From the wild romance of the north coast to the dreamy sands of the south, Devon’s coastline has played a starring role in Claire and Robi’s love story. After ten years together, Robi asked Claire to marry him on Saunton Sands beach. “It’s a special place for us as my family used to live in the area, and I used to holiday there while growing up,” she explains.
On searching for their dream venue, it was a case of love at first sight when they arrived at Gara Rock, which is perched on the clifftops of South Devon. “As you come down the lane, the narrow lane opens up and you are met with the most spectacular view of the coastline with the bright blue sea in the background,” says Claire. Opting for an exclusive-used package meant the couple could enjoy having the hotel to themselves for a weekend of celebrations with guests who had travelled from all corners of the world. “Plus, it was dog friendly meaning our lab Dexter could be involved,” she adds.
A palette of blue and white complemented the coastal backdrop perfectly and carried from the elegant floral arrangements and bridesmaids’ dresses to the tables styled with blue and white linen, tapered candles, single blooms in glass vases and coastal style woven placemats. Embellished with blue and white florals, the stationery completed the picture, with portraits of the couple’s dog and cat adding a characterful touch to the signs.
An early morning sea swim with Dexter was the perfect start to the day for Claire, who enjoyed a morning of preparations with her bridal party before the al fresco ceremony on the terrace. “We always hoped we’d be able to have an outdoor ceremony to capture as much of the beautiful view as possible. Fortunately for us, the weather was absolutely perfect. We had blue skies, sunshine and a gentle sea breeze,” she says. The couple took their vows beneath a beautiful moongate arch of flowers, the ocean beyond. “It was truly the perfect setting!”
A vocalist lent her soul-stirring vocals to the ceremony and drinks reception, during which guests enjoyed Pimm’s, champagne and canapés while an artist painted live portraits. After a wedding breakfast featuring pan-fried coastal sea bream, 28-day dry aged beef fillet and white chocolate torte, Claire, Robi and the wedding party headed down to the beach for golden hour photos on the sands.
“We chose Belong Together by Mark Ambor for our first dance,” says Claire. “It was one of the last things we decided upon, but it turned out to be a perfect choice for us. It’s upbeat, a little bit casual but the lyrics also have a bit of romance to them.” Ibiza Lights then brought the party vibes with a DJ, saxophone and bongos providing the perfect dance floor-filling formula.
Reeling from her dreamy coastal wedding, Claire struggles to pinpoint a single highlight. “It’s hard to pick a favourite moment because the whole weekend came together perfectly. We honestly wouldn’t have changed a single thing,” she says.
The couple have plenty of advice for other couples in the midst of planning, however. “There’s nothing you can’t do with a good spreadsheet!” she Robi. “We used it to track everything: suppliers, guest RSVPs, food choices, allergies, seating plans, payment due dates, the works! It helped us stay organised with everything and made sure there weren’t any surprises.”
Photography Margo R Photography margorphotography.com
Videography Blooming Moments Films bloomingmomentsfilms.com
Venue Gara Rock gararock.com
Dress Made With Love from Wild Flora wild-flora.co.uk
Bridesmaids’ dresses Pretty Lavish prettylavish.co.uk
Suit Hawes & Curtis hawesandcurtis.co.uk
Hair & make-up The Pop Up Salon thepopupsalon.co.uk
Flowers Caroline Hodges Flowers carolinehodgesflowers.co.uk
Cake Queen Bee Cakes queenbeecakes.org.uk
Stationery Splendid Swan splendidswan.co.uk
Illustrator Clare Wilcox
Entertainment Lula Weddings instagram.com/lulaweddings
The Ibiza Lights
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