Meeting via Tinder, Chelse and Lee “went on a lot of dates, had many drunken nights out and laughed until our bellies hurt”, she reminisces. “We knew we’d found something special.” A surprise trip to Dubai for her 30th birthday led to a “very romantic” proposal on the Burj Khalifa Lake, while the couple watched the fountain display from a boat.
Both Chelse and Lee wanted to get married outside, deciding on the luxe countryside venue of Camel Studio. “We had a festival-style, boho garden theme, with natural colours and boho-chic style décor,” she says. “There were lots of neutrals and pampas grass, dried daises and old-style candle-holders. Lee and I opted for big peacock chairs, which made us feel ultra-special.”
The sun-drenched summer’s day meant the couple could take their vows in the idyllic grounds. “I walked out of the big barn doors, down the aisle and we married under the blue summer skies, with the rolling hills of the Camel Valley as our backdrop,” she reminisces. “Lee’s 10-year daughter wrote her own poem, from the heart, and read it out during our ceremony. The poem she wrote was all about our family becoming one and starting a new chapter.”
While the tears were dried, canapés and prosecco were served in the courtyard as a musician serenaded the 30 guests. After lawn games and photographs, dinner was served in the beautifully decorated studio.
A Moroccan theme incorporated sharing plates of bahrat spiced chicken skewers, harissa meatballs with whipped feta along with beetroot salad, chickpea salad and flatbreads with dips, and mains of butterflied Moroccan spiced lamb with a bulgur herb salad. “I looked around the room as we all sat down to dinner and soaked it all up,” says Lee. “I remember thinking how lovely that all the people we know and love are in one place and we’ll likely never have everyone together again like this.”
Making the most of the surroundings, the wedding moved outside for dessert served from a vintage ice cream trike. “Lee and I picked our favourite ice cream flavours, including lemon ripple, After Eight choc mint, and mango and passionfruit,” says Chelse. “They went down a treat!”
Everyone gathered around the firepit and toasted marshmallows as the sun began to set; the evening saw a DJ filling the dance floor, while Krispy Kreme doughnuts and pizzas fuelling the revelry.
Meanwhile, Chelse and Lee were whisked away by their photographer for photos in the field next door, which proved to be one of her favourite memories of the day. “The sun was just going down and it was stunning. The colours, the peace, the warmth,” she reflects. “We could hear everyone laughing and dancing in the background. Lee and I had a special little moment together, lots of giggling and it gave us a few moments to appreciate being with each other.”
Looking back, Chelse and Lee’s advice is pertinent to those choosing where to wed. “Pick a venue with hosts who feel like family, like they’ll go above and beyond to make you feel special,” she says. “The level of trust meant we could enjoy everything from planning and choosing through to the very last minute of the day.”
Photography & videography Yeah Mike yeahmikephotovideo.com
Venue Camel Studio camelstudio.co.uk
Coordination Piccolo Weddings piccoloweddings.com
Dress Kiva & Zen thebridalhouseofcornwall.co.uk
Seamstress Honey Bee Alterations honeybeealterations.co.uk
Suit Moss moss.co.uk
Bridesmaids’ dresses Six Stories sixstories.co.uk
Flower girl’s dress Etsy etsy.com/uk
Hair KJR Hair and Make Up facebook.com/KJRhairdressing
Catering Lanie Calvert, Punnets Gourmet Catering
Tableware Abbotts Event Hire abbottseventhire.co.uk
Flowers Cornish Dried Flowers cornishdriedflowers.co.uk
Décor & games Out of the Ordinary Event Hire outoftheordinaryeventhire.com
Ice cream trike Proper Vintage Cornwall propervintagecornwall.co.uk
Entertainment Fistral Stereo fistralstereo.com
Tom Corneill tomcorneill.com
