While many wedding planners and stylists have hung up their flat shoes, pinboards, emergency kits at this time of year and are prepping for the forthcoming 2024 season, Miss Carlysle & Co are still styling weddings late into December 2023.

Today I am freelancing with Beth, owner and senior stylist and her assistant Nadia, at the Milling Barn wedding venue, styling the wedding of A&R on a bright and dry day in Hertfordshire.

If you’re interested in a rustic wedding, Milling Barn delivers on all points; the 17^th century Oak Barn with its exposed beams and high ceilings, caters for civil ceremonies. Its interior is beautifully lit with a multitude of dream-like fairy lights on the beams and rafters.

Beth and Nadia start to assemble a hexagon flower arch, delicately draped with white chiffon, and a rainfall of fairy lights cascading down; it’s stunning and most definitely the highlight of the day’s ceremony.  Each pew is festooned with a Gypsophila posy, and a trio of candles to light the path of the couple as they walk down the aisle.

With the team transforming the beautiful barn into an exceptionally fabulous backdrop, I’ve been assigned to Milling Barn to set up the wedding breakfast area: chair drapes, ribbons and the couple’s props, which include a guest telephone message service, enabling each guest to leave a personal message of congratulations for the couple.

The Milling Barn team are placing the tableware on the extended rectangular tables, whilst I start draping white chiffon drapes on the chairs.  Eventually, the drapes are neatly tied with white ribbons and I’m ready for the next stage.

I’ve been instructed to drape white cheesecloth, as a centrepiece, across the tables, and to strategically place candlesticks and bud vases decoratively on the cloth.  I do like the fact that the candlesticks and vases are not all the same, and the diverse range makes for an eclectic style.  The cakemaker’s partner arrives with the couple’s wedding cake, and carefully places the cake, with the “Love is Sweet” sign, on a table.  Once the chairs have been lined up along the tables, Beth and Nadia return to dress the Sweetheart table the Bride and Groom will be gracing, after they are officially named as ‘Husband and Wife’.

The white chiffon draping in front of the Sweetheart table looks dramatic and elegant, and the Miss Carlysle team advantageously place candlesticks and bud glasses onto the table, which anchor the drapes in place.

The guests are now arriving and have gathered in the bar to catch up with old friends and family, and wisely buffer themselves against the cold with teas, coffees and the odd brandy.  I gather myself and my belongings up and wave a fond farewell to Milling Barn, as I fire up my faithful steed for the long drive home.