The location for Emily and Kyle’s Cornwall Wedding was the laid-back setting of Kilminorth Cottages in Cornwall, just a few short miles from where I grew up as a kid, but somewhere I never knew existed until the build-up to Emily and Kyle’s celebrations. Kilminorth Cottages is a self-catering “barn conversion” wedding venue nestled away on the Cornish coastline but tucked back a short walk in-land so that it feels like the middle of the countryside. :-)
I say “barn conversation” because whilst it certainly has some beautifully converted barns, it also has oodles of outside space for celebrating – space which despite the threat of wedding day rain – Emily and Kyle made great use of, including; a fabulous outdoor ceremony led by friends and a spacious marquee reception.
Whilst a DIY wedding in the Cornwall countryside – halfway around the world from where you live – is not for everyone, it was amazing to see and capture Emily and Kyle’s wedding day unfold in a casual and “no expectations” way. I often say that the key to a great wedding is the couple themselves, their attitude, their mentality and the way their day aligns with their personalities – and it’s my belief that Emily and Kyle got that just right!
A few words from Emily…
How and why did you choose your venue?
We really wanted to find a venue that allowed us to be flexible with how the weekend turned out. A lot of the venues we originally went to see had a very set plan and itinerary on how the weekend should run. When we visited venues, we were looking for a venue and venue owner that would support us in throwing a wedding that felt just like us. With so many international guests coming too (Kyle is American and Emily grew up in Cornwall) we also wanted accommodation on site for at least 50 people.
Kilminorth really delivered on all of these. We had accommodation for ~60 people and Jayne was fantastic about hearing our vision and allowing us to create the weekend exactly as we wanted – crazy ideas and all.
What were your top three priorities in planning your wedding?
1. Creating a wedding that felt 100% like us. The first thing we did when starting to plan the weekend was to have a couple of frozen margarita’s and write down everything that we did and didn’t want for the wedding weekend, so we could come back to it throughout the process to check we were on the right track!
2. Make it feel like a summer camp. We met working at a summer camp in Maine, USA and really wanted the weekend to reflect that – so we events throughout the weekend, including a huge BBQ and Olympic Games for the Saturday before the wedding with the winning team having the trophy presented to them at the reception!
3. Enough alcohol and good music. We really just wanted everyone to have a good time. We made sure we had enough wine and local beer and a great band and let our friends and family do the rest!
What one thing most surprised you about your wedding, or planning your wedding?
How easy it is to plan a wedding in Cornwall from New York City! It was amazing how easy it was to speak with all the vendors via Facetime, Skype or a conference call.
If you could do it all over again, which one thing wouldn’t you change, and if anything, what one thing would you change?
We wouldn’t change the location! It was amazing to have our friends and family from the USA and the UK be able to explore the area that Emily grew up in, even if driving on the wrong side of the road down Cornish lanes was a little terrifying!
The only thing we would change is probably taking one or two events out of the itinerary for the weekend. We had a jam-rammed schedule of things to do from Thursday night to Monday morning which was so much fun, but also very tiring! We could have given ourselves a little more time to relax in the hot tubs at Kilminorth!
A few lovely words about us from Emily and Kyle…
“Barney and Poppy were the absolute dream team. From the moment we reached out to them to weeks after the wedding they were always professional, organised, helpful and above all, so incredibly talented.
We felt so at ease going to into the wedding, knowing that Barney had everything under control. On the day, he was relaxed, fun and helped out in many ways. Not only did he take photos the entire day, managing to catch every moment when it happened, but he also helped with weather forecasts, liaised with the band and catering company and organised our final photos with the sparkler tunnel.
When we got the photos we were blown away. The slideshow photos were beautifully chosen and paired with music that really captured the essence of the day. We’re still watching it on repeat. The photos were stunning – he captured everything we could ever have asked for and we will cherish the photos forever!”
Complete supplier list can be found in the footer.
Complete supplier list:
Photography: Barney Walters
Venue: Kilminorth Cottages
MUA: Kat Sanders-Smith
Hair Stylist: Kat Sanders-Smith
Catering Team: Radius 7
Band: Dysfunktional
Florist: Essential Blooms
Dress Designer: Davids Bridal
Suit Designer: The Black Tux
