As my wedding season was drawing to a close last year, I was lucky enough to photograph Charlotte & David’s Milling Barn wedding in November.
As a wedding photographer, I always find autumn and winter weddings so inspiring and fun to shoot. They are typically harder because of the day light hours and darker venues, but they make up for that in beautiful winter light and cosy aesthetics. David and Charlotte’s wedding was no exception.
Milling Barn wedding venue in Hertfordshire
The Milling Barn is a 17th century oak barn, set within the rural countryside and farmland of Hertfordshire. The oak barn features exposed timbers and is full of character for your wedding ceremony. The larger barn on the site is the perfect rustic space for your wedding reception. It was absolutely perfect for a winter wedding, as you’ll see!
Getting ready at the Milling Barn
Within the Milling Barn’s wedding package is the use of their dressing room for the bridal party to get ready. It was in here that I arrived and found Charlotte’s prep in full swing. The prosecco was popped and I was there to capture the final hair and make up tweaks, and Charlotte getting into her dress.
Once Charlotte was ready and the final touches of veil and shoes were done, her Dad came in to see her. Cue the first true tearful moment of the day!
Meanwhile, the guests and Dave were all starting to filter into the cosy oak barn, ready for a fairy-light lit ceremony.
Your wedding ceremony in the oak barn
Picture it, an intimate barn with original features, fairy lights and a huge hanging floral above the aisle. This is the oak barn! When I walked in for the first time I couldn’t believe it. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and felt so cosy and welcoming on this November day.
White flowers were decorating the church style pews and the lights were turned down low, creating such a soft ambience. David had even handmade a backdrop for the wedding ceremony, using copper piping and a neon light.
After being walked down the aisle by her Dad, Charlotte and David tied the knot in front of 60 of their nearest and dearest. They each said their handwritten vows under the cosy dimmed lights of the barn.
After exchanging their rings and officially becoming Mr and Mrs, Charlotte and David signed the register under their copper backdrop. Everyone then filled out while a live musician played, and we lined up for confetti outside the barn.
Wedding group shots outside the barn
It was a chilly November day so after the confetti throw, we got all the guests inside while we took aside the wedding party members for the group shots. In summer you can go out into the fields to get some gorgeous back drops, or you can use the barns themselves. Because the fields were muddy and I loved the high contrast of the black doors, we shot them outside the oak barn.
Sunset couples portraits at the Milling Barn
One thing that’s great about winter weddings is sunset was perfectly timed to just before the wedding breakfast. As everyone else went and found their seats at the dinner table, we caught the last of the light. Sunset falls across the road outside the venue, which is a remote country lane. This meant we had plenty of time to do some beautiful walking shots there.
Party time at the Milling Barn!
The Milling barn is such a gorgeous venue for a wedding breakfast at any time of year. However, with the sun setting, the cosy fairy lights and cosy beams means made this space feel even more special.
David and Charlotte had kept to a contemporary and intimate wedding breakfast. They had a sweetheart table at the head of the table, and two rows of diners. The handmade copper ceremony backdrop had moved to this room, and copper planters held the wedding flowers above the tables. Perspex navy table names contrasted the copper beautifully.
Charlotte and David kept it relaxed with just one speech from Dave’s best man, welcoming all their guests to the party! After, everyone tucked it into a delicious three course meal, and from experience I can say the venue’s risotto is amazing!
Sparkler photos outside the barn
As everyone was eating, the sun set over the Hertfordshire country. This is a venue which looks super lovely at night.
The Milling Barn has a lovely fairy light covered arch leading out to the driveway and is a common spot for couples portraits. We did some cute couples shots here before bringing everyone outside for a sparkler line up! The arch itself is too narrow to do sparklers safely, but it’s a great starting point for everyone to line up from.
If you’re considering sparklers for your wedding, I would always say a big fat yay to them. Just bear in mind what time it’ll get dark. If your wedding is peak summer, you may be waiting a long time!
After the sparklers, everyone rushed back inside to get cosy in the main barn and have some celebratory drinks while evening guests arrived. Once the party vibe was on, Charlotte and David cut their cake. The homemade backdrop made this table look so pretty!
Charlotte and David launched straight into their first dance after the cake cutting, and that was a dance-floor raring to go! The families were straight up and stayed on the floor until long after I left.
What can I say, this was such a wonderful winter wedding to be part of! Charlotte and David’s whole day was super relaxed and they didn’t include traditions just for the sake of it. They stuck to what was important to them. Plus, the Milling Barn was just the most beautiful venue for a winter day!
If you’re looking for a photographer for your Milling Barn wedding, drop me a message and let’s chat about your wedding day 🙂
