Love, Laughter and Alpacas, Wedding at The Oak Barn, Devon

Kelly and Jake first crossed paths at school, but it wasn’t until a summer break from university in 2012 that their friendship turned into something more. A few years later, on a ski trip to France with friends, Jake suggested a detour to a scenic viewpoint. “He stopped to get his phone out to take a picture,” says Kelly, “but instead of finding his phone, he pulled out a ring box and asked me to marry him. It was a beautiful setting and so much fun to celebrate with friends for the rest of the holiday.”

When it came to wedding planning, the couple kept an open mind – until they found themselves consistently drawn to the rustic charm and flexibility of a barn setting. “We loved the idea of a relaxed outdoor ceremony,” says Kelly. The Oak Barn offered everything they were looking for. “It had lots of rustic charm, beautiful gardens, immaculate on-site accommodation and the flexibility to choose our suppliers,” she says.

Inspired by the natural surroundings, they opted for an abundance of greens carried in flowing foliage and wild grasses, with pink accents for contrast. Florals were a standout feature – brimming from milk churns, a statement arch, suspended hoops and bud vases scattered across the tables.

Both keen travellers, Kelly and Jake spent the lead-up to their wedding exploring South and Central America, and wove subtle nods to their adventures into the day, from vintage suitcases and globes in the décor to postcards in place of a guestbook.

 
The couple exchanged vows in a highly personal outdoor ceremony accompanied by an acoustic singer – a moment that flowed into one of their most cherished memories of the day. “We had some time out together on the mezzanine in The Oak Barn,” says Jake. “It meant that we could check in with each other, look out on the beautiful set-up for our reception and share our first glass of champagne together as a married couple.”

Food was a key focus for the pair, who swapped a formal starter for a plentiful canapé reception – the perfect lead-in to a playful nod to their recent travels: Magic, Errol and Flynn the alpacas! “Our guests loved them,” recalls Kelly. “They came dressed for the occasion in matching bow ties!”

 
The wedding breakfast was a delicious affair: pan-roasted chicken supreme, pan-fried fillet of hake and Tunworth cheese tart, followed by a trio of indulgent desserts – chocolate and amaretto torte, lemon cheesecake and summer berry pavlova. As the sun set, the party kicked off with live music, confetti cannons and a packed dance floor.

Looking back, Kelly has advice for couples planning a similarly hands-on day. “Try to tick off the easy jobs well in advance – especially if you have a DIY venue,” she says. “You’ll have total flexibility and choice over suppliers and how your day runs, but it also means you have more decisions to make and more people to coordinate with.” She laughs, “I was really pleased with how the menu and place settings turned out – but it took me so many hours printing and cutting with a mini guillotine!”

Photography Jamie Caldwell jamiecaldwellphotography.co.uk
Venue The Oak Barn theoakbarn.co.uk
On-the-day coordination River Rose Wedding Planner riverroseweddingplanner.co.uk
Dress Essense of Australia essensedesigns.com
Bridesmaids’ dresses Azazie azazie.com
Suits Moss moss.co.uk
Hair The Lighthouse Hair thelighthouseweddinghair.com
Make-up Kate Devon MUA instagram.com/katedevonmua
Flowers H Watts Florist hwattsflorist.co.uk
Catering The Cellar Door thecellardoordevon.com
Cake homeMeadbake homemeadbake.com
Décor hire Unity Event Design unityeventdesign.co.uk
The Old Chapel Vintage Supplies oldchapelvintagesupplies.co.uk
South West Event Hire southwesteventhire.co.uk
Napkins The Knotted Napkin Co. theknottednapkinco.com
Candles Letter Box Candle Co. instagram.com/theletterboxcandleco
Entertainment Tom Corneill tomcorneill.com
The Sound thesoundplymouth.co.uk
Alpacas Little Orchard Alpacas littleorchardalpacas.co.uk