Jeneah and Sophie embraced the elements at their wildly romantic BoHo Cornwall Elopements wedding 
What made you choose an elopement?
“Both Sophie and I are very passionate about the ability to show each other our love without having a large wedding,” explains Jeneah. “Even a small wedding can easily snowball into something bigger than anticipated. We both envisioned our day to be small and intimate sharing what we feel is important – our love we share for each other. After a lot of discussion, we felt an elopement was the perfect way to commit to each other without feeling the pressure that comes with organising a bigger wedding. We both have large families and friendship groups and choosing who to invite seemed like an impossible task. Therefore, we completely removed the pressure and did what we felt was right for us individually and as a couple.”
What drew you to BoHo Cornwall Elopements?
“I have always dreamed of a wedding in a castle while Sophie always envisioned a wedding near a beach. BoHo Cornwall Elopements offers a perfect combination of both of our dreams. Our first date was a weekend in Cornwall, so it holds a special place in our hearts. Being a same-sex wedding, it was extremely important for us that the venue we chose held the same values as us; this was highlighted on their website and instantly made us feel we'd be comfortable and welcomed. Once we spoke to the team, we knew it was the perfect location for us. BoHo has the most beautiful castle that's yours for the duration of your stay, and there's a beach nearby where you’re able to have photos taken.”
How did the day pan out?
“From the moment we woke up, the staff were on hand to make sure we had everything we needed. Our ceremony was intimate, with only the registrars, witnesses and ourselves present, and everyone went the extra mile to ensure our day was simply perfect, making us feel welcome, accepted and special. We carried homemade bouquets and took our vows in the candlelit castle. After windswept photographs on the coastal path and shoreline, we tucked into fish and chips on the beach. It was totally relaxed. We were given and shown nothing but care throughout our stay and everyone went above and beyond.
What stood out for you?
"The fact that we had never met these individuals, yet they were a part of one of the most important days of our lives sounds crazy but they made us feel like we had known them for years. The feeling of pure joy and care shown towards us individually and as a couple showed throughout. After our individual vows were read out, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room - that showed us the people involved in BoHo's weddings truly believe in love and are genuinely happy for the people who choose to get married there.”
What are your words of advice for couples considering an elopement?
“Do it! You won’t regret it. Your wedding day should be all about you, don't feel guilty about doing what's best for you. We asked family and friends what they would have done differently at their weddings and the feedback we had was often 'I wish I got to spend more time with my wife/husband' or ' we would of made it more intimate and not felt we had to invite everyone'. Elopements can be tailored entirely to you. We truly believe elopements are the way forward and more people should know that you don't need to travel to Vegas to elope.”
Photography Thomas Frost thomasfrostphotography.com
Venue BoHo Cornwall Elopements bohocornwall.co.uk
Hair So-Buff so-buff.com
Donna and Robbie stole away to the seclusion of Lower Barns for a vibrant elopement with their children
What made you choose an elopement?
“After first meeting as teenagers, we got together at 21 and enegaged at 22. At 26 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis," says Robbie. "Donna stood by me through each stage of the disability progression and bouts of depression. With her support, I began writing poetry; I've now published three books and we run a support group together for people in similar situations. It's been a painful, yet magical journey which shows the power of love can really help you through the darkest days. When it comes to getting married, we decided we wanted something simple and intimate; a wedding where we could just focus on ourselves and the children. We are a united four, and we wanted to make sure that our wedding had minimal worry so we could simply enjoy the little moments as well as the big ones. We felt an elopement was the best way to achieve it.”
What drew you to Lower Barns?
“We looked for elopements near our home so we didn't need to travel and Lower Barns stood out straight away. The unique setting and the beautiful grounds it resides in are incredible but the quirky touches added a sense of enjoyment, adventure and really made it stand out for us. Once we met Janie and Mike, the owners, we completely understood the package. They are fantastic, fun hosts and immediately made us feel comfortable. It's a big commitment trusting someone with your big day but they really had it covered - food, drink, choices of cake and flowers, photography and space for the children and dog. The décor of the venue was also outstanding. It was exactly what we were looking for, so it was a perfect choice for us.”
How did the day pan out?
