Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding news and ideas from around the area

GIVE BACK WITH A CHRISTMAS TABLE AT BISTROT PIERRE IN TORBAY

Some of Torquay's most vulnerable residents will enjoy a Christmas treat thanks to a seasonal gift from Bistrot Pierre. The popular high street restaurant that's French-inspired and located in a prime position on the seafront in Abbey Crescent, is joining forces with Age UK Plymouth to donate festive meals to those in need this winter. As part of the restaurant's Pay It Forward campaign, diners enjoying a Christmas party of eight or more with friends and family will contribute towards a free three-course meal for a resident in their community, who will be nominated by the Leicester branch of Age UK.

EAST STREET NEWQUAY THROWS A CHRISTMAS EVENT!

The East Street business community have been working closely with the Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) to create its first Christmas event: Eastside Yuletide. The event will take place this Saturday, December 14th 2024. Some of the activities will be held outside the Post Office on East Street and businesses up and down the street will be getting involved in the festivities. Highlights include a dog festive fancy dress competition (judging at 4 pm with prizes donated by The Pet Centre), American Football games held by Cornwall Dukes Youth American Football Team, an elf-on-a-shelf treasure hunt across the street and live music from The Velvets and Orchard Voices.

Pantone Introduces Color of the Year 2025: Mocha Mousse

Wedding moodboards at the ready; Pantone, the global colour authority and provider of professional colour language standards and digital solutions for the design community, today introduced PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse. An evocative soft brown that transports our senses into the pleasure and deliciousness it inspires: cacao, chocolate and coffee, appealing to our desire for comfort. "Underpinned by our desire for every day pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence" says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director Pantone Color Institute.

Spot Rudolph the Reindeer at Flapjackery and win a free chocolate lolly

This Christmas, Flapjackery is bringing the magic of the season to life with a festive game for families – the Spot Rudolph the Reindeer Hunt. From December 16th until December 31st, children under the age of 12, along with a parent or guardian, are invited to search for a tiny, hidden reindeer tucked away among the shelves, keeping an eye on all the handmade flapjacks, chocolates, and other fabulous gluten-free treats. Just let a friendly Flapjackery team member know when Rudolph has been spotted, and they'll hand over a chocolate lolly to add some extra sparkle to your little one's day and spread the cheer of Christmas even further.

ENJOY NEW YEAR’S EVE AT UGLY BUTTERFLY BY ADAM HANDLING AND THE TARTAN FOX

For a New Year's Eve with style, deliciousness and decadence, the Adam Handling Collection has created unforgettable offerings at Ugly Butterfly by Adam Handling in Carbis Bay, and The Tartan Fox between Newquay and Truro. Those looking for a sustainable option with innovative luxury menus should look no further than Ugly Butterfly transforming local Cornish ingredients into spectacular dishes to help guests kiss goodbye to 2024. With floor-to-ceiling views out to sea, Ugly Butterfly is one of the most stunning restaurants to celebrate this New Year's Eve. The £250pp menu starts with a selection of snacks before dishes such as barbecue Orkney scallop and Wagyu, beef cheek, and green peppercorn are served, followed by a dessert of Sailboat chocolate, hazelnut, and salted clotted cream.

FISTRAL BEACH HOTEL AFTERNOON TEA GETS FESTIVE TWIST

Newquay's Fistral Beach Hotel, a boutique adults-only Cornish property is inviting guests to a fabulous festive afternoon tea this Xmas season, starting on Friday the 15th of November and available until Friday the 3rd of January 2025. Embrace the most magical time of the year with a memorable dining experience with loved ones - it's the ideal way to celebrate a hen gathering before a Xmas wedding. The menu includes the traditional savoury and sweet treats inspired by the Christmas season and guests can also add a glass of bubbly to kick off the yuletide celebrations. Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa is home to Trencherman's award-winning Bay Bar, Dune Restaurant a 2 AA Rosette dining destination.

Hottest hen do Trends for 2025 revealed by GoHen

Well, GoHen.com, the UK's leading hen party provider, have just dropped a hitlist of the hottest hen do themes for 2025 with some absolutely iconic trends."2025 is going to be the most Instagrammable era for hen weekends, for sure," said Ellie Silk, Head of Events at GoHen.com. "The themes that are on-trend are absolutely iconic and there is something for every bride and every vibe. From chaos to cute, outdoors to outrageous, you're bound to find something for your group in that list. "A hen do theme helps elevate a weekend from average to unforgettable because it's the tiny details and extra thought that really make your celebration special.

