13 minute read

WEDDING VENUES The coolest places to get hitched nearby

from Exeter Living - Issue 259

by MediaClash

from Exeter Living - Issue 259, page 39

EXETERWORKS All the movers and...

A SENSE OF PLACE

Whether you’re a pair of city slickers or rural ravers, Devon is teeming with magnificant wedding venues

THE LAMB INN The Square, Sandford, Crediton; www.lambinnsandford.co.uk In a nutshell: Want a country village wedding with dollops of charm? This may be the one for you. In the picturesque village of Sandford lies this pretty as a peach 16th century former coaching house. They have sheltered gardens making it a great venue for a summer wedding and they offer licenced wedding ceremonies from 4 to 40 guests, with 75 for the evening buffet. Food/accommodation: You can do the whole hog here – stay the night, say your vows, enjoy a delicious wedding breakfast and celebrate the night away, all under one roof. The food menu is a celebration of local produce too with roast Devon ribeye, halibut with creamed leeks, and favourites like sticky toffee pudding. Vibe: Rural chic EXETER GUILDHALL 203 High Street, Exeter; www.exeter.gov.uk In a nutshell: Bang in the heart of the city, this venue is a godsend to your local guests who won’t have to fork out for accommodation. The the Grade I listed building is also a historic belter of a venue – think huge carved oak doors, Tudor wood panelling, intricate stain glass windows, and magnificent chandeliers. Depending on the size of your posse, you’ll be making your vows in the great hall which can hold up to 80 guests, or the jury room, which holds up to 35 guests. Food/accommodation: You’ll be partying and sleeping elsewhere but they’ll put on a fabulous drinks reception for you. Anything quirky: Brave guests can visit the dungeons below. DARTMOOR ZOO Sparkwell, Devon; www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk In a nutshell: Dartmoor Zoo sits on 33 acres of grounds, caters for up to 150 people, and is surrounded by exotic animals from all over the world including the south west’s largest collection of big cats, including lions, tigers, lynx, cheetahs and a jaguar. Your ceremony will be in the 17th century Goodamoor House that looks out onto rolling hills while the reception will either be in one of their summer marquee receptions, between the cheetah brothers Tibo and Baro or, if it’s winter, in the Jaguar restaurant where you’ll have beautiful views of the zebras and emus from the large windows. Food/accommodation: They cater for up to 150 people and their hog roasts and buffets are a popular option. They don’t have any accommodation so most wedding parties stay at hotels in the Sparkwell area. Anything quirky: The zoo offers animal experiences to all wedding couples so that on your big day you can get up close and personal with tigers, otters, lynx, and meerkats – you can even go inside the meerkat enclosure. If you don’t mind little paw prints on your wedding dress and lots of attention from meerkats, it is the perfect experience for you! PYNES HOUSE Upton Pyne, Exeter; www.pyneshouse.co.uk In a nutshell: Fancy a weekend wedding rather than just a day? This is the ultimate country house where you can stay and celebrate for a couple of days to make the most of the amazing location and have “Brave guests can visit the dungeons below”

Holne House even has its own ballroom

14 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk © WR PHOTOGRAPHY

Running late, the bride will make it to Pynes House on time

your pals close by. Pynes House is believed to be the inspiration for Barton Park in Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility which gives you a bit of an idea of the splendour of the place. Set in the picturesque Exe Valley with woodlands aplenty, there are a few options of where to take your vows – from the elegant drawing room and ballroom to the dramatic entrance hall, to outside on the front courtyard with a backdrop of the Devon hills. The y can seat up to 96 for a wedding breakfast in the house and up to 130 for a ceremony. Food/accommodation: Their catering partner, Pickle Shack, will create a bespoke menu just for you. There is a full stocked bar or you can bring your own wines and fizz for the wedding breakfast with no corkage payable. There’s 12 doublebedroomsat Pynes House, including a bridal suite, so newly weds and nearest and dearest can stay the night. Vibe: Country house splendour. Fun fact: Queen Victoria stayed here so you’ll be in good company.

DONKEY SANCTUARY Sidmouth, Devon; www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk In a nutshell: Sitting on the Jurassic Coast, expect beautiful countryside as far as the eye can see. You’ll be getting hitched in their stables, a “rustic donkey bar” that is transformed to look all cosy and they can cater for up to 70 people. Food/accommodation: You can’t stay the night there (probably best) but they will put on a reception for you with drinks and canapés. Vibe: Small, intimate and full of donkeys. Anything else: The Donkey Sanctuary is also dog-friendly, and fourlegged friends are welcomed as part of the special day.

