You’ve found the venue, picked out a dress and chosen the rings - now it’s time to focus on your guests!

The stationery you choose can help bring the whole wedding together and is the first step to making your guests really feel as though they are part of your big day.

But how do you decide what to go for? What should you personalise? Which colours and fonts should you go for?

The Invite Shack - one of Cooling Castle Barn’s recommended suppliers - design and provide a wide range of wedding stationery, from save the dates, invites, table plans, signs and more.

And to make things easier for some couples, owner Liz Willis has now created a platform which allows couples to customise some of her most popular designs.

She said: “As the company grew, I realised it was important to find a way where couples could use some of my most popular designs, but make them their own.

“They can follow the linktr.ee links and change the font and colours and other parts to help keep costs down but still personalise them to their own tastes.”

Liz, a graphic designer for around 15 years, has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for four years.

For those opting for the venue, she has even designed a sketch to make invitations and other stationery stand out.

She added: “I love the venue, and I think the sketch of Cooling Castle really finishes off the stationery, perfectly.

“Wedding Stationery is such an important part of a couple’s big day. It’s often the first time they are revealing it to their friends and family and it’s the first glimpse their guests get of what it might look and feel like, so the invites can really set the tone.

”A lot of couples say that it feels real to them after they have the invites - I love being part of that initial excitement!”

Liz’s most popular designs include a concertina, tri-fold invitation. Couples can opt for bespoke designs or follow the links on her website and customise dozens of designs and view them on screen before ordering, cutting down on waiting time and costs. More designs are being added to the site every day.

The company, based in Maidstone, also provides all other matching stationery such as save the dates, table plans, place cards, table numbers, thank-you cards, and more, with customer visits available for those who want to discuss their requirements in person.

Take a look at the website www.theinviteshack.com for more information.

Love was definitely in the air this weekend as hundreds of soon-to-be-married couples took up the opportunity to take a closer look around Cooling Castle Barn during its first Open Day since the pandemic.

More than a thousand people were onsite to tuck into freshly-cooked pizza from the outside pizza oven, fantastic small tasting plates and a drink or two, as they were shown what the wedding venue has to offer.

More than 20 of the company’s recommended suppliers were on hand to talk to potential couples about their services, while the brilliant Barn staff showed them around.

For owner Rebecca Collins it was a chance to get back to some normality after the difficulties that COVID had presented.

She said: “The Open Day used to be one of the highlights of the year, so it was great to see so many people onsite enjoying our hospitality once again.

“It was a pleasure seeing all our wonderful suppliers together, showing off what they do best - putting on fantastic and unforgettable weddings.”

Some photos from the event below and keep an eye out for some more posts featuring some of our suppliers in the days to come!

From Bach to Beyonce and Mozart to Muse, Estilo String Quartet will bring something truly different to your wedding day.

One of Cooling Castle Barn’s recommended suppliers, the talented quartet have recorded for film and theatre and have released two albums.

For weddings, they offer bespoke packages and can advise on suitable music for the arrival of guests and the reception, as well as pieces for the ceremony, entrance and signing of the register.

Partner Simon said: “Estilo String Quartet has been playing at Cooling Castle Barn for more than 15 years and we feel like it’s home!

“We can play everything from Bach to Beyonce and Billie Eilish and everything in between, so if you’re after traditional or super modern, we’re the group for you.

“Whether you’re looking for music for the ceremony, drinks reception or throughout the day, let our familiarity with the venue and the team be a musical weight off your mind.”

The group’s players have performed with Lorde, Adele and with orchestras in London and around the world.

Check them out on Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon, as well as their socials - and a stunning Elbow rendition below!

A stunning barn; beautiful location; amazing food; accommodation on site: Cooling Castle Barn is the perfect setting for your wedding. 

Now we are opening up the venue for a very special Open Day – where you can take a look around the venue for yourself, enjoy our hospitality, get introduced to the team and meet a host of our recommended suppliers. 

If you are hoping to get married in 2023 or 2024, this is the perfect time to wander around the venue and grounds to get a feel of the place. You can take a look at our new outdoor cooking area, all ready for an amazing evening feast and enjoy our new rose garden area and secret garden. You can admire our stunning duplex master suite, with roll top bath; be shown around the beautiful suite where the bride and bridesmaids can get ready; and take in the picturesque surroundings. 

Many of our recommended suppliers – from cake designers to florists and dress fitters to photographers - will be on hand, so you can meet them and take a look at what they do best. 

Our Open Day takes place on Sunday, 15 May and is by appointment only. Due to limited space, each slot is for one car and lasts 90 minutes. 

To book your space and find out more, take a look at the website and follow the link here. 

Hurry, because spaces are filling quickly! 

In a previous article, we spoke to our two most trusted photographers Nicky and Dan - who have been on our recommended supplier lists for almost 25 years between them. After learning about their craft and being treated to some of their best photographs they have managed to whittle it down to just one.

Here we find out about their favourite shot taken at Cooling Castle Barn and what sets it apart from others.

Dan Potter from Dan Potter Photography (photo above) has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for more than eight years.

He said: “I love this one. It’s a confetti shot, with the bride throwing her arm in the air. It might not be the best confetti shot there ever was, but because she is in the moment, loving the day, the emotion comes through and makes it a great photo in my eyes.

 Nicky Tulip at Nicky’s Photography has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for 15 years.

