Relative Newbie! Any Devon brides out there?

Am now thinking its S91056 - the pic I have found is very similar to my dress but I don't have any straps. Some might say its quite plain and classic but I had the best swoosh in it!

That's really nice! I love the silvery detail

Here is mine:

Oh thats so pretty! You look lovely

Just got married in Tavistock (St Eustachius+ Town Hall). Went to a Christmas Party at Woodbury Park and certainly wouldn't have had my wedding there.

Major gripes: Capacity of Greg Norman suite is optimistic - admittedly not an issue if you're well under the max. House wine was a ridiculously young central valley Merlot (2011 vintage red, for X'mas 2011) Truely horrible, even after far too many glasses (didn't do the improving after 2 thing that most ropey wines do) and gave a fairly evil hangover as well. White wasn't much better, but the Central Valley Merlot would have been drinkable about 6 months later, and fantastic 3 years later. Merlot isn't a "young" grape like beaujolais.

Minor gripe: Bar prices fairly heinous, food was average, not well seasoned (roast turkey) and came out fairly cold.

Venue classic hotel/conference centre unless you like golf you'd need to dress it up.

Have a feeling its going to be Woodbury for me also! Courtlands would have been lovely but Woodbury is coming in well under, means I can go a bit mad on other things ? maybe have a band rather than a DJ, and pay for a few rooms for my family. Think the complimentary golf buggy sorted it for me lol. Have had to change my date as all October was taken so now it will be September 14th - less time to plan but never mind!

Random am not overly worried by the quality of wine, its only during the meal then the majority of my guests will be lunging for the lager/cider/vodka! Also I am having 120 people to the evening do so the place should be nicely buzzing. Thanks for the opinion though, much appreciated

I'm a Devon bride too ( getting married at haldon belvedere and reception at the great barn in the teign valley)

Some good choices there, no wonder your in a pickle choosing! Only thing I will say is that I wasn't too impressed by Holne park...couldve just been the guy who was showing us around, but I felt the decor wasn't done as well as it could be, shame cuz its a beautiful building and I was pretty gutted by the inside!!

Hope you manage to decide!!

Ooh Haldon Belvedere is amazing - unfortunately I think it came up too small for my numbers (OH has a huge family - uncles and aunts galore lol!) It all sounds lovely.

Holne Park was lovely, we got shown around by a lovely lady called Gemma who has done everything she possibly could to make our budget work. I think I am more or less decided on Woodbury but every now and again I have a dither lol! Never been a good one for making decisions - but i couldn't do Don't tell the Bride as way too much of a control freak. So I guess its up to me ?

I'm not normally fussy at functions, anything alcoholic does the trick, it was the need to die the next day that really bothered me, plus the fact I normally LOVE central valley merlot!

Don't write off council owned venues, Tavistock Town Hall was amazing, and costs about £330 venue hire (includes bar/staff but not use of catering facilities/corkage) and has masses of character, saving on venue dressing costs. Obviously not your area, but worth checking out equivalents nearer where you fancy.

I have to admit, I am not a wine buff so wouldn't know a good wine from a bad generally speaking, and I doubt my friends will (though OH's family might). We're not going to be hitting near the top capacity either so the Greg Norman should be enough. We had a look around when there was a wedding on in the afternoon, and I think there were about 100 places laid which looked fine, but I suspect adding the additional 20 for top room capacity would make it fairly squishy.

Have you made a decision curvygirl? We're sorted for the deposit on WP now, and are just trying to get the money together for putting the deposit on our photographer.

xx

Hi Superduff

Yep have made the decision (finally!) - its Woodbury for me too! Just got the paperwork through and need to send off my deposit cheque. So excited now to have finally booked something!

I also went to see it when they were setting up for a wedding, there were 8 or so tables laid out which is exactly what I am having and there was stacks of room. With the extra evening guests and a few tables removed I think we will be nicely full! xx

Yay!! Hurrah! Venue Twin!!! ?

Whoop whoop!!! We will have to exchange pics after our big days Am so very excited now!

Have you sorted your photographer yet?

Absolutely!

Yes to TOG - we're going to be booking Ian and Kitty Wright (deposit can go out at the end of the month). We've met them and they are so lovely. I thought I recognised them from somewhere though, and it wasn't until we were sat down looking at their portfolio that we found a group shot with me in it from my friend's wedding 6 years ago! I remember them being quite unobtrusive but getting some great pics too, so I thought they were winners! OH's BM and his wife went to Studio 5 in Teignmouth, and their photos are amazing too, and apparently they were easy going too.

Have you got yours sorted yet?

Yep we are having Gary Stevens Photography - he did my brothers wedding and much like yours they were very unobtrusive, and you forgot they were there! They did have a nasty habit of springing up and catching you by surprise but that added to the fun of the day

What colour scheme are you having? (sorry this has probably already been said!) I am having chocolate and ivory. Not sure its going to go with the carpets in the Greg Norman Suite but nobody should be looking at the floor!

I haven't come across that one!

