Natural history documentary filmmakers Briony and Jack were both working for a TV company in Plymouth when they met on a night out. “I was away on shoots so frequently after the first meeting that it took six months before we managed to go on a date!” laughs Briony.
The couple were on the way back from a snorkelling trip on the Sardinian coast when they became engaged. “Jack stopped the boat in front of a cliff with a waterfall flowing into the sea and proposed,” she recalls.
Trevenna was a fitting setting for their summer wedding, the key themes of wildlife and sustainability being inspired by their mutual passion for nature. The country bolthole was bedecked in a sage green and blue colour scheme that was carried in everything from the bridesmaids’ dresses to the groomsmen’s ties and pocket squares. “The cake had edible wildflowers growing up it and the bouquet was like a burst of summer wildflowers that had been picked from a hedgerow!” says Briony of the petal-pretty décor.
“We didn’t want to add a big carbon footprint by going for flowers that wouldn’t grow in the UK,” explains Jack. Opting for homegrown florals from Dartmoor Flowers, the couple requested that orange geums be added to the bouquet. “We wanted it to have that feeling of a summer wildflower meadow, with delicate, colourful flower heads that would blow in the wind,” he says. “I couldn't have asked for better and I even had bees hitching a ride with me on the day, landing on my bouquet!” laughs Briony.
Flowers also adorned the arbour where Briony and Jack took their vows and cascaded from the beam in the Threshing Barn where they hosted their wedding breakfast. A friend, who is a tree surgeon, cut sustainable wood slices for the centrepieces, while the favours were little glass bottles filled with wildflower seeds made by Briony.
After the speeches in the gardens, guests savoured a feast of chicken, herb-crusted cod loin and butternut squash and feta filo parcel rounded off by triple chocolate brownie and lemon posset. Briony and Jack enjoyed golden hour photos with their dog, Lando, and then, as night fell, guests gathered around the firepit for s’mores before hitting the dance floor and capturing the revelry in a Polaroid photo booth.
“I absolutely loved that our real first dance was on the grass outside Trevenna as the steel drum band played Akon!” reveals Briony of one of her highlights, which also included the ceremony itself. “Both of us agree that our vows were our favourite moment,” says Jack. “We wrote our own and whilst it was quite a daunting prospect to bare our souls in front of everyone it was so great to have such personal words.”
“This is the one day where you can do what you want to do – the day is yours and you want it to feel like yours – so book the steel drum band!” urges Briony to other couples keen to put their stamp on proceedings.
“We did a lot of the crafting well in advance so that it wasn't too overwhelming,” she adds. “We wanted to enjoy the weeks leading up to the wedding, so forward planning was key. People want to help and contribute, so don't be afraid to ask.”
Photography Laura Buffery laurabufferyphotography.co.uk
Venue Trevenna trevenna.co.uk
Dress Mikaella Bridal mikaellabridal.com
Flower girl dresses Cath Kidston cathkidston.com
Hair Brigitte Fisher brigittefisher.co.uk
Make-up Gemma Campbell MUA gemmacampbellmua.com
Jewellery Alex Monroe alexmonroe.com
Flowers Dartmoor Flowers dartmoorflowers.co.uk
Cake One Market Street Café onemarketstreetcafe.com
Entertainment Real Steel realsteel.org.uk
SoundONE Disco soundone.co.uk
Dog care Wedding Day Dog Nanny wddognanny.co.uk
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