Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding - March/April 2021 (Issue 30)

Images of Brickhouse Vineyard courtesy of www.mimosaphotography.uk Meet the expert: Joanna Pisko-Szczepura is the owner of Brickhouse Vineyard, a venue designed with small weddings in mind based in Mamhead, Exeter. Joanna says: Small, perfectly formed and individual is how we’d sum up the magic of a micro wedding. We love hosting romantic, personal (and often emotional) intimate affairs. The benefits in clude a day often filled with a more intense feeling of love and c ommitment than you sometimes get with the larger celebrations, w ith every guest present being emotionally invested in the day. As c ouples feel more confident to make it personal and reflective of th eir relationship through the vows that they say to each other, this is more often than not reflected in their styling and catering choices. W hat’s more, small weddings are nimble and can be arranged at r elatively short notice, meaning planning is fun and exciting from start to finish and can be kept within budget. Hosting a smaller wedding ceremony and celebration means more freedom for couples to create the day they want. Wedding traditions can be followed or replaced with new ones. Maybe the mother-of- the-bride is asked to make a speech after dinner, or the bride has the family dog walking down the aisle with her. The meal could be street food-style, reflecting experiences from the couples’ travels, or a gourmet picnic, afternoon tea or a traditional roast dinner. Wow-factor floral arrangements, a statement cake and a great selection of music are all still possible at micro weddings. Some of the most beautiful days in terms of look and feel have been small celebrations because couples spend more on the details because they have fewer guests to pay for so their budget can stretch further. Brickhouse Vineyard is a very special place for micro weddings. It’s located just 20 minutes from Exeter in idyllic countryside and tranquil woodlands in a magical setting. The thatched Round House has been restored to its former glory and now benefits from a natural bridal aisle leading through the wildflower meadow boasting panoramic views across the vineyard to the rolling hills beyond. It’s a beautiful building that needs very little added in terms of décor yet it provides a blank canvas for couples who wish to make it their own by adding flowers, accessories and props. The barn sat behind the Round House is currently under renovation to provide a dedicated indoor dining space. The team host elopement and intimate weddings for between 2 and 60 people. This can be on a ceremony-only or celebration- only basis or a combined ceremony and celebration booking. The relatively lower cost of a micro wedding compared with a larger one is an advantage for some couples because they can spend more per head on food and drink and it opens up options that would not be available to larger groups. For example, a group of 15 local chefs can prepare a bespoke seven-course tasting menu using top-quality ingredients accompanied by fine wine. The team can recommend a list of great local wedding suppliers. Finally, another deciding factor is that the season becomes less important with smaller weddings because they’re less weather-reliant. 01626 682 287, www.brickhousevineyard.co.uk EXPERT ADVICE 53