A Chinese/American/British Wedding!

My brother Tom met the lovely Pearl Sun on a train journey out of London. He asked her if he could throw away her sandwich wrapper...and the rest is history.

We were thrilled when they chose to get married at our house. They both grew up not far from the sea - Tom in Brighton, Pearl in Los Angeles. 

Pearl's family arrived on Wednesday, so we could get the chance to spend some time getting to know each-other. This is Pearl's mum and aunt who flew in from Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Pearl's dad, who has a thriving business in China, offered to cook us a Chinese feast. He spent all day preparing it and the food was amazing!

My son and Pearl fought over this sticky pork dish - definitely a favourite.

I loved the noodles.

Pearl's aunt Diana produced this box of 'Mooncakes'. Mooncake is a Chinese bakery product usually eaten during the mid-Autumn festival. With the September full-moon (otherwise known as the 'Harvest moon' or the 'Fruit moon') happening two days after the wedding - this seemed like a very appropriate sweet to have!

At the end of the meal, after Pearl's dad had served us all cups of Chinese tea, my dad gave a small speech about what an honour it is to have joined families, and what a sheer delight it is to have Pearl become a part of ours. 

Friday morning and the preparations began in earnest. Pearl and her lovely sister Relic (who flew in with her new husband from New York) started the day in exactly the right frame of mind...following an early morning Yoga session!

Pearl is an incredibly talented graphic designer (weirdly, just like my nephew who married here in June) and everything she produced for the wedding was so beautifully put together. From their invitation;

to the personalised maps of the house and grounds;

the door labels for each apartment;

the central table displays,

(jam jars filled with flowers, sand, shells, black and white wedding photos of family members, the menu cards and candles);

the buttonhole flowers;

and the Hydrangea heads hanging from the trees (more on this later).

While the decorations were going up, we sneaked off for a wedding rehearsal. Pearl and Tom had the legal part of their marriage in a Registry Office, which meant they could do whatever they wanted for this ceremony. Thus, they chose a corner of our garden that overlooks the sea, and my dad to take the service.

In an unusual move, but because Pearl had friends flying in from literally all over the world, we squeezed in a cheeky little hen do, in the afternoon.

Relic worked really hard to make this afternoon special for her big sister.

Kicking off with a glass of fizz was a great first move!

Even our girls got their own glass (although theirs was lemonade).

Gradually through the afternoon more and more girls arrived.

Rennie had put together a great idea. We all had to write a 'pearl of wisdom' for Pearl for her marriage and put it into one of these little jars. 

The jars then formed a necklace for Pearl to take with her on her journey (not literal journey as I'm not sure she'll need them in the Maldives).

Relic organised the putting together of a CD of tunes that we each chose for Pearl. Each tune told a story that we shared with her. Nammy designed the cover and wrote out each story for Pearl. What an amazing gift! This is Relic playing each tune and getting Pearl to guess who chose it.

Then came the gift basket.

I think Pearl was happy with this one. 

After some welcome drinks in Affinity and Bliss lounges, everyone bombed down to our local village pub 'The Rock'.

The food never fails to impress! Especially now Scott is back! 

This is the woodland walk that leads to Lundy Terrace. The flower jars hang in the trees, to show the way.

The weather has been incredible for the last two weeks, and we were so grateful for being able to fulfil their dream of being married outside.

And what a view.

Pearl looked stunning in the dress she designed herself, as she emerged for the 'First Look' photo's. This is an American tradition, where the happy couple have pictures taken on their own, before the ceremony. 

Mother and daughter looking beautiful.

I caught these two cheeky cousins still trying to skate, despite being dressed up in all their finery.

Liza loves her 'flower girl' cousins very much, and all of them felt special to be in their lovely dresses.

The flower girls and the ring bearer wait at their post, for the ceremony to begin.

Reuben is chuffed to have such a level of responsibility. 

The guests arrive.

and find their seat.

Tom waits - looking cool (but I reckon, secretly slightly anxious).

