Wedding at Holne Park House, Devon

Eleanor first met John on a night out with friends in Newton Abbot. "I had just moved down to Devon from the North East a few months earlier and had recently split from an ex," explains Eleanor. "A mutual friend told me that John was a 'proper Devon gentleman' and that we'd make an ideal match, so we arranged to all go out and the rest is history."



After John popped the question, planning began in earnest for an elegant, country chic wedding with a laidback but traditional feel. "We wanted a Devon theme to the wedding as I wanted to give my family and friends from the North East a real taste of the South West," explains Eleanor. "Picking the perfect venue was the first step."



It didn't take long for the couple to settle on Holne Park House. John used to play in the beautiful grounds of the nineteenth century mansion house as a child, and it was also one the first places he took Eleanor during their romance. "It was important to us to hold our wedding in a place that John and I had special memories of," she comments.



The flowers echoed the country chic theme, combining wild meadow flowers in a colour scheme of soft pinks and purples. Eleanor's princess-style gown, with its multi-layered skirt and jewelled belt, completed the fairytale picture - the perfect gown to sweep the aisle of St Andrew's Church in Ashburton where the ceremony took place.



After the vows, the wedding party moved on to Holne Park House where the newly-weds arrived in their VW campervan. Bathed in sunshine, guests meandered around the picture-perfect grounds before settling into the Ballroom for the wedding breakfast where they dined on scrumptious dishes such as Tom's Pies with local vegetables and Swiss Alps cheesecake.



The couple took to the dance floor for their first dance to 'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts followed by a playlist of '90s pop and dance numbers.



"It's really hard to pick one favourite memory as there were so many points in the day that were so special and funny," reflects Eleanor. "My top memories were walking down the aisle and saying our vows, getting the giggles at the church and drunk dancing with all my bridesmaids and friends in the evening."



John adds: "Seeing everyone together - our friends and family from the South West and those from the North East - during the wedding breakfast and the speeches was so special. I'll always remember it."



"Enjoy planning it," Eleanor advises other couples. "Go to loads of wedding fairs, speak to friends who've got married and visit lots of venues until you find somewhere that feels right and ticks all the boxes."



Photography GRW Photography www.grwphotography.co.uk
Venue Holne Park House www.holnepark.co.uk
Dress Justin Alexander www.justinalexanderbridal.com  
Groom's outfit Debenhams www.debenhams.com
Cakes Bobbity Boo Bakery www.facebook.com/TheBobbityBooBakery
Catering Tom's Pies www.toms-pies.co.uk
Flowers Jenny Rose Flowers www.jennyroseflowers.co.uk


Copyright Wed magazine 2014