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Lauren & Matt's Wedding Planning Blog - Part 4

WeddingsSarah MarshComment

I can’t believe that in March, when it was 6 months until Matt & I get married, we were out in knee deep snow! The mile stone we have been working towards was the 6 month mark and now it’s been and gone and things have really started to get moving!

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I had my hen weekend at the start of April, where we stayed in a lodge in Cheddar, Tor Farm, relaxing with spa treatments and a hot tub and catching up with some of the closest people involved in the wedding. We have also met again with our incredible florist, Amy from Blossom Parlour based is Weston-Super-Mare. She is just brilliant, as I said before I think the most important thing when looking for a supplier is to work with someone who when they are talking about an idea it’s pretty much what you were going to say! Amy has literally taken the ideas out of Matt & my minds and made it real and really understood what we wanted – including an incredible floral feature called a ‘moon gate’, look this up! It will be the back drop behind Matt & me for the wedding breakfast.

I have also seen my dress again at Bridal Boutique in Street. It had been a few months since I last tried it on, so my memory was a bit sketchy on how it looked. But trying it on again was just lovely and I am so pleased with my decision. For my veil I have what was originally my auntie’s cathedral length veil, which my mum then wore to her wedding – which I am now wearing! It is so beautiful and I remember being little and wearing it and thinking how much I wanted to get married – it’s also my something old and something borrowed! I couldn’t believe just how perfectly it went with the dress and it means so much to have something which holds so many memories.

Everything slowly is starting to come together now, the wedding room is full of all the things we have been collecting and have been given by family (the incredible handmade post box!) and is still growing. I have really enjoyed making things for the wedding – entirely fuelled by my Pinterest account, somethings have worked really well, others not so well but it’s all been part of the experience. The next few months I think will be filled with appointments with our suppliers and sorting out the details of the day which I am so excited about, the more people we meet the more real it all feels. Also the more our ideas grow and develop, when we look back at how we thought the day would be to now it has evolved so much and we just can’t wait for it to come together.

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The biggest thing I think when you start to plan a wedding especially with over a year of planning, is to understand that things do change and ideas will grow and develop. But I would say that from the start have the things in mind which are your core ideas which are essential to you and build around them, ours were; church, family, tradition and our day has grown around these key points, so we know when we look back we can say it was exactly what we wanted.

The next mile stone will be July, which leaves only 3 months and I know everything will start to move even quicker with final appointments, fittings and getting bills settled! We also have Matt’s birthday in July to celebrate and are off to see Ed Sheeran, which will speed up the time even more with lots of exciting things to look forward to whilst we wait for September 1st 2018!

I will keep you posted

 

Lauren x

Nikki & Ant - May 27th 2017

WeddingsSarah Marsh1 Comment

Back in May 2017 we were lucky enough to host the wedding of Nikki & Ant, a couple who wowed us with their creativity and style. As a stationery designer that we adore (you must take some time to browse Nikki's Knots & Kisses website), we knew the day would be a masterclass in colours and design, but it was also packed with personality, love and so much laughter. It gives us great pleasure to relive the day with Nikki, and Clare Kinchin's beautiful images. 

What were your reasons for choosing Coombe Trenchard?

Clare Kinchin Photography

I first discovered Coombe Trenchard when we first moved to Devon and I was looking to connect with fellow wedding suppliers in the local area. I popped along for a chat with Sarah and she fed me the most amazing shortbread and showed me round her beautiful house and I was pretty much hooked from then!

When Ant proposed Coombe Trenchard went straight on to the shortlist of 5 venues I thought we should see.

I was happy for Ant to make the final decision though as all 5 I had shortlisted were venues I knew, had worked with and loved so it was really difficult for me to look at them objectively.

Ant fell in love with Coombe Trenchard immediately and we both loved the relaxed atmosphere and stunning surroundings. It combined both of our love of historic buildings and architecture without being too big or ‘grand’ and it made for the most amazing relaxed and fun day!

Clare Kinchin Photography

Where did you find your inspiration?

When I’m designing for a client I always start with asking them about the things they love in general. I like to see how they live and how they decorate their house. I think this shows a lot about a couple’s personality and it should always be this that show’s through in their wedding.

Fortunately Ant and myself had just bought a renovation house in Torquay and were already discussing colour schemes so we ended up picking a colour scheme which was based on our lounge and dining room!

Clare Kinchin Photography

Navy and dark wood are our favourites and I adore blush pink and dark pink reds and burgundy’s, so this is what we went for.

