Made inDevon

Jenna and David’s big day at Matthews Hall in Topsham enjoyed a bright blue and green colourful theme

Images courtesy of Freeride Media

Jenna and David met through an online dating app during lockdown. “ I lived in Devon and David lived in Hampshire, so meeting up meant finding creative ways of dating whilst obeying the rules at the time,” Jenna tells us. “This involved outdoor walks along the Dorset coast! Thankfully, we enjoyed our first dates during late summer, so the nice weather made things much easier. We both have a similar silly sense of humour and share a love of music, so we had so much to talk about and the hours spent together were filled with plenty of laughter.”

David proposed on the 27th of February 2022. “We had been dating since September 2021 and our first date was David visiting Devon and us enjoying a walk in Topsham,” Jenna says. “On the day that David proposed, I had just recovered from covid so he decided to keep things simple and romantic by replicating our first date. We headed out for a walk in Topsham and he took me to our favourite spot before getting down on one knee and popping the question. There were plenty of happy tears, phone calls to our family and some cheering and shrieking from my sisters! David had arranged for us to have dinner out in Topsham that evening.”

Setting The Scene

Jenna and David wanted a relaxed, rustic and fun feel to their special day, so chose local venues that reflected their personalities. “A church wedding was important to us both, as well as meeting the vicar beforehand which made us feel well supported by the church in the lead-up to the wedding ceremony,” Jenna tells us. “Our vicar was Reverend Tony Raven who crafted and curated our ceremony with such kindness. We added in things that were important to us, like having a live band playing during it, and David playing the guitar and leading the congregation in one of the songs with the band. The confetti throw coming out of the church was my favourite moment - I don’t remember a time when I felt so happy, and seeing so many beaming faces of the people that we both love gathered around us!”

The couple’s reception was at the local village hall, Matthews Hall in Topsham, which their wedding coordinators transformed in just a few hours. They suspended lanterns and lights across the hall and had set up the glasses of prosecco ready for when their guests arrived ahead of them. “My sister-in-law has a white BMW convertible which we travelled to our reception in,” Jenna tells us. “It was fun to be announced as the new Mr and Mrs!”

Jenna and David chose to have a barbecue. “We looked at many catering options but decided that a barbecue would suit the informal vibe that we wanted to achieve, and allowed our guests to choose from plenty of food options. We used a company called Spitting Pig Devon and their mac and cheese was particularly delicious.” they tell us. “This was followed by the speeches which involved plenty of laughter and stories!”

The couple also enjoyed a four-tiered wedding cake with a fruit cake layer, a chocolate tier, a lemon drizzle one and a Victoria sponge layer. “My friend Jo and her daughter Grace made it and decorated it with delicious vanilla butter icing, adding a rustic personalised sign on the top and some real flowers from our florist that cascaded down the side. It looked, and tasted, fantastic!”

Jenna and David’s table plan was laid out in a U-shape which suited the hall. Their handwritten place names fitted in with their rusitc-inspired theme and their table names were after beaches in Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall reflecting the three counties that the couple have lived in, all presented on a wooden easel.

“For our centrepieces, we chose jars of wildflowers put together by our wedding coordinators with flowers that our florist provided,” Jenna tells us. “We chose a mix of vandela roses, hydrangea, carnations, chrysanthemums, gerberas, gladioli, tiny daisies, crocosmia, craspedia, fountain grass, sierra setaria and hypericum which all looked great gathered together.”

Looking The Part

“The wedding plans came together so quickly, and not having much lead time to order a wedding dress in the normal way, and being plus size as well, meant that some research was needed,” Jenna tells us, “But again, our plans fell in to place easily and I purchased an off-the-peg dress and took it home that same day. It was a champagne colour with a boho feel and I loved it.”

David wore a tailored blue suit with a grey checked waistcoat and a pair of brown Dr Marten boots. “Our groomsmen wore matching blue suits with red ties (or bow ties for our nephews) and blue waistcoats,” he tells us.

The couple’s bridesmaids wore green dresses and carried pretty posies of brightly coloured flowers. “My eldest nieces and sisters were my bridesmaids, so getting ready with them on the wedding morning was so special,” Jenna tells us. “My three nephews wore matching waistcoats, bow ties and trousers, and all looked adorable! The star of the show was my little niece who was two years old and loved the chance to dress up for the day!”

Time To Celebrate

Jenna and David booked a ceilidh band to entertain their guests during the evening. “This was so much fun, it was a way for everybody to get involved and enjoy themselves,” they tell us. Even those who weren’t interested in dancing were still able to watch and laugh at the rest of us attempting to keep up!”

“I got my best man to join me in performing some songs on the guitar during our reception which resulted in a late-night acoustic set,” David says. “I also played a song during the ceremony too, which was a special moment and Jenna was very proud!”

THE DREAM TEAM Church ceremony, St Margaret’s Church Topsham, www.facebook.com/stmargaretstopsham | Reception venue, Matthews Hall, www.instagram.com/Topshamlife | Photography, Freeride Media, https://freeridemedia.co.uk | Bridal dress, Devlin Bridal Couture, www.devlinbridalcouture.co.uk | Bridal dress adjustments, Gwen Lloyd-Edwards – Designer, www.facebook.com/Gwenseamstress | Jewellery and accessories, Topsham Jewellers, www.facebook.com/topshamjewellers | Wedding rings, Goldsmiths (Exeter store), www.goldsmiths.co.uk Hair, Energy Hair, https://energyhair.com | Make-up, Jessica Cantell, www.jessicacantell.co.uk/makeup | Suits, Serenity, www.serenitydreams.co.uk | Flowers, Josephine Baker Flowers, www.facebook.com/josephinebakerflowers | Stationery, Jess Cantell, www.instagram.com/jesscantell | Catering, Spitting Pig Devon, https://spittingpigdevon.co.uk | On the day coordination, Westcountry Wedding Planner South West England, www.westcountryweddingplanner.co.uk | Hanging lanterns, cloth napkins and table décor, The Bold & Beautiful Wedding Company, www.boldbeautifulweddings.com | Steam trunk bar, Bold & Beautiful Bars, www.boldbeautifulbars.co.uk | Band, Blue Jewel Ceilidh Band, https://bluejewel.info

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Here at Cuckoo Down Farm, there is the opportunity to hold a small number of weddings every year.

For this, you will have exclusive hire of the farm. This includes the glamping accommodation, use of the three-acre woodland and additional festival-style pitch-your-own camping for guests. The farm is very much a blank canvas for your wedding. You can hire a marquee or tepee, organise your own bar and catering, book your own entertainment and devise your own ceremony.

Celebration

Finest food ‘tastefully’ presented. Helpful preparation & Efficient Management.

1. We chat. On the phone or Zoom to say hello and understand a little about what you want.

2. We meet. Visit our dairy in the beautiful Dart Valley to taste our cheeses and decide what works for you. Or if you can’t come to us we’ll send a taster box ahead of a virtual meeting.

3. We handmake your cheese and mature until perfect, then deliver to your venue or caterer with assembly info and styling ideas.

High standards that will exceed your expectations.