24 minute read
GOT WED
Beautiful love stories from across Devon
Simply the Best
Harri and Doug’s autumnal wedding at The Oak Barn was filled with personal touches, from the colours to the menu and music
March 2020 proved even more memorable than most for Harri and Doug, who became engaged on the Saturday before the first lockdown was announced. “We were going to Charmouth to drop some shopping off for my grandparents – we went to the beach first and Doug got down on one knee up on the cliff,” says Harri, who then promptly returned to her grandparents’ house to share the good news.
The Oak Barn was the first venue that they viewed, and it was love at first sight. “We love Devon and knew that was where we wanted to tie the knot,” explains Harri, whose favourite colour, red, featured everywhere from the bridesmaids’ dresses and bridal shoes to the table napkins for their autumnal celebrations. “Doug really liked the idea of green tweed, so the main colours came from that, while I also sneaked in a lot of gold!” she says.
The flowers were instrumental in achieving the look, reflecting the day’s palette of reds, dark pinks, creams and lots of greenery. Eye-catching hanging arrangements adorned the main barn, while “the chandelier was something else!” Harri notes.
Beginning the day with a bridal brunch in the Linhay, Harri made her preparations before walking down the aisle to an acoustic version of Tina Turner’s Simply the Best, inspired by the television series Schitt’s Creek.
After taking their vows, the newly-weds treated their guests to some of their favourite food and drinks, from the local cider and Prosecco served during the drinks reception to the wedding feast of pie and mash. “As a couple we are obsessed with pie!” laughs Harri. “Food was one of the most important elements for us and M Welsh Catering Services blew us away with the service and quality.”
The speeches provided much merriment amongst guests, who devoured favours of mini bottles of Fireball inspired by a past Glastonbury festival Harri and Doug attended. “I think even my grandpa downed one during the speeches!” she recalls.
Live music, sparklers, cheese toasties and an “impromptu fireman’s lift during the cake cutting” rounded off the day’s proceedings, leaving Harri and Doug to reflect upon their joy-filled day. “With our anthem of the day being Simply the Best, the band learned a cover to play as the last song of the evening which Doug organised as a surprise for me,” she reveals as one of her most treasured moments.
“It’s never too early to plan or book something!” she advises other couples. “Involving family and friends is invaluable. And, on a practical level, we found it helpful to do a walk-through of our day from different perspectives to check we hadn’t forgotten anything.”
Photography & film Amy & Nick of Amy Chapple Photography amychapplephotography.co.uk Venue The Oak Barn theoakbarn.co.uk Catering M Welsh Catering Services mwelshcatering.co.uk Dress Stephanie Allin stephanieallin.net Alterations Honiton Dressmaker honitondressmaker.co.uk Bridesmaids’ dresses SilkFred silkfred.com Bridal jewellery Tara Osborne Jewellery shoptaraosbornejewellery.co.uk Groom’s outfit Dobell dobell.co.uk Hair Brigitte Fisher brigittefisher.co.uk Make-up Amy Elizabeth Makeup Artist amy-elizabeth.com Flowers In Bloom Devon inbloomdevon.co.uk Stationery & signage Emma Lou Stationery emmaloustationery.co.uk Evening catering The Toasty Badger instagram.com/the_toasty_badger Entertainment Greg Agar gregagar.com Someone Borrowed someone-borrowed.co.uk
Heaven in Devon
Inspired by the peacocks at Coombe Trenchard, Olivia and Andrew’s wedding was a vibrant, musical and oh-so stylish affair
Olivia and Andrew first met while working at the same company before she landed a new job and the pair lost contact. Fate intervened when she met up with a former colleague and friend for dinner – and Andrew came along. “The friend in question, Alice, was also one of my bridesmaids at the wedding!” smiles Olivia.
During one of their biannual trips to the Lake District, Andrew proposed overlooking Lake Windermere while the couple hiked the Old Man of Coniston. “We took a secluded route up so there were no other people around, which made it feel extra special. About five minutes after he proposed a band of low cloud came in and we got soaked – classic Lake District weather!” laughs Olivia.
Coombe Trenchard was the picturesque setting for their late summer black tie celebrations that saw a rich colour scheme inspired by their initial visit. “When we first went there, we were greeted by the resident peacocks – it was the gorgeous colours of the peacock’s plumage that inspired our final colour theme!” says Olivia. “Andy’s velvet dinner jacket was peacock blue and the bridesmaids’ dresses were a similar shade. We added some touches of antique gold with lots of candlesticks and dressed them with teal taper candles.”