HESTERCOMBE GARDENS Hestercombe, Taunton; www.hestercombe.com In a nutshell: The property and grounds here are beautiful and really spacious, meaning there are loads of choices when it comes to where and how you want your big day to pan out.

FOOD OF LOVE We caught up with Sophie White, senior events coordinator at catering company Posh Nosh to find out what’s hot in the foodie world of weddings

What do you offer? Several styles of dining, including refined plated menus, rustic sharing boards, buffet feasts, summery BBQs, hearty hog roasts, fun festival street food stalls and quaint afternoon high teas.

We sometimes have couples who come to us with a very precise idea of what they’d like for their wedding food, and even if it’s not something we advertise on our brochure, we will always endeavour to branch out and create entirely bespoke menus…over the years we’ve created Indian, Caribbean, Mexican and Oriental inspired menus to make our clients’ dreams become a reality.

What’s popular at the moment? If you’d asked me this last year or the year before I would have said sharing style or street food festival stalls. But now, I see 2020 and 2021 couples reverting back to the traditional plated menus, opting for several choices within each course to ensure plenty of variety for their guests. With a huge rise in people going vegan over the last 12 months we’ve seen more and more couples request vegan menu options and as a result we’ve added a vast selection of vegan dishes to our brochure.

Anything new this year? We are about to introduce a brand new sharing dessert that really has the ‘wow’ factor! This is called the ‘enchanted forest’ sharing dessert, and contains: cripps green and red apple bavarois, bramley apple sorbet, blackberry ice cream, cox apple gel, brandy soaked cherries, chocolate logs and chocolate leaves on a bed of chocolate biscuit soil.

The apple bavarois looks like a real life apple, only when you cut into it it’s filled with a sweet, light apple mousse. We’re debuting this extravagant dessert at an extremely large and prestigious awards ceremony in the spring, after which we will be offering it to our wedding clients (with the option to add a dramatic dry ice element to really blow people away!)

Posh Nosh Event Catering Ltd. Units A-B, Odhams Wharf, Topsham, Exeter; www.posh-nosh.co.uk

Your choices include getting hitched in the beautiful light-filled orangery in the Edwardian formal gardens or the temple arbour situated high up in the landscape gardens. Then there’s the 17th century Bampfylde Hall, all adorned with fairy lights, making it the perfect space for your wedding breakfast and evening party. You’ll have will get access to the entire grounds, all 50 acres of it, and they can cater for approximately 100 guests. Food/accommodation: There’s no accommodation here (though they’ll guide you towards loads of local places) but you can do everything else here – the ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening party. For the food, they’ll put together whatever you want, whether it’s a feast from their choice of three-course menus, tasty finger food, or a quintessentially English afternoon tea. Anything else: Stunning gardens, dogfriendly weddings, rounders on the lawn and even a mariachi band leading your guests through the gardens should you fancy it. NORTHCOTE MANOR HOTEL & SPA Burrington, Umberleigh; www.northcotemanor.co.uk In a nutshell: Be Lord and Lady of the Manor for the day at this charming 18th century country hotel in rural North Devon. They can hold 90 people as day guests and 180 in the evening. Oh, they have a spa and pool too. Food/accommodation: They have 16 bedrooms (which with double occupancy can fit 32 guests and with extra beds can have a maximum of 40). There are three different sit down menus to choose from, plus buffet menus and a specifically designed children’s menu. Anything else: If you get hitched there in winter you’ll enjoy roaring fires, they have three, while in summer you can play games in the gardens and have your pictures taken down by the River Taw. HOLNE PARK HOUSE Ashburton, Devon; www.holnepark.co.uk In a nutshell: Just off the A38 Devon Expressway at Ashburton, tucked away in 90 acres of gardens, lakes, rivers and woodland, is Holne Park House. Both their interior reception rooms and their outdoor garden pavilions are licensed for weddings so perfect for both a winter or summer wedding. There’s also a very spacious ballroom ideal for a wedding breakfast if you’re struggling to reduce the guest list. In the evening, the oak sprung floor can be transformed into the perfect setting for dancing, whether that is to a live band, disco or ceilidh. There is no minimum to the number of guests you can invite but the team here recommend a maximum number of guests for a seated meal at around 90, and for less traditional, or evening celebrations up to 300 guests. Food/accommodation: Their in-house catering team will put together a vintage afternoon tea, informal barbecue or traditional meal with two, three, four or more courses. Fun fact: The original house, the ‘Manor of Holne’, is mentioned in The Domesday Book and was given by William the Conqueror to William de Faleise after the Norman Conquest in 1066. DOUBLE LOCKS Canal Banks, Exeter; www.doublelocks.com In a nutshell: As the name suggests, you are right by the water here; just 15 minutes drive for Exeter’s city centre, along the Exeter Canal, making this the perfect summer venue.

