Meeting and becoming close at university, Charlotte and Jamie were “best friends who fell in love”. A romantic and completey unexpected proposal during a windswept coastal staycation in North Cornwall over barbecued steak and scallops led to the couple planning their wedding at Hotel Endsleigh.
The picturesque venue was the starting point for the styling of the day. “I took inspiration for the flowers and styling from the beautiful surrounds of Hotel Endsleigh as well as Jamie’s kilt,” explains Charlotte. “Endsleigh provided so much inspiration for the wedding as a whole, including my bespoke wedding dress, which had little appliqué leaves hand-embroidered onto it.”
Glorious arrangements of flowers carried their pretty colour scheme of pale blue and peach. “The Endsleigh gardens are so beautiful already it was hard to know where to begin, but our florist Amanda created a spectacle I couldn’t even have imagined in my wildest dreams,” says Charlotte, who added finishing touches to the décor, such as pretty coasters and special napkins. “We also made the table favours ourselves: homemade vanilla rum – a special drink for us!”
The couple’s afternoon ceremony was followed by confetti, and a canapé and drinks reception to the sounds of a string quartet, with a moment that Charlotte will always hold dear.
“If I had to choose a favourite moment, it would be immediately after the ceremony when we had walked out of the drawing room where the ceremony was held. One of the amazing staff members was there waiting for us with two glasses of champagne. He directed us into an adjacent room, saying: ‘Congratulations, this is your time to take a moment for yourselves, enjoy it!’ Jamie and I were then able to just take a breath and enjoy those first few moments as husband and wife – it was magic!”
The wedding breakfast was a feast to behold, comprising roasted crown prince squash and almond ravioli, followed by local venison, then honey parfait, all served with wine pairings. Coffee and macarons rounded off the menu alongside an apple sponge cake with blackberry curd and spiced buttercream.
For the speeches, there was one standout moment that Charlotte and Jamie, and their guests, still talk about. “During my brother’s speech – he was Master of Ceremonies – he was saying some lovely things about me as his sister and how much he loves me,” says Charlotte. “The room was silent as he took a breath to move on when all of a sudden, our elderly grandmother shouts out of nowhere: ‘Pah… You’ve changed your tune!’ Cue the entire room erupting into laughter and a cracking photo of my brother’s reaction.” A night of dancing and feasting continued until the early hours.
As for their advice for others planning their own weddings, the couple recommend having an engagement photoshoot. “Even if it feels like the most uncomfortable, unnecessary thing imaginable, it really helped us be more relaxed on the day itself as we knew what to expect and what we should be doing,” says Charlotte. “It was also a great way to get our little dog involved in the wedding memories!”
Photography Freckle Photography frecklephotography.co.uk
Venue Hotel Endsleigh
Dress Sassi Holford
Shoes Manolo Blahnik manoloblahnik.com
Jewellery Georgina Skan georginaskan.com
Kilt, tie, pocket square & tweed jacket Kinloch Anderson kinlochanderson.com
Groom’s shoes Joseph Cheaney & Sons cheaney.co.uk
Hair Jodie Brent at The Hair Lounge thehairloungetavistock.co.uk
Make-up No 5 Aesthetics & Beauty Clinic no5beautyclinic.co.uk
Cake Boo to a Goose bootoagoose.net
Flowers Amanda Randell Cox of Flowers Et Al flowersetal.co.uk
Entertainment The Thrillionaires facebook.com/TheThrillionairesBand
The Four Seasons String Quartet fourseasonsstringquartet.co.uk
Videography Baxter and Ted baxterandted.co.uk
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