NORTH & WEST DEVON Spotlight on...

We reveal where to wed in this picturesque part of the region

LEWTRENCHARD MANOR, OKEHAMPTON

Steeped in history, this historic Jacobean manor dates back to the early 1600s. The pretty gardens, designed by Walter Sorel, extend over several acres and are home to streams, a sunken garden, a variety of shrubs, a large rustic dovecote and a restored walled vegetable garden. There are walking routes from the gardens along Madam’s Walk, on the banks of the River Lew to the woodland beyond.

The interior boasts a log fire, perfect for cosy winter weddings and oak-panelled walls, ornate wood and plasterwork and beautiful stainedglass windows with the coats of arms of the Baring-Gould family.

Ceremonies take place in the Gallery, a stunning example of Jacobean architecture located on the first floor. Here, couples can make a dramatic exit down the grand staircase to their reception of up to 65 guests.

The beautiful Courtyard offers outdoor weddings for up to 80 guests surrounded by the stunning, 100-year-old wisteria. The Library boasts another ceremony option. It’s a beautiful, intimate room perfect for smaller wedding soirees while the wedding breakfast can be enjoyed in the charming Oak Room with its exquisite paintings for up to 20 loved ones.

The reception takes place in the impressive Ballroom for up to 78 guests. It’s home to tall feature windows, a high ceiling and walls adorned by 19th-century decorations, recreating the romance of a bygone era.

To find out more and to book, visit www.lewtrenchard.co.uk

HORN OF PLENTY, TAVISTOCK

The Georgian style of the main building of this charming country house hotel is married with an interior that’s rich in period features. These are blended with contemporary influences and bold pops of colour.

The generous gardens are a photographer’s dream. The main lawn provides a stunning backdrop of the Tamar Valley and a breathtaking vista towards the moor and guests can enjoy lawn games while watching the sunset. There’s a delightful fountain, ponds, a paddock, a walled garden and rustic outbuildings. Open-air outdoor ceremonies for up to 90 guests are held on the main lawn with its panoramic countryside view. Micro weddings for up to 12 people can be held on one of three large balconies. The main ceremony room is bursting with character with two chandeliers, a bay window and an elegant fireplace for up to 80 guests.

Smaller ceremonies of up to 15 people can be held either in the Drawing Room or, if couples are after a less formal set up, the Library.

Reception drinks and canapes are served outside on the main lawn or around the fountain. During the cooler months, the entire main house is available for the reception and the wedding breakfast is held in the conservatory restaurant with its sliding doors onto an ample terrace.

The four-star Horn of Plenty hotel is perfect for couples looking for a relaxed, sophisticated setting with amazing views and fabulous food.

The talented team can offer a bespoke menu where the couple gets to meet the chef and design their wedding breakfast menu with a free tasting. Wedding guests regularly comment that it’s the best wedding breakfast they’ve ever tasted! The team love welcoming couples back on their anniversary with a complimentary room upgrade and a bottle of celebratory fizz. Selected rooms are pet-friendly and dogs can join couples in their ceremony..

To find out more and to book, visit www.thehornofplenty.co.uk

THE BEDFORD HOTEL, TAVISTOCK

This beautifully restored hotel stands in the heart of this historic market town where the hotel’s grand façade is a local landmark. The charming, historic property oozes style with welcoming rooms boasting original features and antiques, plus there's a range of stunning spaces for weddings.

The historic Woburn Room, with its original intricate ceiling and panelled walls, provides the perfect backdrop for a ceremony, whilst the contemporary Gallery 26, an architect-designed space with floor-toceiling windows flooding the room with natural light and with a backdrop of the hotel’s original stone walls is the ideal spot for the wedding breakfast and evening celebration. For something more intimate, the oak-panelled Tavistock Room with its feature fireplace is a cosy and sophisticated setting for a small gathering or a private dinner.

The ancient Walled Garden provides a picture-perfect setting for a drinks reception on a summer's day. It showcases the skills of the hotel's gardeners and is home to a fragrant herb garden used by the chefs.

