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Planning Your Perfect Devon Wedding

May 19, 2010 By

Getting married is one of the most important days of your life so plan it right and you will get (hopefully) the wedding that you’ve always dreamed of. There is more to weddings than shopping around and picking the perfect dress – you need to shop around for pretty much everything else! Choosing the right venue is a priority. It’s the place that you will be looking back at in your wedding photos in years to come. The venue is also about the space, the appearance, your budget and the quality of the food so get it right and you will not only have happy guests you will have a happy wedding day!

Picking the Perfect Devon Wedding Venue

The South West of England is a beautiful region and so Devon has a whole host of wedding venues to choose from. For those seeking a wedding in the country there are many venues dotted around the Devon countryside. There are country house hotels and golf country clubs which have beautiful sweeping lawns and carefully tended grounds which together make the perfect place to spend your big day. What’s more, Dartmoor’s purple heather clad rolling hills and dramatic moorland provides the perfect backdrop for a wedding and there a variety of Dartmoor hotels to choose from.

For those choosing Devon purely for its coastal location, you won’t be disappointed with the amount of beautiful Devon Wedding venues with stunning scenery overlooking beaches, the rugged Devon cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean. The north and south coast both offer a variety of places to choose from, the south with beautiful quaint towns such as Dartmouth and Salcombe with a range of luxury boutique hotels and the north with more sparse coastal hotels near Woolacombe Bay and Croyde Bay.

Hotels are often the first place to look for a wedding venue, however, why not choose to look for something a little more quirky. Devon is home to an array of historical sites which make a perfect wedding venue including places such as Bickleigh Castle, Haldon Belvedere and Bicton Botanical Gardens near Exeter.

Remember if you do decide to look outside the box and choose an alternative to a hotel, you may have to consider extra costs such as marquees and outside catering companies. However, remember that these venues will have organised many weddings before so they will always be helpful in providing a list of companies which they can recommend.

The Wedding Ceremony

It is obviously tradition to hold your wedding ceremony at a church, however there are more and more hotels which are now licensed to hold civil marriage ceremonies. Some are even licensed for outside ceremonies, although recent summers in the Westcountry have been pretty poor so make sure there is an alternative if the worst comes to the worst.

Although there are many beautiful beaches in Devon, getting married on a beach in the UK is not allowed. In order to hold a wedding ceremony on the beach you need a permanent structure with a roof but unfortunately beaches don’t have many of these! However, you are able to have a blessing on the beach once you’ve officially had a ceremony elsewhere such as at a registry office.

There are a variety of Devon wedding venues to choose from across the county, from country house hotels and historical sites to coastal boutique hotels.


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Why North Devon is a favourite for Wedding Planners

April 23, 2010 By

There’s a wonderful heritage associated with North Devon. Admired by many, from film production companies to great writers, the diversity and sheer beauty of the North Devon landscape has been the source of inspiration for many. It’s also one of the reasons why many brides-to-be carefully choose North Devon above other areas in Devon to host the most special day of there lives – their wedding day.

Romance was certainly in the air when the BBC drama ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was filmed in the Hartland area of North Devon. The landscape is so idyllic and pretty it inspired Henry Williamson to write and publish his most famous novel ‘Tarka The Otter’, a classic tale that followed the life of a young otter – based around real locations in North Devon.  You can still see the impact of Tarka (which actually means ‘little water wanderer’) living on in North Devon, with the Tarka Trail Cycle Path, the Tarka Line train route and various other local businesses and pubs also acquiring the name.

North Devon has many areas of outstanding natural beauty. The county also boasts a wealth of historical and archaeological sites, with many points of historical interest such as landscapes retaining old field patterns and enclosures – reflecting and recording the progress of man up to present day times. These features have become an integral part of the area, making it the valuable and widely admired landscape that it is today.

Weddings in North Devon have the advantage of breathtaking landscapes, in coastal and countryside locations as a backdrop for stunning wedding receptions and amazing wedding photographs. Classic Manor house hotels set in ancient wooded grounds provide impressive wedding reception venue options and easy road and rail links makes accessibility for wedding guests a worry-free consideration. A particular hidden gem can be found down a deeply wooded driveway in Burrington, Umberleigh in North Devon. Nestled within the heart of the North Devon landscape lays a beautiful old Manor house called Northcote Manor. Built in 1716, it is just one of the many examples of an idyllic wedding venue in North Devon.