We also picked a subtle animal skull and floral motif to run through the day and introduced lots of references to films and books which we absolutely love. We wanted to incorporate all the things we love but in a really pretty and hopefully stylish way so it didn’t look like there was too much of an overall ‘theme’

Clare Kinchin Photography

What are your top supplier tips?

Be organised and understanding! Most of the suppliers in the wedding industry are small businesses who are working all the hours to try and make your day amazing so being friendly via email or phone goes a long way.

I’m a natural stress head but I tried to be as nice and friendly as possible to all my suppliers even if I was stressing out!

Having all the information they need to hand and making decisions quickly I think not only helps suppliers but yourself. Stressing for hours over tiny decisions which in the end won’t be noticed on your wedding day is not good for anyone’s mental health! I tried to make decision as quickly as I could.

Clare Kinchin Photography

What was your favourite part of the day?

We have two which we have discussed at length since the day!

Clare Kinchin Photography

Firstly our ‘first look’ before walking into the ceremony room together. We had the music start up and I walked down the stairs from the bridal suite and Ant met me at the bottom of the stairs before then walking to the front of the hall. This was the best decision ever … it was incredibly emotional and it actually made us both much less nervous about walking in in front of everyone as we were hand in hand.

Secondly was half way through the day when we asked all the guests to join us on the second terrace for the evening reception part of the day. None of the guests had any idea there was going to be whole other area for the evening and seeing their faces when they walked through under the clock tower and realised there was another area with photobooth, band and pizza van was amazing!

Clare Kinchin Photography

What advise would you give to future Coombe Trenchard bridal couples?

Take all the advice Sarah and Emily offer … they know what they are doing and are used to planning a wedding that is perfect for both you and makes the most of Coombe Trenchard! Be as organised as you can and create a timeline which you can add to gradually once you have found out timings from various suppliers. Having this timeline though means that you can hand everything over to the venue easily the day before and know that everything will go as closely to plan as possible. ( But be prepared that something might go wrong and realise that if it does that’s absolutely fine.)

Also have a separate wet weather plan just in case – you’ll be far less disappointed on the day if you do.

We ended up not needed ours but it was raining the morning of the wedding so I’d convinced myself it was wet weather plan anyway!.

Clare Kinchin Photography

What is your tale from the other side?

We absolutely love being married but it was never the be all and end all of our relationship. Make sure you love and enjoy your day but realise that the ceremony is the most important thing and everything else is just a beautiful bonus!

Clare Kinchin Photography

Photographer: Clare Kinchin

Florist: Brompton Buds

Caterer: Coombe Trenchard and Two Birds

Cake: Edible Essence

Dress: Needle & Thread, with embellishments from Abidemaids and hair piece from Kye Tew Jewellery. Shoes Rachel Simpson Shoes.

Groom’s Suit : Vintage Suit Hire Company / Accessories : Mrs Bow Tie

Entertainment: Swing Kings and Your New Favourite Band

Marquee Company: World Inspired Tents

Bar Company: Thirst Choice

Hair: Giselle at The Event Studios

Make Up: Giselle at The Event Studios

Other items and props : Virginias Vintage Hire, The Prop Factory & West Country Wedding Planner

Stationery & Styling : Knots & Kisses

A Chat with de Winton Paper Company

WeddingsSarah MarshComment

In the second instalment of our supplier chats, we caught up with Harriet de Winton from the de Winton Paper company to discuss her work and get some advice for couples looking for some invitation wow-factor. Harriet creates truly dreamy stationery and we absolutely adore her Instagram stories (the most beautiful step-by-step watercolour inspiration - watch them!). So sit back with a cup of tea and enter the magical world of de Winton. 

How would you describe your business?

de Winton Paper co. specialises in bespoke hand painted watercolour wedding stationery.

What is your favourite thing about being involved in the wedding industry?

Apart from cake...I really love the couples I work with and getting to know them during their wedding planing process.

Can you describe Coombe Trenchard in three words?

welcoming, creative, (a little bit) mysterious

What aspect of your stationery do you feel best fits Coombe Trenchard?

I paint a lot of botanical studies; flowers and plants for my stationery, Coombe Trenchard's gardens are a wonderful wealth of inspiration. My stationery style, although modern in terms of design, has a real fondness for classic elegance, something that is in abundance at Coombe Trenchard.

What colours/styles do you see being a big hit in 2018?

