Whether it’s just the two of you or with the option of up to 6 guests (10 in warmer months), Ever After is the perfect place for an intimate wedding ceremony.
Elopement Ceremony
Coz that’s what this wedding malarkey is about right – the wedding ceremony so you’re actually getting legally married on the day (just checking).
Ever After elopement ceremonies are on Tuesdays and Thursdays only and always at midday. You’ve got plenty of time to get ready on site on the day & we’ll keep an eye on all timings.
If you’re not having guests, we’re happy to act as your legal witnesses – no charge.
Which months can you elope at Ever After?
That’ll be the whole of March, April, May, September, October, November and to mid-December each year.
We always close mid-December so the Ever After team can celebrate Christmas with their own families.
We’re closed for weddings and viewings for the whole of January and February and June, July and August each year. We still respond to emails and you can still book your wedding date with us but when we’re closed for weddings, we’re closed for all visitors too.
order of the day
Ceremony
The Registrars will arrive on site around 30 mins before your wedding ceremony, so about 11.30am.
They need to see both of you in person before the ceremony. They’ll run through with you what will happen during the ceremony so you know what to expect.
They’re happy to see you separately if you want to see each other for the first time at the actual ceremony.
Depending on whether you’ve written your own vows, exchanging wedding rings and/or having readings, the ceremony is generally around 20 minutes long.
Reception
After the ceremony we pop those corks – yay you got married!
After a few minutes to soak it all up (getting hitched is def a big deal) and a few celebratory pics, we’ll take you to your wedding reception location.
If you’ve got confetti now’s the time – your choice. Just remember it has to be biodegradable. Clare our elopement photographer will guide you as to where and when.
If the weather’s dry, your mini drinks reception could be outside on the patio. If it’s not dry you might be under cover of the terrace or in the winter it could be the Garden Room – we’ll make sure we know your preference ahead of time.
Ceremony Location
We’re a licensed venue for civil marriage and partnerships with Devon County Council.
We’ve got 4 areas of the venue which are licensed for small wedding ceremonies:
- the wedding barn (any time of year)
- outside in the gardens (weather dependent but we’ll set you up a plan B in advance)
- the Garden Room of the main house (mid-winter only)
- by the fire on the glass roofed terrace (winter months only)
The lovely S and I built the oak & stone wedding barn for our own wedding back in 2012 – we were the first couple to get married there.
The wedding barn is always in the shade so if it’s a hot day you’ll stay cool inside. We can set up guest seating outside if the weather’s good or they can be sheltered inside if it’s raining. There’s no heating in the wedding barn and one side is completely open but down at the bottom of the valley we’re pretty protected from the worst of any weather.
Since 2023 there are new rules about getting married outside in our gardens. Now it’s an option. You’ve got a choice of the riverwalk or the lower lawns depending on your guest numbers.
If it’s really chilly in November, December or March you can get married in the Garden Room in the main house. Yep, there’s another open wood fire there and views out over the evergreen planting in the garden so it feels green and lucious even in the dead of winter.
Elopement Music
So we’ll lay on the birdsong and sound of a Dartmoor river by way of background music - you're welcome & no charge.
You can bring playlists for all or part of the day. We’ve got a music dock you can connect to with bluetooth.
You might want music for your wedding ceremony, a walking in song, a couple of songs for signing the register and maybe a special song to walk out that says, ‘YEAH, we did it!’
You could put together a music playlist for your drinks reception, another one for your wedding breakfast and maybe something more lively for the evening. Your wedding, your choice.
Frequently asked questions about the ceremony...
Save the date
If you’ve read through the elopement brochure and you want to check our available dates, click below to check out our handy online availability calendar.