When it comes to planning your wedding breakfast menu, North Devon has access to many of the UK’s finest food producers right on the doorstep. It’s the reason why resident hotel Chef’s are completely spoilt for choice. Local fishing ports, bespoke suppliers and leading agricultural, dairy and beef farming are to name but a few reasons why artisan food producers flourish and the foodies flock here in there droves. The earth in North Devon is so fertile, that many county house hotels have their own private vegetable gardens, providing outstandingly fresh garden produce directly to kitchen and onto your plate

North Devon therefore provides a unique heritage, breathtaking landscapes, historic venues and some of the best food producers in the UK – All of the vital ingredients needed when planning a very special Wedding in North Devon.

I am lucky enough to live in Devon and have explored the landscapes far and wide. I have attended many successful North Devon Weddings , and I used this experience to inform this article.


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Why North Devon is a favourite for Wedding Planners

April 23, 2010 By

There’s a wonderful heritage associated with North Devon. Admired by many, from film production companies to great writers, the diversity and sheer beauty of the North Devon landscape has been the source of inspiration for many. It’s also one of the reasons why many brides-to-be carefully choose North Devon above other areas in Devon to host the most special day of there lives – their wedding day.

Romance was certainly in the air when the BBC drama ‘Sense and Sensibility’ was filmed in the Hartland area of North Devon. The landscape is so idyllic and pretty it inspired Henry Williamson to write and publish his most famous novel ‘Tarka The Otter’, a classic tale that followed the life of a young otter – based around real locations in North Devon.  You can still see the impact of Tarka (which actually means ‘little water wanderer’) living on in North Devon, with the Tarka Trail Cycle Path, the Tarka Line train route and various other local businesses and pubs also acquiring the name.

North Devon has many areas of outstanding natural beauty. The county also boasts a wealth of historical and archaeological sites, with many points of historical interest such as landscapes retaining old field patterns and enclosures – reflecting and recording the progress of man up to present day times. These features have become an integral part of the area, making it the valuable and widely admired landscape that it is today.

Weddings in North Devon have the advantage of breathtaking landscapes, in coastal and countryside locations as a backdrop for stunning wedding receptions and amazing wedding photographs. Classic Manor house hotels set in ancient wooded grounds provide impressive wedding reception venue options and easy road and rail links makes accessibility for wedding guests a worry-free consideration. A particular hidden gem can be found down a deeply wooded driveway in Burrington, Umberleigh in North Devon. Nestled within the heart of the North Devon landscape lays a beautiful old Manor house called Northcote Manor. Built in 1716, it is just one of the many examples of an idyllic wedding venue in North Devon.

When it comes to planning your wedding breakfast menu, North Devon has access to many of the UK’s finest food producers right on the doorstep. It’s the reason why resident hotel Chef’s are completely spoilt for choice. Local fishing ports, bespoke suppliers and leading agricultural, dairy and beef farming are to name but a few reasons why artisan food producers flourish and the foodies flock here in there droves. The earth in North Devon is so fertile, that many county house hotels have their own private vegetable gardens, providing outstandingly fresh garden produce directly to kitchen and onto your plate

North Devon therefore provides a unique heritage, breathtaking landscapes, historic venues and some of the best food producers in the UK – All of the vital ingredients needed when planning a very special Wedding in North Devon.

I am lucky enough to live in Devon and have explored the landscapes far and wide. I have attended many successful North Devon Weddings , and I used this experience to inform this article.


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Top Tips to Theme a Wedding in Devon

April 13, 2010 By

If you are planning to hold your wedding day celebrations in the county of Devon and looking at ways in which you could theme your wedding day to reflect Devon’s rich cultural background, traditions, and outstanding natural produce, then please read on. You may be surprised at just how many Devon related ideas can be used to personalise and make your day unique, romantic and memorable for you and your guests. What’s more, it doesn’t matter what type of wedding you are planning, from traditional village church wedding with a garden fete theme, or a luxury wedding in a County Manor House Hotel, elements of these ideas could work well for most options.

