Photography Laura Buffery laurabufferyphotography.co.uk Venue Trevenna trevenna.co.uk
Meeting, as they put it, “the modern way – on Hinge!”, Rosie and James became engaged against the spectacular backdrop of New Zealand, where James grew up. During a kayaking and camping trip to Golden Bay, where he’d holidayed since childhood, the couple paddled into Abel Tasman National Park, pitched their tent and James proposed over hot chocolate beneath the stars.
“It sounds romantic, but the reality was slightly different!” laughs Rosie. “I'd forgotten my sleeping bag, so we had to share one and I was freezing all night. The next morning made up for it, though. We had our morning tea watching a pair of stingrays swim past, which felt pretty special.”
Trevenna was a love-at-first-sight moment. “We fell in love with it pretty quickly," says Rosie. With so many guests travelling from New Zealand, the abundance of on-site accommodation was a major draw. “It meant everyone could spend the whole weekend together, with lots of English and Kiwi bonding time,” says James.
Wanting the celebrations to feel relaxed from the outset, they welcomed guests on the Friday with a laid-back barbecue. “We wanted everything to feel informal,” says James. “Most of the Kiwis spent Friday barefoot, playing garden games on the lawn, which was exactly the atmosphere we were hoping for.”
The wedding styling embraced colourful seasonal flowers with a loose, organic feel. Arrangements spilled across the tables alongside bud vases and clusters of candles in green, pink, orange and ivory, echoing the floral palette. Bridesmaids wore dresses in varying shades of green, complementing the natural surroundings, while thoughtful handmade touches added personality. Rosie designed all the floral stationery and her sister created the elderflower and lemon cake, decorated with fresh blooms.
Rosie completed her gown with a bespoke cape, while James wore a green linen suit for the outdoor ceremony beneath the arbour. “Seeing James with a tear in his eye as I walked down the aisle was really special,” reflects Rosie. “We didn’t do a first look because we wanted that moment to be the first time we'd seen each other, and I’m so glad we waited.” Rosie’s brother acted as MC. “He curated the ceremony beautifully, which made it feel really personal,” she says. Family and friends also shared short speeches. “We loved this because it gave everyone a glimpse into different parts of our lives and friendships.”
After the vows, guests mingled over Camel Valley sparkling wine and canapés before sitting down to a feast of locally sourced produce. “We tried to source everything as locally as possible,” says Rosie. “The standouts were the homemade rhubarb ice cream on Friday night, made with Trevenna rhubarb, and the Cornish lamb shoulder for the wedding breakfast.” After dinner, the venue’s signature Trevenna Garden cocktail – blending lime, apple, elderflower and Trevenna gin – proved equally popular.
As evening fell, live band The Archives kept the celebrations in full swing. Following the couple’s first dance to Elton John’s Are You Ready For Love?, Let’s Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas packed the dancefloor. “We’d put a lot of thought into creating a fun party, and that song kicked everything off exactly how we’d hoped,” says Rosie. “It happened to be the England World Cup quarter-final, so between 11pm and midnight the dancefloor was part football songs and part our playlist!”
The day ended with a thoughtful surprise from the Trevenna team: a feast of cheese, crackers and pasties. “We sat together talking through our favourite moments of the day," says Rosie. "It was such a lovely way to end it.”
Rosie’s advice is to host welcome drinks the night before the wedding. “It worked so well because we’d already said all the hellos, so we could spend more time properly chatting to people and enjoying ourselves.”
Photography Laura Buffery laurabufferyphotography.co.uk
Venue Trevenna trevenna.co.uk
Dresses Aje ajeworld.com St. Agni st-agni.com
Cape One Off London oneofflondon.com
Suit Charles Tyrwhitt charlestyrwhitt.com
Suit Batch London batchldn.com
Flowers The Garden Gate Flower Company thegardengateflowercompany.co.uk
Entertainment The Archives archivesband.co.uk
