It was Gabrielle's turn to say yes when Samuel presented her with a diamond ring in New York on their ninth anniversary - and the couple chose their tenth anniversary for a dream wedding in England. "I wanted this to be a life-changing experience not only for us, but for everyone involved," explains Gabrielle.
Cadhay House ticked all the boxes. "Our guests were astounded by the beauty and history of the house and grounds. It is truly something unique, especially as Americans, to have the opportunity to live in a place with so much history and so much space!" says Samuel.
Their spring English garden wedding was a carnival of colour and locally sourced detail. Using flowers and plants from Otter Nurseries, the ladies gathered the night before the wedding to make the bouquets, corsages and buttonholes amidst much fun and laughter.
A bouquet made as a surprise from the flowers of Cadhay's gardens made the perfect accessory for Gabrielle's dazzling gown. Samuel paid equal attention to sartorial detail, donning a tailor-made three-piece suit and Burberry tie.
With the best man lending the soundtrack, Gabrielle walked along an aisle lined with daffodils in the roof chamber where the ceremony took place. "This was to me the most important event of the day. We had both of our mothers and fathers stand with us for the first part of the ceremony to receive us as part of their family," says Gabrielle. "This was such a beautiful moment for me, to not only celebrate our union, but also the joining of our families."
An evening of delectable Devon flavours and dancing left guests wowed. Champagne and canapes were followed by a sumptuous menu including warm pigeon, braised lentils and beetroot, braised shin of West Country beef with all the trimmings and hot chocolate fondant, orange mascarpone and honeycomb.
The calm moments observing the joyful scenes unfolding around him comprised Samuel's favourite moments. "As we were all away from home, in a distant, beautiful place, it placed everyone on equal footing and really made for some amazing conversations and experiences that I don't think could have happened anywhere else," he says.
Reflecting on his "absolutely perfect day", he advocates a flexible approach to wedding planning. "Don't feel that you have to have every detail decided well in advance. Some of our favourite things about our wedding day were happy accidents or last minute decisions."
Gabrielle also has some wise words for nearly-weds. "This is your day. Have the wedding that exemplifies your partnership and signifies all that you care and stand for. It will go so fast, try to be present and aware of how much love surrounds you."
Photography Anthony Prothero www.anthonyprothero.co.uk
Second photographer Hannah Wood
Venue Cadhay House, Ottery St Mary www.cadhay.org.uk
Catering Dartmoor Kitchen www.dartmoorkitchen.com
Dress Ines Di Santo from Neiman Marcus www.neimanmarcus.com
Bridesmaid dresses H&M www.hm.com
Groom's outfit Balani Custom Clothiers www.balanicustom.com
Shoes Cole Haan www.colehaan.com
Tie Burberry www.burberry.com
Flowers Otter Nurseries www.otternurseries.co.uk
Copyright Wed magazine 2014
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