The Background of the Devon Flag
Looking at symbols that represent Devon, the first thing to explore is the flag. The official flag of the English county of Devon features a white cross, edged in black on a green background and is dedicated to Saint Petroc, a local saint with numerous dedications throughout the West Country and particularly in Devon. The three colours of the flag are representative of the county, with green representing the colour of the lush rolling hills that Devon is famous for; the black colour reflecting the windswept landscapes of the wild moorlands of Dartmoor and Exmoor, and the white colour representing Devon’s heritage to the china clay industry and the white salt spray from the two coastline which border the county. It’s a relatively new flag launched in 2003 and has gained increasing popularity, peaking in October 2006 when the flag gained official recognition as Devon County Council raised it for the first time outside County Hall.  If you want to raise the Devon flag on your wedding day, you could:

Use the flag on tablecloths, napkins, or seating place name cards.
Edge wedding stationary in Green.
Use green, black and white ribbons to accessorise hair bands, flower posies and table decorations.
Create seating plans with tables named after local beaches, villages or saintsDevelop a coastal theme to table centre decorations.
Use miniature Devon flags, seashells, miniature sandcastles, selected pieces of driftwood or pebbles.

The Wedding Food
The wedding breakfast will pack a punch as far as quality is concerned. Devon has access to some of the very best food in the UK. Artisan producers seem to thrive here, including award winning local cheese makers, several vineyards including the award winning Pebblebed Vineyard in Topsham, bee keepers, prime beef cattle and game, and Brixham fish market offering the freshest daily catch. Cider and beer making is popular in Devon with a long-standing tradition in the county. Not overlooking the iconic Devon cream tea, which celebrates the delightful clotted cream made here too. Think tiered wedding cakes made from Devon’s finest whole cheeses wrapped in ivy and grapes, or a tiered arrangement of scones, jam and clotted cream. Unique wedding favour ideas like miniature sticks of Devon rock, miniatures of scrumpy cider or hand tied bags of clotted cream fudge using tri-coloured ribbons. Equally outdoor areas could make use of bunting coloured white, green and black..

Your Wedding Venue
Choosing the perfect wedding venue for your special day will be one of the biggest decisions you make. Northcote Manor is a beautiful country hotel in North Devon that manages to capture the essence of Devon in an exceptional way. Perfectly formed, Northcote Manor has this authentic charm and stands out in terms of location and setting. They are also very good at weddings.

I’m lucky to live and work in the south west of England and have made my home here. Having explored many venues, hotels and restaurants, here are some useful ideas and a country manor hotel that offers the ideal solution when choosing memorable Devon wedding venues.


Article from articlesbase.com

Filed Under: Article Tagged With: , , ,

Top Tips to Theme a Wedding in Devon

April 13, 2010 By

If you are planning to hold your wedding day celebrations in the county of Devon and looking at ways in which you could theme your wedding day to reflect Devon’s rich cultural background, traditions, and outstanding natural produce, then please read on. You may be surprised at just how many Devon related ideas can be used to personalise and make your day unique, romantic and memorable for you and your guests. What’s more, it doesn’t matter what type of wedding you are planning, from traditional village church wedding with a garden fete theme, or a luxury wedding in a County Manor House Hotel, elements of these ideas could work well for most options.

The Background of the Devon Flag
Looking at symbols that represent Devon, the first thing to explore is the flag. The official flag of the English county of Devon features a white cross, edged in black on a green background and is dedicated to Saint Petroc, a local saint with numerous dedications throughout the West Country and particularly in Devon. The three colours of the flag are representative of the county, with green representing the colour of the lush rolling hills that Devon is famous for; the black colour reflecting the windswept landscapes of the wild moorlands of Dartmoor and Exmoor, and the white colour representing Devon’s heritage to the china clay industry and the white salt spray from the two coastline which border the county. It’s a relatively new flag launched in 2003 and has gained increasing popularity, peaking in October 2006 when the flag gained official recognition as Devon County Council raised it for the first time outside County Hall.  If you want to raise the Devon flag on your wedding day, you could:

Use the flag on tablecloths, napkins, or seating place name cards.
Edge wedding stationary in Green.
Use green, black and white ribbons to accessorise hair bands, flower posies and table decorations.
Create seating plans with tables named after local beaches, villages or saintsDevelop a coastal theme to table centre decorations.
Use miniature Devon flags, seashells, miniature sandcastles, selected pieces of driftwood or pebbles.