She picked this shot above as her favourite.

She said: “It was taken quite recently. The couple’s wedding was booked some time ago, but because of Covid it got moved. They had already moved it once and their last wedding date was a day before it was announced that they couldn’t have the wedding. I remember being on the phone with them and how upsetting it was. 

“It was an amazing thing to eventually complete that journey with them. They popped a bottle of Champagne, they shook it up and it fizzed up and I felt really close to them. From booking, it was three or four years of being on that journey. You get to know them and they even mentioned me in their speeches, which was lovely.

“As a photographer, you build up a relationship, you have to make sure you understand your couple, ensure they’re happy and make sure that you’ve understood what they want out of it.

“So with this photo it felt like mission accomplished.”

If there’s one thing most married couples agree on, it’s that the wedding day itself whizzes by in a blur.

Attending to your guests; worrying about dresses or speeches; accepting a drink or three from long-lost relatives at the bar; there’s rarely a moment to pause and take it all in.

That’s why getting the right wedding photographer is so important. They are there to capture all those special moments that you can then cherish for the rest of your life.

At Cooling Castle Barn, we have two trusted photographers on our recommended suppliers’ list. Here, we find out what makes them tick as they share some of their favourite snaps taken at our Cooling weddings from over the years.

Dan Potter from Dan Potter Photography (gallery above) has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for more than eight years.

On wedding photography…

“I love my job – it’s great being around happy occasions. It’s the best day of a couple’s lives so far, so it’s a great atmosphere and you know everyone is going to be having a good time.

“You know couples are going to keep these photographs forever – it’s a lasting memory - so it’s special to be part of it.

 “I’ve had some great word of mouth jobs – I did the photography for three sisters at different places over a number of years, it’s lovely to be able to do a job for the whole family.” 

On what makes a good shot..

“A good wedding shot needs great light, great composition, but most importantly, it needs a little bit of emotion. You can have great light and great composition and a good photo, but if you have the emotion you have a story in that photo. You need to get to know your couple and I find the photos with with emotion are always the keepers.”

On Cooling Castle Barn…

“I like the different seasons at the Barn and there are different spots within the grounds and outside that are great at different times of year. There’s great blossom in the spring; you have the hay bales in the surrounding fields in the late summer; colourful trees in the autumn; and sometimes snow in the winter. There are so many different spots that you can use.

“Cooling Castle Barn is a well-oiled machine. The staff are great. I feel at home there. I’ve been recommended for quite a while and know a lot of the staff to speak to which makes your day easier. Communication is great, so I’m always kept informed if anything is going behind schedule - which it very rarely is!”

Nicky Tulip at Nicky’s Photography has been a recommended supplier at Cooling Castle Barn for 15 years.

On wedding photography…

"It’s hard work, but an amazing job. The pressure is immense, it’s the most important day of someone’s life. But I love it when I see a moment and know that I’ve got it. You look through the lens and know that it’s really special, but the couple won’t see it until later.

“Building a relationship up with a couple and being part of their journey is such a lovely thing.”

On what makes a good shot…

“I offer a pre-shoot for Cooling couples as I want to get to know them before the day.  They are generally more relaxed if they do this. They can then get to know me as well - but I like to know their story.  

“There are some couples who are adventurous and you get to see that in the pre-shoot, they may do some running or climbing trees and things like that. Others are more nervous, so we have to build up to the photos, I might ask them to go for a walk together and get the long-lens on.”

On Cooling Castle Barn… 

“Cooling is a second home to me. I know the space, I know the light and where and when I can use it. It runs so well and I’m trusted as a supplier there, they can let me get on with what I need to do. 

“It makes it easier to work with everyone when they know you. That makes a good venue on the whole - where everyone comes together for this special occasion and it all runs like clock work.”

“A recipe has no soul - you, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe,” American chef Thomas Keller once said.

And at Cooling Castle Barn, our experienced chefs will bring the menu truly alive for your wedding day feast.

We’re always delighted to get positive feedback about our amazing food, and here we have brought in the experts at Fleur Challis Photography, to help us showcase some of our spectacular dishes.

Just don’t start looking through the gallery on an empty stomach!

Trying to get your dress on in a cramped bedroom; clothes and make-up scattered all over the place; worrying about getting to the wedding on time. Stop! At Cooling Castle Barn, we make sure the most special day of your life gets off to the perfect start. 

Our stunning Mote House bridal suite gives you your own beautiful space to get ready on your wedding day. 

Have your breakfast in peace and some ‘bubbles’ in our serene surroundings. Get ready, pampered and photographed in style!

Everything has been thought of to make sure your day begins in the best possible way.

From 8am, you can bring along your hairdresser and make-up artist to help you get ready in the large dressing room. If you don’t fancy that, take your closest family and friends for a spot of breakfast or some bubbles.

If the weather is nice you can sit on the balcony and enjoy views over the countryside.  The master bedroom comes with a beautiful free-standing bath if you want a relaxing soak, first. 

For the end of the evening, there’s even a separate living room area if you want to put your feet up at the end of the night - you can always invite a few close friends or family members back for a nightcap or a coffee and chat.

The master bedroom has a lovely comfy sleigh bed and a deep cast iron double-ended, free-standing bath should you want to relax before bed. Everything you need to round off the night in the most romantic way possible.

Take a look at some of our latest photos of the dressing room area and click here for more details