Copy of Tamsin & James's July wedding at Coombe Trenchard

May 12, 2018Sarah Marsh1 Comment

Last July Tamsin & James had a beautiful wedding here at Coombe Trenchard. The sun shone, and the whole day was filled with love and happiness. We asked Tamsin to tell us about her special day.

What were your reasons for choosing Coombe Trenchard?

It was the perfect balance of meeting both our budget and our criteria for a wedding venue. We wanted somewhere in the beautiful Devon or Cornish countryside, away from other buildings, with the licence to hold the ceremony on site, and to allow the freedom to choose our suppliers. The fact that Coombe Trenchard were able to provide our preferred wedding breakfast of afternoon tea - was the icing on the cake! So these reasons were why were drawn to the venue, but once we actually visited, viewed the stunning house and grounds, and meeting Sarah - our minds where made up.

Where did you find your inspiration?

Of course, Pinterest was the starting point. We wanted to create a relaxed garden party style wedding and there was plenty of ideas on the colour scheme, decorations and food etc. I actually based the colour scheme on my bridesmaids dresses which combined grey, cream, and beige tones.

What are your top supplier tips?

A lot of time spent searching on Google and acquiring quotes! Get initial quotes by asking for an 'event' quote, since mentioning the word 'wedding' to some suppliers, seems to give licence to up the price!

What was your favourite part of the day?

The afternoon tea and speeches.

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

Have a good night sleep the night before. Have your wedding breakfast in the coach house. If you rent a marquee, specify in the contract, that it must be setup to an acceptable standard by 3 days prior to the wedding. Ensure an appropriate balance of ladies and gentleman's typical drinks post ceremony, pre wedding breakfast.

What is your tale from the other side?

We went on a wonderful trip to the deep south of Cornwall, then Sri Lanka immediately after the wedding. It was brilliant to do this straight afterwards. Now life is all back to normal, in Aspley Guise, with Mabel the cockapoo. Except we have wedding rings, lots of great photos and memories, and a kind of feeling of 'adultness' when introducing one another as 'my wife' or 'my husband'.

Please detail your suppliers:

Photographer:

Alexa Poppe - https://www.alexapoppeweddingphotography.com - highly recommended

Videographer (if applicable): Filmed ceremony and speech on my own Nikon DSLR and Ralph (DJ made a video of the disco!)

Florist: Sarah, Coombe Trenchard - highly recommended

Caterer: Sarah, Coombe Trenchard, Buen Apetito - http://www.buenapetito.co.uk/ - highly recommended

Cake: Country Cheeses, Taverstock - countrycheeses.co.uk

Dress: Jenny Packham, Ted Baker

Entertainment: Ralph Sophola (DJ Boombastic), djboombastic08@gmail.com, https://www.facebook.com/DJ8Boombastic/?ref=hl - highly recommended

Marquee Company (if applicable): Godney Marquees put one up, and then because it was so awful, took it down again causing last minute issues. I personally recommend they are avoided at all costs - dreadful service.

Bar Company: Thirst Choice - http://thirstchoice.org.uk/ - Excellent!

Hair: Michelle @ Creative Design Boutique, Plymouth

Make Up: Bobby Brown products, self applied

A Chat with Icicle Tricycle

February 26, 2018Sarah Marsh1 Comment

How would you describe your business?

Icicle Tricycle cares about the happiness of its customers and takes pride in offering the best possible experience for your special day by serving high quality Devon ice cream with professionalism, friendliness and value for money. We aim to help make your wedding day one that you and your guests will always remember with a smile.

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

Helping to contribute in the making of a memorable and special couple's wedding day.

Can you describe Coombe Trenchard in three words?

Idyllic, impressive, unique.

What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

I love nearly all the flavours we serve but I suppose if I really had to choose my absolute favourite it would have to be 26 miles - This flavour is based on the Snickers bar (or Marathon for us oldies) and is made with peanut butter, chocolate shavings, peanuts and has a toffee ripple running through it.

