Wedding at Rockbeare Manor, Devon

Sabrina and Giles were neighbours during their childhood in Accra, Ghana and became friends. “We met when I was three and Giles was eight,” says Sabrina. Many years later and now living in London, Giles planned a special day out in Greenwich for her. “We both love the outdoors and went to explore the Private Gardens,” she recalls. “We found a quiet spot to sit down where we started to reflect on the previous year, and year ahead of us. Giles then began to talk about our future and got on one knee and popped the question. I couldn’t say yes fast enough!”

Choosing to wed outside of the “hustle and bustle of London”, the couple’s venue search took them to the Devon countryside and the elegant country house setting of Rockbeare Manor. Selecting a minimalist theme, the couple allowed the beauty of the venue to shine through, with a complementary colour scheme of burnt orange and white with pops of rust. “I wanted pampas grass incorporated into our floral theme and our florist brought the vision to life seamlessly, combining fresh and dried flowers,” says Sabrina.

The bride-to-be and her bridesmaids stayed in a cottage at Rockbeare the night before the wedding, so the morning began with the excitement of the bridal preparations – including Sabrina’s former hair stylist mum doing her hair – and final touches. Sabrina walked down the aisle in a sleek and classic gown with a thigh-high split and diamanté features, while Giles wore a timelessly stylish white tie tail suit.

“The ceremony was beautiful,” she reflects. “Our pastor officiated it; he knew both of us personally and the journey of our relationship. It was so beautiful to say yes to the love of my life in front of our family and friends.”

Cocktail hour with canapés followed to the sounds of a live saxophonist, while the newlyweds had photos around the grounds. The grand ballroom was the scene of the speeches – with those by Sabrina’s dad and Giles proving a memorable highlight – and the sumptuous wedding breakfast featuring confit chicken, slow-roasted short rib of beef, pan-fried salmon fillet and caramelised poached pear with a Biscoff crumb and clotted cream ice cream.

The cutting of the “divine” tiered cake was followed by a romantic first dance to John Denver’s Annie’s Song. “It’s a song that Giles and I absolutely love and we always said it was going to be the song we dance to,” she says. The dance floor stayed full thanks to music by DJ Abarshi, with guests treated to freshly made pizzas as the evening progressed and turned to the early hours.

Looking back, Sabrina found it impossible to choose a top memory. “The whole day was my favourite moment!” she laughs.

Her advice for those planning a wedding is to take a personal approach. “As much as possible, try and see things in person rather than deciding based on websites, social media or brochures,” she suggests. “Don’t leave things to the last minute – it’s better to get the heavy lifting done at the start of the planning process.”