There is nothing quite like a Wedding by The Sea and there is nothing quite like Croyde in North Devon. Set against the backdrop of the Atlantic ocean, it boasts rolling hills, sand dunes, sunsets & a super cool surf culture – it is arguably one of THE most fabulous Wedding Destinations in the South West.

Here at Blue Fizz Events we have been lucky enough to host some of the most beautiful & magical celebrations in Croyde over the years and 2021 has proved no exception. With the ever nagging presence of the coronavirus, couples have faced emotional and multi layered challenges throughout the planning process. Today’s blog pays testament to two gorgeous couples who chose positivity over negativity and who bravely and calmly channelled their energies into creating their dream weddings –  days which were not only a celebration of their marriage, but a celebration of life, love, family & friends , endurance and togetherness… 

Croyde Bay attracts many couples for a variety of reasons – some have family connections, some cherish holiday memories and others simply fall in love with it’s mystique and aura…

Meet Megan & Charlie – they chose Combas Farm as their Wedding Destination of choice – a sleepy backwater set back from the buzz of Croyde Village with views from Croyde to Putsborough and beyond … the perfect location for their Rustic Chic Wedding Celebration with pop up glamping. They tied the knot in a local Catholic church.

Meet Andrea & Ben – they chose a stunning National Trust field in Croyde Bay overlooking the Atlantic Ocean for their vibrant & colourful Festival inspired Wedding Ceremony & Celebration … 

We are thrilled to share with you a collection of images and anecdotes courtesy of these two couples. They had endured the heartbreak of wedding postponement but held strong and here are their  wedding experiences. Andrea & Ben, Megan & Charlie … “we cannot thank you enough for sharing with us your special days!”

1) WHAT DID IT MEAN TO BE MARRIED DURING A PANDEMIC & HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF POSTPONEMENT? 

ANDREA

“It was heart breaking when we first had to postpone, we were only a few months away from the big day and it felt like too much hard work had gone into the day to have to rearrange. However, to postpone really was a blessing in disguise. Ultimately you don’t need to have everything perfect as long as you can celebrate with the ones you love, which you can loose sight of when you are in the thick of planning a massive day, so the extra year gave us time to reflect and refine our day, our guest list went down from 110 people to just 60 which meant we truly only had our nearest and dearest to celebrate with making the day so much more special. We also had a whole extra year to save, meaning we could afford to have an even better (incredible in fact) band for our big day, more food, more drinks  and ultimately more fun!

When the big day actually came round, we were so happy to finally be seeing family and friends, to be able to hug and dance, it made the day even more incredible! It wasn’t just our wedding, it was a reunion. “

MEGAN

“We were meant to be married in sept 2020 once we knew the severity of the pandemic and that we could not have had the wedding we dreamed of we postponed by a year.

Once we postponed the stress did reduce a little however, we did have some difficulties along the way with changing a few supplies and the venue which Tracy supported us with.

Overall, we are so glad we postponed because our big day meant so much more being all together with our friends and family.”

2)            WHY DID YOU CHOSE CROYDE AS YOUR WEDDING DESTINATION OF CHOICE? 

MEGAN

” We chose Croyde because it is our special place and we couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else. “

ANDREA

“We love Croyde! The coast is just beautiful and to get married by the sea just felt like something truly magical and unique. We have travelled to Croyde so often for holidays and surfing trips that the location had become one of our favourites as a couple so it made perfect sense to have our wedding day in a place that we felt connected to but it also gave us the chance to extend our ‘day’ into a weekend by the sea with all our loved ones.”

3)            DESCRIBE THE STYLE OF WEDDING YOU CHOSE

Both couples booked our Traditional Marquee and added their own very personal style …

ANDREA

“Chilled, rustic, festival vibes – I think ‘chilled’ summarises the day! We tried to make the sea the real showstopper for the day along with a cracking band to bring party in the evening.”

 

 

MEGAN

” We went for a very relaxed rustic style which was complemented by the wedding venue being in the rolling Devon hills and by the Devon coast. “

4)            WHAT PEARLS OF WISDOM CAN YOU SHARE WITH BRIDES MARRYING THIS YEAR AND BEYOND? 

MEGAN

 I would advise to trust the process. Tracy and her team are amazing in what they do

  • Be flexible/ ready for change especially during the pandemic
  • Using the local suppliers Tracy recommends, all of our suppliers were 5* standard and supported us through the uncertain times
  • Having a wedding coordinator on the day so that you can 100% focus on ‘being in the moment’ and enjoying your big day
  • Make sure you have one on one time with your loved one on the day. The day is so busy catching up with guests and following the order of the day so take time out to take it all in “

ANDREA

“The most important thing I would say is don’t get hung up on the little things, you can stress and stress about every minute detail in the run up to the day but I promise you on the actual day, when you see your partner and everyone else you love in one room (or field in our case!) all those concerns just wash away!! So don’t waste your time stressing beforehand, just enjoy the planning and go with the flow on the day, it will feel like the best day of your life no matter what.

Secondly, especially when getting married in Croyde, don’t worry about the weather!! Plan for the worst and then whatever happens will happen. The weather forecast said storms all day for us, we had purchased loads of umbrellas and were fully prepared for a ceremony outside in the wind and the rain with the rest of the day dancing our socks off in the marquee, which would have been equally as fun! But the day ended up windy for the ceremony and then gorgeous sunshine by the afternoon. I love looking back at the hilarious photos of my veil flying everywhere and confetti barely being thrown with dark clouds looming, to then have photos of us all looking out to sea in t-shirts and sun glasses, it all added to the uniqueness of our day and ultimately no matter the weather, you have the best view in the world.”

5)            GETTING MARRIED IN A BLUE FIZZ EVENTS MARQUEE 

ANDREA

“My third pearl of wisdom, get yourself an event organiser and coordinator like Tracy! Our day felt seamless, without myself or husband having to worry about anything, we got to enjoy the entire day because Tracy was working so hard in the background to ensure everything went smoothly. But it’s not just the day itself, it’s the run up to the wedding, Tracy has the best contacts and knowledge on how to make your day AMAZING and nothing is ever too much trouble, not even a pandemic! I can hand on heart say our day would not have been as amazing as it was without all of Tracy’s hard work, ideas, calming influence and extraordinary coordinating. We will be forever grateful to her.”

MEGAN

“Tracy and her team are amazing and go above and beyond to ensure the planning and coordination on the day goes as smooth as possible to the highest standards. “

Huge heartfelt thanks to both Andrea and Megan for their kind words and for sharing their special days with us. 2021 was certainly a year to remember for ALL the right reasons. It has been a pleasure working with them both and an absolute joy to have been part of their special days.

Here’s to their ‘Happy Every After’ xx

Image credits :

Andrea & Ben’s Wedding  – John Barwood Photography

Megan & Charlie’s Wedding – Special Day Wedding Photography