The Wedding Food
The wedding breakfast will pack a punch as far as quality is concerned. Devon has access to some of the very best food in the UK. Artisan producers seem to thrive here, including award winning local cheese makers, several vineyards including the award winning Pebblebed Vineyard in Topsham, bee keepers, prime beef cattle and game, and Brixham fish market offering the freshest daily catch. Cider and beer making is popular in Devon with a long-standing tradition in the county. Not overlooking the iconic Devon cream tea, which celebrates the delightful clotted cream made here too. Think tiered wedding cakes made from Devon’s finest whole cheeses wrapped in ivy and grapes, or a tiered arrangement of scones, jam and clotted cream. Unique wedding favour ideas like miniature sticks of Devon rock, miniatures of scrumpy cider or hand tied bags of clotted cream fudge using tri-coloured ribbons. Equally outdoor areas could make use of bunting coloured white, green and black..

Your Wedding Venue
Choosing the perfect wedding venue for your special day will be one of the biggest decisions you make. Northcote Manor is a beautiful country hotel in North Devon that manages to capture the essence of Devon in an exceptional way. Perfectly formed, Northcote Manor has this authentic charm and stands out in terms of location and setting. They are also very good at weddings.

I’m lucky to live and work in the south west of England and have made my home here. Having explored many venues, hotels and restaurants, here are some useful ideas and a country manor hotel that offers the ideal solution when choosing memorable Devon wedding venues.


Article from articlesbase.com

Filed Under: Article Tagged With: , , ,

Three hints to making your North Devon wedding beautiful on a budget

April 11, 2010 By

Three hints to making your North Devon wedding beautiful on a budget

 

Choosing Wedding Venues with a Flexible Package.

There are many different venues in North Devon and the greater Devon area to choose from.  You could pick a remodelled chic barn, a marquee in the grounds of a historic house or a beautiful country house hotel but whichever North Devon venue you choose be sure to add up the extras in your budget. Many North Devon venues will show their prices and packages up front to give you a good idea of how much a wedding at their venue will cost.  Make sure that you are aware of what extras such as flowers, candles, linens and silverware are included.  If these are included you will have saved a substantial amount of pennies. If you choose a country house hotel in the North Devon countryside you may have the option to hire the whole wedding venue on an exclusive use basis. This means that giving your friends and relatives the option to stay will provide you with a fantastic house party feel and an added benefit will be that you can recoup some of the hire cost by allowing your guests to pay for their own rooms.  This is completely acceptable as no guest expects to have overnight accommodation provided free of charge when they attend a wedding.

 

Wedding Menus with Wow Factor

Choosing a fabulous menu will give you a wow factor that your guests will remember.  One thing to keep firmly in mind is that your wedding guests will all be starving and in need of food as soon as you all return to your north Devon wedding venue.  Wedding guests are notorious for looking glamorous and wonderful but to do so they forget to eat assuming there will be food provided at the venue. Try a twist on something normal by chatting with the chef at your north Devon wedding venue and together you can come up with appetising food on a lower budget.  Hire a local ice cream van to provide sweet treats, do a mini cream tea canapé selection, have cones of fish and chips in real newspaper cones.  Anything traditional can be given an updated twist.  If you are getting married in North Devon there are so many wonderful foods that are locally produced that taste fab and are cheap to buy.

 

Wedding Decorations

Choose a wedding venue that is already beautiful and you will save so many pennies on flowers and decorations.  Many North Devon wedding venues such as country house hotels are already picturesque and often offer a country house modern chic style.  Set in glorious north Devon countryside a wedding in north Devon can be a very memorable occasion.  Rolling North Devon hills and pretty, well maintained grounds will provide a wonderful back drop for cherished photos.  If you cannot afford a north Devon hotel wedding why not ask if you can pop over to the wedding venue to take beautiful photos in their grounds or, consider just a simple drinks reception there to take advantage of the backdrop and grounds.

