While poring over Pinterest, ticking off tasks on the to-do list and making paper pom-poms into the night are part of the whole wonderful wedding experience for many couples, there's a rising trend amongst others to simplify the process and steal away to exchange vows in privacy. Here, we meet three brides who reveal the secrets of their unique celebrations.
"I would choose it again over having the wedding we originally wanted, even if I wasn't pregnant"
Eilidh and Lewis said 'I do' surrounded by miles of postcard-pretty countryside at Ta Mill
EILIDH SAYS:
"Lewis proposed by organising a treasure hunt and arranging lights to spell out 'will you marry me?' across the field from the tree house we were staying in. It took me by complete surprise and I was, of course, utterly delighted. By this point I was already over three months pregnant.
We had discussed getting married in Portugal as we thought we would have our special day abroad and share it with our nearest and dearest. But, as we neared my due date, we changed our minds, deciding instead to elope and have a secret ceremony. We wanted to be a family.
Obviously at such short notice it wasn't going to be an extravagant affair, which isn't our style anyway. Fortunately, I came across Ta Mill, which is only an hour away from home. Having only three weeks left until baby's due date, it needed to be close!
Arriving the day before the wedding, we chilled out together, and spoke marriage, future lives, babies, family and happiness. We were all set for our little big day! Our hostess, Helen, organised a countryside bouquet for me and decorated the veranda with beautiful garden flowers. There was a food hamper for us filled with treats so that we could just relax afterwards. I spent the morning getting ready, keeping things quite natural and low-key.
The registrars and photographer arrived and the nerves kicked in upon the realisation that we were actually getting married! I became quite emotional, almost letting tears of happiness escape my eyes. There were a few little giggles throughout the ceremony. It was light-hearted fun, and full of character and love.
After signing the register and having some photos taken, we had our hamper outside on the veranda alone with the flowers and the birds, admiring our wedding bands. We made a binding commitment to each other for us and no one else."
Photography Phil Glew at Southgate Studios www.southgateportraits.co.uk
"We wanted a wedding which was about us."
Tiffany and Alex tied the knot during a gorgeous summer wedding at Lower Barns
TIFFANY SAYS:
"Alex and I had been together for just over 18 months when we decided we wanted to get married. The week before our first date, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, so right from the start we were thrown in at the deep end. Dad only got the all-clear a week before the wedding. During that period we also lost my nan to the same disease. It was a very difficult and emotional time - and reminded us just how precious time is and how important it was for us to be married.
Alex wanted to get married too, but he was put off by the thought of a big wedding. The idea of eloping came to us as quite a surprise, but once we found Lower Barns we knew it was definitely for us. We set the date within weeks.
Planning the wedding was incredibly easy. All we had to plan was when we would marry, what we would wear and our flowers. We settled on a date in June; I came across a gorgeous knee-length dress; Alex bought a navy suit, and we chose blue hydrangeas for my bouquet and Alex's buttonhole.
The day itself was so relaxed. Waking up together in our fabulous room knowing we were getting married was just amazing and the fact it was a huge secret added to the excitement. After a hearty breakfast, I went to a local salon to have my hair done and then returned to do my own make-up and start on the bubbly. When I walked out of our 'Hiding Place' and saw Lower Barns' chapel - the 'Wed Shed' - all set up, so bright and full of colour, I was in tears and had to redo my make-up!
The ceremony was so intimate - just what we had hoped for. We emerged to bubbly, canapes and, shortly afterwards, a big surprise: my mum and dad had gatecrashed! Despite his recent surgery, my dad had managed to make the journey down to Cornwall. Alex and I were both thrilled that they had come to join us. The four of us went for a walk across the beach at Gorran Haven and enjoyed a delicious meal in 'The Shack' on our return. Alex and I then took a stroll down the lanes as the sun was still in the sky, before returning to our beautiful room. We had the most wonderful wedding we could have wished for and a fantastic start to married life which far exceeded our expectations."
"We found ourselves getting frazzled about flowers, suits, money and we weren't focused on what we really wanted from the day."
Sophie and Arron ran away to The Green and married in the depths of the Cornish countryside
SOPHIE SAYS:
"We spent a long time saving to buy our first house together which we finally bought in December 2014 and then planned to get married in May 2016. After spending such a long time saving for our house, however, the idea of saving for the equivalent of another house deposit was frightening.
I wanted a small ceremony and a party afterwards, as I found the idea of walking down the aisle in front of so many people terrifying. Arron just wanted to get married, eat excessive amounts of food and air guitar the night away. All that mattered to us really was that we got married. We found ourselves getting frazzled about flowers, suits, money and we weren't focused on what we really wanted from the day. So we decided to concentrate on the most important part of our wedding - us getting married!
Cornwall is our favourite place in the world so it made sense for us to get married there. I came across The Green's elopement package, which sounded so romantic with champagne, a breakfast hamper and dinner at the cottage.
On the morning of the wedding, we had a lovely cream tea breakfast and then slowly got ready. I didn't know a wedding day could be so relaxing as we spent most of the morning curled up on the sofa together reading. I wore a white evening dress and a little corsage on my wrist to match Arron's buttonhole.
We walked down to the Lake Arbour together and had the ceremony outdoors. We were both nervous: Arron was worried he would mess up the vows and I was desperately trying not to cry. But it was perfect and unbelievably romantic. After the ceremony we had a few photos, popped open the champagne and tried some of the cake made by my sister-in-law. After more photos, we got changed into our dressing gowns and swimming gear and were taken down to a hot tub in the woodland, complete with Prosecco. It was really romantic and the sun was out. We then headed back to the cottage and sat outside drinking champagne and tucking into a three-course meal made for us by our personal chef as the sun was setting. We couldn't have had a more romantic, relaxed day."
Photography Will Mason-Jones www.willmasonjonesphotography.com
words Rebecca Matthews
Copyright Wed magazine 2015
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