Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding - Page number 39 - May/June 2021 (Issue 31)

REAL WEDDINGS 39 A bby and Joe have known one another all their lives. “It wasn’t until we both started at secondary school that we really developed a friendship and later on, a relationship,” Abby tells us. “Joe went off to college and I stayed on at sixth form. That’s when we realised how much we enjoyed each other’s company and so started dating at 17, and here we are now!” The couple became engaged during a surprise proposal in The Regent’s Park during a trip to London. “We had talked about marriage and had just purchased our first house together,” Abby says. “Four months after we moved in, we booked a short break to London to celebrate seven years together. We spent the day at London Zoo and then went for a walk through the park which is one of my favourites. I was expecting Joe to pop the question sometime over the coming months but he still managed to surprise me! We were sat on a bench when he presented me with a small box and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said ‘yes!’ SETTING THE SCENE The couple wanted a local wedding in the countryside to celebrate with family and friends, and to use local suppliers. “I was very fortunate to have the venue sorted because Little Oak Meadow is our family-run wedding and event hire business,” Abby tells us. “I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate anywhere else and it offers such incredible views of the East Devon countryside. We chose a marquee with clear front panels to enable everyone to enjoy the view and make the most of the natural light.” With the help of their family and friends, all of the decorations were handmade, from the pom-pom garlands to the leaf bunting made by Abby’s mum draped around the marquee. “We wanted to make the most of the outside area as well as the inside of the marquee,” Abby explains. “We used large hay bales supplied by a local farmer covered with old blankets as seating placed around a firepit which provided a wonderful atmosphere during the evening. My brother makes carts so we used old ones as tables and props outside which added to our rustic theme perfectly!” The couple chose flowers displayed in tin cans and old jars wrapped in fabric as their centrepieces. “Each place setting had a napkin, set of cutlery with a sprig of lavender or rosemary and wildflower seeds wrapped in patterned fabric and displaying a message for each guest as our favours,” Abby describes. “Our flower arrangements were created by a family friend who used to be a florist and my Mum made 