Wed Devon

BEAUTIFUL DAY

On the eve of our cover shoot, 'In the Garden,' we travelled to The Great Barn, a wedding venue nestled in the heart of rural Devon, our car groaning with wedding dresses. We wound our way through a patchwork of lush fields slipping into wooded valleys, the leafy lanes dotted with thatched cottages and bathed in golden light; arriving at the venue, we were greeted by the extraordinary sight of the restored 15th century barn, flanked by a courtyard of charming cottages and picture book-pretty gardens. We spent the next day photographing a captivating collection of gowns in the grounds, brimming with spring blooms and lush avenues of green. It was dreamlike. I couldn't help but feel utterly beguiled by the beauty of Devon. 

The romance of Devon's landscape is celebrated throughout this issue. We explore three more of the county's scenic spots to get wed in our venues feature, 'Pretty as a Picture,' taking us from an elegant Georgian country house and a boutique hotel to a gorgeous cluster of restored barns, all set amidst glorious grounds.

Our styled shoots, too, take us to some of Devon's most picturesque venues, and illustrate how to put your stamp on these settings in an individual way. There's a fun and fabulous carnival of Hawaiian colour in 'Club Tropicana' at the Deer Park Country House Hotel; a modern and relaxed country house theme in 'Moody Blues' at new wedding venue Tawstock Court; and a decadent and romantic mood in 'True Love' at Bridwell. 

This issue's real weddings showcase the beauty of Devon - and the creativity and personalities of each loved-up couple. Carina and Sven, for example, partied amidst rainbows of ribbons, sequinned capes and golden disco balls on the south coast; Abi wore a bespoke jumpsuit and cape combo for her colourful and brilliantly personal autumnal wedding to Ben in Plymouth; while Jen and Henry embraced all things soft, romantic and natural - with Italian-inspired touches - for their sun-kissed nuptials at Pynes House. 

Here at Wed, it's our mission to inspire and empower you to build the wedding of your dreams in this heavenly place we call Devon. We hope these pages help you do just that. Pop over to our website, and join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, for daily inspiration, planning tips and eye candy galore!

Rebecca

STYLE

14. UNDER THE SEA

Soft blues and mermaid jewels for a wedding inspired by the ocean

18. IN THE GARDEN

Revel in a rural idyll in light skirts and romantic embellishment

28. THE TEST OF TIME

Classic style meets modern fashion in these top-trending gowns

40. WED'S BOUDOIR

Bridal beauty tips and trends

44. WIDE OPEN SPACES

A wildly beautiful romance set amidst the drama of Dartmoor

52. THE STYLE FILE

Trending bridal hair inspiration from the stylists

62. WORKING THE GROOM

Style tips for the man of the moment

66. CLUB TROPICANA

Bring the Hawaiian sunshine indoors with flamingos and funky flowers

82. TRUE LOVE

Paint a scene of decadent romance with captivating colours and bountiful blooms

94. MOODY BLUES

A relaxed and modern makeover for the country house wedding

FEATURES

42. BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Add colour to your wedding ring for a standout symbol of your love

48. SOMETHING BLUE

Gorgeous ideas for your 'something blue', from shoes to jewels

58. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

How to handle the things that might go wrong on W-day

65. THE HIP LIST

Fresh, fun and fabulous ways to style your day

72. PLANNED TO PERFECTION

Expert planning advice on those often overlooked W-day details

78. EAT. SPEAK. LOVE

Top tips on scheduling those all-important speeches

88. THE ECO BRIDE GUIDE

How to plan a planet-friendly wedding day

100. PRETTY AS A PICTURE

Marry amidst the seclusion and scenery of these romantic venues

115. PHOTO FINISH

How to look your very best in your wedding photos 

REGULARS

6. BRIDAL BUZZ

What's new, what's hot, what's on

106. THE VENUE

Licensed venues for civil ceremonies in Devon

124. GOT WED

Newly-weds share a glimpse of their day

154. NOTES ON A WEDDING

Top tips for your planning pleasure

Editor

Rebecca Matthews

Deputy editor 

Lucy Higgins

Chief features writer

Hannah May

Contributors

Abby Driver, Tracy Edwards, Lester Gethings, Jennifer Granlund, Christopher Wasey, Elle Winsor Grime

Design

Matt Sanwell, Design UNLTD

Advertising and Management 

Brendan Sleeman

Distribution 

Jenna Matthews

Finance

Morwenna Matthews

Publisher

Wed Magazine

28 Reens Crescent

Heamoor

Penzance

Cornwall 

TR18 3HW

01736 331456

wed@wedmagazine.co.uk 

wedmagazine.co.uk 

Print

Four Way Print

Cover image

Dress

Flora Bridal, Sam Cox Bridalwear

samcoxbridalwear.co.uk

Photography Emma Solley Photography

emmasolley.com

Hair Rachel Eggbeer assisted by Nikita Morris, Gershwins Hairdressing 

gershwins-hairdressing.com

Make-up & styling Suzi Winter makeupartistcornwall.co.uk

Model Tessa Maye