On a sunny Autumn day, a team of wedding industry suppliers gathered to create a gorgeous Furtho Manor Farm wedding. In wedding world, we call this a ‘styled shoot’ and this a fabulous example of one, with many local wedding suppliers taking part. Our brief was ‘A fun, relaxed photo-shoot focusing on enjoying the wedding reception element of the day, whilst inspiring ways to make a whirlwind day fun and relaxing for the couple and their guests’. As you read  through the blog, I’m sure you’ll agree that we nailed our brief! A styled shoot is essentially a fake wedding, staged to create content, so that wedding suppliers can show prospective couples what is possible on their own wedding days.

All day and evening we created, styled, photographed and filmed many aspects of what can be possible for a wedding at Furtho. Although, truth be told, we could have done this 100 times over and still not have exhausted all the options, as it’s such a versatile wedding venue. Our bride and groom are real-life husband and wife, Richard and Rachel. They got married themselves just months before our shoot and really enjoyed themselves, as it bought back memories of their own wedding day.

As a wedding dance lesson organiser, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was an unusual experience for me, as unlike many other wedding suppliers, my job is only in the planning stage. By the time the wedding day arrives, the couple have learnt their dance and my work is done, so I am never there on a couples’ actual wedding day. I loved working together with the other wedding suppliers to create this gorgeous wedding, as they were all so talented, professional, fun and overall amazing to work with. If you want to contact anyone who collaborated on this styled shoot, just scroll down, as all their details are at the bottom of this blog. Read on to find out what we did! I hope you find our ideas, photos and films inspirational for your own wedding at Furtho Manor Farm.

Furtho Manor Farm is a barn wedding venue, set in the stunning rural countryside on the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border. The farm feels very rural, as if you’re in the middle of the English countryside, however, it’s actually less than 10 miles from the centre of Milton Keynes! It’s a really easy drive (no tiny potholed lanes, thank goodness!), with all the conveniences of the nearby city, such as taxis and plentiful hotel accommodation. The owner, Linda, told me they never hold weddings back to back, so couples and suppliers always have at least a day to set up and get everything in place. This sounds amazing to me, as setting up the entire wedding in just one morning can be incredibly stressful and takes away from the enjoyment of the wedding day itself.

Furtho Manor Farm is licensed to hold civil and marriage ceremonies, which can happen either indoors or outside. For smaller indoor ceremonies there is a ceremony room, but if you’re having a larger wedding, you can get married in the barn. The barn doors slide open revealing the stunning gazebo on the lake, the 15th Century dovecote and St Bartholomew’s church which performs a small number of blessings each year and dates back 900 years!

For large weddings, the barn can accommodate up to 200 guests for an evening reception and as it’s fine to leave cars overnight, you can really party! The barn roof has been insulated and there are heaters, so weddings can happen all year around, which is unusual for barn weddings on working farms. There are 5 bed and breakfast rooms on the farm and also glamping in the summer months, for those who prefer to stay the night at the venue, rather than travelling home or to a nearby hotel. I stayed overnight in the beautiful Victorian B&B, so I can vouch that it’s very clean, tastefully decorated and breakfast was absolutely delicious!

The venue itself is very much a blank canvas, which is perfect for couples who want to put their own stamp on their day and make it truly unique. The atmosphere across the farm is very relaxed, but you could really go to town on all the options, as there is so much space and so few restrictions. As well as space for things that make your wedding beautiful, there is plenty of room for fun too! You could have bouncy castles, lawn games, food vans, etc! As the scenic beauty is endless, Furtho is ideal for couples who wish to celebrate outside, however, should the weather turn, there is LOADS of space in the barn too.

All of the wedding suppliers put a lot of effort into our styled shoot, however, three of them absolutely worked their socks off!! Our videographer, Rachel of Veiled Productions, together with photographers Dave Hadley and Michael Heath literally did not stop once all day and all evening! All the film and images you see on this blog were expertly taken by them, however, what I learnt on the shoot is that these things don’t just happen. Many of the images you see look so natural and free, however, I discovered this is all down to their carefully orchestrated planning. Just like a real-life wedding, behind the scenes they had mapped it out via photographic opportunities, taking into account all the different aspects of the day and evening. The flow of a wedding day is very location based, so for example, the first images were taken of the bride getting ready in the manor house. As the day goes on, the locations, thus backgrounds, people and scenery is ever changing. As I learnt, so is the light and the weather! There is a lot to keep up with and all the different scenarios require certain equipment, so various cameras, lenses, tripods, etc. All this whilst communicating with the couple and at times, the entire wedding party, knowing there is a limited window to get the important shots that the couple will treasure so greatly after their special day. At the same time, they must be mindful of the occasaion and remain calm. serene and discreet as possible. It really is an art!

Our videographer, Rachel, created this film of our styled shoot. I love that there is so much laughter!

