Wedding at Newdowns Farm, Cornwall

A chance meeting after a surf at Gwithian led to a camping trip the very next weekend for Liz and Rich. Despite the February temperatures, the pair tucked into a barbecue on the beach. "I knew he was a keeper when he loaded the barbecue with my all-time favourite: scallops and prawns!" says Liz. "It didn't take long for me to move down to Cornwall and within a few months we'd bought a house and a puppy."



Two years passed between Rich's surprise proposal at sunset on a Costa Rican beach and their sun-drenched Cornish cliff-top wedding. "It was well worth the wait," comments Liz.



Liz accessorised her dazzling Pronovias gown with a bouquet of wildly beautiful blooms in a soft, natural palette. "The flowers were one of my favourite things about the wedding," comments Liz. "There was even a rose called A Shropshire Lad used for the buttonholes, perfect as Rich himself is a proud Shropshire lad," she says.



Their "magical" ceremony took place at St Pirans Church. "We were lucky enough to have one of my bridesmaids, a professional singer, sing for us during the signing of the register. There wasn't a dry eye in the house," recalls Liz.



Everyone then moved onto the spectacular setting of Newdowns Farm on St Agnes Beacon where magnificent tipis were dressed with an array of hay bales, tweed details and beautiful wild flowers. The newly-weds arrived to a chorus of cheers in a convertible vintage car after a cruise through their hometown of Perranporth. "It was wonderful seeing the tipis in all their glory and knowing all the time and effort we and our friends had put into making them look as fabulous as they did,' comments Liz.



The glorious weather allowed guests to settle on hay bales and savour the sunshine during the speeches. Bringing a delicious Cornish flavour to proceedings, The Gourmet BBQ Company served up a locally sourced selection of scallops, sea bass, crab, steak and king prawns. Thanks to a winning formula of top tunes, lasers and smoke machines, a DJ friend of the couple ensured the party was in full swing into the small hours - completing a magical night.



"I will always remember one of my best friends taking me outside to see the tipis all lit up and look at the night sky," recalls Liz. "All the clouds had cleared and the sky was so impossibly full of stars, I don't think I'd ever seen such a stunning night in Cornwall!" Her highlight, however, is easy to pinpoint. "My favourite moment was walking into the church and seeing my best friend at the end of the aisle with the biggest smile on his face."



Reflecting on her "incredible" day, Liz has some wise words for busily planning couples: "Most people are on some kind of budget but if something is important to you, don't compromise. Get the best you can."



Photography Kirstin Prisk Photography www.kirstinpriskphotography.co.uk
Venue St Pirans Church followed by Newdowns Farm www.newdownsfarm.co.uk
Tent World Inspired Tents www.worldinspiredtents.co.uk
Catering The Gourmet BBQ Co. www.thegb.co.uk
Dress Pronovias from Vu's Bridal www.vusbridal.co.uk
Bridesmaid dresses House of Fraser www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Groom's outfit Ted Baker www.tedbaker.com
Hair Capella www.capellacornwall.co.uk
Make-up Ella Butler www.makeupbyella.com
Flowers Amanda Taffinder Flowers www.amandataffinder.com
Transport Wedding and Executive Car Hire www.weddingandexecutivecarhire.co.uk

Copyright Wed magazine 2014