The processional begins. Again an American tradition, whereby the important members of the family walk in first, ending with Pearl and her dad. 

The vows are shared.

Readings were said by both mum's. Frances read her wedding blessing in Chinese and Relic translated to English. 

Reuben produced the rings at the exact moment.

I love seeing my dad's smiling face in-between their kiss - makes me laugh every time!

We formed a line each side of the path, 

to throw Rose petal confetti on them,

as they passed.

Lychee Martini's and 'sliders, mini-pasties and fries' were served as canapés on the Terrace (slightly embarrassingly I have NO photos of any of the food and drink at this stage other than MYSELF having a lychee martini - which probably explains the lack of the other photo's). 

However, I did manage to grab a photo of my beautiful sister and her lovely family,

and my 'best man' brother and his gang. Sun being a slight issue with this pic - sorry Reuben!

And this great shot of Pearl and her best buds. All very creative and clever and love Pearl dearly.

Alright Beth?! I'm guessing it's time for the Wedding breakfast.  

Tom and Pearl hired in long and wide tables for our Ballroom, as they had sharing platters to go down the middle of the table. It worked really well.

Each place setting had a handmade test tube of Rosemary Cornish Sea Salt. Rosemary is apparently the herb of 'love and remembrance'. 

The little note attached, says it can be sprinkled onto potatoes or used an an ingredient in focaccia. Tom is a great cook, and Pearl a great designer, so they do seem to work well together on these things.

It was great fun finding the pictures in the jars of different family members. Ours was somewhere, but this one was Relic and Dazhi - the newest newlyweds on the tables. 

Pearl's dad gave a loving speech to welcome everybody and kick-start the proceedings.

Now. What followed these photo's beggars belief. Which is partly an explanation as to why my photo's faltered for a while. We ate ten courses of incredible food. Yes you heard right. TEN courses! 

Apparently the number ten is important in Chinese culture, and this is something Tom and Pearl felt passionate about. (They also LOVE their food).

 There are the most wonderful photos of all this food on this fabulous blog post by Rennie - one of Pearl's great and talented friends. So without further ado. Please do look at that.

While the adults ate and enjoyed conversation, the kids were fed and entertained elsewhere. Our wonderful friends looked after them and had them playing all sorts of creative games. 

Breaking tradition in a brilliant way, Pearl was the first to speak. She thanked her parents for all that they were and all they had taught her. She also thanked our parents too for their role in hers, and Tom's life. 

As a symbol of their thanks they performed a Chinese Tea Ceremony.

Then came Relic, who gave a beautiful and moving speech. The best line was that Pearl can be very blunt, which is possibly why she fits into our family so well! Thanks Relic! 

Tom came next and began by playing this tune which he said told their love story (tongue-in-cheek obvs). As he played it, all our kids came into the room and performed some fabulous dance/guitar moves. 

He then did proceeded to read out about two-whole-minutes worth of Mandarin. Well. Now the whole room was in tears, but none more so than Pearl, who had no idea he'd been taking private lessons. He then translated it: 

"I expressed my gratitude to my mother and father-in-law for bringing up such a smart, kind, loving, fun and beautiful daughter. For me, no-one compares to her. I also thanked them for welcoming me into the family, and that I look forward to a happy future together." 

My brother James and two other best men came next, and had us in hysterics. Especially over the photo of Tom in his 80's fluorescent skiing gear. 

No wedding is complete without the dancing.  I think Pearl had trouble moving in her long dress, so changed into this very snazzy number.

Steve, and Tom's friend Nick, DJ'ed a brilliant set and everyone danced,

enjoyed the photo-booth,

and spent the next morning telling stories and reminiscing about it all, in our pyjamas.

The weather remained unbelievably warm for September, and we enjoyed the beach for the whole of Sunday.

The boys played boules,

to a beautiful back-drop.

