Lois & Sam
Lois & Sam
Ceremony and reception venue: Under the wisteria-clad Pavilion and in a marquee adjoined to the Castle Loggia.
We met...
Sam and I met six years ago in a local pub; Sam will say it was five years however, this is still an on going debate!
How did your proposal happen (when and where)?
Sam proposed on our holiday in Mexico in 2019; it was completely unexpected!
Length of engagement…
We hoped to get married in 2020 and originally booked for July that year; however, due to covid-19 we decided postpone our wedding. In total our engagement was 23 months.
In three words, how did you imagine your wedding day?
Three words is so difficult; particularly given getting married in uncertain times. How we imagined the day was to be fun filled and surrounded by loved ones, relaxed in atmosphere and elegant. All of which I would say was nailed on the big day.
How did you choose your venue?
Initially, our ‘first wedding’ was at another venue; however, as we postponed, it allowed another year of saving and time to consider all possibilities. I am local to the area and therefore, knew of Pentillie Castle however, always thought it wouldn't be a possibility. Sam was away with work, so of course I took advantage and booked a viewing at Pentillie. I think it is fair to say, the moment I viewed it, I knew it was perfect for us! Pentillie was able to cater for a ‘micro’ wedding or a larger wedding which provided me with confidence that we could have the dream wedding no matter, restrictions. Pentillie is super elegant yet homely and provides a relaxed atmosphere which is exactly how we imagined our wedding day. With the exclusive hire package, it also provided quality time with immediate family the evening before which enabled a ‘pre-celebration’ with our loved ones.
Having the River Tamar on the door step was another selling point! I booked a second viewing so that Sam was able to visit; he too echoed my thoughts and felt confident that Pentillie and staff were able to provide us with the perfect day. If you are after a venue which provides the picturesque scenery and amazing photography shots, yet promotes a relaxed atmosphere and your nearest and dearest a ‘mini break’, then Pentillie is a must.
Often the aspect that makes a wedding original to the couple is the detail/theme – tell us about the special details of the day and how you implemented them (colours, theme decorations, centre pieces, favours, photo booths, DIY etc).
Being the second wedding we had technically planned, I felt sometimes overwhelmed with choices and ‘must haves’ however, as Pentillie was elegant enough; I felt able to ‘strip back’ on decorations and let the venue & flowers do the talking.
We decided on Navy bridesmaid dresses to match Sam’s uniform; I was also of the view that navy doesn’t date and is ‘elegant’.
As Sam and I were keen to have ‘relaxed’ atmosphere our wedding breakfast was ‘grazing boards’. This too played a huge part in decorations. We went for Trestle Tables to match the ‘banquet’ feel whilst also allowing guests to easily interact with one another.
It just so happens the 17th of July was the day of the heatwave! Again, meaning that our wedding breakfast was perfect as a three course dinner in over 30 degree heat may have been unbearable for guests!
I would say that whilst organising a wedding in a pandemic was nothing short of challenging, I would say that being uncertain on numbers and guests meant that I did not allow myself to get too carried away with the ‘must haves’ but rather, focus on what I deemed to be essentials as of course the most important thing is being surrounded by everyone you love.
Were you inspired by anyone on social media? Pinterest/Instagram etc?
Pinterest was certainly my most used app! I had boards for everything; flower arrangement, table plans, bridesmaid dresses, decorations you name it! I found it very helpful for confirming ideas but also, adapting/making changes in others. Suppliers also loved having images/ideas to work from!
There was not a particular account which I followed for ‘inspiration’ but guide for brides was extremely helpful with following restrictions and government updates!
Please give a brief account of your wedding planning story i.e., priorities, highs & lows, challenges etc…
I have already touched upon the challenges with planning in such uncertain times however, the priorities for us was ensuring our loved ones could attend our special day safely. For us, it was about being as creative/flexible as restrictions would allow.
Government announcements continued to change which meant our wedding actually fell 2 days before restrictions were completely lifted on weddings; this was a low which meant ‘no dance floor’ and social distancing being strongly advised; the safest way to overcome such restrictions but not having to reduce numbers was to bring the party outside; MARQUEE. This provided enough the ‘ventilation’ which was important and kept within guidelines! Did you know, that dancing on gravel is just as fun? We were also extremely lucky with the weather which meant, blue skies and beautiful views could be seen from all angles.
