Endless 2024 Inspiration from this festival style Woodland Wedding?

If you’re looking for 2024 Wedding inspiration then look no further! Catherine & George absolutely rocked it with their Glastonbury themed festival Wedding in September. At every corner there were beautiful personalised details which just took this wedding to the next level and oozes inspiration for anyone looking at getting married this year.

Catherine and George created a Wedding like no other, offering a charming and adventurous twist on the traditional wedding, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts romantic, unique, and with fun at the very heart of it all.

Exchanging vows, with the back drop of weeping willows, water and towering fir trees. The wilderness setting here at Happy Valley sets the tone for an intimate and enchanting celebration no matter how many guests you have.

We always ask that you use petals or bio degradable confetti

The unique atmosphere, the chance to connect with nature, and the opportunity to unplug from the outside world all contribute to an unforgettable celebration. Plus, guests get to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while still having access to the creature comforts of luxury glamping and hot tubs. Providing the perfect venue for your Destination Wedding.

Enjoy glamping at your Wedding in rustic luxury, complete with private air source heated hot tub so you don’t have to lift a finger.

One of the benefits of a Happy Valley wedding is its versatility. Whether you're going for a festival wedding, bohemian vibe, a rustic-chic style, or a whimsical fairytale aesthetic, and the barns provide a canvas for your creative freedom to run wild.

It was an absolute honour to be a small part of this incredible day and be able to witness the love, creativity & support encompassing this gorgeous pair.

Some of the Dream Team involved -

Photographer - Emma Shaw Photography

Catering: Gingerlilly catering

Florist:King witham

Band:Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble

Props: Happy Valley Rugs & Array prop hire

Makeup:Leanna Stibbon

Hair: Ashley Kay @AshleyKaybeauty

Dress - Angelica Bridal

Feel like a local, no matter how far you’ve come #HappyValleyNorfolk

The Winter Wonderland of West Norfolk

Well if there was a day to make you feel alive then the 16:12:22 was it.

The wonder of Happy Valley never ends. Stepping inside a crisp winter wonderland of magic. The light, so playful. The frozen surfaces a reminder of the power of nature.

Winter never looked so good - If you fancy a stay in a private log cabin and star gaze in a hot tub then check availability here

Autumn Weddings with a touch of Halloween

An Autumn palette for the most spectacular Autumn Wedding at Happy Valley.

J & G were absolute legends when they had to move their initial Wedding date & we watched in awe as J turned what was a frustrating start into one of the most spectacular Weddings we've seen here at Happy Valley.

J loves Halloween so got to live out the most stylish Autumn Day Wedding and you will see how this was followed by an equally swarve & spooky Halloween after party in our next blog.

Highlighting some of the fab Suppliers -

Photographer - Aurora Grey

Catering - Carway-Roe Events

Flowers - The Wild Folk Florist

Planning - Foil Events

Games - Dick Ropa Entertainment

MUA - Hayley Clarke Make up

Hair - GH Hair Designs

Archery - Grey Goose

How to Make a Mid-Week Wedding Work for You!

Planning a wedding can come with many big decisions and the pressure is on especially now that availability is fading fast! Picking the perfect date can seem like it’s always an arms length away…we’re here to tell you, it’s not!

Picking up speed as a 2022 trend is the ‘Mid-Week Wedding’.

Now, I know what you’re thinking - ‘will people be able to make a Wednesday?’, ‘I’d always imagined a weekend’.

Well, mid-week IS the new weekend!

Kiss Dip in the Dutch Barn

By Aurora Grey Photography

A Stylish Micro Wedding Setting curated by the Bride

By Darina Stoda Photography

Wedding Tribe

By Megan Duffield Photography

Alfresco Dining

By Jarek Lepak Photography

Forest Ceremony🌲

By Aurora Grey Photography

Celebrating with a Cookie Cake!

By Megan Duffield Photography

A Very Happy Mr & Mrs S

By Aurora Grey Photography

Crowd Surfing Bride

By Sam Gee Photography

Why Mid-Week is the best option,

1. Give friends and family an excuse to have a couple days off work! A day off for your besties wedding sure beats a day off to catch up on laundry! (The trick is - send out the ‘Save the Dates’ as soon as possible so they have a chance to get it booked).