 

Here’s a country manor hotel that offers the ideal solution when choosing memorable Devon wedding venues with budget, location and reputation in mind.


Article from articlesbase.com

Filed Under: Article Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Three hints to making your North Devon wedding beautiful on a budget

April 11, 2010 By

Three hints to making your North Devon wedding beautiful on a budget

 

Choosing Wedding Venues with a Flexible Package.

There are many different venues in North Devon and the greater Devon area to choose from.  You could pick a remodelled chic barn, a marquee in the grounds of a historic house or a beautiful country house hotel but whichever North Devon venue you choose be sure to add up the extras in your budget. Many North Devon venues will show their prices and packages up front to give you a good idea of how much a wedding at their venue will cost.  Make sure that you are aware of what extras such as flowers, candles, linens and silverware are included.  If these are included you will have saved a substantial amount of pennies. If you choose a country house hotel in the North Devon countryside you may have the option to hire the whole wedding venue on an exclusive use basis. This means that giving your friends and relatives the option to stay will provide you with a fantastic house party feel and an added benefit will be that you can recoup some of the hire cost by allowing your guests to pay for their own rooms.  This is completely acceptable as no guest expects to have overnight accommodation provided free of charge when they attend a wedding.

 

Wedding Menus with Wow Factor

Choosing a fabulous menu will give you a wow factor that your guests will remember.  One thing to keep firmly in mind is that your wedding guests will all be starving and in need of food as soon as you all return to your north Devon wedding venue.  Wedding guests are notorious for looking glamorous and wonderful but to do so they forget to eat assuming there will be food provided at the venue. Try a twist on something normal by chatting with the chef at your north Devon wedding venue and together you can come up with appetising food on a lower budget.  Hire a local ice cream van to provide sweet treats, do a mini cream tea canapé selection, have cones of fish and chips in real newspaper cones.  Anything traditional can be given an updated twist.  If you are getting married in North Devon there are so many wonderful foods that are locally produced that taste fab and are cheap to buy.

 

Wedding Decorations

Choose a wedding venue that is already beautiful and you will save so many pennies on flowers and decorations.  Many North Devon wedding venues such as country house hotels are already picturesque and often offer a country house modern chic style.  Set in glorious north Devon countryside a wedding in north Devon can be a very memorable occasion.  Rolling North Devon hills and pretty, well maintained grounds will provide a wonderful back drop for cherished photos.  If you cannot afford a north Devon hotel wedding why not ask if you can pop over to the wedding venue to take beautiful photos in their grounds or, consider just a simple drinks reception there to take advantage of the backdrop and grounds.

 

Here’s a country manor hotel that offers the ideal solution when choosing memorable Devon wedding venues with budget, location and reputation in mind.


Article from articlesbase.com

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Exclusive Devon Country House Wedding Venue For All Seasons

April 1, 2010 By

A very warm welcome awaits you at Combe House, one of Devon’s finest country estates. In this privately-run hotel and restaurant, attention to detail, individuality and personal service is paramount, ‘we try never to say no’.
Imagine a wildly romantic Grade 1 Elizabethan Manor, steeped in history and set in 3,500 acres of one of Devon’s finest country estates, close to the sea for long coastal walks, yet just a short drive from the Cathedral city of Exeter.

Here you will find exceptional food in a wonderful country setting, carefully chosen wines, huge log fires and generous hospitality. Listed as one of the most romantic hotels in Great Britain, Combe House Devon is a place you will love.

Beautiful Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely as you approach the romantic Manor along a mile of winding drive. The privately owned hotel offers a wonderful sense of occasion in an idyllic setting all year round.

Combe House Devon is recognised as one of the UK’s top wedding venues. Choose ‘Exclusive Use’ of ‘Combe’ and you’ll have the whole house to yourselves, including the elegant sitting room, reception rooms, beautiful gardens, all fifteen bedrooms and suites and a romantic thatched cottage for two.

After you have taken your vows, you can entertain your family and friends in complete privacy and style. With Exclusive Use, your celebrations encompass more than just an afternoon and evening. You and your closest guests can stay overnight, catch up the night before over an informal country supper or a BBQ in the gardens and finally reminisce about the wedding day’s events over breakfast the following morning.

