A glimpse inside the Flint Room

Hi everyone!
June 2020 is here at last and we are creeping ever closer to getting through these unprecedented times and opening the doors of the Flint Room once again. We cannot wait to welcome you all back!

We hope you’re enjoying our posts on social media; it’s so nice to reflect on all the amazing celebrations and ceremonies we have hosted and to put some positivity into your feeds during these difficult times.

Trish and I stand in solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement.  We were proud to see Norwich City hall light up in remembrance of George Floyd. It’s amazing to see all that the movement has achieved in a short space of time; and that some positivity and justice is coming out of people uniting to fight racism.

Thank you so much for following us on Instagram and Facebook: @theflintroom and a warm welcome to our flurry of new followers! Each post gets us more and more excited for all of the celebrations and ceremonies we have coming up... amazing times are on the horizon! In the meantime, we thought we would give you all a ‘through the keyhole’ glimpse inside the most unique ceremonies venue in Norwich, and a bit of inside knowledge behind its special features…

We did some market research with friends, relatives, work colleagues and people we have met through various walks of life to see what they wanted in a wedding venue. It became very apparent that it was time for something different! They all wanted to have more options to make ceremonies unique, and no more rows of white chairs, white lace, white organza. We couldn’t agree more!  

Trish and I had been carefully collecting our own vintage treasures over the last couple of years plus many I still have in my garages at home lol. After successfully gaining planning permission we were able to begin creating our vision; something different from the rest. A warm, friendly, homely feel. A place where you don’t feel anxious, nervous, intimidated. Somewhere that has that special feel for life’s special celebrations.  

We were granted permission from the Norfolk Registration Service at County Hall to perform non-religious ceremonies; but in order to gain a license for the building we had to remove or cover up all religious content. So we set to work in creating something entirely different and unique in this magnificent medieval flint building...

The first port of call was climbing 12 feet to remove the wooden cross! Next on the list was the creation of a grass screen with pretty faux flowers and ornate picture frames to cover the chancel and altar area. We then created another screen from reclaimed wood and industrial metals to surround the wooden pulpit, including more opulent frames, ivy and twinkling fairy lights. Trish and I covered all of the wall plaques with hessian in order to blend in with the many other features and treasures adorning the walls. 

Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful features of the Flint Room is the piped organ; it’s a real talking point! We wanted to accentuate this stunning feature, so we added colourful uplighting to create an eye catching focal point.
There are no religious drawings on any of the windows, but the main entrance windows include shimmering stained glass patterns cast in beautiful colours which dance around in the sunshine. Simply stunning! 
The concrete font was covered in lions, so thankfully was allowed to remain (we have been informed it is mid fourteenth century!). It is such a special piece that really adds to the ambience, as we’ve filled it with fresh ivy and fairy lights…and we all know you can never have enough fairy lights! 

More is more is very much our ethos, and all of these special touches really fuel the bespoke, shabby chic, eclectic feeling to this very unique and quirky place. Though not religious, the Flint Room has a spiritual vibe and features like this and the large ornate windows really add to the awe of the place. 
One of my favourite features ( there are so many to choose from!) is the transformation of the bell tower. It stands with a beautiful room we have made into a relaxed and secluded pre-wedding space where the bride and bridesmaids or groom/father of the bride, for example, can relax, prepare themselves and any final thoughts before the ceremony and celebrations begin. The bells are long gone; having been donated locally to Erpingham Church in 1987 (thankfully kept in our own County of Norfolk). The room is beautifully adorned with gorgeous furniture; there are mirrors and essentials for those last minute finishing touches before that all important aisle walk. It’s a really special touch. 

You can come and see all of this for yourself as soon as our doors are open. Drop us a line to book a tour of the premises and to plan your 2021 unique and bespoke ceremony with soul in our quirky former church.

Until then, continue to stay safe and look after yourselves and we very much look forward to welcoming and celebrating life with you at the Flint Room!

Lesley & Trish xx