Lovely couple Pippa & David had a joyful spring elopement in Dartmoor back in the days when spring was simply glorious spring, and we could all go out and get wed and do all the wonderful things! I wanted to share it with you today as a reminder that normality WILL resume, and that the future can still be more beautiful than ever. Patience, my lovelies – this will pass. So let’s join the happy couple who took spring as the inspiration behind their wedding theme. The sense of joy and optimism at seeing the first green shoots of the season and splashes of yellow daffodils. Their vision was for everything to be fresh and vibrant, offset by white and earthy tones and textures. Their wedding venue Ever After – A Dartmoor Wedding took care of all the sourcing and styling, and Pippa & David’s day is just perfect. All images are captured by super lovely human and wedding photographer Clare Kinchin Photography.

With love,

Wedding photographer’s website:

https://www.clarekinchinphotography.co.uk/

I’m forever thankful to our wedding coordinator for booking Clare Kinchin. Clare’s creative style is natural and spontaneous which suited us perfectly. We chose to have an elopement wedding – just the two of us – because a big wedding with all the formalities just isn’t us. Clare describes herself as a ‘romantic adventurer’ so what better person to capture the magic of our little Dartmoor wedding!

Clare made the experience a real joy – even though we normally try to dodge cameras! After the ceremony we went for a walk in the woods where she captured the most beautiful photographs. It was a warm and sunny day – not at all like March – and Clare’s photos captured all the feelings of happiness and elation that we felt in that moment.

Tell us about the moment you saw your wedding photos for the first time?

I don’t think either of us could believe how beautiful l they were. It was a real ‘wow’ moment.

Wedding venue:

We got married at Ever After in Lower Grenofen, near Tavistock, West Devon. It’s a laid-back venue nestled in gorgeous woodland on the banks of a Dartmoor river. We stayed in a beautiful stone cottage and got married the next day on the garden terrace surrounded by wild flowers.
Two days later we had a party for close family at our home in Shropshire, followed by dinner at the Park House Hotel and late-night drinks in our local pub, Odfellows!

 

 

Where did you find your suppliers? (Blogs, magazines, recommendations?)

I did all the research online and relied on review sites and social media. The idea of going to a wedding fayre was a complete turn-off!

What’s your top tip for saving money?

For us it was about prioritizing the things that really mattered and not sweating the small stuff. However, it’s certainly easier to save money when you have a smaller wedding!

… and which elements of your wedding are you glad you spent more on?

Entrusting Ever After to coordinate our elopement wedding was the best decision we ever made. In actual fact it was excellent value for money and I’m so glad we didn’t choose a cheaper option.

Where did you buy or source your wedding stationery – or was making it a labour of love?

I sourced it from Hip Hip Hooray, a bespoke wedding and party stationery business which is coincidentally also based in Tavistock, West Devon.

Did you fall in love with your wedding dress?

I wanted to wear a simple dress – no lace, ruffles or sparkles – which is surprisingly hard to find. One day by sheer luck I came across a female-led brand called Ivy & Oak which has a simple, modern aesthetic and a strong focus on sustainability. I knew immediately that I’d found the dress – little cap sleeves, V-neck, and so comfortable to wear. I felt like I could be ‘me’ in that dress – only a prettier version!

Wedding dress designer and bridal boutique:

www.ivy-oak.com

Tell us about your accessories: jewellery, shoes and anything else!

I treated myself to a pair of champagne-gold Jimmy Choos. My veil was handmade from French tulle silk by a lovely lady called Sian who runs a small business called Blossom and Bluebird.
My jewellery was very simple. I wore a set of pearl earrings from Ted Baker which was the first present my husband gave me when we were dating. I also wore a gold necklace with my birth sign on it.

And what did the groom wear?

A Tommy Hilfiger suit, M&S tie and brogues, and colourful striped socks which are a staple!

Hair and make-up – did you DIY or hire a professional?

I’m pretty clueless at hair and make-up so I booked Jody from The Hair Lounge in Tavistock, and Lauren from No 5 Aesthetic and Beauty Clinic.

Describe your wedding flowers. Who arranged them for you? (florist details would be lovely please)

Amanda Randell Cox created my bouquet. In keeping with the theme I wanted something spring-like and cheerful which combined white, blue and splashes of yellow. Amanda created a lovely bouquet which included white roses (my favourite flower but also the white rose of Yorkshire where my husband is from,) grape hyacinths, yellow ranunculus, eucalyptus, and amethyst see holly. I gave Amanda a rather vague brief but she nailed it.

The wedding cake: what kind of cake did you choose and why?

It was a lime zest sponge brushed with gin and tonic syrup, filled with gin and lime buttercream, coated in white chocolate ganache and spring flowers. We wanted something different, not too sweet or sickly and we both love a G&T!

Entertainment: any musical recommendations, surprises or treats?

Our evening entertainment was relaxing under the stars in front of the open-fire.
At the family party a few day’s later we had a tongue-in-cheek wedding procession with glo-sticks from our house to the hotel. A magician entertained everyone over dinner, before David’s daughter sang and played guitar.

Words of wisdom: share your best piece of advice for other couples:

Take time to stop and smell the roses. The whole day goes so quickly but you will remember the little moments that you managed to steal together.

What’s the best thing about being married?

Making a public and personal commitment that you intend to spend the rest of your lives together. I didn’t think it was possible for us to be any closer, but somehow we are.

Favourite supplier web links for other brides and grooms:

Ever After, A Dartmoor Wedding: lowergrenofen.co.uk
Clare Kinchin: clarekinchinphotography.co.uk
Ivy and Oak: Ivy-oak.com
Boo To A Goose, private party chef and wedding cakes: Bootoagoose.net
Amanda Randell Cox: flowersetal.co.uk
Hiphiphooray.com
Blossomandbluebird.co.uk
StoriUK: wedding books on etsy.com