A neutral floral scheme of white flowers with a variety of foliage added texture and allowed the teal tones to truly pop. “It was very much ‘undone’ style,” comments Olivia. “We kept the rustic wedding breakfast trestle tables ‘naked’ with vases of greenery and the table settings with a ‘less is more’ approach.”
Olivia pinpoints their musicians as another special feature of the day; they played an instrumental set during the drinks reception followed by an upbeat vocal set after the first dance. “We used to have date nights at the Bristol Fringe, which is renowned for its live music,” she explains. “Lee McCrory and PM LeGrand used to do regular sets and, before we even got engaged, I used to joke to Andy that I wanted them to play at our wedding one day. Fast-forward a couple of years and we made it happen!”
“Walking out of the ceremony after being pronounced husband and wife,” Olivia says, reflecting on her favourite memory. “The nerves of saying the ‘I dos’ were over and we were about to spend the rest of the day with all our friends and family. We enjoyed a glass of bubbles alone and it was such a lovely ‘pinch me’ moment. We then walked out through the clocktower for the confetti throw and didn’t stop smiling from that moment on!”
Her top planning tip? “Spreadsheet!” she proclaims. “Also, prioritise the suppliers that are likely to get booked up in advance so you can get some big things ticked off early on.”
Photography Clare Kinchin clarekinchinphotography.co.uk Venue Coombe Trenchard coombetrenchard.co.uk Catering Oaktree Occasions oaktreeoccasions.co.uk Dress Rosa Clara from The White Collection Bridal thewhitecollectionbridal.co.uk Groom’s outfit Clifton Suits cliftonsuits.co.uk Bridesmaids’ dresses Ghost ghost.co.uk Hair The Wild Pins thewildpins.co.uk Flowers From the Wild fromthewildflorist.com Cake Boo To A Goose bootoagoose.net Entertainment Lee McCrory myspace.com/leemccrory PM LeGrand facebook.com/000.P.M.000
Great Escape
Athena and James treated their guests to a beautifully personalised and thoughtful celebration amongst the treetops
Athena and James’s paths first collided during a Burns Night dinner hosted by a mutual friend. Five years later, the couple were on a road trip in California when James proposed as dolphins leapt from the water during a sunset cruise in Santa Barbara.
From the Californian coast to the leafy climes of North Devon, Tree Top Escape provided the most stunning retreat for their intimate wedding, which incorporated a palette of blush pink, red and a hint of tartan to reflect their Burns Night beginnings.
With a sharp focus on style throughout the day, the groom’s party wore all-black velvet ensembles personalised with motorbike cufflinks (“as they’re all riders!”), while Athena dazzled in an Inbal Dror couture gown with sparkling embellishment.
Every element of the celebrations was considered, with guests given rose quartz crystals for them to bestow their best wishes upon before placing them in a bowl when entering the ceremony. “We now have those crystals for good luck in our home,” says Athena.
Guests were greeted with a glass of bubbly before congregating in The Nest to await Athena’s entrance. With her adorable Cavapoo as ring bearer, she walked the aisle to the dreamy vocals and acoustic sounds of musician Emma Stevens. The couple then took their vows before a moon gate dressed in fresh flowers, foliage and pampas grass and the idyllic countryside beyond.
“We remembered all the loved ones who couldn’t make our special day, from having a ‘wish you were here’ photo wall to my sister and her husband watching our ceremony live on Facetime, all the way from New Zealand!” says Athena.
The Prosecco flowed while Athena and James headed off for photos in the grounds before a threecourse supper was served in the Grill Haus. Seafood cakes and warm goat’s cheese, pear and toasted walnut salad primed tastebuds for the main courses of sirloin of beef, roasted cod, and spiced butternut squash, spinach, cashew nut and feta cheese pancake, all of which were served with winter slaw, rosemary and garlic potatoes, and warm panzanella salad.
“Having such a small wedding (14 guests) meant we could interact with everyone throughout the day as well as making it feel like a personalised event to them,” says Athena, reflecting on their day. “I wanted to make sure they felt appreciated, especially my parents who helped with everything so we got them surprise gifts for their 42nd wedding anniversary which was the very next day. We had handwritten thank you notes waiting alongside takeaway cake slices and a personalised lottery ticket with numbers meaning something to each guest. We also sent a ‘Welcome to Devon’ cream tea hamper to my husband’s sister and fiancé who had travelled from afar.”
