Winter elopement weddings
As we’re hurtling through October and headed to November next week, that’s proper winter elopement weddings time. From November the elopement guest numbers change down to 6. That’s the maximum number of guests you can have from November through to the end of March. And that’s because generally the temperature starts to drop here so we reduce the space we use. We only heat a smaller area – trying to heat the outside isn’t good for either our heating bills or the planet.
I thought we’d look back at some of our winter elopement weddings from last November and November 2021 to see how the space works for our couples in the winter. The terrace is the main space of the day for winter elopement weddings. Depending on whether couples get married there, in the wedding barn or in the main house, you always eat on the terrace and with the fire, that’s always the lounging space too. You can read my recent blog post about your winter ceremony location options right here.
Hannah & Alastair November 2022
Ok ready? Let’s dive straight in to Hannah & Alastair who got married with us in mid-November last year. November in the garden was properly into its stride for this elopement. We had all the weather for this wedding. Early on we had mists rising up over the valley, then blue skies and sunshine and also some rain thrown in for good measure, we’re ready for it all.
Hannah & Alastair had 6 guests and wanted to get married on the terrace. When the ceremony takes place on the terrace with guests, we’ll need to do some space changing after the ceremony, whilst you’re having your drinks reception.
Hannah walked into the ceremony with her Dad. Guests and Alastair were waiting with the Registrars by the fire.
Winter wedding table setting
Although it was November, it wasn’t super cold so we had one of the screens up between this glass roof area and the main terrace for easy access and that’s where the guests had their drinks reception whilst Hannah & Alastair went off for their photos and we set up the fire area for dining. The table is always pre-laid so we just carry it in and it’s set up in seconds. Yes you need a steady hand to move a fully dressed table but we’ve been doing this a while now – we’re plenty practised.
Hannah’s brief to us for the styling was “cosy relaxed vibe with neutral & blush tones, deep greens and a little blue.” The table had an undercloth of dark green matte sequins and an overcloth of natural linen and a natural linen runner. Log slice chargers with dark green linen napkins, bark napkin rings and dark blue goblets ticked all those styling boxes.
Elopement wedding cake
The cake by Boo To A Goose was an ivory & cream marbled ganache sponge with a deep green drip and dried flowers provided by the bride. Hannah specifically wanted their cake displayed on one of our oak barrells. Their little one is def a budding cake lover – he was super impressed with the cake…
He was also a canapes conoisseur…
Winter wedding couple photos
The rain stopped and Hannah & Alastair went into the gardens and the woods for photos with Emma Latham of Freckle Photography, our stand in elopement photographer for the day. You get such a sense of the season from the colours in these fab photos
22 November 2022
These two brides picked their date because it was a palindrome: 22/11/22 – cool right?
The day started with rain and although November can be chilly, it wasn’t cold for this wedding.
We lit the fire on the terrace and you can see the woodsmoke drifting across the horseshoe, for me always a winter smell associated with cosy times.
The couple wanted their ceremony on the terrace and had ordered additional flower sprays from our now retired florist Amanda Randell Cox with a frosty, wintery feel in pink, white and green. We moved the arch to the terrace for the ceremony and it all looked fab with the two flower sprays by Amanda. We also put up one of our back drops with grey and white ferns to fit the wedding colours.
We set up a Registrars table on the terrace which we have to do for each wedding no matter where it’s held and dressed it to tie in with the flowers with sage green table linen and a blush pink voile overcloth. The couple also ordered an additional arrangement from Amanda for the Registrar’s table.
After the ceremony the arch stayed in place (those things are kinda immoveable mid-wedding) and it became the spectacular back drop for an equally spectacular cake table which was basically the Registrar’s table swung round 180 degrees with added candles and the bridal bouquet.
This master piece of cakery by our cake maker Harrie of Boo To A Goose consisted of an ombre pink macaron tower with victoria sponge cake on top in plain white buttercream with fresh flowers to finish.
As the cake was behind the scenes during the ceremony, it had to be moved fully set up on the cake stand by yours truly after the ceremony to its final place on the cake table. Yep, this job requires nerves of steel…
More pics of this masterpiece? Ok then…
Winter wedding table setting
For the wedding breakfast the couple wanted a square table which we dressed with a sage green overcloth and white linen runner. Sheepskins on the chairs added to the cosy winter feel. The Registrar’s flower arrangement was repurposed for the table centrepiece. We set up white charger plates with pale pink linen napkins and white marble napkin rings, blush pink swirl goblets and silver, pink, green and white tealights. The cake set up became an integral part of the space so the cake and the dining table read as one.
I’ll be posting more November elopements so you can see more of how we use the space for winter elopement weddings and get more ideas for your own November wedding.
You can see more of Hannah & Alastair’s real elopement wedding here.
and more of the other November wedding here.
Credits:
Photography: Freckle Photographyfor Hannah & Alastair and Clare Kinchin Photography for the other wedding featured.
Flowers: Amanda Randell Cox (retired)
Cake: Boo To A Goose
Hair & make up: The Looking Glass Tavistock
Don’t forget, download our brochure here and check available dates on our availability calendar here – the calendar now goes right through to the end of 2025. Any questions not covered by those two things, ping me an email at [email protected]