"Having a theme doesn't have to equate to spending loads more money, either. You can lean into your chosen theme as little or as much as you want. From outfits to decorations to the activities you choose to do, there are plenty of ways to make it your own."

LYMPSTONE MANOR RECEIVES GOLD AWARD FOR SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Michael Caines and the team at Lympstone Manor are delighted to announce they have received the Gold Award for Small Hotel of the Year at the 2024/2025 Devon Tourism Awards. The regional accolade celebrates hotels that deliver an exceptional welcome, unforgettable guest experiences and the highest standards across every aspect of their operation. Lympstone Manor, situated on the picturesque banks of the Exe Estuary in East Devon, has been recognised to exemplify these qualities. The award follows the recent recognition from The Telegraph, which crowned Devon as England's top county and described Lympstone Manor as "one of Britain's most exciting country house hotels."

Devon's Bovey Castle wins prestigious award

Devon's Bovey Castle has been named one of the best small hotels in the UK for the second time in a decade. The Eden Hotel Collection – which operates Bovey Castle in Dartmoor – has been named Small Hotel Group of the Year at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards that highlight the very best in British hospitality, honouring achievements across fifteen categories, reflecting the industry's commitment to innovation, quality and environmental responsibility. Eden was recognised for its consistency in quality and service delivery and for the excellent work around its employee experience, as well as its broader efforts in tackling sustainability. Eden's award win follows a year that has seen the business invest more than £3 million in venue refurbishments and colleague welfare initiatives plus sustainability projects.

Gladi-Waiter in the Buff – hen do firm offer

One of the UK's leading hen party planning companies is now offering Gladi-Waiters in the Buff in honour of the new Gladiator film hitting the big screen on the 14th of November. Butlers in the Buff are a hugely popular addition to hen weekends and are often scantily clad in just a small apron and a bow tie. However, GoHen are now offering buff butlers adored in gladiator helmets, shoulder pads and gladiatorial skirts. "Buff butlers are the modern-day gladiator," said GoHen's Head of Events, Ellie Silk. "They're performers, they're in great shape and they're often forced to entertain a rowdy crowd – what's the difference, really?

Give the Gift of Luxury as PoB Hotels Launches Black Friday Sale

This Black Friday, PoB Hotels - the exclusive collection of independent luxury hotels across the British Isles - is making luxury gifting more accessible with impressive savings on their new Experience Gift Vouchers. From November the 25th until December the 2nd, shoppers can enjoy tiered discounts of up to 20% on three specially curated experiences. These include 10% off when you spend £200; 15% off when you spend £300 and 20% off when you spend £500. There are three exceptional experiences to choose from including the Seasoned to Perfection package, the Pampers Paradise packaage and the Time for Tea package.

Valleyside Barn scoops South West Wedding Award

Valleyside Barn, based in Bickleigh, Mid-Devon has received a 'highly commended' award in the 'Barn/Country Venue' category at the 2024 South West Wedding Awards. It is the first wedding award Valleyside Barn has entered and were shortlisted as one of eight finalists. Emma Wright, co-owner, said, "We are over the moon to receive this award because it is voted for by couples who have hosted their wedding with us. We have just finished our third season of weddings at Valleyside Barn, and only a host a select number each year, so it makes this accolade even more incredible." The South West Wedding Awards recognise businesses which exceed expectations, providing outstanding service and inspire their clients to want to actively and positively promote them.

The ultimate gifting experience your friends, family - and you - will love

In today's busy world, it's not always possible to be there for every birthday, housewarming, or special occasion, but that doesn't mean you can't send a heartfelt message. That's where gift box specialist, Parcel London, comes in. Parcel London is here to offer the ultimate gifting experience - believing that the best gifts are about more than just the item – they're about the connection they represent. They're there for when you can't be. Working with a number of well-known and newly emerging independent brands, Parcel London connects you to the people who matter most through beautiful, useful, and memorable gifts. Every one of their Parcels is lovingly handpicked and carefully hand-wrapped, ensuring that each recipient feels cherished and valued. Whether you need a single gift for a special someone or thousands for a corporate event, they've got you covered

The Garden Café Newquay Picks Up National Good Food Award for Second Year Running

The Garden Café, based at the Heritage Cottages in Newquay's stunning Trenance Gardens has picked up a National Good Food Award for the second year running. After the delight of the first win in 2023 the café has worked hard throughout 2024 and through its customer service and value for money heritage menu has again been selected for the award. A spokesperson for the Good Food Awards said, "We celebrate top-notch food, service, and value, basing our awards on what matters most: customer opinion. By using customer feedback/online reviews/nominations/votes, we ensure our awards reflect genuine dining experiences. Many awardees continue to shine by maintaining the high standards that first earned them recognition."