Photography Maria Broome mariabroomephotography.com Venue Tree Top Escape treetopescape.co.uk Styling Best Day Ever Devon bestdayeverdevon.co.uk Dress Inbal Dror inbaldror.com Hair & make-up Maddie Pearce southwestmakeupartist.co.uk Flowers Heather Eales churchparkflowers.co.uk Catering Cooking With Gazz cookingwithgazz.com Cake Jax’s Cakes ‘N’ Bakes jaxscakesnbakes.com Stationery Emily Reynolds designbyemily.co.uk Entertainment Emma Stevens lastminutemusicians.com/members/emma
got wed
Little Things
After three postponements, Hannah and Marcus went all out with three days of fun and relaxed wedding festivities
Hannah and Marcus first met through work when Hannah moved to Exeter for a new job. “We hit it off pretty much straight away,” she reflects. “A couple of games at Topsham RFC watching Marcus play later, and the rest is history!”
After becoming engaged during a trip to Edinburgh two years after their fateful first meeting, the couple set about planning their wedding – but Covid meant their road to the altar was anything but straightforward. After being forced to postpone their wedding three times and their original venue closing, the couple settled on Huntsham Court as the backdrop to their handmade day.
“We just wanted a chilled-out vibe with our family and friends together,” says Hannah of their vision for their country house celebrations. Booking the venue from Sunday to Wednesday allowed the couple an extended event with plenty of time to prepare for the big day and savour the setting afterwards.
Hannah swept into nearby All Saints Church in a stunning ball gown carrying a colourful bouquet featuring tulips, her favourite flower. After the vows, guests gathered on the lawn for drinks, canapés and “amazing” live music by Adam in the Hat and Richard James.
The mouth-watering flavours continued with a sharing platter feast including rare beef, pork and gammon with a range of sides, with Granny Gothards ice cream and cheeseboards for dessert.
“Our first dance on the lawn!” announces Hannah when asked to reveal her fondest memory from the day. “Adam and Richard learnt our song for us – Little Things by Keywest – and we danced to this outside. We hadn’t heard their version of the song before we danced to it on our wedding evening, but they nailed it!”
The band then kick-started the evening reception, which featured a supper of fish and chips and a packed dance floor until the early hours. “Us and about 10 close friends got a second wind and partied until 5.30am in the bar,” says Hannah. “It was so much fun, and something we talk about time and time again!”
The following day, the newly-weds savoured some quality downtime with their loved ones: “a chilledout day playing cricket, croquet and nursing hangovers on the lawn in the sunshine,” recalls Hannah. “We had Harry’s Kitchen on-site, where our guests had options to purchase different street food options. It went down a storm!”
“Don’t let it consume you!” she warns other couples of the potential perils of the planning process. “There is always something else to do or plan but try to take some time when you aren’t talking weddings. It is supposed to be fun, and not a chore!”
Photography Maxi Photography maxiphotography.com Venue All Saints Church & Huntsham Court huntshamcourt.co.uk Catering Astridges astridgescatering.co.uk Dress Sophia Tolli from The Bridal House of Cornwall thebridalhouseofcornwall.co.uk Groom’s outfit Moss Bros moss.co.uk Bridesmaids’ dresses ASOS asos.com Hair & make-up Bridal Beauty Team instagram.com/bridalbeautyteam1 Bouquets & buttonholes Floralities floralities.co.uk Stationery Sumo Ltd sumo-ltd.co.uk Entertainment Adam in the Hat adaminthehat.co.uk Richard James richardjamesofficial.com Basher Tate bashertate.co.uk
Flying High
Becca and Scott wowed their guests with a flypast, striking florals and memorable live music
Becca and Scott first locked eyes on each other during a night out in Manchester in 2012. “Scott was based in London serving in the military at the Olympics at the time, so we spent the majority of the first few months together living for the weekend, so we were able to see each other,” recalls Becca.
On relocating to the Southwest, it didn’t take long for her to fall for a special corner of the Dorset coast. “Durdle Door was the first place in the Southwest I fell in love with,” she explains. “It is a place where we have many fond memories so it seemed an ideal spot to propose.” Scott popped the question after a dog walk across the clifftops and planning began in earnest for their wedding in the scenic setting of Upton Barn & Walled Garden.
“As soon as we walked through the walled garden to see the rolling hills of the Devonshire countryside, Upton Barn seemed the perfect choice for us,” explains Becca. “As we were planning an autumnal wedding, we wanted to ensure that the interior matched the beauty of the exterior. Upton Barn did not disappoint. There was a stripped back elegance throughout the venue and we loved the richness of the traditional lime plastered walls contrasting with the industrial beams.”
