Eco-friendly Weddings at Happy Valley

What a Summer Season we’ve had so far at Happy Valley Norfolk.  We love to see that Weddings are becoming increasingly sustainable with couples adopting a few eco-friendly ideas. How we build our cabins at Happy Valley encourages natural habitats and we use environmentally friendly products on our Glamping site. We’ve built bird and bat boxes to encourage wildlife in our ancient woodland as well as planted fields of Sainfoin for the honeybees. We use all of our own natural filtered water from source on site too!

At the end of July it was the turn of the gorgeous Hannah & Peter, a local Bride and Groom who fell in love with our Dutch Barn to create their dream wedding canvas.  With Hannah’s background in floristry we knew the flowers would be breath-taking and Jam Jar Flowers of London pulled out a show stopper.

Jam Jar Flowers have an impressive selection of lovingly sourced antique vases, cut glass and Jam Jars of course. We adore Jam Jar’s eco-friendly ethos of working with seasonal flowers and foliage to reduce their wedding carbon footprint. The simple charm of flowers displayed in a natural and unfussy way, along with a love of native flora, informs Jam Jar’s style of beautiful, natural arrangements where seasonal flowers are celebrated.

Here are some flower suggestions for each season:

Spring: Tulips, white daffodils, lilac, ranunculus and guilder roses.
Summer: Peonies, larkspur, nigella, sweet peas, sunflowers and roses.
Autumn: Dahlias, calla lilies, hydrangeas and snapdragons.
Winter: Hellebores, berried ivy, jasmine, narcissus, poinsettia and anenomes.

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The greatest carbon footprint of your wedding is from travel, so if you can find a place you love near the majority of your guests, that will make the biggest eco-friendly impact… think local! Instead of transporting and constructing a venue like a marquee or tipi, choose a permanent building like a barn, we have two onsite at Happy Valley with plans to convert a third in the near future. We have the infrastructure set up to adapt to your eco wedding and good contacts with local suppliers.

DIY your eco-friendly favours! Use reusuable jars to serve up homemade preserves, a herb cutting or handmade chocolates for your guests. Cute bags of confetti are a colourful addition to the table and you can make your own by drying out rose petals collected from family and friends’ gardens. You can also buy natural, 100% biodegradable petal confetti from Mitre Farm a local West Norfolk supplier.

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Our personal favourite at Happy Valley are gifts that keep on giving back to the environment like Wildflower seeds. To contribute towards a local charity at the same time you can make your own birdseed favours effortlessly from seed bought from our local RSPB

Dressing your Bridal party can be an expensive task, not to mention hugely costly in terms of environmental impact. The solution is quite simply vintage! Vintage styles flatter all shapes and sizes so it makes sense to be eco-chic on your wedding day. Vintage Deli in Norfolk stock some gorgeous pieces which are available for fittings by appointment.

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These are just a few sustainably savvy ideas but there are many many more to mention. Including email invites which can be RSVP’d to instantly. Ensuring if you do send paper invites they are suitable for recycling and have been made from recycled card in the first place. Seeking out a catering company with an eco-friendly ethos and good relationships with local farmers will also help to reduce your carbon footprint on the day… in season food is always a tasty touch! Avoiding disposable dinnerware will help to reduce waste and compostable cups to replace plastic glassware would be another eco-friendly tip. Car-sharing between guests will also help to reduce those carbon emissions, so to will hiring a double-decker bus to bring everyone together in a fun way to travel to the venue. When it comes to decor, plastic balloons are a no go for eco friendly weddings, think lanterns, candles and biodegradable materials.

The marital motto for your eco-wedding - Reduce. Reuse. Recycle!