Why do you think Ice Cream makes people so happy?

I think it's the feeling of a naughty but innocent pleasure reflecting the nostalgia of childhood.

What do you feel is unique about what Icicle Tricycle offers?

Icicle Tricycle offers a service to family and friends by family and friends all wrapped up in our original 1920's Pashley ice cream trikes.

What advice would you give to bridal couples thinking about booking Icicle Tricycle?

The best advice I can offer at present is to contact us well in advance as we are booked early.

Finally, what excites you most about your job?

I think, although it can be extremely stressful at times, it has to be witnessing other people's reactions when they first see us and the delight on the childrens' and adults' faces alike. It gives me immense pride to be honoured to contribute to the happiness and pleasure of a couple's very special day.

Find out more about Icicle Tricycle by visiting their website here.

Nikki & Ant - May 27th 2017

December 23, 2017WeddingsSarah 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?

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!

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!

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’

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.

What was your favourite part of the day?

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

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!

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!.

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!

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

Lauren & Matt's Wedding Planning Blog - Part 3

December 13, 2017Sarah Marsh3 Comments

With the Christmas build up well and truly upon us, we are so excited to share with you part 3 of Lauren & Matts wedding planning blog. For this special Christmas edition, Lauren has handed the pen over to Matt, so we can gain a little insight into planning a wedding from the grooms perspective. Over to you Matt....

So the time has come for the Christmas special, and at the time of writing there are only 13 sleeps until Father Christmas arrives! The time has also come for a non-bride, Bride blog! I should start by saying 'hello' - my name is Matt West and I'm very lucky to say on 1st September 2018, I will be getting married to Lauren in St Peter's Church, before celebrating with our closest family and friends at Coombe Trenchard. Lauren and I really wanted to do something different for this bride blog and give you a different perspective - so here I am coming at things from the Grooms angle.

Lauren and I had been together for just over 6 years when I found the perfect moment to ask Lauren the big question. I always knew that I wanted to ask Lauren in St Ives, as we have so many memories down there - its almost like our second home, away from where we currently are and where we grew up. I kept the buying of the ring to the very last minute to ensure that there was as little time to slip up as possible, however trying to keep it all a secret for the 3 days we were away was exceptionally tough. I think I did a pretty good job, until Lauren asked me to borrow my jacket...with the ring on the inside pocket...on the evening I popped the question, so I'd like to think it was a pretty good, non-surprising surprise!

From the moment we got engaged, I'm confident that Lauren (like most brides out there) had our dream day all lined up in her head. However, I was also pretty confident that I wanted to have as much involvement in planning the day as possible and make it a team effort. As soon as we returned from our trip to Cornwall, Lauren started to get her wedding planning hat on! I knew that Lauren was a super planner but she had everything lined up thanks to the handy BrideBook app, and I think she set herself the task of outperforming the app and beating the recommended timeline!

For me, a wedding is about the two people who are 'tying the knot' and I'd like to think that our day represents what Lauren and I are about really well. We have kept our guest list to the people who mean the most to us from really close friends and family only, and we were certain that we only wanted people along who we would remember in 5 years time (and beyond!). This perfectly represents Lauren and I to a tee, as we are not big showy people either - its all about having a good time, celebrating our relationship so far and getting excited the rest of our lives together.

