Meeting via a dating app, Candice and James spent their first date bonding over gin and tonics at Crocketts Bar in Exeter. Fast forward to 2022 and James staged a relaxed proposal in Crete. “We had just cooked a barbecue and were enjoying wine on the veranda overlooking the sea,” reflects Candice. “James got down on one knee as the sun was starting to set. He told me that I was his best friend and that he wanted me to be his teammate for life.”
Pynes House was the picture-perfect backdrop for their romantic and elegantly styled wedding, the beautiful wallpaper in the drawing room inspiring the pale sky blue details of their day. “We added pastels to the scheme to bring a light, romantic and joyful feel,” she explains. “We chose cut glass for our candle-holders and charger plates and linen for our napkins.” The “work of art” floral arrangements combined soft shades of peach, pink, yellow and blue, making a beautiful focal point on the tabletops and the perfect finishing touch for the barely-there blue of the bridesmaid dresses and Candice’s minimalist gown.
After a morning of preparations, Candice arrived at St Margaret’s Church in Topsham in a Beauford convertible for the midday service. “Our reverend Juliet Horwood is a close friend of James’s family and it was very special to us that she came out of retirement for our wedding,” she says.
After the vows, guests gathered at Pynes House, enjoying drinks and canapés while milling around the gardens and listening to local singer Rhys Davies. A delectable wedding feast followed, comprising sharing boards of feta cheese bruschettas and chopped olives, oven-roasted hake, rump of beef and curried sweet potato and bean pie. Salted pretzel and caramel chocolate brownies, eclairs, macarons and lemon posset rounded off the culinary delights.
As day turned to night, saxophonist Daniel Costin brought the party vibes to cocktail hour before Candice and James took to the floor for their first dance to Simply the Best. A prop-filled photo booth and Bill Ding and the Skyscrapers kept guests entertained throughout the evening. “Our guests were on the dance floor most of the night!” says Candice, who cites her standout memory as a moment at the close of the celebrations. “At the end of the night when we went up to our room, we both said to each other: ‘that was the greatest day of my life’, and we couldn’t stop calling each other husband and wife!”
Reflecting on their day, she advises putting careful consideration into your entertainment. “Entertainment is everything, pick something that will have all your guests getting into the party spirit! We found music was the best way of entertainint - our welcome drinks singer set the tone before dinner and allowed everyone to relax post-ceremony, our sax player got everyone dancing and our band were fantastic.”
She also recommends allocating some of your wedding budget for cocktails. “A cocktail hour is so worth the expense to keep your guests from flagging after dinner. Also, a Prosecco tower is so much fun, and not expensive,” she asserts.
Photography & videography I Do Film & Photos idofilmandphotos.co.uk
Venue Pynes House pyneshouse.co.uk
Coordination Elisabeth Shell Events elisabethshellevents.com
Dress Wed2B wed2b.com
Dress tailoring Sharif Mirzad shariftailoring.co.uk
Bridesmaid dresses Maids to Measure maidstomeasure.com
Suit Zebel Bespoke zebel.co.uk
Groomsmen's suits Ted Baker from Moss moss.co.uk
Hair Natalie Nichols Bridal natalienichols-bridal.com
Make-up Michelle Lopez lopezbeauty.com
Flowers Emma Hewlett Floral Design emmahewlett.co.uk
Catering Pickle Shack pickleshack.co.uk
Cake Claire Arscott Cake Design clairearscottcakedesign.co.uk
Décor Laura Louise Hall Weddings lauralouisehallweddings.co.uk
Transport Premier Carriage premiercarriage.co.uk
Entertainment Rhys Davies from Bootlegger's Turn bootleggersturn.com
Daniel Costin danielcostin.live
Bill Ding and the Skyscrapers bdsmusic.uk
