A countryside wedding in Devon

real wedding

A countryside wedding in Devon

Holly and Oliver tied the knot in Devon in this beautiful outdoor countryside wedding ceremony
June 2023
Venue: Hareston Manor
Photography by Liberty Pearl Photo and Film Collective

Lifetime of Love

Holly and Oliver went to the same primary school, but their friendship didn’t form until years later when they started working together at their local village pub.

“Oliver and I were a year apart at the same primary school. We went to different secondary schools and then ‘officially’ met when we started working together at a pub in our home village at ages 15 and 16,” Holly tells us. “We started dating in August 2010 and have been together through college, university, living in different locations, new careers and finally living together in Manchester.”

The couple got engaged while on a romantic break in the Lake District in March 2022 and decided to plan their countryside wedding for the following summer.

Dress to Impress

Holly looked stunning in her fit-and-flare, lace gown by Stella York. With delicate spaghetti straps, a sweeping train and layers of lace and tulle, she felt the belle of the ball.

“My dress was actually the very first dress I tried,” Holly smiles. “I knew there was a particular style of lace that I liked and I had seen the Stella York dress online. I bookmarked it to try on but I didn’t know it would be the one!”

Holly tried on a few other dresses, but none compared. She went back to The Bridal Corner, the first boutique she had visited, put the dress on again and knew it was the dress she would walk down the aisle wearing.

The blushing bride completed her aisle style with white strappy block heels, pearl earrings and a fingertip veil.

Oliver and the three groomsmen looked dashing in black tie suits from Moss Bros. Their look was completed with a black bowtie, dark green pocket square and patent black shoes.

The five bridesmaids stepped out in mix-and-match dresses in complimenting green tones. The gowns were all different shades, silhouettes and styles, with the colour green tying them all together for the countryside wedding day.

“The main focus was that all of the girls were comfortable and happy in the style of dress they were wearing,” says Holly.

Comfort was key for the guests, too. The couple asked their guests to adhere to a dress code of ‘summer smart’ for their wedding, to ensure they could enjoy the day in comfort.

A Countryside Wedding

These childhood sweethearts started their search for a wedding venue in Devon and fell in love with Hareston Manor. Knowing they wanted a countryside wedding in their home county, Hareston Manor ticked all their boxes. The manor house is surrounded by landscaped gardens and sweeping countryside views.

“We wanted our day to represent us,” the couple explain. “We both love the Devon countryside and wanted to make sure this was a big part of our day.”

Holly and Oliver exchanged vows in the gardens, with the elegant manor house as the backdrop. The weather was kind and the couple were able to live out their dream of an outdoor wedding ceremony. After drinks on the lawns, the couple and their 70 guests moved into a huge tipi, in the grounds of Hareston Manor, for the wedding reception.

“One of our best decisions was choosing just one venue for our day. This meant we didn’t need to think about any transport on the day. We also loved that the venue would be managed on the day so we didn’t need to worry about timings.”

Details and Decor

As a graphic designer, Holly had a clear vision when it came to the wedding styling. The couple went with a classic green and white theme for their countryside wedding, adding pops of yellow through the wedding flowers.

“Hareston Manor itself didn’t need much decoration. The grounds and tipi itself are already beautiful enough,” Holly explains.

Thorn Flowers created a beautiful floral archway for the outdoor wedding ceremony and the tipi entrance. Inside the tipi, twinkling fairy lights illuminated the evening reception. Foliage wrapped around the beams and a huge foliage chandelier brought the outside in, adding to the countryside wedding theme. Green candlesticks and bud vases filled with fresh blooms created elegant centrepieces.

Wedding Weekend

Holly and Oliver’s countryside wedding day was filled with fun from start to finish. During the reception, their family and friends played French Cricket and Shuffleboard.

“French Cricket was Oliver’s Granddad’s favourite sport and my Granddad made the board for us to play shuffleboard” Holly reveals. “It was great to see different groups of friends and family coming together and playing the games.”

Most of the couple’s wedding guests stayed in Devon for the entire weekend, so the day after the wedding they all regrouped for a walk at Holly and Oliver’s favourite beach for a walk and picnic of wedding cake and Champagne.

Thank you to Holly and Oliver for sharing your beautiful big day with us. So much inspiration for a countryside wedding in the beautiful county of Devon.

For more real wedding inspiration, click here.

The Details

Photographer: Liberty Pearl Photo and Film Collective
Wedding venue: Hareston Manor
Wedding dress designer: Stella York
Wedding dress boutique: The Bridal Corner
Bridesmaid Dresses: Rewritten, Warehouse, Azazie and Reformation
Flower Girl: Monsoon
Menswear: Moss Bros
Flowers: Thorn Flowers
Shoes: And Other Stories
Hair and Makeup: Dawn Marie Hairstylist
Makeup: Ria at Bold Beauty
Band: Tropic, Tailored Entertainment