Tāngmǔ hé zhēnzhū. Zhè shì yīgè wánzhěng de xǐyuè zhǔchí nǐ de hūnlǐ zài wǒmen de jiā. Wǒmen xīwàng nǐmen de hūnyīn jiāng shì měi yī wèi měilì, tǐtiē hé ài zuòwéi nǐ de hūnlǐ zhōumò. Qù hěn hǎo de yǔ wǒmen de ài XXX

Which roughly translated means:

Tom and Pearl. It was a complete delight to host your wedding at our home. We hope your marriage will be every bit as beautiful, thoughtful and loving as your wedding weekend was. 

Go well, with our love xxx 

Lovely Local Food- Going West

Back in March we did a blog post on 'Lovely Local Food- Going East', which gave a taster of foodie things in a Barnstaple and Braunton direction. This time we are going West, to give you a flavour of lovely things available in Ilfracombe and Mortehoe. It feels to us that we need to treasure these little food havens and encourage more options to flourish and grow, to nourish our  community and our guests.

Ilfracombe is a fishing port situated 8 miles along the coast. The high street, it is fair to say, has seen better days, but the harbour and Fore Street in particular are on their way up. Ilfracombe's heyday was in the Victoria era when droves of holiday makers came down on paddle steamers from Bristol to 'sample the sea air'. The beautiful but ageing architecture of the houses give hints of its splendour in days gone by. It remains a popular holiday destination to this day. The Ilfracombe shops are an eclectic mix from typical holiday 'bucket & spade' and gift shops through to lovely galleries and craft shops (4 new galleries have sprung up in the last 6 months). 

The Deli is one of my favourite Ilfracombe treats, with great coffee and yummy food. 

Lisa the owner and chef, seen here peaking out over the crisps, has created a vibrant hub in the high street. 

This is a taster of what they have to offer plus....

 a host of delicious and interesting other things too.

Next is an extraordinary shop 'The Walkers Chocolate Emporium' . When you go inside you will see what I mean. They make all their own chocolate in all sorts of shapes, sizes and mixtures. There is even a chocolate museum out the back and you can, at times, see them making their next batch.

For something a little healthier go to 'Nana Sue's Sunfoods'. They have a wide selection of health foods, gluten free products, supplements and all things natural and organic. The owners are on hand for helpful advice if needed.

Now to the most excellent Mike Turton and his butchers shop. He not only sells meat but a wide selection of homemade pies, pasties and cheeses.

Mike makes all his own sausages and burgers. There are so many sausage options the choice is almost overwhelming. We have been known to have a couple of each and do a BBQ 'pick and mix'.....the meat equivalent to a packet of Revels (you don't know what it is until you bite into it!!)  If you are doing a large shop and you know what you want, Mike is even happy to deliver out to Pickwell (you will need to give him a few days notice). This would mean, however, that you don't get to see his lovely shop!

The 'Harbour Deli' is a delightful little shop, nestled in one of the side streets leading to the harbour. Again the deli counter has meats, cheeses, quiches, etc and the shop stocks a host of jams and other lovely items. They are a cafe too, serving all sorts, but the meat or fish platters look particularly delicious. I keep meaning to go back there for lunch.

Down on the Harbour side is S and P Fish Shop. A family run business who have 2 fishing boats that supply their fish. 

If you like a lobster then here's your spot, sadly I am horribly allergic so have to keep well away!

What is more you can sit on the tables outside and sample the fresh delicacies whilst.....

enjoying the view and the bustle of the harbour.

Next stop Mortehoe. No ordinary fish and chip shop, 'Mor-Shellfish-T-Eat', sell lots of amazing seafood to take away. This father and son team (who also have a boat catching some of the Seafood) have recently opened, having moved from their restaurant around the corner.  

Rich took this photo of the lobster and crab platter that he bought last week. He said it was scrummy (he didn't eat the whole platter himself!!)

Last, but not least, is Little Comfort Farm, which is situated between Ilfracombe and Braunton. In their farm shop they sell their own organic meat, anything from large joints to their home made sausages. They also have home made 'ready meals' to take away, the price list and more information is available on their website. 

