Anna and James extend celebrations at countryside festival wedding

Why limit your wedding to one day when you can celebrate over a whole weekend with family and friends?

That was the thinking behind Anna and James’ laid-back countryside festival wedding in Devon.

“We booked a whole weekend to ensure we had time to spend with everyone that came. The main thing we wanted from the weekend was to focus on what meant the most to us – our family and friends,” the bride says.

Finding a venue that would accommodate their 70 guests across the weekend was a priority, and the couple fell in love with luxury Ashburton venue Anran.

They wed by the venue’s lake on September 15, 2018. Drinks were then served in the courtyard before the wedding breakfast in the spectacular Glasshouse and dancing in rustic The Hut.

“Our main priorities were plenty of food and drink, keeping a relaxed feel to the day and making sure we spent as much time with our friends and family as possible,” Anna says.

The pair both love a good party, so music and dancing was also a big priority. A carefully curated playlist and a variety of DJs added to the festival atmosphere.

“We spent an entire weekend with our family and best friends, celebrating and catching up,” Anna says when asked about her highlights from their countryside festival wedding.

“Most of all we both enjoyed ourselves and spent the day side by side, taking it all in.”

Photos courtesy of Devon Wedding Photographer – Special Day Wedding Photos.

James and his groomsmen were dressed in stylish grey by Burton Men’s Wear.

Anna and James first met at their work Christmas party, where James was wearing a memorable, and slightly revealing, American flag onesie. “James proposed in 2017 on our amazing holiday in Bali, while we dined privately on a floating deck at sunset, surrounded by flowers and the sounds of nature. Initially out of shock, I said ‘no’ three times – before realizing how that sounded and changing it to a firm YES,” Anna says.

Photographer Anthony, from Special Day Wedding Photos, says his brief was a relaxed documentary style. Anna says he delivered in spades. “We were both very emotional as we looked through all the photos, they all really brought the day back to us so clearly. We loved Anthony’s style as soon as we came across him on Instagram,” she says.

“We tried to do as much as we could ourselves, of course with lots of help from our nearest and dearest!” Anna says. “I made most of the decorations, including my own and the bridesmaids’ bouquets, and James’ mum made the groomsmens’ bow ties.”

“We had big sharing platters of food served on the tables family style – encouraging people to share and talk. There was a huge variety from cold meats and cheeses to huge colourful salads and lots of veggie options! It was all so delicious and beautifully presented,” Anna says of the festival-style spread.