After meeting through mutual friends, Lauren and Luke connected again some years later for a “catch up and definitely not a date… and quickly fell head over heels”, says Lauren. And when Luke’s planned proposal – at the LA Observatory at sunset – was thwarted by lockdown, he turned the living room into LA, replete with candles, an LA Observatory image and the La La Land soundtrack playing in the background.
The couple’s venue search led them to Tredudwell Manor. “It was a beautiful blank canvas with so much charm, which made it easy to bring our vision to life,” explains Lauren. The couple chose to marry in autumn – their favourite time of year – and blended autumnal and coastal elements to create a stunning seasonal scene.
“The flowers, decorations and outfits had autumnal colours woven throughout, and the decorations were made up of dried lavender from summer, old books, rustic wood slices and candles that smelt like the sea,” she says. Finished with a flower crown, Lauren was the picture of whimsical romance in her dress with its floaty sleeves, detailed embroidery and long detachable train, while her bridesmaids chose dresses they loved in a striking palette of shades.
After the ceremony, guests enjoyed local Fowey cider while the newly-weds headed to nearby Lantivet Bay for photographs on the clifftops. “It was so nice to be able to enjoy a little pocket of time just the two of us, married at last, looking out over the sea, brimming with all the joy in the world and just taking it all in,” reminisces Lauren.
The wedding feast was one to remember: starters of pan-roasted Looe scallops, baked camembert, chorizo and rosemary breads were followed by roasted duck and pan-roasted salmon, butternut squash and wild mushroom risotto, and a trio of mouth-watering desserts. Meanwhile, a cake of locally sourced cheeses was surrounded by a stunning display of charcuterie.
As day turned to night, the party atmosphere kicked up a notch. “Everyone was offered a traditional Cornish cocktail, the band started playing and it was party time,” says Lauren. “We danced our socks off to a mix of pop, rock, emo and country before heading to bed at 1am!”
Looking back, Lauren has some sage advice. “Your day will not be perfect – and that’s OK. Even after two years of planning, there were still elements that were out of our control. Rain clouds appeared at the last minute so we had to move the ceremony. But with the doors thrown open, we were able to keep the feeling of still being outdoors, and when the clouds cleared, everyone was able to enjoy the stunning grounds and breathtaking views.” she says
“It was the best day ever, because we got to marry each other surrounded by everyone we love the most – that was what was most important. Everything else is just details.” And the icing on the wedding cake? “We didn’t know, but we were actually pregnant at the wedding, which makes the day even more magical.”
Photography Dan Ward Photography danward.co.uk
Venue Tredudwell Manor tredudwell.co.uk
Dress Rosa Clara from Morgan Davies Bridal morgandaviesbridal.co.uk
Groom’s outfit Marc Darcy marcdarcy.co.uk
Hair & make-up Emilie’s Professional Hair and Makeup emilieshairandmakeup.co.uk
Flowers The Garden Gate Flower Company thegardengateflowercompany.co.uk
Dried and Tied Flowers etsy.com/uk/shop/DriedandTiedBouquets-
Catering Richard Mcgeown instagram.com/richardmcgeown
Cheese cake, charcuterie board & evening catering The Ship Inn Lerryn theshipinnlerryn.co.uk
Stationery & signage Butland Wedding Sationery instagram.com/butlandweddingstationery
Photo booth Flicksbox flicksbox.co.uk-
Entertainment The John Adams Band johnadamsmusic.co.uk-
Bespoke Disco bespokedisco.com
Videography Sean White Films seanwhiteweddingfilms.co.uk