As already touched upon, the priority was of becoming husband and wife but ensuring we felt like it was a true reflection of ‘us’. Your wedding day is, of course, one of the most magical days of your life; however, I wanted ours to truly reflect us as a couple and be a day which all our friends and family could enjoy. Sometimes, and it may just be a ‘me thing’ but I have felt uneasy attending weddings; if it ‘too perfect’, I’ve worried where to hang my coat or what to do with the card/gifts. Therefore, the priority was also to make guests feel at ease and relaxed. Feedback from our family and friends would suggest that they certainly enjoyed themselves and felt just that! Part of creating that atmosphere was not over planning! Guests, well our guests anyways, do not need constant entertaining, they need a cold glass of Pimms and background music and to have a natter with friends! My advice would be not to ‘over do it’; I suppose this is where the pandemic worked in our favour, we could not plan the complete order of the day and who would be doing what because well, we didn't even know how many guests we could have, but what we did know was good music (Duncan was insane), amazing food and a variety of drinks is more then good enough; throw in some lawn games and there we go, a true garden party!
What food did you choose for your day, wedding breakfast and evening buffet, and why?
Grazing boards was a really easy decision for Sam and I. We wanted to scrap formality by not having a three course meal and make it more ‘relaxed’. Initially, we thought about having food running along the centre of all the tables; however, restrictions meant this could not be done. Therefore, we went for sharing boards; each couple had a board between them and any singles had their own! This was super tasty, contributed towards table decor and appeared to be a hit with our family and friends! Blue Skies were absolutely amazing and need not compromise on taste to achieve the beautiful sharing platters!
Evening, we decided to go for Hog Roast, again this fit the bill of great food with minimal fuss!
What was the song for your first dance, and why?
This was actually one of the toughest decisions we made! We did not have ‘our song’ so we found ourselves searching the internet for the ‘perfect song’. After weeks of searching we still could not find the ‘one’. Sam and I both like James Blunt so we agreed on ‘Bonfire Heart’. We choose this because whilst it is a ‘love song’, it is upbeat and not one we have heard many other couples have. The perfect song for us!
What was the most important investment for you? For example, food, drink, clothes, honeymoon?
Honestly, the venue itself! The food we had would have been perfect no matter the venue, similarly to the drinks and entertainment but if it was not held at Pentillie, I do not think it would not have been the same wedding and atmosphere. The atmosphere and celebration was everything to us and Pentillie provided the space to absolutely nail all of our expectations and even excel!
Pentillie allowed the ‘garden party’ of dreams and all our suppliers contributed to what was truly perfect.
What was your favourite part of the wedding?
Besides becoming husband and wife; we honestly couldn't choose. The day was just magic and weekend itself we don’t think could be topped.
What is your top tip for other couples?
ENJOY IT! Make sure however you plan your day and prioritise what’s ‘most important’, it is a reflection on you both as a couple. Don’t go into a social media rabbit warren and feel you need absolutely everything, the wedding you went to three years ago that had ‘X and Y’ does not matter, if you do not have it, it wont be missed!
Suppliers:
Photographer: Younger Photography
Brides Dress: The Wedding Company
Brides Shoes: Asos
Hair: Hair Lounge, Tavistock
Make-Up: Jess Snell
Grooms Outfit: Own Uniform
Bridesmaid Dresses: Next
Groomsmen Outfits: Own Uniform
Flowers: Milli Fleur
Stationery: Etsy
Caterer: Blue Skies Catering
Evening Caterer: The Hog Roast Caterer
Cake: White House Cakes
Music: Duncan Godefroy, Crown Entertainment
Transport: CDEC Wedding Cars
Marquee: Hire Class Events
Chair Hire: SW Event Hire
Our wedding coordinator Chrissie would be delighted to show you around Pentillie! To book a time to suit you, please call 01579 350044 or email weddings@pentillie.co.uk.