Meeting whilst studying at the Royal College of Art in London, Sophie and Henry got to know each other in the student bar at the South Kensington building. Henry proposed on Valentine’s Day evening after the couple’s favourite steak and wine dinner. “He had crafted a unique ring from a single preserved rose head, silver wire and a floating heart pendant, and presented it in a precious glass box,” says Sophie.
Perched on the South Devon coast overlooking the sea, the couple fell for the luxurious climes of Gara Rock Hotel for their early spring wedding. A colour palette of coral, peach, ivory, powder and royal blue carried throughout the details. “We wanted it to feel spring-like and fresh, and added personal touches that had a beach feel,” explains Sophie, who reveals their décor incorporated a “slightly eclectic and tactile mix of textures”.
Sophie accessorised her simple flowing gown with a breeze-catching veil, while Henry opted for a classic tux. Their “very personal and intimate” ceremony was shared by the couple’s parents and close friends, taking place in the secret suite at Gara Rock. “We were overlooking the sea and standing under a beautiful flower cloud,” she reflects. A reading of extracts from The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy was followed by the couple exchanging the same personal vows.
Canapés and fizz were served to the newlyweds and their guests, which prompted their favourite part of the day: “The moment straight after the ceremony when you can finally relax, have a drink and enjoy yourselves!” laughs Sophie. The wedding party then headed onto the beach for games and photos.
“The weather was pretty awful and stormy in the morning, and it rained straight after the ceremony too, so our plans to get to the beach for photographs were nearly thwarted,” she reveals, looking back. “However, the sun came out and from then on we had the most beautiful sunny skies all afternoon, so we had a great moment together celebrating and having fun on the beach.”
Served at a table dressed with soft natural textures and peach and blue blooms, the wedding breakfast featured starters of smoked Creedy Carver duck breast, Gara Gin cured salmon and butternut squash velouté followed by 28-day dry-aged beef fillet, whole marinated roast seabass and courgette hasselback. To finish, the delicious dessert options included spiced rum sticky toffee pudding, clotted cream crème brûlée and lemon posset.
As the sun began to dip, golden hour provided the perfect moments for cutting the cake before everyone took to the sands for evening drinks and beach games, taking in the shimmering glow of the sunset over the ocean.
For Sophie and Henry, who planned their wedding in just four months, making quick decisions was key. “Keep on top of tasks and to-do lists; we only had four months to plan it all so we just had to go for it – procrastination just causes more stress and sometimes the most spontaneous decisions are the best ones!” she says. “And remember to enjoy the planning process!”
Photography Thomas Frost Photography thomasfrostphotography.com
Venue Gara Rock Hotel gararock.com
Dress Michael Lo Sordo from Net-A-Porter net-a-porter.com
Bride's jacket & bag Galvan London galvanlondon.com
Bride's shoes Bottega Veneta bottegaveneta.com
Groom's suit New & Lingwood newandlingwood.com
Groom’s shoes Harrys London harrysoflondon.com
Flowers Caroline Hodges Flowers carolinehodgesflowers.co.uk
Cake The Great British Cake Shop thegreatbritishcakeshop.co.uk
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