I can't believe that by the end of 2017 we have all of the 'big' elements of our wedding lined up:

Coombe Trenchard - as soon as we walked around the beautiful venue, we knew that there was no other place that could potentially compare to the atmosphere and surroundings you experience here.
St Peter's Church - a quaint little church just a 5 minute walk down the way from Coombe Trenchard, a perfect size to fit our relatively small wedding party.
Dress and shoes - the only thing I know nothing about (and don't planning on finding out until 2pm on 1st September 2018!)
Bridemaid's dresses - this was definitely the biggest challenge is finding something that suited 3 of Lauren's closest friends.
Suits - something I took the lead on! We have definitely gone traditional with tails and a top hat for me!
Save the dates - a labour of love and an afternoon of painting and stencilling with 2 very excited cats!
Music - an incredible string quartet (Lauren always dreamed of this) and a DJ to play during the evening.
Flowers
Cake - we still have cake tasting still to come...yippee!
Food - what a great way to spend a birthday, we sat out in the gardens of Coombe Trenchard just under a year from the biggest day of our lives testing and sampling our potential wedding breakfast.

1st September 2018 is not that long away, and I have to say that the ride to get to where we are has been enjoyable, and far less stressful than I would have imagined. As a groom, you always hear people talk about the impending threat of a Bridezilla - but I haven't seen anything of the sort and the planning (and food-testing!) has been nothing but enjoyable. Long may it continue for the next 9 months and beyond!

Happy Christmas 2017 -

'So often we become focussed on the finish line we fail to enjoy the journey' (Dieter F Uchtdorf)

Coombe Trenchard's Guide to Wedding Drinks

December 9, 2017Sarah Marsh1 Comment

Alongside delicious food, the drink you serve at your wedding also needs serious thought. Deciding on how much to provide for your guests, what to serve when and how to ensure your decisions compliment your day and food can be a minefield, so Coombe Trenchard wanted to try to make this easier for our bridal couples with a handy blog post.

Our alcohol policy aims to provide both flexibility and budget friendliness for our bridal couples, alongside compliance with our insurance and thoughts of safety for guests and the house alike. Our preferred bar company, Thirst Choice, can provide a very purse-friendly whole day drinks package that can be a hugely beneficial option, especially due to their creativity and flexibility.

Alternatively, bridal couples are permitted to provide their own alcohol for the drinks reception, toasts and wedding breakfast. Whilst able to source and supply this themselves, we highly recommend using Jaded Palates for this due to our wonderful relationship with them and appreciation of their passion and delicious drinks! Jaded Palates will enhance your wedding planning excitement with their contagious joy and enjoyably educational tasting experiences. Providing alcohol at wholesale price on a sale or return basis ensures value for money and stress-free buying. Alongside wines chosen to compliment your menu, you will make treasured memories, receive personal service and benefit from chilled wines being delivered with ease for your Big Day.

Drinks receptions tend to comprise of seasonal treats like Pimms or spiced cider in addition to or instead of some fizz. Depending on your guests, you may also wish to provide some ales or lager alongside this and, of course, think of a soft drink addition (we find Elderflower cordial and sparkling water go down well!). Jugs of water are also important, especially in fair weather. This element of your day will need to be manned – either by a bar company, your caterers or Coombe Trenchard to ensure a safe, clean and well-executed drinks reception. Glassware may be provided by the bar company, caterers or this can be hired in (some supermarkets offer this as a free service).

For your wedding breakfast, you will want to choose wines (or alternatives!) to compliment your menu’s flavours and style. Jaded Palates can help you do this or you are welcome to decide and provide this yourselves or in partnership with your caterers. Your caterers may be able to help you chill and store your wine and provide glassware for you, but this will need to be discussed with them. Most wine is simply added to the tables, but do discuss serving with your chosen caterer also.

During your speeches you may wish to provide something special to toast your wedding! This would normally be prosecco or champagne and will need to be chilled. Flutes would be needed to serve, although you could also use Coombe Trenchard’s vintage collection of champagne saucers (if within the house). Serving will need to be discussed and would normally be undertaken by your caterer if happening after/during your wedding breakfast. If you are wanting to look at alternative options for speeches, we are happy to discuss your own unique plans with you.