Whilst many couples choose to have their wedding dance lessons at home, some prefer to hire a dance space. If you live nearby, perhaps in Milton Keynes, Northampton, Buckingham or Towcester, you might be pleased to hear that there is a great space for wedding dance lessons at Furtho Manor Farm! The room is £15 per hour, which is very reasonable and there is plenty of free parking. Couples can hire the space whether they are getting married at Furtho or somewhere else, here are the details: Wedding Dance Space Hire at Furtho Manor Farm

One of the things I love most about Furtho Manor Farm is that it offers the ideal place to get wedding ready! The Victorian B&B is right next to the ceremony locations and the rooms are very clean, tastefully decorated and spacious. Best of all, there are five B&B rooms, which means you could also have your family or bride squad there too! If you want a really chilled start to your wedding day, why not stay over the night before? In the morning you won’t have the hassle of travelling anywhere, plus you get to spend extra time with those special people. I’ve stayed there and can promise you that the breakfast is delicious, beautifully cooked and just what everyone needs to start the day well.

The B&B is like a home from home, so the atmosphere as we got Rachel ready was really calm and chilled. The large windows overlook fields and trees, which makes the room feel serene. The rooms are large, so you don’t feel squashed, plus there’s loads of space for your wedding dress and all your bridal accessories. There is plenty of natural light and mirrors, which are essential when getting ready, especially for such an important day.

Our makeup artist Hannah Rafferty and hairdresser Nicola Marshall expertly made our bride look incredible! Hannah’s bridal make up style is to look like ‘you, but flawless, all day’ and as you can see Rachel’s makeup is fresh, subtle and definitely flawless. For our styled shoot, Nicola created a wavy half up style for Rachel, which compliments her dress and make up perfectly. Nicola has a versatile bridal repertoire of bouncy blow-dry to chic chignons, with her signature style ‘romantic, relaxed boho with a touch of sparkle’.

With hair and make up done, it was time for our photographers Dave Hadley and Michael Heath to get some bridal shots! Videographer Rachel Washer from Veiled Productions filmed all the fun, which has got to be the best type of wedding memory to capture. Kim from Bloom In Gorgeous created the bridal bouquet, which was exquisite, as was the grooms buttonhole. Our wedding dress was supplied by Lisa Lyons Bridal in Harpenden and it fitted Rachel like a glove, she loved wearing it and said it was very comfortable.

Furtho could have been made for lawn games and our couple had a great time throwing bean bags, which were supplied by Purple Lily Event Hire. The beautifully manicured lawns at Furtho are ideal for your guests to get playfully competitive with games such as coconut shy, splat the rat, ring toss, limbo, skittles, crazy golf, giant jenga and even a sack race!

Now for some wedding styling! Sam is a wedding planner, as well as a stylist and she created the most beautiful scene for our wedding couple to relax in. Coincidentally, Sam had styled Rachel & Richards real-life wedding, so it was lovely for them to catch up. For this setting, Sam chose rustic charm, with elegant details and warm light to set the backdrop for this gorgeous resting area.

The handmade book was create by Ali’s Paper so the bride and groom could jot down their thoughts on their special day. Often wedding days whizz past so quickly, the memory becomes a blur, so it’s a lovely idea to make notes, whilst you are in the moment. The favour biscuits where perfectly baked and exquisitely decorated by Angela Jane Cake Design. She kindly made one for everyone at the styled shoot, so I can tell you first hand they taste as good as they look!

Richard’s suit was supplied by Fogarty Formal Hire in Leighton Buzzard and he looked very handsome in the navy three piece, with a quirky green bowtie.

As the sun started to set, we were able to get some incredible photographs around the farm. In particular, the gazebo on the lake was stunning in the evening light.

Our bride and groom had actually taken wedding dance lessons for their own wedding, just a few months previously. Therefore, they had the confidence to dance together on the lawn as the evening drew in. It was a beautiful moment, as they were clearly really enjoying themselves, as Richard twirled and dipped Rachel.

Next was photobooth fun! I loved the aysmmetric backdrop that Halo Photobooth chose to bring along (apparently there are loads of options). Their lighting made great photos and the vintage style camera / printing machine was really on trend too. I very much approved of the Strictly style glitterball prop!

No wedding is complete without delicious food! Food trucks are ideal for the evening at Furtho, as there is plenty of space around the barn, with outside seating, as well as inside. We REALLY enjoyed the burgers made by Moo Hatch. I can totally see why they were voted ‘Northampton’s best takeaway’ last year. I went for ‘Squeaky Mooless’ which was a grilled halloumi burger with mushrooms and red onion chutney, mayo and lettuce in a brioche roll. 100% recommend!

Maybe I’m biased, but the best bit about the wedding is the dancing, right? Well, Lisa Heywood treated us to a ceilidh and it was SO MUCH FUN. If you don’t know what a ceilidh is, think of a barn dance, or country dancing. But Lisa’s style is so much better than that. She specialises in inclusivity, which is ideal for weddings, as your guests will have a vast range of ability and ages and you don’t want to exclude anyone. The dance starts with a practice walk through, then she ‘calls’ the dance, which means she announces the dance moves, so no one has to remember anything. There is no skill required from the guests and everyone has a lot of relaxed fun together. Lisa’s enthusiasm is infectious and her lively band are fabulous!

