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Real Weddings in Cornwall and Devon

Wedding at Colehayes Park

Wedding at Colehayes Park

Love Is Peachy


Becky and Ian staged a lovingly homespun party at Colehayes Park



Becky and Ian met during a night out in their hometown. "I had heard a lot about Ian through a mutual friend and he had seen me on nights out before which had raised his interest,' explains Becky. "From the moment we met, we just clicked and pretty much became inseparable!"

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Ian proposed eight years later during a holiday in Cyprus. He was pushing Becky on a swing in a playground when he got down on one knee and popped the question. "I nearly fell off the swing!" recalls Becky.

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"It was very important to us to make our wedding as relaxed and personal as possible," explains Becky. So when they came across Colehayes Park, which they could hire for the weekend and put their stamp on each element of the celebrations, they knew it was the place for them.

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It was a real team effort, as family and friends pitched in to create everything from the wedding cake and homegrown floral displays to the DIY photo booth. "My sister, who I hadn't seen for two years as she lives in Australia, came home and we spent quality time making the decorations, table plan, name place cards and wedding signs," says Becky. Becky and Ian trawled car boot sales and charity shops seeking treasures to add character to their day; Becky even made the seating plan from vintage suitcases sourced on one of their sprees.

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These homespun details were woven together with a colour scheme of coral and peach tones - evoked beautifully through Laura Hingston's flowers. "I wanted to incorporate my parents' favourite flowers into my bouquet, so I had a beautiful red poppy for my dad and fern for my mum along with forget-me-nots, wild roses and peonies," explains Becky. "Seeing the flowers Laura had created was one of the highlights of the day - they looked and smelt beautiful."

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In a day replete with wonderful memories, the moment they sneaked off for their secret 'first look' on Dartmoor proved the highlight. "I loved the intimacy of seeing my fiance before the ceremony without anyone else knowing," she reflects. "It was a very special moment between us and I will always remember the look on his face when he saw me for the first time."

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Despite a poor weather forecast, the clouds parted in time for them to marry under the pagoda. "My favourite moment was when we were pronounced husband and wife and walked back down the aisle," recalls Ian. "Everyone was cheering and clapping and my wife was holding my hand so tightly and beaming away."

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Canapes, Pimm's and garden games on the lawn - including a coconut shy, darts and skittles - followed in the sunshine. Dartmoor Kitchen then served up a rustic, family style meal featuring crispy pork belly, charred chicken thighs and a delicious array of trimmings followed by chocolate brownies and mini pavlovas. "The atmosphere in the room was electric," recalls Becky. "Ian and I had a sweetheart table and we just sat and soaked everything in and watched everyone laughing and chatting away."

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Cocktails and an acoustic set by Poster Child set the mood for the evening party, where a top-notch playlist, dance-offs and garage tunes made for a memorable night.

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Looking back, Becky advocates the importance of a relaxed approach. "Try not to worry about things not going to plan on the day; what will be will be and on the day you won't even notice the little things," she advises. "And try not to obsess about the weather. You can never predict it, but as long as you have a plan B, everything will be ok."

Photography McKenzie Brown Photography www.mckenzie-brown.com
Venue Colehayes Park www.colehayes.co.uk
Catering Dartmoor Kitchen www.dartmoorkitchen.com
Dress White Rose from Supernova Bridal www.supernovabridal.co.uk
Bridesmaid dresses Oasis www.oasis-stores.com
Hair and make-up The Pop-Up Salon www.thepopupsalon.co.uk
Groom's outfit Moss Bros www.mossbroshire.co.uk
Flowers Laura Hingston Flowers www.laurahingstonflowers.com
Entertainment Poster Child www.facebook.com/posterchildmusic
Hell of a Disco www.hellofa-disco.co.uk
The Very Vintage Hire Company www.veryvintagehire.co.uk

Copyright Wed magazine 2015