2. Mid-week weddings are typically lower in price, the same great venue for a smaller price tag…which leaves more budget left to spend on entertainment, food, drinks and wedding day festivities.

3. Your ideal suppliers are more likely to be available…the post lockdown wedding boom has seen weekends snapped up. Week days give you much more flexibility to ensure your day is exactly as you want!

4. Fancy a micro wedding? Small, intimate, just you and your nearest and dearest. Micro-weddings are more likely to be available for mid-week dates! A simple way to get out of inviting Great-Aunt Mildred…

Get in touch with Megan, our Wedding Coordinator, to discuss your options!

A Wedding Less Ordinary

Living in todays world where communication has become virtual and we’re spinning multiples plates, you would not be alone if you felt somewhat overwhelmed. As our wise friend Austen once said “Life is but a quick succession of busy nothings” and though we embrace the wonders of technology and love the chaos of family life, there are times when we’d all like to press pause and get lost in the moment.

As a wilderness retreat, Happy Valley promotes the health benefits of a woodland wedding and we love nothing more than to transform those “busy nothings” into one, special something: a-once-in-a-lifetime memory.

Undoubtedly our nature backdrop is beautiful and the wedding photos will be stunning but there is now scientific evidence to suggest that hanging up your stilettos and opting to be a Barefoot Bride/Groom will lead to a happier, healthier you.

Even if the great British weather decides to interrupt your outdoor plans then there’s not one but the choice of two barns to take cover in. The Hay barn is the perfect mix of history and character with a roaring great wood burner, bar area and chill out. The acoustics are magical and it can be easily remodel into a night club. Alternatively the Dutch Barn is a large industrial space which can be transformed into anything your heart desires. With panoramic views of the little lake and willow island there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying the most magical day of your lives immersed in Nature.

Forest Bathing

At Happy Valley, guests are encouraged to swap a soak in the bath for a bathe in the forest. Taken from the Japanese name, Shinrin Yoku, forest bathing encourages you to dip your toes into nature’s surroundings and appreciate life’s precious moments unplugged: phone-free, tablet-free but most importantly, stress-free. Or you can have the best of both worlds bathing in the wood fired hot tub in the forest

Simply put, it’s about slowing down the pace. Walking barefoot through the woods permits you to feel empowered, knowing there are no rules to follow, no deadlines to meet and no expectations to fulfil. You take off your shoes and then breathe deeply, laugh loudly and live freely.

The Benefits For Your Wedding Party

1. Just what the doctor ordered - walking through woodlands is proven to lower stress levels, strengthen the immune system and improve your mood. If you want your guests to be happy, healthy and full of party energy, this is the venue for you.

2. A spa for the senses - there’s no better way to feel grounded and present in the moment than discovering all that Happy Valley has to see, smell, hear and touch. Even the taste of the air is crisp and pure.

3. Space to explore - embrace the freedom that comes with roaming acres of land. Couples can stroll hand-in-hand, parents can wander aimlessly and children can hurtle at top speed. With nine acres there’s plenty of room for everyone.

4. Space to create - there are no limits to your imagination with a barn or outdoor, woodland wedding. There are several locations for your ceremony and every colour in nature to inspire you. An added bonus, according to the University of Utah, is being in the forest helps your problem-solving part of the brain increase by 50%. Your guests can go away feeling both relaxed and ready to take on a new challenge (Bill Gates watch this space!).

So take off your heels and leave the weight of the world behind you. Shoeless but still full of soul, we offer our Barefoot Brides/Grooms a carefree wedding to remember forever.

With love,

Katy, Scott and our Little Team at Happy Valley

xxx

Pic by Darina Stoda

Tori Hancock Photography Hannah Hunnam Flowers

Aurora Grey Photography

A Midsummer Night's Wedding in Happy Valley’s Woodlands

There are some moments in time that hold such an indefinable sense of fragility that we try to capture this fleeting event and bottle it as a memory. We imagine the feelings we felt and grasp them with both hands, clutching at it as if it were a precious butterfly about to escape. Some memories are so pure and so strong that one word, sound, smell or touch can take us back in time and conjure up what once was. Weddings often carry that sense of timelessness and there is something truly magical about encapsulating the day in a series of everlasting moments such as photographs, favours or scraps of material. We imagine ourselves old and grey, holding onto that precious token and looking back on a lifetime of happiness.

