Why Pynes House Was The Only Venue Choice For Me

We’re over the moon to welcome Charlotte Argyrou to the Pynes House blog today. A Botanical Illustrator in London, Charlotte chose our country house wedding venue as the backdrop for her wedding business photoshoot. Keep reading to find out more about Charlotte’s experience at Pynes House and immerse yourself in the understated luxury of her images…

“It’s been almost a year since Pynes House hosted a photoshoot for my botanical illustration business. I spent the day with a largely Devon-based creative team, part nervously modelling for the reinvention of my brand, part fantasising about my own dream greenery wedding.

In the time between then and now, I have recounted the day to many wedding industry professionals as well as my own social media audience. Each time, I feel a swelling of emotion within me – a love for a building seeped in history and the romantic stories it embraces.

If I were challenged to describe Pynes House to someone who has never seen or visited before:

– To begin with, it’s achingly beautiful. The driveway, long, full of mystery and promise as you turn off that “main” road and retreat through time, bouncing along the gravel.
– It’s grand, glamourous, with perfect architectural symmetry that is both a feast for the eyes and balance-seeking soul.
– The décor is unrivalled for those couples who seek just-a-bit-more than neutral. Sophisticated. Decadent, but not showy. Luxurious, but not bland.
– The front door, gloriously oversized, is the idyllic spot from which to gaze back down that driveway. I can imagine the wedding day photo of myself – as a wild greenery-loving bride – and my new husband, wistfully walking down that open pathway into our unknown but loving future…

I could go on, listing each historical, architectural and horticultural detail that has been painstakingly revived by Pynes House’s proprietors since acquiring the keys in 2011. But that would be disrespectful to home’s secrets, that you will uncover yourself, whispering in the grand turn of the stairwell or quite literally etched into the walls.

For me, as a botanical illustrator with a signage offering – the Wedding Bouquet Illustration Service – I was enchanted by Pynes House’s historic connection to wedding bouquet design. It is believed that the myrtle bush in the rose garden has grown up from a clipping given to Pynes House by Queen Victoria, upon her Royal visit with Prince Albert. Both the now Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Sussex chose to feature myrtle within in their bouquets, as a nod to the tradition that stems from Queen Victoria. I’m fascinated by the juxtaposition and joining of old and new in design, and therefore humbled that my illustrations are so often referred to as modern heirlooms.

When imagining the future of my illustration brand, I wanted to connect with engaged and newlywed couples who see joy in small moments and wish to celebrate and commemorate their life’s journey as it unfolds. They envisage a greenery wedding with lashings of understated luxury, where their guests are treated and comfortable. On exclusive hire, the party is suspended in a bubble of love and elation, unconcerned of neighbours, next to nature. There’s no other place I’ve ever be welcomed to that achieves all this so warmly.

If you are a venue hunter, I fervently encourage you to look beyond the formality of the Georgian frontage and have a good rummage around in person. Breathe in the history, unravel in the beautiful suites and picture the wedding day where you and your guests preside over this glorious property. And if and when you are ready, I can be custodian of the memories and transform your bouquet into an artwork to treasure for a lifetime and beyond.

If you’d like to see further example of my work, please find me at charlotteargyrou.com or on Instagram.”