A Wave of Love, Wedding at World Inspired Tents, Devon

Jenna and Hedley first met at work, where they quickly bonded over shared looks and inside jokes. Six years later, on a sunrise swim at Kynance Cove in Cornwall, Hedley sprinted up the beach, dropped to one knee and proposed with the waves rolling behind them. “It was such a perfect way to propose and, even though it was winter, he managed to do it on a beach in the sun,” says Jenna. A champagne breakfast and a trip to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary followed. “It was perfect,” she reflects.

The couple chose Woolacombe for their marquee wedding – a place close to their hearts and the resting place of Jenna’s mum’s ashes. “It was the perfect location to be by our favourite beaches and for me to feel close to mum,” she says. Inspired by the location, the coastal-inspired styling combined a neutral colour palette, seasonal florals such as dahlias in peachy tones, gold jewellery accents and pearlescent details. “It was important for it to feel relaxed and coastal, but still classy,” says Jenna.

 
Florals took centre stage, from the stunning floral arch and standing meadow to the bouquets and table centrepieces. “I love flowers, so this was a really important element for me,” says Jenna. “I wanted lots of blooms with minimal foliage in a natural, tousled style in keeping with the theme,” she says. Hand-painted oyster shell place names and Polaroid pictures of the beach added personal touches. “We wanted everything about the day to feel like an extension of us, and a lot of the décor was actually brought over from our home in Braunton,” she explains.

Flanked by her bridesmaids in shimmering gold and champagne gowns, Jenna walked down the aisle to Caribbean Blue by Enya. Against the breathtaking Atlantic backdrop, the couple exchanged self-penned vows, following readings from her Maid of Honour and brother. “My brother Scott read the poem, Ocean of Devotion: A Love Poem,” says Jenna. “The words were perfect and it really resonated with our relationship and our amazing oceanside location.” A joyful singalong of Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli closed the ceremony in the sunshine. “It felt like my mum was there with us, making sure we got a dose of sunshine on our special day,” she reflects.

A giant Jambalaya feast, wedding cake and an array of homemade puddings made by family and friends kept guests well-fuelled, while a mobile cocktail bar serving fresh, handcrafted drinks, including a signature cocktail named Jedley in honour of the newlyweds, was a definite crowd-pleaser.

As live vocalist Aisha serenaded the room, Jenna and Hedley took to the dance floor for their first dance to Dive by Olivia Dean, complete with some last-minute choreography. With the energy high and the playlist packed with dancefloor-fillers, the celebrations spilled into the night, as the couple soaked up every moment surrounded by their nearest and dearest.

Jenna has some wise words for couples in the throes of wedding planning. “A good spreadsheet is everything! And, if you're planning a DIY wedding, don't leave the smaller details too late – there’s more to arrange than you think.” Her final tip? “Make sure you have plenty of help setting up and taking everything down. We didn’t account for how much work the pack-down would be – it took two days! Delegate tasks beforehand so everyone knows their role on the day.”

Photography Grace Elizabeth Photography grace-elizabeth.co.uk
Marquee World Inspired Tents worldinspiredtents.co.uk
Dress Enzoani from Champagne & Charlotte champagneandcharlotte.co.uk
Celebrant Amanda Jane Ceremonies amandajaneceremonies.co.uk
Make-up Chloe Bond MUA  instagram.com/chloebondmua
Jewellery Wanderlust Life wanderlustlife.co.uk
Groom’s suit Zebel zebel.co.uk
Groomsmen’s suits Peter Posh peterposh.co.uk
Flower girl dresses Next next.co.uk
Flowers Sweet Williams Flowers sweetwilliamsflowers.com
Catering Big Pot Kitchen bigpotkitchen.co.uk
Exe Valley Pizza Co. exevalleypizza.co
Bar Zoho mobile cocktail bar zohococktailbar.co.uk
Entertainment Aisha instagram.com/_aisha_music_/
The Wedding Spinner Paul Barrington theweddingspinner.co.uk
Videography Pete Hill petehillphotoandfilm.com