A British Winter Wonderland
A land of pure magic, step inside our ‘Winter Wonderland’. An organic, foraged, and seasonal sensation that brought the beauty of outside, in.
Hosted at a private home in December, we brought our client’s childhood memories to life for their 60th birthday celebration. We worked with our friends at ARC Events to redefine the concept of a Winter Wonderland. We reflected the ever-changing seasons and the world outside, gathering only English, locally sourced natural materials and not a single flower.
It all started with a magnificent lichen covered 12ft fallen sloe tree which we had been waiting two years to use. We carefully excavated it from the ground in the New Forest and installed it at the entrance, setting an ethereal yet ominous scene for the evening ahead.
When guests arrived, they crossed the threshold into a long, haze-filled tunnel bristling with bare branches of catkin, ash and oak, and tall trees with hanging lanterns. It was designed to disorientate guests and make them feel like they were walking deep into the forest.
At the end of this magical tunnel, guests turned into a beautiful glass structure built by Joseph Benjamin Marquees. At its centre was the champagne bar with a mega lichen branch tree appearing to grow up through floor.
After the drinks reception, we lit candles, filled the glass walled dining room with hazy smoke, brought the lights up very gently and opened the doors so smoke billowed out over all the guests revealing a woodland wonderland space filled with trees and branches.
At the corners of the glass marquee we placed some of our foraged pieces into the outside trees so that it looked like the trees were growing into and through the glass. Looking up, guests dined under a sculptural branch installation which filled the ceiling with a canopy of oak branches clinging to the last of their leaves, huge swathes of kiefer pine and tendrils of autumnal trailing birch in a vivid shade of ochre.
The table centres were created from entirely organic materials. We foraged and found five different mosses, made bespoke log stump candlesticks and nestled mushrooms, cranberries, pears and blackberries within the scape. Every element was handmade and hand arranged and we encouraged guests to nibble on the foraged fruits before they tucked into a seasonal feast by Caper & Berry.
This event was the most exciting collaboration with nature and the seasons. Everything was created in the most mindful and respectful way and there was very little waste ensuring its impact to the planet was as small as possible.
Wild, natural and utterly spellbinding, this celebration was a special one. We were sure we saw a fairy...
Photography by Divine Day.