A new year at The Old Mill Aldermaston - our riverside wedding venue nestled in the Berkshire countryside.
As the new year settles in, I wanted to take a moment to say a big hello from myself and the team here at The Old Mill. With exciting changes happening around the venue; inspiring industry events already ticked off and a wonderfully busy season ahead, it already feels like this year is going to be a special one.
So, let us introduce ourselves to you and welcome you to The Old Mill.
For those who may not have met me yet, my name is Lauren and I am our Senior Wedding & Events Manager here at The Old Mill. As I step into my eighth year at the venue, I am so ready to see what we have ahead of us and the excitement still to come.
Having learnt from the Arlott Family since the age of 16, I have been lucky enough to see so many incredible weddings take place. From starting out as a waitress working behind the scenes, to posting quick snaps on Instagram whilst I worked countless weddings on the bar and then greeting newly engaged couples to show them the best venue in Berkshire! These years of fun and experience has now lead me to leading our events team and together, bringing the most amazing wedding days to our couples.
With the guidance of the Arlott Family and the dedication of our incredible team, I truly believe there is no better place to celebrate a wedding than The Old Mill, where every day is delivered with so much heart, experience and care.
However, the biggest part of what makes The Old Mill so special is the Arlott Family. For those who may be new here, the family have been running the venue with over 90 years of legacy to honour and now, with five generations of love.
Jack, Evie, Ed and Nadia (the fourth generation of the The Old Mill) carry the roles of our directors along with their Mum, Diane. Having grown up here and learnt a lifetime of knowledge and expertise from their Dad, Robin, their connection to The Old Mill runs incredibly deep. Their knowledge, passion and understanding of the space, its history and its future is something we, as a team, are so lucky to learn from.
Together, we share an incredible wealth of wedding experience, endless ideas and above all, a deep care for every couple who chooses to celebrate with us.
Behind the scenes, our Groundsman, Oscar, takes immense pride in caring for the grounds, ensuring every corner of The Old Mill looks beautiful; our Accounts Manager, Chrissy, works to keep everything running seamlessly between our weddings; and our Wedding & Events Specialists, Esther and Tilly, are dedicated to ensuring every couple experiences a wedding day that is truly unforgettable.
So, let’s take a moment to say a BIG HELLO to 2026.
One of our biggest projects as we step into 2026 is our bifold refurbishments, which are now well under way. We’re so excited to see this transformation coming together and cannot wait to share it with you.
To celebrate, we’ll be hosting a couples’ first look on Sunday 1st March 2026 at our Open Day. Join us from 11:30am-3:00pm as this will be the perfect opportunity to see the finished result in person and experience the ultimate brand-new backdrop for our Mill Room and for your top table! If you’ve been dreaming about how your day might look here, this is one date you won’t want to miss - pop in your calendar and stay tuned on our socials as we bring you teasers.
Click here to secure tickets for this event! We cannot wait to reopen our doors.
January took us up to Liverpool for The 2026 Wedding Industry Awards (TWIA), where we were proud to represent The Old Mill after winning South Central Venue of the Year (Other) at regional level.
Although we didn’t come home with the trophy we had travelled for, the experience was still incredibly rewarding. Connecting with fellow suppliers from across the country, sharing stories and celebrating the industry we love reminded us just how special the wedding world really is.
Staying inspired and informed is so important to us. This year kicked off as I attended the first Guides for Brides Networking Event of the year, picking up brilliant tips and tricks for our social platforms and gaining valuable insight into how the wedding world is evolving - especially as Gen Z couples begin to get engaged.
It was also lovely to catch up with familiar supplier friends and meet new faces along the way. The wedding industry is always changing and we are excited to keep growing alongside it.
As always, we have a busy season ahead and we could not be more excited to begin! With the variety of weddings we see here at The Old Mill, we are so grateful to be part of so many memories and cannot wait to welcome new couples through our doors this year and see the weddings of 2026 come to life!
As we enter a new year with so many things to look forward to, we are so excited to welcome couples through our doors.
Whether you have just become a fiancé or are still searching for the venue that feels right, we would love to be able to welcome you to The Old Mill and share with you our hidden gem!
There’s nothing quite like seeing the venue in person, exploring the spaces and imagining how your own wedding day could unfold here. We’d love to be part of that first step with you.
Here’s to new beginnings, fresh spaces, meaningful connections and an unforgettable year ahead at The Old Mill. We cannot wait to see you in 2026!
Written by: Lauren | Senior Wedding & Events Manager