I LOVE chocolate and ivory - I think it looks gorgeous! We're not having a specific colour, more of a colour palette of autumn colours, so yellows through to reds and browns. I'm not that keen on matchy matchy for myself, but I am wondering how it'll all work together. We've started playing around with colours for invitations, and it looks quite nice so far. I need to make a trip to Hobbycraft for a browse for card and ribbon (though I won't get the actual stuff from there - waaaay too expensive).

Wow your colour scheme sounds amazing, I love the fact its going to be really autumnal. Think I am going to have to put my FGs in ivory as any shade of brown is really hard to find in kids dresses. All depends on what I can find in my budget though!

My sister is doing my invites for me (she is crafty, I am so not!), found a design I like and am basically ripping it off. Getting my stuff from Ebay and its working out dead cheap. Anything to save me some cash somewhere!

Are you having a band for your evening do or just a DJ? Just being nosey really, I wanted a band but can't actually afford one so think I am having a DJ, at least everyone should get up and dance if I ask them to choose a song when I send out the invite!

Ivory FG dresses with maybe a chocolate sash would look adorable!

Maybe not quite a pouffy, but I like the colours! You could always look for an ivory FG dress (BHS have some nice ones, but I'm sure you could pick something up in the Jan sales at Next or something), and then add the chocolate sash if you can't find one ready made.

We're having a band, but only by virtue of the fact that my Dad's in a band and his band and a friend of his will be doing it. I am putting together an ipod list though, and will be asking for song choices in the invites too - we can play it through the PA then. Only thing I haven't thought much about actually is lighting... Hmm...

Ooh that dress is lovely - where is that from? I was thinking about chocolate sashes for the FGs - they are 8 and 6 (so not strictly little flower girls, more young BMs?) and I think they would look so cute. They are having wands with chocolate ribbons and the appropriate flower attached so some form of chocolate addition to the dress would be ideal.

Hope you come up with a lighting solution lol!

I just ran a quick google search on chocolate and ivory FG dresses, and it came up with that - sorry, I didn't note where it was from.

Thanks about the lighting! I'll have to ponder that one over! I *think* there's a guy at Star Cross that does it, but I'll need to check.

There is a place in exmouth that was recommended by Woodbury - think they are called Event Decor8? They do the draping and all that jazz, but they may do lighting as well? I am going to go in and see them in the next month if you wanted any info?

Ooh let me know how you get on! I thought that WP decorated everything for you though?

Nothing was mentioned about WP doing the decorating but I have asked the question now you mention it. I have seen some pics of the drapes on the ceiling with the lights and it looked lovely so I was going to see how much that was - WP definitely don't do any sort of drapes.

Will keep you posted!

I remember the lady who we saw at the set up said that they don't do drapes, but I thought she said they organised everything else. Not to worry if they don't I guess, just means I'll have to do it on the Friday if I can.

Let me know how you get on!

Hello!

Another Devon bride here! I'm getting married Dec 21st this year, the nerves have started to kick in already!! ?

Ooh how exciting! Where are you getting married?

We're getting married at Buckland Tout Saints, a candlelit ceremony at 5pm and a winter theme rather than Christmas. Do you have a theme? I still haven't booked a car as I have no clue what I want!!!

Oh that sounds lovely. I did consider Buckland but it was just too expensive for the amount of guests. I love your theme, can just imagine it!

I haven't really got a theme, think its just going to be classic and traditional, its a total departure from what people thought I would do apparently (god knows what they expected!)

I don't have the problem of a car as hoping to stay at the venue on the Friday but I always wanted something like an Aston Martin (way pricey I know but a girl can dream!) or a classic vintage car.

Aston Martin sounds great! We are having a small wedding (24) and it's definitely not traditional!! No speeches, no first dance! Just us and those who mean the world to us. Do you have your dress yet?

Yes that was the first thing I bought! I am actually picking it up tomorrow - I bought one that fitted like a glove so the only alterations that need doing is to have it taken up! Its a lace up back so if I loose or put on weight it can be tightened or loosened lol.

I know its really early to have the dress but I loved it, it was a bargain so I snapped it up! I won't get the alterations done until next year obv, still have to find my shoes first - that is going to be a mission and a half as I am shoe mad.......!

Which dress did you go for? As for shoes I am a shoe nut I chose a simple ivory pair of shoes and I have put 4000 swarovski crystals on them! took a while but worth it

My manager got married at BTS and it was really lovely. She had a hog roast which was delicious!

The grounds are really nice too. My only tip - make sure you give people directions as we found it quite difficult to get to.

I went for a sonsie by veromia, style 91056 - its very simple and a complete departure from what I originally thought!

I loved it and I had a proper swoosh moment yesterday so I knew it was the right one still ? this is the model not me (in case you didn't know!) Having it in ivory not pink

I adore the idea of decorating my shoes but I really don't have enough patience! I thought I would either go completely traditional with a pair of ivory heels or go completely me and go off theme with something utterly different - depends what I can find over the next few months. I am so looking forward to shoe shopping lol. Don't have to have the dress in for taking up until next April/May so I have loads of time. Its my fave pastime ? apart from wedding planning!