Padstow Distilling recently won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals

Cornish distillers, Padstow Distilling recently triumphed at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), earning four awards: Gold, Silver and two Bronze medals. Specialising in crafting spirits with ingredients farmed and foraged on the North Cornwall coast, Padstow Distilling has gained a reputation for its small-batch spirits. Founder David McWilliams and his team use Cornish barley grown one mile away from the distillery to create their base, with the process taking three weeks to ensure the highest quality of provenance for the distillery's spirits. Wins for Padstow Distilling include a Gold award for its vodka Padstow Vodka Gun Point, a Silver award for its gin Padstow Gin St George's Well and Bronze awards for Padstow Rose Gin Hawker's Cove and Navy Strength Gin Stepper Point.

Seasonal style

As seasons change, it's important to be aware of how the weather affects the wedding. Editorial Assistant Millicent Garton takes you through some suggestions of how to embrace the chill and celebrate the sun. Much like seasons, it's only natural that weddings and their themes flow and evolve with changing year. From the cake and catering to the dress and décor, all elements of the big day can be influenced by the time of year, so it's only fitting that special attention should be given to those minor details.

Luxury Lodges offer pet-friendly accommodation in Cornwall

With 34% of UK households now owning a pet dog, the demand for pet-friendly accommodation has unsurprisingly rocketed. Luxury Lodges are meeting this demand head-on with the addition of multiple, new pet-friendly lodges across their sites, located in Britain's most loved holiday destinations. These are perfect for wedding guests who want to travel with their four-legged friends. Luxury Lodges' beautiful North Cornwall site, Bude Coastal Resort, as well as its stunning South Cornwall site, Clowance, are surrounded by nature and coastline, offering the perfect base for guests and their furry friends to explore the stunning surrounding scenery and nearby beaches.

PoB Hotels launches new Experience Gift Vouchers

Just in time for the gifting season, PoB Hotels, with properties in Devon and Cornwall, has unveiled a collection of new experience gift voucher offerings. These include Seasoned to Perfection, Pampers Paradise and Time for Tea. Each gift voucher allows visitors to experience any of the hotels across the PoB Hotels collection. With choices ranging from £100 to £200, the Seasoned to Perfection experience voucher can be used at any of the collection's hotels, whether for a relaxed lunch or a memorable dinner. The Pampers Paradise experience voucher can also be used at any of the collection's spa hotels, including a soothing spa day, a bespoke treatment or a refreshing wellness class. There's also the Time for Tea £50 or £75 voucher.

Devon hotel Bovey Castle wins top HR award for approach to wellbeing

A boutique hotel in Devon has landed a national award for the way it looks after its workforce – including a scientific approach that aims to promote happy chemicals. The Eden Hotel Collection – which runs five-star Bovey Castle on Dartmoor – collected the Excellence in Reward & Recognition Award at the Annual Awards for Excellence in HR, which is organised by the association HR in Hospitality. It comes nine months after Bovey Castle refreshed its recognition strategy, including the introduction of the Happy Hub, which is a programme focusing on activities that help to generate the four key hormones that drive positive mental health – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.

Celebrate Great British Game Week with the Adam Handling Collection

Known for his commitment to sustainability and zero waste, Chef Adam Handling MBE is celebrating Great British Game Week at the Adam Handling Collection by showcasing the most sustainable of game meats, wild venison, at his pubs The Loch & the Tyne, in Old Windsor, and The Tartan Fox, in Newquay. Guests are encouraged to try the traditional dishes with a delicious twist, such as venison scotch egg, tartare sauce, venison and apple croquettes, venison burger, cheddar cheese, caramelised onion, and grilled venison haunch at The Loch and the Tyne in Berkshire. Roast loin of venison, celeriac, girolles, brambles will be served at their latest opening, The Tartan Fox, which launched in June of this year in Cornwall.