DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

Dream a little dream Check out these magical, fairytale-inspired venues

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GWEL AN MOR SCOOPS ACCOLADES AT CORNWALL TOURISM AWARDS

Gwel an Mor, based in the Cornish village of Portreath, has been awarded Bronze in the Holiday Park of the Year category at the recent Cornwall Tourism Awards. The park was awarded Silver in the Wedding Venue of the Year category and also picked up Silver in the Spa & Wellbeing Experience of the Year award.

The resort was acquired by Cove UK in March 2021, which operates holiday and residential parks in the US and now runs a series of UK resorts including Seal Bay Resort – the UK’s largest park – and the award-winning Argyll Holidays portfolio.

Since acquiring Gwel an Mor, Cove UK has built on the park’s existing success by investing in new facilities and accommodation, ensuring it remains a luxury destination for holidaymakers coming to Cornwall.

The resort is home to Feadon Wildlife Centre which runs various wildlife experiences, a seafood restaurant, Cornwall’s largest indoor soft play area and climbing walls, an indoor archery range, a tennis court and a swimming pool.

Another pivotal part of the resort that won an award was the Wellbeing Spa, which boasts the Elemental Herbology product range which secured the spa a Silver award. Another Silver accolade was given to the wedding barn and yurt, where many beautiful ceremonies take place each year.

Blair Cowan, general manager at Gwel an Mor, said, “The team at Gwel an Mor strive to provide a five-star experience for our guests, holiday home owners and event attendees, and it is brilliant that this effort has been recognised.”

Blair continues, “We’re delighted to win an award not only in the holiday park of the year category but also as a leading wedding and spa venue. Gwel an Mor’s role as a leading wedding venue is really important within the community and region, and we always want local people to come and enjoy their time with us during such special life events.”

To find out more about weddings at the resort, visit www.gwelanmor.com

HOLWELL FARMHOUSE IN BAMPTON, DEVON OPENS AS A WEDDING VENUE

Located just north of Bampton close to Exmoor National Park, Holwell Farmhouse has been transformed into a luxurious rural retreat and a wedding and events venue, thanks to a sensitive renovation by owner Ollie Greenslade.

Set in 65 acres of stunning Devonshire countryside, Holwell Farmhouse was purchased by Ollie in August 2019. Two years and a sensitive restoration later (navigating numerous lockdowns), the property is now a sought-after, exclusive hire venue for weddings, family gatherings, celebrations and corporate retreats very much connected to its surrounding countryside and wildlife.

Ollie says, “From drawing an idea to creating a physical and finished product is a great feeling and sense of accomplishment. Holwell Farmhouse was formed by the love of the outdoors, wildlife, farming and people. Combining all of those, you end up with a rural space for groups and families to relax in yet explore and a safe haven for nature. We’re so excited to open the doors and to finally put this farmhouse on the map.”

To find out more about weddings at the property, visit https://holwellfarmhouse.co.uk

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UPTON BARN & WALLED GARDEN, CULLOMPTON, DEVON

This award-winning, exclusive-use wedding venue offers an indoor and outdoor ceremony space in the beautiful Walled Garden under the Oak Arbour, and in the Cider Barn for year-round celebrations.

A recent addition is The Paddock, a stylish light-filled space providing the bridal party with a spa-worthy environment to get ready in, overlooking the rolling hills and patchwork fields of the Devonshire countryside through the vast floor-to-ceiling windows. The carefully considered interior design details and colour schemes have created ultra-luxe spaces equipped with everything the bridal party will need to get ready on the morning of the wedding including a hair-washing basin and hair and make-up stations. There are also showers, fluffy towels, premium toiletries and plenty of little luxuries creating a homefrom-home feel. This additional space is available to hire from 7 am until the ceremony begins when the wedding coordinator will accompany everyone down to the main venue for the wedding entrance.

The Stalls are located just behind The Paddock and offer guests somewhere seriously stylish to stay on the night of the wedding in new accommodation pods set within a woodland glade. These rustic retreats with Hygge-inspired décor have been designed in a minimalist Scandistyle. The Stalls can host up to eight people (two per pod) and are automatically booked for the night of the wedding to retain exclusivity.

The venue marries the rustic charm of a Devon farm with a modern finish. Included in the wedding packages are the hire of trestle tables and chairs, a large oak barrel to display the cake, all glassware, a woodburning stove and logs, a firepit plus outdoor tables, chairs and parasols.

The venue’s hand-picked collection of local caterers includes Pickle Shack and Mulberry Catering Co, both family-run businesses using independent suppliers and seasonal produce. Both work hard to ensure minimal food wastage.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01884 38302, www.uptonbarn.com

We love… that the venue incorporates as many eco-friendly elements as possible, from biomass heating and hot water to a borehole used for water supply.