There is a feeling of promise that hangs in the air before our weddings at Happy Valley; our lands become restless with excitement as the fluttering of birds’ wings and the dancing of leaves signal its approach. The temperature rises and with it a warm feeling of joy is spread across the grounds as we anticipate our guests’ arrival with each tick and every tock.

The dreaminess of our woodland ceremonies and sense of ethereal wonder of our Willow Island blessings, sets a magical tone to proceedings. With all of the enchantment and mystery surrounding Happy Valley, it’s a perfect setting for a fairy-tale wedding, such as the one in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The ways to have a Shakespearean Midsummer Wedding at Happy Valley

1. Set the scene  – “I know a place where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows”. Shakespeare knew of the importance of creating the perfect ambience for romance. At Happy Valley, our nine acres of whimsical woodland are bound to inspire you.

2. Add a touch of romance –  “Love's stories written in love's richest books. To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes”. Consider adding a harpist or string quartet to your day, include Shakespearean quotes at the dinner table or perhaps send calligraphy wedding invitations, written on handmade paper and sealed with wax. At Happy Valley we can provide exquisite wedding gift vouchers, romantic, vintage props and timeless, vintage wedding dresses.

3. Add a sparkle of magic – “hand in hand with fairy grace, will we sing and bless this place”. With Happy Valley’s festoon lighting, log burners, Willow Island and star-gazing hot tubs, we add a glimmer and flicker of charm to any occasion.

4. Shakespeare Up the Dress Code – whether you choose to include floral garlands for the bridesmaids, Shakespearean masks for the guests or go all out and fashion some incredible costume pieces, Happy Valley has a stock of vintage clothing items that emulate the Midsummer Night’s Dream wedding theme perfectly.  

5. Make Memories – “Are you sure/That we are awake? It seems to me/That yet we sleep, we dream”. Having your wedding at Happy Valley is an unforgettable event but you can treasure this moment by capturing it with stunning photos, keeping a wedding invitation and favour in a time capsule, by dancing under the stars to your favourite song, or choosing to wear your signature perfume. Whatever it is you need to create an unforgettable moment, Happy Valley has a list of amazing wedding suppliers we can provide you with.

The Bard was a great believer in Love and naturally, so are we. No matter what theme or style you choose for your wedding, Happy Valley invites you to immerse yourself in the magic of our venue.

With love,

Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

weddings@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

01485 600719

Instagram - @HappyValleyNorfolk

Facebook - Happy Valley Norfolk

The Perks of a Spring Wedding

Havelock Ellis once said “The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw” and to us, this perfectly surmises our feelings about nature but in particular, about Spring and weddings in springtime.

Guests have no problem envisaging Happy Valley in the perfect heat of summer, their skin tingling from the warmth of the sun while simultaneously feeling a cool glass of Pimm’s in their hand. Brides picture themselves roaming the grounds with their heads adorned in a crown of flowers, watching children tempted by the tantalising image of our pretty lake, wrapped around Willow Island, wishing, if only they could jump in.

Though we love the venue with each changing season there is a magical transformation at Happy Valley in the springtime. Like an undiscovered secret, it is during the month of April that we almost feel the trees holding their breath with the anticipation of what is to come. Full of potential and on the cusp of a glorious showcase of nature, Happy Valley in springtime is a stunning display of subtle sophistication and it gives us so much pleasure to watch it unfold before our eyes.

Five reasons we choose Spring Weddings over any other

1. Climate Change claims Spring as the new Summer - according to ScienceNews, climate change has triggered earlier springs, resulting in warmer and greener climates with summers becoming drier and arid. The UK government acknowledges that “17 of the 18 warmest years on record have occurred in the 21st century and each of the last 3 decades have been hotter than the previous one”. With England experiencing extreme weather events and dangerous heatwaves, Spring is the goldilocks of weather - not too hot - not too cold but just right.