Combe’s two Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, create modern British cuisine and will provide bespoke menus for your wedding celebration. The house is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies, with a choice of four elegant and classic Civil Ceremony rooms, and can cater for any size of wedding breakfast or evening reception from 2 to 100 guests. This increases to 150 guests with a marquee on the croquet lawn.

Brides have a choice of four intimate rooms to choose from for a civil wedding ceremony at Combe House Devon – the historic 18th century Panel Room and Great Hall are furnished with treasured antiques and ancestral paintings; the Pink Dining Room has tall French windows which open onto the front lawns, and the pretty Green Mural Dining Room is decorated with intricate hand-painted murals and lit by a twinkling glass chandelier.

The Church of St Michael is nearby (at the end of the mile-long drive) in the thatched village of Gittisham, once described by HM Prince Charles as “The ideal English village”. After a church service or blessing at the Church, a fairytale white horse and carriage can take the bridal couple up to Combe House Devon for a reception, just as newly weds would have experienced in days gone by. A truly romantic beginning to life together!

Combe’s two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, are ardent about sourcing the freshest and best quality ingredients for their menus from local producers and Combe’s large restorted Victorian Kitchen Gardens. They will meet with the bridal couple to create a bespoke wedding breakfast menu, which can be served to guests in a choice of elegant rooms or the garden marquee.

Smaller wedding parties can enjoy a memorable lunch or dinner by lamp and candlelight in the hotel’s beautifully restored Georgian kitchen.

The restored Georgian Kitchen provides a truly romantic setting for smaller, intimate, sit-down parties of 10 to 12 guests such as naming ceremonies, renewal of marriage vows or commitment ceremonies.

It’s also ideal for pre-nuptial get-togethers over drinks, canapés and buffet suppers. There’s no electricity – dining is by lamps and candlelight! Romance with a capital ‘R’!!

Accommodation for guests in the main house is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, including a bedroom with a four-poster. The most sought after room at Combe House Devon is the stylish Linen Suite which occupies part of the original Victorian laundry, and is still equipped with a huge drying rack suspended from the ceiling, and a 6ft diameter, round copper bath tub – perfect for two!

Many of the individually styled rooms have stunning views over the estate at Combe and across the beautiful Devon countryside to Dartmoor and beyond. Tucked away in the woods at the start of the romantic mile-long drive leading to the Manor is a beautifully restored Thatch Cottage, a romantic hideaway for the bridal couple on their wedding night with its own secluded walled garden. The perfect place for an evening of romance.

Every member of our team, including Mark our Manager and Fiona our Wedding Planner, gives personal attention from the early planning stages through to organising the very finest details and providing caring support on the day. Our Head Chef, Hadleigh, is also available to meet with wedding clients to help create a bespoke menu and Ken will be happy to advise you on the wines that would be most suitable to accompany your wedding breakfast within your chosen budget.

Mark Lovell, Manager, says “Relaxed informality is top of the agenda with emphasis on ensuring you feel totally at ease – almost as if you were having a wedding in your own home, but with all the hard work taken away.”

Why not arrange a visit so that we can show you around and discuss what is important to you for your special day? Together, we’ll make your Celebrations at Combe House everything you wished for – and more.

Call Fiona, our Wedding Planner, on tel 01404 540 400 or visit www.combehouseweddings.com

 

Combe House Devon Weddings


Article from articlesbase.com

Filed Under: Article Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Exclusive Devon Country House Wedding Venue For All Seasons

April 1, 2010 By

A very warm welcome awaits you at Combe House, one of Devon’s finest country estates. In this privately-run hotel and restaurant, attention to detail, individuality and personal service is paramount, ‘we try never to say no’.
Imagine a wildly romantic Grade 1 Elizabethan Manor, steeped in history and set in 3,500 acres of one of Devon’s finest country estates, close to the sea for long coastal walks, yet just a short drive from the Cathedral city of Exeter.

Here you will find exceptional food in a wonderful country setting, carefully chosen wines, huge log fires and generous hospitality. Listed as one of the most romantic hotels in Great Britain, Combe House Devon is a place you will love.

Beautiful Arabian horses and pheasants roam freely as you approach the romantic Manor along a mile of winding drive. The privately owned hotel offers a wonderful sense of occasion in an idyllic setting all year round.