We hope you enjoy perusing round some of these local eateries. Happy Eating!!

Lee Abbey and Lee Bay x

It has been blissful these last few weeks. There has been a ridiculous amount of sun and our holiday guests have loved it.

On a rare afternoon, we even managed to pretend we were on holiday too! I am going to share our adventure with you. Like every good adventure it should start with competitive croquet with friends. 

We then jumped in the cars and drove for about 40 minutes through some gorgeous Devon lanes towards Lee bay.  There are actually two 'Lee bay's' in our area, about 20 miles apart. Both are gorgeous. This Lee bay is a privately-owned beach, but anyone can use it. It is owned by Lee Abbey.

Here is a bit of history about Lee Abbey: 

In 1199, Henry de Tracey, a Norman knight, gave the manors to the Cistercian Abbots of Forde Abbey in Dorset and they held the land for about 340 years, possibly building a farmhouse where Lee Abbey now is.

In 1628, the land was now in the hands of a certain Hugh de Wichehalse, who came to escape the Barnstaple Plague, and repaired and enlarged the farmhouse at Ley. 

Legend has it that Jennefried, the heiress to Lee Manor, was due to marry here until on her wedding day she discovered that her faithless lover had married another. Through the night she wandered in grief, and when dawn came, her body was found by the waters edge. (the pic below is called 'Jenny's leap').

This beautiful tea room (The Lee Abbey Tea Cottage) is at the top of the hill from the beach. 

On the menu are cream teas, home-made cakes, drinks, ice creams and light lunches. All these are served by the resident Lee Abbey Community in a beautiful tea garden nestled in the valley by one of the estate’s two bubbling streams.

Lee Abbey is now run by a Christian community. Ninety people live and work there from nineteen different nationalities and a variety of ages. They run courses and retreats for the general public to attend.

As you approach the beach you pass beautiful historic houses, like this one. In fact, the car park is near to this house, at the top of the short hill that leads to the beach.

Yes we were definitely at the right beach.

It is a sweet little bay and we had it almost all to ourselves, despite it being August.

I was very grateful for this as I am currently hobbling with a torn tendon in my ankle and I did feel slightly self conscious as I clambered over the rocks and sand. 

Everyone (except for Zac and I) threw themselves into their wetsuits and dived into the water.

I have discovered a love of wild swimming last year, and although my heart was willing (it was actually) my flesh (Tendon) was weak....literally. 

Zac (most unusual for him) did not go in, due to the very recent 9 HOUR SURF he did upon leaving Primary School. The rubs from his wetsuit would make you wince..and they are everywhere.

We watched the gang as they mounted a large rock,

and took it in turns

to jump off.

They then decided to swim across the bay,

to explore a cave they could see.

While Zac and I sat with our feet up, reading the second 'Hunger Games' book (which is gripping by the way).

The cave had too great a sea-swell going on inside, so they opted for sunbathing on the rock instead.

There was a hilarious moment when our friend came out of the sea and her daughter kindly thrust her the hooded beach towel....which she promptly got stuck in. 

In case you couldn't see it well, here's a close-up.

As the last few people left the beach, the evening sun was there just for us.

We walked up to the top, towards this gorgeous-sounding place.

We found a great little sheltered place to set up the BBQ's.

With a beautiful view,

we watched the sun go down,

while chomping on a burger

and enjoying a nice cold beer.

And for pudding? The old favourite. Perfect post a swim in the sea.

Always goes down a treat.

All-in-all a special day with special friends.

The drive there was magical,

The views spectacular,

but I have to say, when push comes to shove....nothing beats Putsborough beach.

x

Rosie and Tom's Wedding : Wonderful Homemade

Rosie and Tom's wedding was a feast for the eyes. Everywhere you looked there was a homemade delight. They have such talented friends and family. They clearly all had a wonderful time dreaming, planning and creating their magical wedding weekend together!

