Bethan and Jim met in Broome, Australia, at a Halloween fancy dress party. "We were both travelling up the west coast independently," she explains. After meeting, the couple then continued to travel for another two years together, before returning home to the UK. And it was while they were on even more travels - this time a holiday to Italy - that Jim took the opportunity to pop the question "on a rooftop overlooking the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius as the sun set," remembers Bethan.
In keeping with their coastal meeting on the other side of the world, the couple's big day took place on the North Devon coast at Ilfracombe, where the stunning Tunnels Beaches blends seamlessly into the sea.
From Bethan's dad walking into the hotel room to greet her and both of them bursting into tears, "as did the whole room!" she laughs, to her mum's handmade confetti cones, and her brothers' handiwork on the order of the day "made from wooden pallets," Bethan ensured the details of the day were kept personal to her and Jim.
A 2pm ceremony saw the bride in a beautifully bohemian Rue de Seine gown, and the groom in a made-to-measure, tweed three-piece suit by Victor Valentine. "Jim's favourite moment was seeing me walk down the aisle," says Bethan. "He welled up, too!" After the ceremony, the flower-garland-wearing bride and her maids, in sage green dresses, posed at the water's edge in front of a pebble heart on the beach surrounding the couple's initials.
Guests then tucked into a colourful gourmet barbecue of tiger prawns and monkfish skewers, prime local beef burgers stuffed with Stilton and leg of lamb with homemade barbecue sauce. After the speeches and a romantic first dance as the waves lapped the shore, local Cornish pasties were served before The Devon Wedding Singer, Ollie Stephens, kicked off the soundtrack to the evening.
Remembering her favourite moment, Bethan recalls the end of the night when "everyone was on the dance floor shouting 'we want more!' to the band. We just knew everyone had enjoyed the day as much as we had!" she says.
Photography Maxi Photography www.maxiphotography.com
Venue Tunnels Beaches www.devonbeachweddings.co.uk
Dress Rue de Seine at Luella's Boudoir www.luellasboudoir.co.uk
Bridesmaids' dresses ASOS www.asos.com
Hair Laura Burlington hair 07540 993739
Make-up Sammie Wynter 07826 542727
Groom's suit Victor Valentine www.victorvalentine.co.uk
Flowers Poppy's of Exeter www.poppysofexeter.co.uk
Entertainment The Devon Wedding Singer by Ollie Stephens www.thedevonweddingsinger.co.uk
Copyright Wed magazine 2015