DEER’S LEAP RETREAT, SOUTH MOLTON, DEVON

This stunning wedding venue is surrounded by 15 acres of farmland, situated on the edge of Exmoor’s national park which provides stunning vistas of rolling fields and moorland from everywhere on the property. The stone barn features a private bar with comfy sofas and chairs, exposed wooden beams offset by cartwheels draped in fairylights, stone-flagged flooring, a wood-burning fire and large doors opening out on to the sun-drenched, south-facing patio that overlooks the lake and gazebo. The patio area provides a relaxed space for champagne and cocktails and garden games can be enjoyed on the large adjacent lawn. An extended terrace outside the barn and the column heaters and firepits provide warmth during the balmy evenings. At dusk, fairylights and festoon lighting lead guests down to the lantern-lit lake for fireworks reflecting in the water fired to the couple’s choice of song.

Ceremonies take place in the wooden lakeside gazebo perched on the side of the lake surrounded by rolling countryside. It accommodates up to 150 guests under a stretch canopy lit with romantic festoon lighting. Alternatively, the rustic-inspired barn with original stone walls offers an indoor option with its hand-crafted wooden fixtures and fittings adding to the ambience for up to 150 guests and receptions also take place here.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01398 341 407, www.deersleapweddings.co.uk

We love… the large luxury farmhouse which sleeps 21 guests complete with a sauna, hot tub, large kitchen and lounges plus the glamping village and one-bedroom bridal suite with a conservatory and hot tub that are all set on a secluded site with complete privacy, surrounded by nature.

THE FOX & HOUNDS COUNTRY HOTEL, CHULMLEIGH, DEVON

Set in six acres of beautiful grounds which include manicured lawns, a landscaped wedding garden, two lakes and a treehouse perched in a 250-year-old oak tree is this former 19th-century coaching inn that was extended in the 1980s. The River Taw, popular for catching salmon and trout runs through the bottom of the grounds and borders the Haywood forest.

There are two entrances from both the north and south of the main A377 road making it easily accessible and just 200 metres away is the Eggesford Train Station which runs an hourly service to and from Barnstaple and the city of Exeter. There is also a large free car park.

Situated to the right of the main reception is a large function room which also serves as the bright airy breakfast room and leads out to a terrace overlooking the wedding garden. To the left of the reception are the bar and restaurant. The hotel has 22 ensuite bedrooms and a bridal suite featuring a 7ft wide four-poster bed and a double bathtub.

The venue has multiple areas officially registered for civil ceremonies including a large function room which can accommodate up to 150 guests seated for the ceremony. Most popular is the wedding summerhouse set in the wedding garden featuring a covered permanent marquee. This area is most often used for both the ceremony and the post-ceremony reception. The treehouse, set in its own garden space overlooking one of the lakes, can accommodate up to 10 people including the couple and provides a quirky photographic backdrop. The bar and restaurant are the ideal spots for the evening reception with a maximum capacity of 120 guests.

Interior image of Valleyside Barn courtesy of www.devon-wedding-photographer.co VALLEYSIDE BARN, BICKLEIGH, DEVON

This newly converted, timber-clad barn finished with a black steel framework set in the stunning Exe Valley blends a rustic and contemporary feel. It’s accessed via a hedge-lined driveway that passes by a picturesque pond and beautifully manicured gardens home to a weeping willow tree covering a jetty providing many big-day photo opportunities.

Inside, the spacious barn where ceremonies and receptions for up to 150 guests take place provides the wow factor with its handmade chandeliers and bespoke glazed bar leading to a modern terrace adjoining the paddocks overlooking the rolling hills of the surrounding countryside. An al fresco ceremony option for up to 90 loved ones is in the Mediterranean-style courtyard that’s tucked away and draped in sweet honeysuckle and magnolia, also a great spot for a summer drinks reception.

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Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01769 580 345, www.foxandhoundshotel.co.uk

We love… the number of special features that are included in the wedding packages.

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Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01884 855 538, www.valleysidebarn.co.uk

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POLURRIAN ON THE LIZARD, CORNWALL

This pristine white clifftop location was commended at the recent Cornwall Tourism Awards for Wedding Venue of the Year and it’s not hard to see why! Not only does the venue, perched on the unspoilt Lizard Peninsula surrounded by 12 acres of mature gardens, benefit from the best sunsets in the region, but it also offers easy access to the South West Coast Path, as well as the sandy beach, Polurrian Cove.

With the bar area and Vista Lounge offering panoramic sea views, there are also several stylish reception rooms boasting unbeatable views across Mounts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The function suites decorated with a contemporary look include the Marconi Room designed for ceremonies of up to 60 guests (or elopement nuptials) and the Cove View Suite, complete with its own bar, which can host up to 90 people for the ceremony and 100 for the wedding breakfast. The restaurant boasting a Gozney wood-fired oven also provides a romantic ceremony backdrop and top-quality catering is promised for all packages, with highlights on the menu including Thai fishcakes, gin-cured salmon and hake loin. There’s a variety of wedding packages on offer to suit all budgets, and bespoke menus easily cater for all dietary requirements.

