Wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

Pretty and Personal

Leanne was 15 and Adam was 16 when they first met through mutual friends. Love blossomed for the childhood sweethearts and, despite the challenges of a long distance relationship while Leanne lived away at university, “we’ve always stuck together”, she says.


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

The poignant proposal took place at Leanne’s late grandfather’s workshop. “I was very close him and Adam chose this place as he knew I would want somewhere very special.”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

The Great Barn played host to the couple’s nuptials two years later. “It was everything we could have ever asked for from a wedding venue,” says Leanne, who stayed in a cottage at the venue the night before the wedding. A special gift from Adam was delivered the next morning: “I was over the moon and had my first little tear! My very first pair of Jimmy Choos!”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

Adam arrived in a VW campervan for the lunchtime ceremony in the stunning barn, which was decorated in ivory, sage green and a touch of dusky pink to complement the countryside surroundings. Leanne wore an Ian Stuart gown accessorised with a vintage brooch in her hair and Irregular Choice shoes. Carrying a rose and foliage bouquet, she recalls a “very personal and emotional ceremony,” made even more so by the inclusion of their own vows.


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

The pair ensured the atmosphere was relaxed and the fun factor was in full force with lottery tickets as favours, games in the gardens, colourful blankets on the grass for guests to lounge on and even fancy dress masks – “which went down amazingly!”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

Guests snacked on traditional fish and chips in cones before the sit-down meal of herb-crusted lamb, stuffed chicken with spinach and lemon and Devon Blue filo Wellington. A trio of delicious desserts went down a treat, as did the evening party courtesy of a DJ and singer Jill Cole. “We even supplied flip flops for all those dedicated dancers!”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

The next day, the newlyweds departed for a memorably exotic honeymoon on safari in Masai Mara followed by a week in Mombasa.


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

Looking back, Leanne counts her favourite moment as, “Walking down the aisle hand in hand with my dad, with my favourite music playing and seeing the man of my dreams at the end smiling at me!”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

She advises other couples to, “Pick a venue that is personal to you and make your day special based on what you both like as couple.” She adds, “I'd also recommend a bit of DIY! We designed the stationery, made tea lights, cupcakes, headpieces for the bridesmaids, confetti cones and lots more ourselves – not only to keep costs down but to make the day more personal!”


wedding at The Great Barn, Devon

The venue
The Great Barn, Higher Ashton
01647 252552 www.thegreatbarndevon.co.uk

The dress
Ian Stuart from Aphrodite Brides, Ivybridge
01752 895353 www.aphroditebrides.co.uk

The flowers
Emma Vowles Flowers
01803 866831 www.emmavowles.co.uk

Photography
Younger Photography
01752 300636 www.youngerphotography.com

Copyright WED Magazine 2011