“We had exclusive-use of the venue, with our own party shed and his and hers adjacent bungalows with matching hot tubs. The wedding began with Mike delivering a lovely breakfast to our bungalows. Thanks to the September sunshine, the ceremony could take place outside in the gardens. Later in the day, our wedding breakfast was made to each of our individual tastes and was incredible - even the kids left clean plates! - and they made us a vegan cake, which tasted amazing. Sipping champagne in a hot tub on a warm September night under the stars is not something you get to do often; it was surreal."
What stood out for you?
"One of the biggest things was the fact that Janie and Mike had thought of everything. If we had forgotten anything, they already had it. Mike was on hand with perfect timing, two minutes before the ceremony, to fix my buttonhole because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. Everything was perfect; I couldn't fault the weekend at all. If I could describe a perfect wedding, I'd describe ours."
Do you have any words of advice for couples considering an elopement?
“You're only planning on having one wedding and you want it to be special. We didn't want a heap of hard work planning a massive event, around everyone else’s schedules, using multiple establishments and venues, and we didn't need 100 people to make our day special. There were only four of us in a secluded spot away from the stress and I wouldn't change a thing. Our elopement wedding had everything we needed, I would recommend it to anyone. It was perfect and we are so grateful to Janie, Mike and all the staff at Lower Barns for making this dream a reality for us.”
Venue & photography Lower Barns lowerbarnswedding.co.uk
Flowers The Bloom Room thebloomroomflorist.co.uk
Hair Almond Bennett Hairdressing instagram.com/hairbyalmondbodmin
Emily and Sade combined the intimacy of Fallen Angel with the magic of Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens for a unique al fresco wedding day
What made you choose an elopement?
“We chose an elopement for several reasons. We have a large family, spread all over the place, and it would have been stressful trying to arrange a date, time and location to suit everyone. We also work long, stressful shifts and we never do anything that is just for us, so we felt this was the right thing to do," says Emily. "Ultimately we decided to suit ourselves, as our wedding day is about us,"
What drew you to Fallen Angel and Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens?
“I came across Petite Weddings UK, which led me to Fallen Angel in Mousehole and Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens. We fell in love them before we ever actually visited in person. It felt intimate and special, and even though Tremenheere is an outdoor venue, there is a wet-weather alternative so it has everything we could have possibly wanted."
How did the day pan out?
“We got ready at our accommodation in Mousehole, taking in the outstanding sea views as we had our hair and make-up done. Our photographer Verity was kind enough to be our chauffeur to Tremenheere, so we had some extra time to get to know her. Having no family or friends or anyone els we knew there with us, Verity was the rock that held it all together and was a real friend on the day.
We were utterly blessed with the weather. Just as we reached the pagoda for our ceremony, the sun broke through and we had glorious blue skies and warm sunshine. The views are simply stunning. It looked, and felt, like a tropical paradise, just for us. It was more beautiful in person then we could have dreamed of.
Back at Fallen Angel, we had a three-course meal, which was incredible. Then it was just us, and we had time to just sit and reflect. Verity had taken some Polaroid pictures throughout, so we had a perfect, instant momento from the day."
What stood out for you?
"Once we had decided on eloping, we'd built up a picture in our minds of how we wanted the day to go. We didn't want any stress or any strict timings to follow, we just wanted a calm and easy-going day. This is exactly what we had. Nothing was rushed or felt forced. It was the best thing we could have ever done for us; having our day soley for us made everything feel even more special."
Do you have any words of advice for couples considering an elopement?
“I think anyone considering an elopement should absolutely go for it. Our best advice would be to make early contact with your suppliers, especially if everything is being planned via email and online, and to keep in regular contact with them. We were lucky that we had such fantastic people and companies to work with, and they made everything seemless and stress-free from the moment we booked. Also, don't feel guilty about doing your day your way!"
Photography Verity Westcott veritywestcott.com
Wedding package Petite Weddings petiteweddings.co.uk
Venue Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens tremenheere.co.uk
Hair & make-up KH Bridal khbridal.com
Flowers Lafonia Flower Company lafoniaflowercompany.co.uk
Catering Indulgence Catering indulgence-catering.co.uk