I'm not really led by trends but I really enjoyed the greenery trend for this year and I hope to see it continue. Next year is certainly looking a little more tropical!

What advice would you give to bridal couples looking for their perfect wedding stationery?

There will always be a wedding supplier out there who is perfect for you and can achieve your stationery dreams. Look around, and don't settle on the first thing you find.

When do you advise sending out Save The Dates and Invitations? 

It all depends on the nature of your wedding. Do you have lots of overseas guests? If so I would bring everything forward by a few months but on the whole my general rule is just shy of a year for Save the Dates and then 3 to 4 months for Invitations.

What do you feel is imperative to making stand-out stationery for your clients?

The most important thing is to make the couple the focal point of inspiration. It needs to represent them as a couple and give guests an exciting first glimpse of what the wedding will be like.

Finally, what excites you most about your job?

Painting. It really is the best job in the world to get to paint all sorts of commissions and see my couples' reaction upon receiving their stationery.

 

Thank you for taking the time to chat to us Harriet! We implore you to discover more of Harriet's work on her website (the cocktail prints are perfect gifts for Christmas) and her instagram

 

 

 

A Chat With Oaktree Occasions

WeddingsSarah MarshComment

Hot on the heels of our newly updated suppliers list, we felt it was important to give an insight into our favourite wedding contributors. Over the cosy Winter period, we will be posting 'chats' with our favourite suppliers to better inform our bridal couples about the service offered by these fantastic companies. 

Firstly, our thoughts turned to food, and Coombe Trenchard's favoured caterer: Oaktree Occasions. We are huge fans of Oaktree Occasions here at Coombe Trenchard: they offer exacting, friendly professionalism and ensure each and every morsel of food served is a delight. Caroline and Jo are also incredibly efficient and wonderful to work with, and we do so enjoy welcoming them to Coombe Trenchard. 

How would you describe your business?

Catering Specialists for every and any event, delivering stunning, handmade locally sourced food, chosen by our clients to their exact specifications, served to you in an exceptionally professional way with a unique eye for detail in every area of our business.

What is your favourite thing about being involved in the wedding industry?

Every week, every client, menu and location, being different!

The excitement of meeting a prospective client, especially those with a challenge or conundrum that needs solving, be that menu choices to please everyone, which style of service to have-sharing-informal-plated, resolve any timing issues and advise how to best plan your day. Generally being able to pass on all our invaluable knowledge and ability to problem solve to give our clients the best solutions and ensure a hassle free flawless day to remember, ending with an open and honest relationship between us ,which is as it should be when we are trusted to look after clients on one of the most important days of there lives!

Can you describe Coombe Trenchard in three words?

Endless    Delightful    Possibilities

What meal do you feel best fits Coombe Trenchard’s unique atmosphere?

We would always advise using the seasons to guide you and honestly we have such a wide range of menus and styles of service, with careful styling and Coombe Trenchard’s unique locations pretty much anything is a possibility!

What advice would you offer bridal couples when choosing their caterer?

Do your homework first! Professional wedding and event caterers will normally adhere to a set of standards which are clear to see.

Always try and meet face to face at their premises if you can: you should be able to gauge straight away their professionalism, and whether they are everything they proclaim to be. Have a rough idea of timings (any experienced wedding caterer should be able to assist you with this) and put some thought to your whole wedding party and the needs of the group as a whole, for example Grandma may not like your favourite spicy treat that you would love to have!

Tell your caterer everything about your special day and how you envisage it to be, your dreams, your worries and anything unique that may affect the caterers, (such as disappearing on horseback for two hours for photographs after the ceremony)

The quotation should be clear, concise and as transparent as possible based on the information given. This will ensure there are no hidden costs to you. Your caterer will be an important part of your day, we would expect to have a reasonable dialogue with any bride and groom before the day, so you also need to be comfortable with your caterer.

Tastings should always be available to help make those final decisions, remember it is also a business transaction so ask for terms and conditions, how to secure your booking (you don’t want your caterer to double book you), and payment terms...sorry.... but it is easy to get swept up in the occasion.

Finally any reputable wedding caterer of any standing should have a wealth of testimonials, Google reviews and social media reviews, these are a good way to get an insight into their business and give you peace of mind.

What is your favourite thing to cook/serve to bridal couples?