Wedding Venue Testimonial By Hannah Hunnam, on 31 Aug 2019

‘We were fortunate enough to hold our wedding reception at Happy Valley, an idyllic and peaceful spot hidden in West Norfolk's beautiful countryside. The venue has it all: a lake with a bridge to a little island in the middle (you can also get married on this island), magical woodland accommodation and facilities (including hot tubs), huge party barns and all surrounded by nothing but peaceful woodland and glorious Norfolk sunsets. It really is the perfect, private wedding venue and you will be spoilt for choice with photograph opportunities. We had our drinks reception and canapés on the edge of the pretty lake, using the lean-to of the Dutch barn as our outside bar area, and had a band playing outdoors near the willow trees to accompany. We then moved inside to the incredible Dutch barn which has stunning views across the lake, to eat and party the night away - it was just amazing. There's a built-in bar area already in the Dutch barn which is a lovely touch, a stage was set-up for the band to play on in the evening and our caterers set-up camp in the Hay barn. We were very lucky with the weather, but both barns at Happy Valley offer great (and dry!) spaces to be in whatever the weather. Katy and Scott, the owners, really are the most fantastic hosts, and we couldn't thank them enough for everything they did to help ensure we had the perfect day. None of us wanted to leave at the end of the weekend, and it will forever remain the most special place for us. We can't recommend Happy Valley highly enough, and have spent most days since wishing we could do it all over again. The venue really is a gift that keeps on giving.’

If you’re looking to plan a sustainable style wedding we’d love to hear from you and support you to make your eco-friendly day a reality.

E: hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

T: 01485 600719

Instagram: @happyvalleynorfolk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NorfolkWeddingVenue/

Winter Weddings the Hygge Way

Hygge (pronounced hue-gah) means different things things to different folks.  To us at Happy Valley, it is taking pleasure in comfort, joy in cosiness and celebrating the winter warmers that nurture our spirit.

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Winter at Happy Valley Norfolk is an enchanting time of year to celebrate your wedding under the cover of pine trees. With blankets of white frost, crisp leaves underfoot and log burners keeping you cosy in the woodland cabins... it’s of no surprise to us that intimate Winter Weddings are fast becoming a popular time to say “we do”. The nights will be darker but the sparkles are always brighter, the atmosphere merrier with the whole day leaving you starry-eyed.

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Our rural Hay Barn is cosy and inviting with the perfect hygge vibe to take your vows too.  You’ll be able to create that warming feeling both inside and out with blankets on hand for your guests while you tie the knot. Use chunky knits and faux furs to decorate hang out areas and make them truly enticing.

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Wooden decorations and a natural theme are the ideal way to bring the outside in and embrace your Norfolk wildlife trust surroundings. Wooden candle holders and centrepieces bring hygge charm with rich, deep florals to compliment the organic tones.  We are able to offer a stylish selection of furniture and props to help co-create an authentically hygge backdrop to your wedding.

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There's something nostalgic about vintage, so it makes perfect sense to include a vintage theme in your hygge winter wedding. Katy Coe, Founder of Happy Valley Norfolk has a creative eye for all things vintage having run her own successful vintage boutique on the North Norfolk Coast.

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Comfort food will be heartily appreciated by all at the wedding banquet.  Think of soul warming pie dishes in different flavours or nourishing casseroles with traditional desserts to follow.  If your wedding takes place during December you’ll be able to treat your wedding guests to a full festive feast! Is there any better way to toast your marriage than a mulled wine or two?  A hot chocolate station with marshmallows would bring even more hygge feels to the party.

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Our Woodland Cabins are the epitome of hyggekrog (that's a nook or snug to you and me) in their very design.  Lovingly hand-built hideaways with each home comfort looked after.  Perhaps the most important aspect of a hygge wedding is making time to enjoy the simple pleasures, like a cup of tea from your own handcrafted kitchen and breakfast cooked on your open fire. 

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Did we almost forget to mention we have a wood fired hot tub? We can’t think of a better way to chill out with Team Wedding the following day!

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To start planning your Wintry Woodland Wedding the hygge way, call to arrange a viewing today.  We have some bespoke offers available from November 2019 – February 2020 with the opportunity to make the most of out of season packages.  

E: hello@happyvalleynorfolk.co.uk

T: 01485 600719

Instagram: @happyvalleynorfolk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NorfolkWeddingVenue/

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