Wedding at Combe House

The Winter Wedding

An entire weekend of frivolity marked the extended celebrations of Marcelle and Nick's wedding. A white winter wedding was as ambient as it was romantic, and the all-white with subtle sparkle theme was gorgeously fitting for the venue and season.



The couple hired Combe House for the weekend and staged a house party on the Saturday evening for 50 guests, who schmoozed whilst indulging on a candlelit supper of lasagne, fish pie, Thai curry, shepherds pie, pavlova, bread and butter pudding and fruit salad. Irish band Paddy's Whiskers provided a fabulously entertaining warm up for the next day.



On the Sunday, guests were requested to meet at Combe House for mince pies, mulled wine and elderflower bubbly before vintage buses transported them to St Michael's Church. The Bristol String Quartet played as the guests congregated and Marcelle walked down the aisle to Elgar's ‘Nimrod’ in memory of her late grandparents who lived in Elgar Country. Amber Denby-Ashe sang ‘Pie Jesu’ and ‘Ave Maria’ during the signing of the register, accompanied by special guest Hatty, Marcelle's terrier, whose vocal efforts resounded throughout!



Canapes and champagne greeted guests at Combe House after the ceremony, and the speeches were followed by a lavish wedding breakfast. With a starter of smoked salmon blinis with Avruga caviar followed by corn fed chicken breast with truffle pomme puree and glazed lemon tart with raspberry sorbet, appetites were well and truly satisfied.



A themed cake made a stunning centerpiece: the figurines were modelled on the couples' dogs and featured suitcases (Nick is a pilot), making it a sweetly personal and creative statement.



The band Superphonic played an eclectic mix of tracks before a fireworks display rounded off the evening in style. Marcelle and Nick spent their honeymoon on the west coast of Barbados.



Marcelle definitely recommends considering the seasonality of your day, “Go for a winter wedding, it's very atmospheric and all the suppliers were available for our chosen date.” Doing it your way, with all details tailored to individual tastes and needs is an idea advocated by the pair. Having made a speech, Marcelle comments, “it was fantastic to be able to respond to my husband's speech and to thank my parents, family and closest friends.”

The venue
Combe House, Gittisham, Honiton
01404 540400 www.thishotel.com

The dress
Pronovias from Parham House Brides, Dunster
01643 822298 www.parhamhousebrides.co.uk

The flowers
Haughty Culture
01404 41699 www.haughty-culture.co.uk

Photography
Rebecca Roundhill
07855 576687 www.rebeccaroundhill.co.uk

Copyright WED Magazine 2010