The couple took their cue from Scott’s military uniform for the aesthetic of the day. “We picked a black-tie theme to complement Scott’s uniform. We also loved the industrial vibes at Upton Barn and thought the two would work well together,” says Becca.
Flowers brought a dreamy softness to the look of the day. “Lunaria was the main flower – it’s also called honesty which is perfect symbolism for a wedding,” she says. “As it’s a dried flower, I wanted a mixture of dried and fresh flowers that looked natural and organic in shape.” A stunning display featuring lunaria, gypsophila and roses made a picture-perfect backdrop for the couple to take their vows in the Cider Barn, while tables topped with pared-back florals and matt black candelabras complemented the industrial look of the Stable Barn.
The sensory delights continued with a wedding feast featuring roast chicken, spinach and garlic purée, roasted shallots and truffled white wine sauce and salted caramel brownie. The entertainment was another standout feature, with Matt Bee’s jukebox guitar and Piano Factor, a request band playing mini grand pianos, captivating guests throughout the celebrations.
With Scott being a pilot, references of flight were woven throughout the day, including a flypast after the ceremony. “Our friend wrote a reading called The Flight which she read during our ceremony,” says Becca. “She then orchestrated us being lifted during the evening dancing, captioning it on Instagram as The Flight!”
Looking back on their wedding, Becca is replete with advice for others: “Make sure the day is about you and your partner. Focus the day on what you want out of it – Scott and I love to have fun and this was an important theme throughout our wedding.”
“Prioritise your budget on the things that will have the biggest impact on your guests having a good time,” she continues. “For example, we chose to forgo favours and instead put the money into hiring the band.”
Photography Oliver Holder oliverholder.co.uk Venue Upton Barn & Walled Garden uptonbarn.com Catering Pickle Shack pickleshack.co.uk Dress Élysée from TDR Bridal Birmingham thedressingroomsbridal.co.uk Hand-painted jacket Kate Illustrate kate-illustrate.co.uk Bridesmaids’ dresses TH&TH thandth.com Flower girls’ dresses Lilli & Bo lillyandbo.co.uk Hair The Updo Girl theupdogirl.com Make-up Laura Le Page lauralepagebridalmakeup.com Flowers Flowers by Sophie Millington flowersbysophiemillington.com Candelabras & neon sign hire Glas Events glasevents.com Entertainment Matt Bee, Cotswold Wedding Guitarist cotswoldweddingguitarist.co.uk Piano Factor pianofactor.co.uk
Into the Blue
Relaxed vibes, paddleboarding and lots of fun were the hallmarks of Laura and Hugh’s wedding on the coast of North Devon
A dating app led Laura and Hugh to their first meeting at a London pub back in 2017. “We quickly became inseparable with our love for the water and adventures,” says Laura. “I spent most weekends down on the south coast where Hugh was living.” Three years later, Hugh popped the question during a trip to Cornwall.
“We went for a walk on the cliffs at Polkerris where Hugh got down on one knee and proposed, followed by a picnic breakfast in the sunshine overlooking the water,” says Laura. And the oceanloving pair chose Watermouth Cove, on the North Devon coast, as the backdrop for their wedding celebrations. “We wanted to get married by the sea and keep the theme beachy, rustic and relaxed with blues and yellows,” she explains.
To help achieve the coastal look, Laura handcrafted a number of elements herself. “I enjoyed getting crafty and re-using things – I made oyster shell candles, we painted candles for the tables as an activity on my hen do and I sanded up and wrote on old fencing for our welcome and order of the day signs,” she says.
From milk churn arrangements to the beautifully blooming pagoda overlooking the sea, the vibrant flowers followed Laura’s brief of being “in season and locally grown with a rustic, picked-from-thegarden look.”
The barefoot ceremony took place in the sunshine on the clifftops, with Laura donning an embellished two-piece bridal gown in keeping with the relaxed mood. The personal, music-filled proceedings saw a performance from singer and saxophonist Lucy Harvey as well as the congregation singing All You Need Is Love.
After the vows, guests tucked into sparkling wine and canapés, while the newly-weds climbed down the rocks to get on their paddleboards. “We paddled around the headland to all our guests cheering. There was a moment when we looked at each other and thought ‘we actually did it’ – what a great start to our married adventures together!” Laura jumped off her paddleboard into Hugh’s arms, walking up the beach to a shower of confetti.