Let's start by showing you their fabulous invitations, created by one of Rosie's friends.

Tom's mum, Maggie, spent hours sourcing all of the gorgeous vintage teapots that made the table centres. I think all of their family houses were searched for lace and pretty table cloths to adorn the ballroom for their vintage afternoon tea. 

Maggie also made these amazing boats. The lace was from dresses she used to wear in her hippy days in the 70's. 

Maggie made these boats as the table names. Such a lot of work went into each one!

The house was adorned with flowers and jam jar candles. Each one individually decorated.

Rosie's Mum, Julianne, is an interior designer. She has such an eye for putting together wonderful creations. I think she was the creative director, with Rosie, for the overall wedding design. It all looked magnificent! This Garland behind the top table was a work of art!!

Here it is in its finished glory. The 'Mr and Mrs' bunting was a lovely touch too!

Julianne also made all the rest of the bunting, which she cut from vintage embroidered or lace table cloths. It really was exquisite!

Now to Tom's wonderful cousin Lucy, who happened to be an extremely accomplished florist.

Look at these amazing bouquets!

And if that wasn't enough talent in one family, Auntie Kate made the wedding cake. Here she is adding the final touches. Every detail had been thought of, even down to the beautiful homemade cake stand.

The final creation was magnificent, accompanied by Grandad's ceremonial sword!

It was all hand's to the pump with the flower arranging on Friday. After a quick master class from Lucy the florist, Lucy (Rosie's sister) and Sophie (bridesmaid) set to it.

Tom's height came in handy for putting Julianne's wonderful bunting all around the house and garden (it must have taken her months to have made it all!) 

I really liked their use of decoupage for the table plan and.......

this rather wonderful card box.

Tom's sister, Izzy, made this beautiful 'wishing tree'. She even managed to rope Ben, her partner into helping with the final touches.

It looked wonderful when finished.

There were so many fabulous ideas at this wedding, they were literally everywhere you turned. This is a drawing of Tom and Rosie's new house as a thumb print wedding keepsake.

Now for the tables themselves. Rosie made these biscuit favours herself, after being inspired on a recent biscuit making course.

These little menu cards helped the guests know what culinary delights they had in store for their afternoon tea.

The tables looked wonderful. My 8 year old daughter Millie described the scene well, after she peeked into the ballroom, she said "mummy it is very beautiful and very pink!"

The scene was set for the wedding weekend to begin. By all accounts they had a wonderful Friday night at the King's Arms, followed by the boys having a campfire around our fire pit. On Saturday morning the boys had fun on Putsborough beach sea swimming, whilst the girls sipped champagne.

The best man, Mark, gave the boys a little pep talk before the ceremony. They all looked rather wonderful in their raspberry coloured ties.

The girls looked amazing too, in their pink satin dresses. The lace of Rosie's dress complimented the vintage theme of the day wonderfully.

 Rosie looked absolutely stunning as she stepped out with her dad.

Last minute decisions as to which way they were going to walk down the drive....

There was not a cloud in the sky and the rose arbour was in full bloom...perfect conditions for making an entrance. 

Around the pond...

to a waiting Tom and all their nearest and dearest.

The guests then relaxed and chatted whilst enjoying a Pimms on the terrace in the sunshine.

Then for some canapes followed by a delicious afternoon tea.

A sweep stake on the speeches definitely added to the drama.

The best man's father won and accusations of foul play were launched!

After tea it was such a beautiful evening (the longest day of the year), the guests relaxed in the garden. 

Croquet was popular too.

Then the first dance kicked off the evening celebration.

Candles twinkled in the hall...

and the cherub settle became a rather good photo booth.

I loved their gallery of photos throughout the years. Many a giggle was heard as guests looked through them! 

Mark was looking very pleased with his bit of 'piggy' at the evening hog roast.

The croquet carried on into the evening and the twinkling candle jars looked lovely as the sun went down.

