Wedding at Bickleigh Castle, Devon

After ten years of dating, Tony decided the dizzying heights of Africa's highest mountain was to be his magical place to propose. During the climbing of Kilimanjaro in 2015, Tony decided he would propose to Tara once the couple reached the top. But as the groom-to-be was taking photographs of the beautiful sunrise and preparing himself for the big moment..."I'd already started on the trek down," says Tara. "As he turned around, all he saw was me disappearing over the horizon!" So it was when the couple were relaxed and recovering on the beach that he eventually found the right opportunity to get down on one knee.





The couple, who live in South Africa, chose the fairytale setting of Bickleigh Castle as the setting for their nuptials. With a little help from Sharon, the in-house wedding planner, Tara and Tony's backdrop was formed. With flowers by Polly Thompson of West Country Wedding Flowers, the couple took advantage of all the beautiful spring colours. "Polly completely outdid all my expectations and the flowers blew me away," Tara says of the wonderful selection of white tulips, white and yellow roses, daffodils, thistles and baby's breath. "Polly recommended not adding anything to the already beautiful room, apart from swags of flowers along the wall and garlands of flowers around the pillars at the entrance. I was so thrilled I listened to her - the room looked breathtaking," she says.




At 2pm, the bride walked down the aisle to a jazz trio playing an instrumental version of 'At Last' by Etta James. "We had a drinks reception on the lawn in the sunshine," explains Tara. A wedding breakfast of prawn cocktail, chicken and leek pie and lemon cheesecake was then served, followed by much dancing and silliness to Honest John Band. But Tara's standout moment, aside from the best man's speech, saying her vows and the first dance, was her entrance. "One of my friends had warned me that she cried the whole way down the aisle," she says. "I was so happy and excited while I was getting ready that I couldn't imagine it, but as I entered the Great Hall and saw everyone I loved in one room and Tony at the front, I was hit by such a wave of emotion that I hid behind my bouquet!"

Photography Freckle Photography www.frecklephotography.co.uk
Venue Bickleigh Castle www.bickleighcastle.com
Dress De La Vida www.delavida.co.za
Bridesmaids' dresses Oasis www.oasis-stores.com
Groom's outfit Joubert Bros. Suits www.jbsuits.co.za
Hair and make-up Lucy Milton www.lucymilton.com
Flowers West Country Wedding Flowers www.westcountryweddingflowers.co.uk
Entertainment Honest John Band www.honestjohnband.co.uk

Copyright Wed magazine 2017