2. Demand and Supply - wedding suppliers have greater availability at a more affordable price, our grounds are in full bloom and there are a variety of stunning global and local honeymoon destinations at an off-peak price.

3. Spring Cleaning refers to more than just cobwebs - spring is the time to step outside, make plans and rejuvenate. As well as grabbing mops and polish, people want to dust off their party frocks and have an excuse to feel the fresh air again. With the start of Bank Holidays and Easter breaks, this is a time for friends and family to reconnect and what better way to bring everyone together than a wedding?!

4. There is a colour palette of endless possibilities - pastels, 50 shades of green or bright florals, in Spring, anything goes. The options for wedding bouquets are limitless and unlike other seasons, Spring doesn’t seem to be as confined. No-one expects you to have a pumpkin themed Halloween wedding or a burgundy winter wonderland, you are free to just be.

5. Spring stands for new starts - instead of seeing spring as a transitional season, we embrace it as a symbol of renewal and rebirth and what better time to start a brand new adventure with the love of your life than during a season that celebrates new beginnings?

In Spring, Mother Nature wakes from her wintery sleep, stretches out her arms with green lands, lets out a sigh of chirping birds and fresh breeze, opens her eyes to blue skies and smiles to display a full sunrise. When every living creature is opening their hearts to new possibilities, we invite you to join them and embark on a new chapter of your life with a perfectly imperfect Spring Wedding.

With love, Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

The Wedding Wolves

There’s no better time to grab your attention than when we’re on an enforced, three week lock-down and in need of distraction so we felt it was high time to tell you a story:

A grandfather sat his grandson down and decided to impart some words of wisdom.

“A fight is going on inside of me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf represents darkness - he is regret, anger, sorrow, selfishness and self-pity and everything negative in the world.”

The grandfather looked at his captivated grandson, took a breath and continued, “The other wolf represents the light - he is peace, hope, understanding, compassion and faith and everything positive in the world. We all have the same two wolves fighting within us.”

The grandson, a fan of everything to do with war and battles turns to his grandfather and says, “which wolf will win?”.

The wise, old man simply replied, “The one you feed.”

What do wolves have to do with weddings?

During this time of uncertainty, there are understandably a lot of emotions running high and these are valid and necessary feelings for us all to be having.

Each of us is fighting an internal battle between wanting to help our neighbours, friends, family and local businesses and at the same time worrying about what it might mean for our own finances, health or future happiness. We all want to be kind and understanding but we also all have fear and frustration.

Is our advice to feed the positive wolf and let the negative wolf starve? No, it would be an impossibility. They’re both there and they both have to eat. What we can do, is acknowledge that whilst we are having to face great disappointments and insecurity, we can also show the capacity for compassion and forbearance. The beauty of humanity is often found in the grey areas where despite the doubt and fear, we surprise ourselves with our own strength and resilience.

So, if each wolf is being fed at a time where food is being rationed and supermarkets are in short supply, who gets what?

That part is down to us but how we respond and which wolf we feed the most will define how we are viewed when this chaos is over. Our time in the grey area is now and our actions will show which wolf ate all the metaphorical pies.

Even though you’re justifiably worried about your future wedding plans, there are still ways we can lift each other up. Here at Happy Valley, we invite you to look at the following acts of kindness to show your wedding suppliers some support:

• If you’re pleased with the service you’ve received during this difficult time, consider leaving a positive review on their website. If you’re not, perhaps take into account unprecedented stress?

• Like, comment and share posts. Why not shine a light on some suppliers in need of encouragement?

• Make future reservations. For most suppliers, it’s not just the next few months that are of concern but their whole calendar year - show them some light at the end of the tunnel.

At Happy Valley, we hope you feel our negative wolves have been put on a strict diet of kale and lentils (not least because stress represses the immune system and we need to stay healthy right now!) and our positive wolves have been given the full, fine-dining experience.

We would like to thank our 2020 couples for their thoughtfulness and appreciation and are excited to give you the happy ending you all so deserve.

With love,

Katy, Kirsty and the team at Happy Valley xx

hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

01485 600 719

Instagram - @HappyValleyNorfolk

Facebook - Happy Valley Norfolk

Memories of happier times. A woodland wedding photoshoot at Happy Valley.