon) hung behind the frame and were highlighted against the huge pink barn doors.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
A bird cage inspired seating plan was proudly displayed on a mirror, which reflected the soft light and guided people further in to the barn.
Photography by Paper Tree Design
Tables were decorated by Larkrise Flowers with an abundance of delicate and charming flowers, some sourced from the venue’s own walled garden, along with wheat (providing a nod to the venue’s wheat barn heritage).
Flowers on the top table (displayed in a terracotta urn) included:
Rosa “Pink Avalanche”
Rosa “Lazise”
Eustoma “Arena Pink”
Astrantia roma
Sedum spectabile
Eucalyptus nicholii – foliage
Euonymus – foliage
Asparagus fern – foliage
There were also English hydrangea heads in aged terracotta pots and echeveria secunda glauca in white pots, as well as plants of mixed herbs (rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme) and bellis perennis (daisies) in more terracotta pots.
The addition of succulents brought this tablescape bang up to date with mixed sempervivens under glass domes, plus mixed baby gourds, birch slices, glass storm lanterns and glass tea light holders making the table feel extremely plentiful.
In front of the top table ran a stunning floor display of pink cactus dahlias, verbena bonariensis, hedera foliage, wheat, sedum spectabile, and 3 types of grasses (lagurus ovatus, panicum, and setaria).
Photography by Ric Mellis
Stationery from Paper Tree Design complimented the stunning floral displays. From their Tree of Hearts wedding stationery range, this included:
Robin name card – tent cards with pop out robins
Menu card – individual menus printed on Harvest Colorplan card-stock
Wild roses with tie on name cards – hand made paper wild roses with luggage tag style name cards tied on with natural bakers twine
Wild rose heads – small handmade paper wild rose heads used to decorate the tablescape
Robin & Wildflower table numbers – made from off white card and mounted on to sticks and decorated with bakers twine (these numbers can also be made for use with number stands or freestanding)
Robin & Wild Flower top table sign – made from off white card and mounted on to a stick and decorated with bakers twine (this can also be made for use with number stands or freestanding)
Photography by Hanami Dream
Vintage props were provided by Mabel and Rose including old suitcases, ladders, milk churns and barrels.
The whole effect gave an example of one direction you could take to make this venue your own – a real abundance of local, natural products with a feeling of bringing the outside inside.
By the way – get Sunday 17th September in your diary. It is this year’s Wedding Open Day at Cogges. So go along to see this venue in all it’s glory or contact them in the meantime for an earlier look round.
Décor
Ceremony
Food
Even the favours continued the great flavours, as they provided us with coffee granules to enjoy the next day. Then it was out on to the courtyard where a fire pit was lit to warm us and also for toasting marshmallows. Though we couldn’t be tempted to veer off course to get a delicious Belgian waffle from a parked up food van by the twinkling fairy lights of the central tree.