In the evening, your bar will need to be manned by a personal license holder in line with our insurance. This would normally be Thirst Choice and could be a free bar or cash bar, depending on your budget. Thirst Choice will work with you to stock the alcohol that you would like them to serve and love to come along to Coombe Trenchard for tasting sessions with you! They will be responsible for your evening party and ensure the safe serving of alcohol. Once Thirst Choice’s bar opens all other alcohol will need to be put away, something your caterers will be aware of. Jaded Palates sale or return policy would be hugely beneficial here and ensures you are only paying for the alcohol you use, and not worrying about running out!

Drinks can be done as simply or as lavishly as you would like (much like weddings!) and we are happy to discuss your requirements and thoughts in much more detail over a cup of tea. Do call or email us to pop you in the diary and ensure a relaxed wedding planning experience at Coombe Trenchard.

You can find out more from our General Information sheet sent at booking (or available upon email request) and by visiting Thirst Choice and Jaded Palates websites.

The latest from our social media

The Italian Terrace could fool you of its Devon location on Spring & Summer days like these ☀️ 📸 @clarekinchinphotography #coombetrenchardweddings #coombetrenchard #devonweddingvenue #westcountrywedding #ukwedding #countryhousewedding #weddingvenuesearch #springwedding #summerwedding #engageduk

✨ C r o w n e d ✨ The coronation events of the last week had us thinking about some of the gorgeous bridal ‘crowns’ worn over the years and particularly Btari’s bespoke flower headpiece from her wedding to Elliot last April. This bespoke jasmine, orchid and frangipani masterpiece from @claireaustinengland was created to honour Btaris Indonesian heritage and to pay tribute to the women in her life who wore similar headpieces before her on their wedding day. A truly stunning way to include personal tradition and culture into your wedding day 🌸 📸 @venetianorrington #crowned #bridalcrown #bridalheadpiece #bridalheadband #bridestyle #claireaustinengland #devonwedding #2022wedding #weddingstyle #coombetrenchard #coombetrenchardweddings #ukwedding #devonwedding

✨ C h i l d F r i e n d l y ✨ It could be the impending arrival of our newest grandchild, or all the lovely children at our most recent wedding but something sparked a memory about this precious photo from L & S’s wedding last year. Isn’t it wonderful? Having children at weddings is not for everyone and we understand that. However for those that desire or wish to accommodate little people at their wedding day, we are set up to make it as easy as possible: • Quiet spaces for little ones to take a nap • Guest wifi for any baby monitors • Long stretching gardens to burn off energy and play hide & seek • High chairs and a travel cot should they be required • Comfortable changing areas Please do not hesitate to get in touch should you have any queries about children at your wedding day and we would be happy to talk you through your options. 📸 @clarekinchinphotography #childfriendlywedding #childfriendlyweddingvenue #babyfriendlywedding #weddingdecisions #weddingstyles #ukweddingvenue #weddingvenuedevon #childrenatweddings #coombetrenchardweddings #coombetrenchard #yourweddingday #laidbacklove

✨ I n F u l l B l o o m ✨ We are preparing for our first wedding of the year taking place on Monday, so thought it timely to look back on the same from 2022. Leah bloomed in her unique floral embroidered gown as she prepared for her elopement to her love, Edward. These images from @venetianorrington capture the details of this stunning gown beautifully 🌸 #coombetrenchardweddings #coombetrenchard #elopementwedding #elopementvenue #devonweddingvenue #countryhouseelopement #uniqueweddingdress #unwedding #floralgown #embroideredweddingdress #weddingstyle #laidbacklove

✨ S h o w e r e d w i t h L o v e ✨ These April showers have us reminiscing and swooning over this moment of Liv & Andy’s beautiful confetti shower after their ceremony in the Main Hall. Adorned with umbrellas and smiles, they were showered with love from their guests in this special confetti runway. The perfect balance of sunshine and rain really does make the gardens burst into the most stunning shades of green, which was perfect for the couples emerald toned styling and of course, the Larch Walk shot 🌿 📸 @clarekinchinphotography #coombetrenchardweddings #westcountrywedding #devonweddingvenue #devonwedding #weddinginspiration #weddinginspo #engaged #weddingstyling #rainyweddingday #showeredwithlove #UKweddings #countrysidewedding #weddingplanning #uniqueweddingvenue #countryhousewedding #exclusivehire #realweddingfeature #weddingphotography #laidbacklove #uniquewedding #weddingstyle

