From a double decker bus to masquerade singing waiters and a string quartet, Charlotte & Adam’s elegant English country house wedding was truly memorable. With a minimalist style and colour scheme of soft, dusty pink and white, they worked with the ornate stately house décor of Pynes House to create an effortlessly elegant look. From gorgeous outfits to memorable entertainment, this real wedding feature is definitely worth a read.
Some Words From the Bride…
Charlotte Says
We came across Pynes House soon after we got engaged in Cornwall in 2020. We knew we wanted to get married in the West Country and fell in love with Pynes House as soon as we drove down the driveway – we knew it was ‘the one’! The interior is equally as impressive. The whole venue just omits elegance and it was the perfect backdrop for our wedding.
The Outfits…
I wanted a dress that was timelessly elegant but had a modern twist. It was hard to find the right dress and then as soon as I tried on my dress (the Hailey Dress from Suzanne Neville in Knightsbridge), I knew it was perfect for the day. I loved its square neckline and I had satin ribbon added to the waist. It also had a split, which gave such a modern twist and made me completely fall in love with it. I accessorised with the Loeffler Randall Camellia shoes in Ivory, which have a block heel and are so comfy. I just wore a statement pair of earrings that were gifted to me by my Grandmother – my Mum also wore them on her wedding day which was really special.
My five bridesmaids all wore the Delphine dress from Ghost. The colour and fit was really flattering. My mum wore a stunning dress from Zimmerman.
The wedding was Black tie. Adam wore a suit from Hawes & Curtis and the ushers wore rented suits from Anthony Formal Wear. We found it tricky to find hire suits that were of good quality but we were pleased with their quality and would recommend!
The Day…
We wanted a weekend wedding, so we started celebrations on the Friday with an evening full of canapés and Aperol Spritz. Our bridal party stayed in the house, along with our close family and friends. It was a small and intimate evening, which was a really special way to start the weekend.
We had a quintessential English Church wedding at the local church, St Peter’s. It has such beautiful charm and is only a short drive from Pynes House. We had a vintage double decker bus take guests to and from the church as there’s limited parking in the small village of Brampford Speke. It was a really fun way for guests to get there and it also ensured that everyone was there on time.
Following the ceremony, we headed back to Pynes House for a Champagne and canapé reception in the rose gardens. This was accompanied by a string quartet, which gave a very Bridgerton vibe! We were incredibly lucky with the warm weather which enhanced the Mediterranean vibe even more – we had so many guests say they felt like they could be anywhere.
We then had a sumptuous wedding breakfast. My Dad and I planned a surprise for Adam and the guests; between the main course and dessert, the masquerade singing waiters burst into performance, taking the whole crowd by surprise and getting everyone up and dancing. It was the most incredible experience to see everyone having the most amazing time. It really got everyone into the party mode – Adam and I loved every moment and it was definitely a highlight of the day.
After the dessert and whilst the ballroom was turned around for dancing, we had a gin bar in the rose gardens. This was very welcome given the heat. We then all headed back inside for the cutting of the cake and the first dance.
The Look…
We had an elegant theme for the day, which was echoed by the venue. The colour scheme was soft, dusty pink and white. I’m not a huge lover of colour and fuss, so it was a minimalist elegant day.
In terms of decoration, the venue is already stunning so we felt it didn’t need much. For the ceremony, we had half a flower arch on the church entrance and then two urns at the altar. We then used these at the entrance of Pynes House.
For the reception, we went for little glass vases filled with flowers instead of the traditional single bouquet in the centre. It was really minimalist, but soft and feminine at the same time. We then had three taper candles from Ester & Erik at different heights in two shades of pink.
I think if there is enough good food, drink and music, everyone will have an amazing time.
The Food & Entertainment…
Pickle Shack are incredible! Food & drink were so important to us as we are both such foodies. The food was so delicious, the portions were amazing and Pickle Shack helped us to create a bespoke menu which really reflected us. We had so many compliments on the food – we didn’t want anyone to go hungry and they definitely didn’t!
Most Memorable Moment…
There are so many! I guess it would be the first drive back to Pynes after the ceremony as husband and wife and then being greeted by our guests at the front of the house.
Something to Add…
The whole day was really smooth thanks to Jo and Phoebe – they ensured it was seamless. They had set up croquet on the lawn too, which guests enjoyed. As we moved into the evening, we had baskets filled with flip flops, a treat for dancing feet!
Enjoy every moment of the lead up to the wedding because the day goes by so quickly. Also try not to stress – if something goes wrong on the wedding day, no one will notice!
Thank you to everyone at Pynes House, it’s truly such a special venue which has an amazing team to go with it.
Inspired by Charlotte & Adam’s elegant English Country House wedding? We’ve got plenty more real wedding inspiration over on the blog. Click here to hear more about Laura & Tom’s springtime wedding with an open top vintage car and tug of war. Any questions? We’d love to hear from you, please get in touch.