The wedding breakfast presented sharing platters of roast lamb and pork and a trio of desserts; the delights continued into the evening with a rum and gin bar and more deliciousness comprising fish and chips, barbecue lentil goujons and churros while live band The Nashville Heat performed.
“Don’t be afraid to be different: if you like something, be decisive and go for it – and remember that it is your day to enjoy all your favourite things!” Laura imparts as words of advice. “Also, if you can, use local suppliers – we met so many amazing, talented people along our wedding planning journey.”
Photography Freeformimages Photography freeformimages.co.uk Venue Watermouth Cove watermouthcoveweddings.co.uk Dress Catherine Deane from Hannah Elizabeth Bridal hannahelizabethbridal.com Bridesmaids’ dresses Motee Maids from Not Another Boring Bridesmaid Dress... nabbd.co.uk Flower girls’ tutus Coco Flower Girls etsy.com Groom’s outfit Moss Bros moss.co.uk Hair & make-up Chloe Bond chloebondmua.com Flowers Petal and Posie facebook.com/petalandposie Entertainment Lucy Harvey lucyharvey.co.uk The Nashville Heat thenashvilleheat.co.uk Videography Danny Hollywood dannyhollywood.com
Classic Romance Festival Fever
From glittered cheeks and vibrant blooms to handmade details, Fay and Will wowed their guests with a festival wedding to remember
Having lived in the same halls at Exeter University, Will decided to pop the question to Fay in the city where their love story had started. “We were living in Vancouver and had a trip planned back to the UK. Will had decided to propose in England so that we could celebrate with friends and family,” explains Fay. “After I ruined his plan to propose in Exeter, saying we didn’t have time for a detour, he proposed whilst we were having a walk around my parents’ field instead!”
The couple set about planning a relaxed and super-colourful wedding. “We’d always dreamed of hosting our own mini festival and my uncle kindly said we could use his lovely field on a hill overlooking Dartmoor,” says Fay.
Hiring two giant tipis, a series of bell tents and magical festoon lighting, the scene was set for Fay and Will’s wedding festival, which they decorated with handmade details and lots of colour. “The bridesmaids wore burnt orange and the groomsmen matched with ties, but otherwise we went for all the colours when it came to flowers, bunting and decorations!” A vibrant carnival of pom-poms and bunting – handcrafted by the mums – and an “incredible” hanging hoop dried flower installation added to the party vibe.
After taking their vows, folk duo Harbottle and Jonas kick-started the merriment as guests enjoyed beer, fizz and nibbles while playing lawn games and hitting the party tent, complete with fancy dress, a Polaroid station, sweetie counter and glitter station. “Half the guests had glitter on about 10 minutes after the ceremony!” laughs Fay.
In keeping with the laidback mood of the day, the menu comprised grazing boards (which the couple organised themselves with the help of friends) and Will’s mum’s chocolate fridge cake followed by fish and chips in the evening and s’mores around the tipi fire. And it wouldn’t be a festival without dancing into the small hours – Harbottle and Jonas filled the floor for their evening set followed by a silent disco. “Seeing everyone singing along to Westlife at the end of the silent disco was high up there on the greatest moments of the day!” says Fay.
“We’re so glad we bucked tradition and did things our way,” she enthuses. “Our celebrant, Sally Ingle, made the ceremony so relaxed and personal to us. My bridesmaid read a poem she’d written to kick off dinner proceedings and we had the drinks flowing before the ceremony even started. There were no rules, we just wanted everyone to have an amazing time!”
“There was a heap of work involved in a DIY wedding, but it was totally worth it,” she continues. “We’d recommend booking an on-the-day coordinator so that once the day arrives all you have to do is enjoy it!”
Photography Hannah Wilde hannah-wilde.com Tipi World Inspired Tents worldinspiredtents.co.uk Bell tents Devon Belles devonbelltent.com On-the-day coordination Westcountry Wedding Planner westcountryweddingplanner.co.uk Celebrant Sally Ingle soulconnectionsceremonies.com Dress Park & Fifth parkandfifthco.com Bridesmaids’ dresses Mango mango.com Groom’s outfit Moss Bros. moss.co.uk Flowers Fare of the Field fareofthefield.com Festoon lighting System Electrical systemelectrical-sw.co.uk Entertainment Harbottle and Jonas harbottleandjonas.com Super Silent Discos supersilentdiscos.com Evening catering Flippy Chippy flippychippy.co.uk Croquembouche Cherry Blossom Cakes cherryblossom-cakes.co.uk