We served Tom's favorite local (well Somerset) cider on the bar. It went down a treat!

Everyone danced into the night to a fantastic band called 'The Breaks'.

A weekend to remember was had by all. All that is left to say is....

Tom and Rosie, we absolutely loved having your wedding at Pickwell Manor and so enjoyed seeing all that planning unfold into the most beautiful backdrop to a perfect weekend!

Mike and Katherine's English Country Garden Wedding

Mike and Katherine had a beautiful June wedding.  An 'English Country Garden' theme showered Pickwell Manor with beautiful, delicate decorations and even more beautiful and warm people.

After a challenging start to their wedding journey, they discovered Pickwell Manor, and these two London lovebirds became at home with our stunning coastal views, Devonshire lanes, beautiful gardens and chilled out style. 

The weekend started with a quick stop at the supermarket. Mike and Katherine, together with their close family, created Breakfast Hampers for each of the apartments, so all guests staying with us could have a hearty (and healthy) wedding breakfast!

 We kept a close eye on the weather all weekend and although at times it did tease, it stayed warm and dry.

As well as decorating, Fridays are a great time for a Wedding rehearsal.  Mike and Katherine have been together for 14 years and so felt that to reflect the time they have spent together, they would walk up the aisle together in celebration of their future together.

The Friday evening pre-wedding dinner! Our Chef prepared a wonderful feast that meant everyone could get together, mix and mingle and enjoy some fabulous food ahead of the Big Day!

 I have got to know Mike and Katherine really well over the course of planning their wedding, so from this picture, I know two things: 1) Mike chose this yummy chocolate torte pud and 2) He shared this sparingly! 

While the merriment's were taking place in the Snug, a Claire shaped visitor arrived with a HUGE van full of FLOWERS!!

There were tonnes more than the ones in this picture.  There were some stunning flowers - hundreds of roses in shades of pinks, apricots and cream, and my all-time faves: Peonies!

Claire (from Amarylis) arrived late in the evening and got to work in the Ballroom and then when everyone had gone to bed, she worked her floral magic in Entrance Hall, stairs and hallway.   

So when everyone awoke in the morning, they had an amazing surprise!

 The scent from the flowers was heavenly!

 They went all around the stairwell marking where our couple would walk together to make their vows.

I might have been particularly amazed with the flowers - I took a LOT of photos - but the stairs just looked so pretty......

Last one of the stairs I promise - Claire you did an amazing job!

On Saturday morning, The Ballroom was set for Mike and Katherine's wedding ceremony.  Katherine and Mike wanted to get married indoors, in a close and intimate ceremony.

While we made the final touches to the Ballroom, checking our fireplaces were Pickwell pretty....

The Wedding Cake arrived!!

Mike and Katherine are both keen divers! Mike was in charge of choosing the Wedding Cake and so the wedding cake couldn't be anything other than a chocolate cake! Diana (Lick the Spoon) did an amazing job!

Every piece of decoration was a different type of chocolate and totally edible.... Can anyone find Nemo???

That's one very happy Bride and Groom!  Again, the smell of chocolate filled the Ballroom - just amazing!

While we were all fussing over the wedding cake, the hallway was filled with beautiful clarinet music.... That would be Katherine's mum playing "Wedding March" upstairs in our Affinity apartment. 

  

The music was the much needed call for everyone to start getting ready, and this is the first glance of the dress.

While the girls readied themselves, the boys decided they would only need about half an hour, so they did what boys do best (especially when they haven't seen each other in a while) - chat!  Here's our Groom with his Best Men.

Claire Mathers made sure that Katherine's hair was every bit Bride. 

'Florist Claire' arrived back with the Bride and Bridesmaid's bouquet - stunning flowers in keeping with the flowers decorating the house.

 Cravats tied (After checking an internet tutorial on how to tie a cravat) and finally button-holes pinned in place, proved the boys were right - not a second over half an hour. Here we have Best Man Oli, Usher Percy and the very dashing Mike. 

