Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding - Page number 9 - November/December 2021 (Issue 34)

NEW BICKLEIGH-BASED WEDDING VENUE OPENS Wedding and events venue Valleyside Barn has opened in Bickleigh, Devon. The converted barn, which has taken around two years to complete, will mainly be used for weddings but also lends itself to corporate events and as a filming location. Matt Wright, partner of Valleyside Barn and Valleyside Escapes tells us, “A lot of engineering has gone into the conversion but we’ve successfully kept the authenticity of the barn whilst also significantly modernising it at the same time.” The space can host up to 150 guests at a seated wedding breakfast and there’s a Mediterranean- style courtyard bar perfect for reception drinks. The gardens provide a beautiful backdrop for big-day photographs and three luxury, award-winning safari tents are available to accommodate up to 18 guests at glamping site Valleyside Escapes that has recently been awarded Glamping Site of the Year – South West England (Devon) at the 2020/21 South West England Prestige Awards. For more information and to book, visit www.valleysidebarn.co.uk an d www.valleysideescapes.co.uk THE GOOD HOTEL GUIDE REVEALS A REGIONAL WINNER In other news, The Good Hotel Guide has revealed its 10 César award winners for 2022 and Plantation House in Devon has won Small Hotel of the Year. On the menu, created by chef Richard Hendey, are dishes made using home-grown and local ingredients that change on a nightly basis with a highlight being pressed guinea fowl with pistachio, Cointreau and duck. Guests can also book massages from the comfort of their bedroom in this Georgian country house which is a five- minute drive from the market town of Modbury, in the popular South Hams. To book, call 01548 831 100 or visit https://plantationhousehotel.co.uk In other news, family-run Bulleigh Barton Manor in Newton Abbot, Devon has been named as the AA Guest Accommodation of the Year, England and was described for being immaculate inside and out offering warm hospitality and a genuine welcome. To book, call 01803 873 411 or visit www.bulleighbartonmanor.co.uk CONGRATULATIONS! To Kingsbridge-based wedding photographer Martyn Norsworthy who has won Bronze in the World’s Top 10 Wedding Photos Competition 2021. Martyn tells us, “The judging is, understandably, intense and across multiple levels. Only two photographers from the UK became finalists so I’m delighted to not only have two winning entries but to have secured a Bronze in my fifth year of entering.” He is especially proud as none of his entries is ever shot specifically for competitions but are all real-life images from weddings. He continues, “When those entries are successful, it shows how I can deliver international, award-winning quality photographs for my clients to treasure forever. You don’t have to spend ages setting up a staged shot to capture a moment of magic.” To book, visit www.norsworthyweddings.com The latest news from around both counties NEWS Nearlywed CHOCOCO UNVEILS CHRISTMAS HAMPER IN AWOODEN BOX Exeter-based chocolate brand Chococo has revealed its giant Christmas hamper in a new plastic-free wooden box priced at £110. It’s packed full of annual best-sellers and seasonal delights including a combination of flavoured chocolates and vegan-friendly options. Favourites include the Fizzy Pudding praline and popping candy treats, a mini milk chocolate bar hand-decorated with a white chocolate robin and assorted milk, white and dark origin chocolate snowmen in a reusable tube. To shop, visit www.chococo.co.uk YOUR ESSENTIALS 9