After a short 7-year courtship, friends and family were “surprised” when Chris spontaneously popped the question to Roz whilst hiking in the Lake District at the top of Robinson peak (very apt considering the family name). Roz, who was initially more concerned about eating her tuna sandwich, accepted once Chris popped the Moet he had in his rucksack!
Why did you choose Polhawn Fort?
A shared love of Cornwall, the sea, the idea of getting married outdoors, a fort (need we say more), and the freedom to do exactly what we wanted at the venue (did I mention no corkage?)
How long did you have to plan your wedding?
10 months!
Did you have a colour scheme/theme?
Pastel colours (each bridesmaid wore the same dress in a different pastel shade), and rustic seaside décor.
It was very much an English spring wedding.
Did you add any DIY elements to your day?
Yes! It all started with the hand-made invitations. I enjoyed using a glue-gun so much, I decided to make all the table decorations by hand (glass jars/milk bottles decorated with hessian and lace, some filled with sand and candles, others with pink water, roses and gypsum).
Helper 1
Father of the groom cut and stained rounds of wood for us to use on the tables, he also made the order of the day sign and our welcome sign.
Helper 2
Mother of the bride lovingly hand made the bunting for the drawbridge using all sorts of materials (including some from my grandmother’s house, who recently passed away).
Helper 3
Bride and groom worked lovingly together on the wedding favours – small hessian bags that we decorated and filled with an assortment of chilli seeds from the South Devon Chilli Farm! We also used pebbles with names written on for the table name places.
First dance/song?
Ho Hey by the Lumineers, played by The Retrobates band (from alivenetwork) Concerning Hobbits (from Lord of the Rings) for the aisle walk, played by 4tissimo string quartet. Jimmy Eat World – The Middle, for our exit song played by 4tissimo string quartet
How did you feel before you walked down the aisle?
Lots of little (champagne filled) butterflies flying around my stomach! Incredibly happy and lucky.
Funniest thing that happened?
The whole iberico ham we had ordered for the drinks reception got delivered on the day to the wrong part of Cornwall. It was then being driven over to the fort by courier on a motorbike for the drinks reception, but no one knew if it would arrive in time. Eventually it made it to the party, the most anticipated guest, fashionably late. We were only told about this the next day, as our dutiful ushers handled the “crisis” wonderfully.
What traditions did you include?
We stayed in separate rooms the night before and managed not to run into each other in the fort on the day (despite a near miss).
My father walked me down the aisle and gave me away which is a lovely tradition.
Gazing out at the ocean together with a glass of champagne on the lower lawn, whilst awaiting for our guests to form the confetti tunnel
Best tips / advice?
Use the services of James Buss as much as possible! He really did make sure everything went smoothly on the day, and he has such a professional and calming presence.Plan ahead – do as much as you can before you arrive at the fort, so you can relax and enjoy it once you’re there.
Ladies (and men if you please) – invest in “Clean Heels” heel protectors if you’re on the grass in pointy heels! Allow time for sunset photos (in case you get lucky enough with the dream sunset)
Anything you’d change or wish you knew before?
Guests at the end of our long table struggled to hear the speeches. Ask the MC to invite guests to come and stand near the front to listen!
Suppliers you’d like to share?
James Parkinson (@JamesPilatesCornwall) ran a personalised pilates class for bride and bride squad on the morning of the wedding. This was a wonderful way to relax and warm up for the big day and his class was super fun!. Shout out to Round Kitchen caterers – food and service was just outstanding.
Gem Ryder hair and make-up was just perfect for the natural bride (www.gemryder.com) Bravura Bars for the coffee bar – espresso martinis were to die for and The Salty Dog cafe is a great choice for an ushers breakfast. The Carew Arms has a function room upstairs that works well for a gathering the day after (assuming you’re not still in the fort) Utilise Cornish suppliers wherever possible, e.g. Betty Stogs from Skinners brewery, Rattler cider from Healey’s cider farm, tarquins Cornish gin, Korev lager from St Austell