It’s amazing that Lisa’s ceilidhs accessible for all and gender-free. Lisa told me that in Covid lockdown she invented partnerless virtual ceilidhs. So each week (for free) 100’s of people came together from across the UK to dance a ceilidh together via Zoom, even if they lived alone. That must have bought a lot of joy during those difficult times.

It seemed a shame to have so many wedding suppliers gathered at such a fabulous venue and not make the most of it. So Becca Pountney, who is a wedding business coach, organised for local wedding suppliers to come together for a Wedding Pro Summer Soiree! We had a lovely time, chatting about our wedding businesses and having fun together, after such a busy summer of weddings.

After a busy day on the Styled Shoot, these wedding suppliers were very happy to relax and enjoy the Wedding Pro Summer Soiree! From left to right we have Sam who did the styling, Dave Hadley who was our photographer and Rachel of Veiled Productions who was our videographer.

The wedding professionals fully enjoyed the photobooth! Here we have stylist and wedding planner Sam with the hot pink loudspeaker and florist Sophie Ayres of Sophie & Bee Floral Design with the sword. Becca Pountney has the phone and glitterball, Kim of Bloom In Gorgeous wears the captains hat, with Georgia of Georgia-Beth Photography is wearing the heart glasses!

Modern celebrant Kelly Hawes really enjoyed the soiree! You might recognise her, as she has married couples on three seasons of E4’s Married At First Sight. Kelly is an experienced, award winning celebrate based in Hemel Hempstead, who is passionate about creating ceremonies that perfectly suits a couples personality and that everyone will remember for a lifetime.

This was my FAVOURITE part of the day – when all the wedding professionals took to the dance floor and ceilidh-ed together! Doesn’t the barn ceiling look gorgeous with the sparkly warm lights? We had the best time dancing to Lisa’s calling with the uplifting musicians on the guitar, accordion and fiddle, playing brilliantly. I’m on the left of the photo, with blue jeans and white trainers. My fabulous dance partner in the white jacket was Sammie of Vintage Wonder Ice Cream, who attends weddings in her pretty pink vintage ice cream van, called Gigi! Sammie and I had a great time dancing together, we made a load of mistakes, but it didn’t matter, as that was part of the fun.

And that concludes a memorable day at Furtho Manor Farm, styled shooting and summer soiree-ing. The day was such a success as everyone who took part was so professional. Scroll down to see their details – if you are getting married at Furtho Manor Farm of nearby in Northamptonshire or Buckinghamshire, you need these suppliers to make your wedding perfectly you.

Here are the details of all the suppliers who contributed to the styled shoot, if you like the look of what they do, get in touch with them to see what they can do for you!

Venue: Furtho Manor Farm
https://www.furthomanorfarm.co.uk/

Styling & Wedding Planning: Samsa Mays
https://www.samsamays.co.uk/

Photographer: Dave Hadley Photography
https://www.davehadleyphotography.co.uk/

Second photographer: Michael Heath Photography
https://www.michaelheathphotography.co.uk/

Videographer: Veiled Productions
https://www.veiledproductions.co.uk/

Styled Shoot Assistant: Wedding Day Dance UK
https://weddingdaydanceuk.co.uk/

Models: Rachel & Richard
https://www.instagram.com/thewinchestercouple/

Bridal Gown: Lisa Lyons Bridal
https://www.lisalyons.co.uk/

Groom Suit: Fogarty’s Leighton Buzzard
https://fogarty-formalhire.co.uk/

Lawn Games: Purple Lily
https://www.purplelilyeventhire.com/

Photobooth: Halo Photos
https://halophotobooth.co.uk/

Food Truck: Moo Hatch
https://www.moohatch.co.uk/

Ceilidh band: Lisa Heywood
https://lisaheywood.net/

Hair: Nicola Marshall
https://www.bespokebridalhair.co.uk/

Make up: Hannah Rafferty
https://www.instagram.com/hannahraffertymakeup

Artificial flowers: Bloom in Gorgeous Flowers
https://bloomingorgeousherts.co.uk/

Picnic Biscuits / Favour Inspiration: Angela Jane Cake Design
https://angelajanecakedesign.co.uk/

Personalised Book: Ali’s Paper
https://www.alispaper.com/

A Styled Shoot is a great way for wedding suppliers to showcase their work to prospective wedding couples. The collaboration of wedding professionals involves setting up a ‘fake’ wedding, to photograph and film, creating content for websites, brochures, social media and newsletters. Basically, it’s a chance for wedding suppliers to show all that is possible. Of course, wedding suppliers have their work captured all the time at real-life weddings, but the difference is that these images and film belong to the wedding couple or photographer, not the wedding supplier themselves. Also, it’s an opportunity to showcase new wedding trends and updated styles, for couples who want to be current with what’s trending in the world of weddings.