Combe House Devon is recognised as one of the UK’s top wedding venues. Choose ‘Exclusive Use’ of ‘Combe’ and you’ll have the whole house to yourselves, including the elegant sitting room, reception rooms, beautiful gardens, all fifteen bedrooms and suites and a romantic thatched cottage for two.

After you have taken your vows, you can entertain your family and friends in complete privacy and style. With Exclusive Use, your celebrations encompass more than just an afternoon and evening. You and your closest guests can stay overnight, catch up the night before over an informal country supper or a BBQ in the gardens and finally reminisce about the wedding day’s events over breakfast the following morning.

Combe’s two Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, create modern British cuisine and will provide bespoke menus for your wedding celebration. The house is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies, with a choice of four elegant and classic Civil Ceremony rooms, and can cater for any size of wedding breakfast or evening reception from 2 to 100 guests. This increases to 150 guests with a marquee on the croquet lawn.

Brides have a choice of four intimate rooms to choose from for a civil wedding ceremony at Combe House Devon – the historic 18th century Panel Room and Great Hall are furnished with treasured antiques and ancestral paintings; the Pink Dining Room has tall French windows which open onto the front lawns, and the pretty Green Mural Dining Room is decorated with intricate hand-painted murals and lit by a twinkling glass chandelier.

The Church of St Michael is nearby (at the end of the mile-long drive) in the thatched village of Gittisham, once described by HM Prince Charles as “The ideal English village”. After a church service or blessing at the Church, a fairytale white horse and carriage can take the bridal couple up to Combe House Devon for a reception, just as newly weds would have experienced in days gone by. A truly romantic beginning to life together!

Combe’s two resident Master Chefs of Great Britain, Hadleigh Barrett and Stuart Brown, are ardent about sourcing the freshest and best quality ingredients for their menus from local producers and Combe’s large restorted Victorian Kitchen Gardens. They will meet with the bridal couple to create a bespoke wedding breakfast menu, which can be served to guests in a choice of elegant rooms or the garden marquee.

Smaller wedding parties can enjoy a memorable lunch or dinner by lamp and candlelight in the hotel’s beautifully restored Georgian kitchen.

The restored Georgian Kitchen provides a truly romantic setting for smaller, intimate, sit-down parties of 10 to 12 guests such as naming ceremonies, renewal of marriage vows or commitment ceremonies.

It’s also ideal for pre-nuptial get-togethers over drinks, canapés and buffet suppers. There’s no electricity – dining is by lamps and candlelight! Romance with a capital ‘R’!!

Accommodation for guests in the main house is in fifteen luxurious en-suite bedrooms and suites, including a bedroom with a four-poster. The most sought after room at Combe House Devon is the stylish Linen Suite which occupies part of the original Victorian laundry, and is still equipped with a huge drying rack suspended from the ceiling, and a 6ft diameter, round copper bath tub – perfect for two!

Many of the individually styled rooms have stunning views over the estate at Combe and across the beautiful Devon countryside to Dartmoor and beyond. Tucked away in the woods at the start of the romantic mile-long drive leading to the Manor is a beautifully restored Thatch Cottage, a romantic hideaway for the bridal couple on their wedding night with its own secluded walled garden. The perfect place for an evening of romance.

Every member of our team, including Mark our Manager and Fiona our Wedding Planner, gives personal attention from the early planning stages through to organising the very finest details and providing caring support on the day. Our Head Chef, Hadleigh, is also available to meet with wedding clients to help create a bespoke menu and Ken will be happy to advise you on the wines that would be most suitable to accompany your wedding breakfast within your chosen budget.

Mark Lovell, Manager, says “Relaxed informality is top of the agenda with emphasis on ensuring you feel totally at ease – almost as if you were having a wedding in your own home, but with all the hard work taken away.”

Why not arrange a visit so that we can show you around and discuss what is important to you for your special day? Together, we’ll make your Celebrations at Combe House everything you wished for – and more.

Call Fiona, our Wedding Planner, on tel 01404 540 400 or visit www.combehouseweddings.com

 

Combe House Devon Weddings


Article from articlesbase.com

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