 So excited was this bride to get married, Katherine wasn't too far behind her Groom in getting ready. Here she is, in her stunning and elegant wedding dress.  Absolutely beautiful!

Now, here's the moment I get to introduce you to Sally - Katherine's wonderful, funny and fabulous Mum.

Time for a quick family photo. From left to right; Angela (representing Mike's family), Verity (Katherine's sister), the beautiful Katherine, Ciaran (Katherine's Pa - more about his amazingness in a minute), Sally (Mum), and Sam (bridesmaid).

Ciaran was Master of Ceremonies. He was brilliant. Totally chilled and a pillar of support to Katherine, and her whole family, on this important wedding weekend. Always there with a cheerful smile, a reassuring word and a great story! 

This was a really special moment. Just before it was time to walk up the aisle, Sally offers Katherine some words of wisdom, to prepare Katherine for the journey ahead.

And then the ceremony began in The Ballroom. Sally and Ciaran entered first.

 Followed by Sam and her husband James,

and finally, Mike and Katherine.

The train on the dress was traditional and so elegant. 

Verity's fantastic reading of 'The Lovely Dinosaurs' was perfect for our couple.

 After the ceremony, the guests went outside onto the Terrace, 

for celebratory Prosecco and delicious canapés.

 The sun shone brightly on Mike and Katherine's wedding, as guests mingled on the Terrace and Italian Garden.

All the while, a serious game of Croquet ensued!

And Giant Jenga can be used for many purposes.... including building castles?!!

And other well known words/sayings this one - from young Nico - Mike's relative. 

As guests entered the Ballroom, Mike and Katheine shared a private moment on the stairs surrounded by the wonderful scents from the Peonies and Roses.

The table plan reflected their love for all things underwater.... with a twist!

Each guest had to find their name and find the table with the matching undersea icon.

Our caterers excelled themselves with a tremendous wedding feast; seared beef to start,

 perfect local chicken en croute, with seasonal vegetables,

and to finish, refreshing Lemon Brûlée - yummy!

 Following the Wedding Breakfast, it was time for speeches!

Oli's Best Man's speech was the perfect level of entertainment, humour, risk and all round fun!

 Toasts and the 'cake cutting' ceremony followed - how they ever cut into such a detailed cake, was truly a challenge for the Bride and Groom!

 Coffee was served on the Terrace.

Here are members of our wonderful catering team all ready to serve tea, coffee...

And homemade Devon fudge.

 Hang on a minute.... who might these people be?

It says Peony, to match the flowers in the house... we'll see more of this later!

 Meanwhile, Sally had sneaked away from the wedding party and into Mike and Katherine's apartment, to make some fun wedding decorations!

Balloons and gifts,

Champagne.. and some more mischievous gifts for our newly weds!

Then it was time for the first dance.

The dance floor was soon filled to the cool jazzy tunes from Hip Cats.

Instead of a guest book, Mike and Katherine had a mini Jenga set engraved with their wedding date and initials for guests to sign their messages on. After the wedding, Mike and Katherine will send it back for these messages to be engraved onto their mini Jenga set - what a fab idea!

As the band ended their set, everyone was invited outside to stand on the tennis courts for a surprise fireworks display! The Peony thing in the brown wrapper was a Peony firework!

This beautiful, low noise display lit up a perfect summer wedding night - I have to thank Mike's little cousin Nico for this fantastic photograph!  

After the fireworks display, everyone was treated to a soul warming mulled cider, some cheese and the amazing chocolate wedding cake.

And then it was the morning after an amazing wedding. If only I could capture the scent and bottle it up!

 We waved our newly weds off to a bright and happy future. Mike and Katherine, we have loved getting to know you both and sharing your wedding journey with you. Your excitement and enthusiasm for your wedding has been a joy! Your care in the planning made sure that each and every one of your guests had been thought about and it is a testament to the wonderful people you both are.  We have loved meeting your whole family and your friends and we wish you every happiness in your future together.  