The 31 individually styled bedrooms include the comfortable Classic rooms and the indulgent Four Poster rooms, plus the Bridal Suite. Exclusive-use weddings are a popular option at The Bedford with guests making use of all of these rooms. The bridal suite is complimentary on the night of the wedding for the newlyweds.

To find out more and to book, visit www.bedford-hotel.co.uk

HALLSANNERY, BIDEFORD

This stunning Grade II 1isted manor house set high on a hilltop surrounded by 60 acres of parkland and fields offers far-flung views stretching across the Taw Torridge Estuary and the rolling Devon countryside. With the sandy shores of Westward Ho! and Instow just a 15-minute drive away, barefoot beach photos are a must!

This wedding, event and holiday venue is home to 11 stylish en suite bedrooms and a choice of elegant reception rooms boasting period features plus a statement spiral staircase.

The elegant Dining Room, furnished with a statement chandelier, parquet flooring and opulent gold silk curtains, holds up to 100 guests for a ceremony while 70 people can be seated at long or rectangular tables for the wedding breakfast. For the evening reception, the room can hold a dancefloor and bar area and couples wanting a larger wedding can hire a marquee or a tipi. These magical tipi tents can be positioned to make the most of the view. More traditional marquee structures are suitably placed on the East Lawn where the rhododendrons are in bloom during early summer creating a fantastic floral backdrop.

Another open-air ceremony option with no limits on the capacity can be made possible on the west side of the house which provides the opportunity for couples to make an entrance through the Bell Tower, or from The Portico with its grand Georgian pillars. During the dry months, the front lawn offers a stunning ceremony backdrop with a wonderful view and drinks and canapés can be enjoyed on the terrace to the front of the house (there’s no corkage charge.)

Indoor ceremonies for up to 80 loved ones can make use of the wow-factor hall while a more intimate gathering of up to 30 guests can be held in the light and airy Morning Room with views over the front lawn towards Bideford and beyond. The Drawing Room, with its doors leading to the manicured gardens, is perfect for a winter wedding and also accommodates up to 30 loved ones.

To find out more and to book, visit www.hallsannery.co.uk

WOOLADON ESTATE, LIFTON

Home to a beautiful Georgian Manor house and five self-catering guest cottages, the interior of this wedding venue is full of charm and country character. From cosy fire-lit living rooms, enclosed hot tub gardens and bright and spacious bridal suites, it’s the perfect place to relax with guests for a three-day, luxury wedding retreat. Set within 500 acres of beautiful grounds, there’s so much to see, from endless walking trails to greeting the highland cows that graze on the fields. The stunning lakes provide endless photo opportunities on the big day. Set within rolling hills on the Devon and Cornwall border, Wooladon is a peaceful, rural location, that offers stunning stone buildings and rustic barns surrounded by lakes, woodland and quaint local villages.

Ceremonies take place in the Main Ceremony Room, a cosy, country-style room with characterful stone walls and wooden beams for up to 100 guests. The Garden Room, again for up to 100 people is a bright, airy and versatile space boasting lakeside views.

Receptions take place in the Main Ceremony Room, the Garden Room and the Rustic Barn which is new for wedding bookings in 2024. This large rustic barn oozes traditional English character and charm and seats up to 150 wedding guests. To find out more and to book, visit www.wooladonestate.co.uk

TUNNELS BEACHES, ILFRACOMBE

Tunnels Beaches in Devon is a hidden gem that provides a sense of adventure. Guests walk through hand-carved tunnels that lead to a private beach with panoramic seascape views. The breathtaking surroundings make for a picturesque backdrop, and the secluded nature of the venue offers couples an intimate and idyllic setting.

This beach venue has just been voted as one of the UK’s ten most unique wedding venues by Togather, the definitive marketplace that searches for the perfect setting.

To find out more and to book, visit www.tunnelsbeaches.co.uk