It’s not necessarily a particular dish (although the delight when guests are offered a delicious canapé with a glass of Pimms or bubbles is always a pleasure to behold) what will always be the most important is that we have executed all areas of our cuisine, drinks and food service to our exacting high standards, and that each and every one of our couples is happy with their own particular menu, executed by us to them and their guests.

How should bridal couples choose from the amazing options on your menus?

Pretty much anything goes these days; we have to offer lots of styles of food and service which can be daunting! A lot of couples may start with their favourite dishes and we can build a menu around these. If you are having lots of photos in the fabulous gardens your guests will gratefully receive drinks and canapés on the Terrace whilst you capture your special day.

Think of the style of service you would like- is sharing your thing, or would you feel awkward and rather be served individually?

Do you like traditional English food or something a little different? Think about the time of your ceremony; will your guests have had lunch or missed lunch?

How will the food slot in and not impinge on any evening celebrations...and unfortunately, as we have already said, you do have to consider all of your guests tastes but we can always find a way of keeping everyone happy with the wealth of knowledge and experience we have, and can guide you through this process with ease.

Do you get involved in serving drinks at all?

We can serve your arrival drinks of your choice, garnished accordingly, normally on the Terrace or in the house if the weather is inclement and can provide staff to run a bar for you along with placing your choice of wine on the tables during your meal and serving your toasting drink.

What size catering marquee/kitchen space to you require?

This totally depends on the size of your wedding party, if you are an intimate group we may have access to the kitchen in the main house, however this would depend on your menu choices, number of courses, cooking facilities required etc.

If you choose the marquee site we would require a minimum of 6x6metres for 100 guests, rising to 6x9metres for over 100 guests, this can easily be supplied by your marquee company.

Finally, what excites you most about your job?

The anticipation of service on the special day, after all the months of planning and the exceptional feeling of contentment and a job well done when we quietly depart and drive off in the distance...often with the sound of laughter and music drifting after us!

Thank you so much for chatting with us Oaktree Occasions, we look forward to seeing you in December for a cosy, intimate mid-week wedding. You can find out more about the exceptional service offered by Jo & Caroline on their website

A Beginning of Lauren & Matt's Coombe Trenchard Wedding Journey

WeddingsSarah Marsh8 Comments

Hello! My name is Lauren, my partner is Matthew and we are getting married at Coombe Trenchard in September 2018. We have been together over 6 ½ years and engaged since 1st May 2017. We met in our hometown of Teignmouth in Devon, where my parents owned a coffee house and we worked together (our love grew, as did my addiction to skinny lattes). We moved to Bristol 2 years ago and now live together in our first house with our two girls Lula and Eva ... our cats not children!

I’m a little quick of the mark, or as Matt would say impatient. As soon as we got home from St Ives (where Matt proposed) we started looking for venues. Our whole focus was around getting married in a Church, for us this was something we both felt was important. I downloaded the Bridebook app (UK's no.1 wedding planning app and website, searched for venues with churches within walking distances and contacted four of them. 

We called Anne at Lewtrenchard, the lady who oversees the local church for Vicar Tim, and after a quick and friendly response from Emily at Coombe Trenchard, booked to go and see our first church and venue (which actually turned out to be our one and only church and venue!)

Obviously it rained, as it always does for us, but we pulled up to the sweetest church and the sun came out from behind the clouds.  It was stunning: the fields close by were full of flowers and the trees loaded with leaves. We walked into the tiny church and were instantly in love: it's small and humble interior with beautiful wood carving and stain glass windows were just how we imagined our Church.

We then made our way to Coombe Trenchard and as we pulled into the grounds the most beautiful peacock was walking in front of our car. We were instantly welcomed by the lovely Sarah and had goosebumps as we were taken on a tour around this stunning venue. Sitting in snuggly chairs with a china cup of tea and homemade biscuits, it was safe to say at that point looking out at Dartmoor with the blossom blowing by and the sun shining we had both already decided that Coombe Trenchard was our choice!

Fiona Walsh Photography

We provisionally booked the date with Sarah there and then, but returned a few weekends later with our parents, who were all in awe of how beautiful Coombe Trenchard is. The six of us where guided round the venue and as our parents took it in for the first time, Matt and I could already start to see our day form ahead of us!

So nearly three months on to being engaged, we are delighted to have Coombe Trenchard for our special day and now have only just over a year until we will be one of the select few couples to get married with Sarah and Emily. The save the dates have already gone out and we are looking forward to our third visit in September to meet Thirst Choice our caterers!

Which I will share with you next time …

Lauren x