Come and visit us soon!

xxx

Alex and Claire's Spring Wedding

I am afraid that due to a technical hitch, I am only just now posting the blog for our first wonderful wedding this year. Sorry Alex and Claire! 

So it all took place on the weekend of the 9th May. Spring was in the air, the Wisteria was in bloom across the front of the house and the woods were teeming with wild flowers and Bluebells.

Wonderful wild flowers were a distinct theme. Alex and Claire's families arrived with car boots full of flowers from hedgerows and their gardens. Below is Alex's mum and Auntie (who had just arrived from Australia) flower arranging in the sunshine. There is something rather special and wonderful that comes through doing lots of the wedding preparations together as a family. It sets the tone of the weekend as everyone works together laughing and chatting.

The house was filled with their gorgeous creations.

I do love that time of year where the garden springs into life. An abundance of colour and glory was brought into the house.

Alex and Claire really wanted to create a warm and wonderful welcome for their guests. It started with the notes on the door...

then continued with these super breakfast baskets.

Not to mention Alex's mum's homemade marmalade, what a treat!!

Whilst Alex's mum had been busily making the marmalade, Alex's dad had been foraging for driftwood and making these fabulous candle holders and wood slices. What a talented bunch!!

The talent continued with Claire's family. Claire's sister, Laura, is a very accomplished cake maker. Enlisting the help of her partner John, the cake took shape (Poor John's back, it was a wonder he could walk after this!).

They painstakingly put on each of these handmade flowers...

with wonderful effect!

With all the preparations done it was time to relax and let the wedding weekend truly begin. Friday night kicked off with a seaside treat, fish and chips from a local company 'The Whiddon Fryer'. Delicious I hear!

Saturday morning, the wedding began. Claire looked stunning as her lovely dad escorted her down the stairs.

 Although they would have loved an outside wedding the weather was not quite up to it. So they opted for the intimacy and gorgeousness of the ballroom. There was not a dry eye in the house as Alex and Claire made their promises to one another.

After a welcome 'Pimms' to celebrate, canapes were followed by the speeches. There is a brilliant atmosphere whenever speeches take place on the stairs. Guests are both on the gallery above and below the speaker, which gives a really good dynamic - just right for plenty of guest participation! Both of the dad's did a speech, here Alex's dad is toasting the happy couple.

Next it was the turn for Claire's dad.

Find your seat, dinner is served!

Claire lived in Italy as part of her studies, which has inspired an affection for its culture and cuisine. Alex and Claire were therefore keen to treat their guests to the food they love. They also wanted a relaxed sharing feel to their meal, with guests chatting and helping themselves. Their delicious menu was antipasti, followed by lasagna, melanzane parmigiana and green salad with gelato to finish. More of Alex and Claire's food photos can be seen on Lee and Kristina's Facebook page 'Guess who's coming to dinner'.

Lee and Kristina make all of our wedding day food by hand, including their wonderful ice creams. They set up this gorgeous vintage seaside stand and service began.

The flavours were to die for.....I love salted caramel!

Lee even makes his own waffle cones, it really does make a difference to the taste (and the crunch)!

Claire very much enjoyed her gelato with a stick of Devon fudge!

With candles lit around the hall, the evening celebrations began.

Twinkling fairy lights were all around. Even the bar had some sparkle.

A romantic first dance kicked off the evening. John DJ'd from a play list put together from requests the guests made in their invitation replies. Such a brilliant idea as everyone enjoyed something they loved. 

It even gave the opportunity for the uncles to prepare a special something beforehand.....

Alex and Claire, we loved hosting your wedding here! We hope you have a wonderful time travelling for your honeymoon (all 3 months of it!) and wish you every happiness in your journey through life together! 

You can see more wonderful photos of Alex and Claire's wedding day from Georgina, their photographer, on her Facebook site 'Panache photography'. They really are lovely!