The property is home to 41 individually styled bedrooms perfect for wedding guests, making this an idyllic coastal spot for low-key, intimate weddings and larger parties. The venue can also be hired on an exclusive basis, providing use of the entire hotel and 12 acres of cliff-top gardens.

Originally built in 1890, the property was a fashionable railway hotel appealing to distinguished guests. Destroyed by a fire in 1909 and rebuilt, the hotel has hosted glamorous guests from Hollywood’s heyday to Strictly Come Dancing stars. Every bit as welcoming now as it was then, the modern-day Polurrian on the Lizard enjoyed an exciting refurbishment in 2019 and remains a fashionable escape with a health club and spa, seasonal outdoor pool and restaurant serving up Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

Ceremony licence? Yes Contact: 01326 240 421, www.polurrianhotel.com

We love... that as part of the Exclusive-Use Package, guests staying over will receive breakfast and the couple will be invited to a food tasting and a one-night stay in a sea-view room before their wedding.

Don’t miss the Wedding Fair 2023 where the hotel will be styled for a ceremony and wedding breakfast with the help of local suppliers on Saturday 11th February from midday until 3 pm. Couples who book their wedding at the fair and pay a deposit will receive free venue hire saving up to £1,500! Check out the Valentine’s Day Package aswell from £149.

HUNTSHAM COURT, HUNTSHAM, DEVON

Huntsham Court is one of the finest examples of a Victorian gothic private mansion in the countryside. The venue is a hidden gem, with no view of it from the surrounding roads, it’s only as visitors head up the sweeping driveway that they catch a glimpse of the impressive building, with its turret, floor-to-ceiling windows and open grounds with views stretching across the stunning Devon countryside.

This exclusive-use country house wedding venue offers a welcoming home-from-home atmosphere. The venue has five large main reception rooms and a sweeping oak staircase in the entrance hall, perfect for big-day photos. Each room has been lovingly and sympathetically designed, keeping many of its original features including parquet flooring throughout the ground floor, marble archway columns in the Great Hall, Jacobean wooden panelled walls and open fireplaces.

The entire house is decorated in an eclectic mix of styles and colours and can sleep up to 92 guests across 40 bedrooms equipped with fourposter beds, canopy king-sized beds, twin rooms and family bedrooms.

The grounds are made up of five acres with open lawns for outdoor gatherings during the summer months. There’s space for garden games, lounging areas with benches and outdoor furniture, a tennis court, a beautiful Cedar tree, ancient Beech trees and a giant parasol offering plenty of shade, plus the beautiful Dovecote for outdoor ceremonies with enough seating for up to 130 guests set against the unrivalled views of rolling fields and woodlands.

Ceremonies also take place in a variety of rooms inside the house including the Great Hall for up to 100 guests (with additional standing space), the Diamond Room with its marble fireplace and antique tapestry for up to 70 loved ones, and the Yellow Room, Library and the entrance hall.

Receptions tend to take place in the Great Hall during the cooler months, with its open fire for up to 130 guests. The reception rooms all flow from one another providing plenty of space and during the evening, there’s room to relax in the grand Diamond room or cosy up in the Bar Snug.

During the warmer months, receptions can take place outdoors in the grounds, with most guests occupying the top lawn while drinks and canapés are served.

Ceremony licence: Yes Contact: 01398 361 277, www.huntshamcourt.co.uk

Perched on the gently sloping cliff s above Falmouth Bay, our wonderful venue off ers a relaxed space for you to gather your favourite people for a full day of unforgett able wedding celebrati ons.

On sunny days, toast to your ‘just married’ status with a chilled glass of bubbly as you take in the panoramic sea views from our sun-soaked terrace.

Why choose us?

• Modern, sea view ceremony space • Ceremony space seats up to 80 people • Panoramic views over Falmouth Bay from our grounds, venue and terrace • Access to breath-taking sea views for picture perfect photography • Direct access to sea view balcony • Gather around 100 guests for a sit-down meal, and up to 180 for your evening bash • Our experienced Wedding Coordinator will be on hand to ensure you plan and enjoy your perfect day • A mouth-watering selecti on of menus, or speak us about a bespoke off ering • A fully stocked bar featuring local ales, gins, wines and soft drinks • Private use of our Bridal Suite for getti ng ceremony-ready • All year-round venue – our prices change seasonally

Contact our Wedding and Events Coordinator, Megan, on events@abovethebay.co.uk to start planning your big day.

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www.abovethebay.co.uk