There’s a huge seated outside area, plus marquee – all set within beautiful surroundings. The Double Locks can cater for around 100 people with additional 50 in the evening. Vibe: Informal and picturesque. “You can travel there by boat from Exeter quayside”

The happy couple outside Exeter Guildhall

above: A trendy pair tie the knot at the Lamb Inn; below: Period detail galore at Pynes House

Food/accommodation: You can’t stay the night here but they’ll do all the food. Expect hearty fare such as a big roast or BBQ, fish and chips or pie and mash. There are lots of vegan options too. Anything a bit different: Yes, you can travel there by taxi boat from the Exeter Quayside whilst sipping champagne and enjoying the scenery.

KITLEY HOUSE HOTEL Kitley Estate, Plymouth; www.kitleyhousehotel.com In a nutshell: Inside the 500-year-old, Grade I listed house, the sweeping staircase will certainly make for a dramatic entrance to your nuptials. Get hitched in one of their dreamy rooms or do it outside where you’ll step across a rustic bridge to The Island for a wonderful lakeside ceremony; or exchange your vows in a charming summer house beside the fountain garden. They do intimate weddings for up to 15, larger weddings for about 100 people and sky’s the limit if you choose to do it all outdoors. Food/accommodation: The hotel has 19 bedrooms accommodating 45 guests and they’ll put together a bespoke menu for you. Anything else: A fantastic place for families, kids will love the little wigwams and dens to hide out in.

CADHAY HOUSE Cadhay, Ottery Saint Mary; www.cadhay.org.uk In a nutshell: Built around a central courtyard and surrounded by lawns, ponds and stunning grounds, the Tudor manor house is located at Ottery St Mary just ten miles east of Exeter.

Receptions can either be held in the main house in the Georgian dining room for 22, or in the old apple store for up to 80 guests, or for larger numbers in a marquee on the front lawn. Outside ceremonies from the bothy in the water garden are very popular. Food/accommodation: Lots of options here – the main house sleeps 22 but they also have another three holiday cottages. They’ll put you in touch with local caterers who can help you put together your menu.

ESCOT HOUSE Escot Park, Ottery St Mary; www.escot-devon.co.uk In a nutshell: A striking Georgian house overlooking beautiful parkland and lake. They can seat up to 120 in the house itself, or 180 if you use a marquee. Evening receptions are also held in the main house. Food/accommodation: No accommodation but they’ll do all the catering – all home-cooked. Anything quirky? They have a jungle themed staircase – creating perfect insta-friendly moments for you and your guests. n

THE WEDDING LIST SIDMOUTH HARBOUR HOTEL Beach side venue with a pool Manor Road, Sidmouth; www.harbourhotels.co.uk

PIROUETTE EXETER High-end designer bridal wear and accessories from a boutique set in a 16th-century merchant house. 24 West Street, Exeter; www.pirouettethecollection.com MOLTON WEDDING RING The rings and more 14 Castle Street, Exeter; www. moltenweddingringcompany. com

CARE CLEAN Where to get your dress /outfit dry cleaned. 43 Sidwell St, Exeter; www.carecleanexeter.co.uk

Pre-nuptial agreements

Nick Emson at WBW SOLICITORS, talks about the benefi ts of prenuptial agreements

Why get a prenuptial agreement? A well-prepared prenuptial agreement can provide some peace of mind for both parties before they embark on their new life together. It is well worth spending some time chatting to a solicitor to fi nd out exactly what is involved in such an agreement. Prenuptial agreements can be particularly benefi cial if: ● You want to make clear arrangements to protect a business or wealth acquired before the relationship. ● Either party has children from a previous relationship for whom they want to provide. ● You want a say over how fi nancial matters would be resolved in the event of a divorce. ● You want to ensure you will not be liable for a partner’s outstanding debt.

How a solicitor can help? If you are considering entering into a prenuptial agreement, it is essential to consult a specialist family lawyer well in advance of the wedding to ensure that: ● Both people have legal advice – from different solicitors to

avoid accusations of confl ict of interest – before the agreement is entered into. ● You understand all the terms and their implications. ● You have entered into the agreement of your own free will. ● The terms of the agreement are fair and provide for the needs of each party. ● All assets of both parties have been fully disclosed; ● The agreement is signed at least 28 days before the wedding, preferably some months before.

For further information, please contact Nick Emson in the family law team on 01392 247126 or email nickemson@wbw.co.uk. ■