✨ T a b l e S t y l i n g ✨ British Summertime arriving this week feels like a welcome relief, opening the door to beautiful transformations of the garden and grounds when blossoms & buds burst and everything feels a lot more green! It had us thinking about table decor and how sometimes, a simple runner, some beautiful florals and mismatched crockery can be so transformative and so personal to a couple. Effortlessly beautiful. It is one of our favourite parts of getting wedding day ready. This picture was taken from L&S’s wedding last year by @clarekinchinphotography and it has us excited for the season ahead! #tabledecor #tabletransformation #tablestyling #effortlessbeauty #weddingdaystyling #weddinginspiration #countryhousewedding #devonweddingvenue #coombetrenchard #coombetrenchardweddings

✨ S p r i n g ✨ It has now officially sprung and for us, this initiates the start of the wedding season after a period of recharge and reflection. The gardens are fuelled by the Spring showers and the dappled sunlight and warmer temperatures are feeding the blooms as daffodils and bluebells appear in the woodland. A perfect time to welcome @katiewoods_bridal to the venue to shoot her beautiful new collection of gowns, jumpsuits and separates. Katie Woods offers “sustainable British bridal wear, made to last. Understated designs made to be restyled and worn again ensuring no dress gets left alone in the attic.” Living close by to Coombe a Trenchard and having got married at the venue a couple of years ago, it was wonderful to welcome Katie back to showcase her ethical collection. Bridal Wear: @katiewoods_bridal Florals: @heathland_flowers Venue: @coombetrenchardweddings Photographer: @katiemccphotography #coombetrenchard #coombetrenchardweddings #styledshoot #bridalwearshoot #bridalphotography #weddingphotography #devonwedding #devonweddingvenue #sustainablewedding #ethicalbridalwear #weddingdressinspiration #weddingjumpsuit #countryhousewedding

✨ 2 0 2 3 ✨ We do hope the festive season was filled of rest and relaxation for you and you are looking forward to what 2023 brings. We are looking forward to another fully booked year here at Coombe Trenchard, with our very special couples. May we be blessed with more beautiful seasons, laughter and gorgeous families and friends through the doors as we celebrate the marriages to come. Happy new year to you all. Love, All the team at Coombe Trenchard 📸 @venetianorrington

• ✨ F e e l i n g F e s t i v e ✨ Following a lovely evening of Carols for @st.peters.lewtrenchard last week, this deep freeze we find ourselves in and the preparations for Christmas it really is starting to feel very festive indeed. Reminding us of the beautiful, intimate day we had celebrating Francesca & Ben just over 2 years ago now. Taking inspiration from the season, warm jewelled tones, evergreen details and elegant sparkle underpinned the style for the day and comfort & joy shone through. May this be a wonderful season for you all 🌲 📸 @venetianorrington #decemberwedding #christmasstyle #countryhousewedding #petitewedding #weddingphotographyinspiration #christmasweddingdecor #marriedindevon

• ✨ C a r o l l i n g a t C o o m b e ✨ Tomorrow night, we welcome all of our wonderful couples, friends and family to Coombe Trenchard for carols & festive treats and we cannot wait to celebrate bringing in the festive season with: 🔔Lewtrenchard Hand Bell Ringers 🍷 CT Festive Mulled Brew 🧁 Home Made Treats 🎟️ Raffle with any proceeds going to St Peter’s Church, Lewtrenchard We look forward to seeing you there! 🎄 #christmascarols #festiveseason #coombetrenchard #devonweddingvenue #christmaswedding #carollinginthesnow