Susan and David’s celebrant-led ceremony to renew their wedding vows was held at the gorgeous Rosevine Hotel on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall on Monday 5 June 2023….
…. And it was a wonderfully romantic celebration of 40 years of married love!
We first heard from Susan and David some 8 months before their anniversary, and instantly we knew this was going to be something incredibly special. A deeply joyful, romantic and fun celebration of over four decades of togetherness, attended by their daughters Emma and Joanne (and their husbands), their grandchildren Robbie and Ruby, and just a few handpicked friends to complete the party.
Everyone would be travelling from far and wide to spend a few days holidaying in this stunning part of Cornwall, and all had their fingers crossed for some beautiful weather in which to enjoy it!
We loved finding out all about Susan and David – what a story they had to share! They met as youngsters in 1980, when A level student Susan took a Saturday job in a popular supermarket where Dave also worked. And it was a case of opposites attracting – Susan feeling rather quiet and shy compared to Dave’s generally boisterous nature, and complete lack of filter! But they discovered they got along wonderfully; as spirited teenagers, they found that being together was comfortable and fun, and it was only after the works Christmas party, when Dave walked Susan home (nearly a three hour round trip for him!) and the snow started to fall all around, that they decided to set their first date.
Of course, there were so many heartfelt and profound moments of their lifetime together to reflect on. Their wedding day in March 1983. The birth of their two beautiful girls, and all the wonderful memories that go with family life – a time remembered with so much happiness and contentment. A life full of animals, regular outings with numerous children (mostly not theirs!), impromptu trips abroad, the best family Christmases – and hearing how Susan and David really felt about one another, from 1980 to the present day. In more recent times, the addition of two gorgeous grandchildren completed the perfect family. Bringing more holidays and new adventures, with the happiest times spent with all the family in various campervans, barbecues lit and glasses of wine in hand, watching the sun set. So many beautiful memories to reflect on. This ceremony was a true joy to create.
But we were still delighted when, on receiving the first draft of the ceremony, Susan responded: "Oh Lisa, what can I say, this is absolutely amazing!!! You are so talented, thank you so much!" (We always say we can only be amazing if the source material is amazing!)
However what Susan didn’t know, is that we were keeping some of the content of the ceremony a surprise from her and David until the big day! Which when it arrived, was accompanied by the most incredible weather: blue skies, mid 20s, barely a whisper of a cloud in the sky. On our arrival at The Rosevine, we could not quite believe what care and thought the Davies family had put into creating the most perfect space for their celebrations, which you should be able to see from the photos below.
And if you don’t know The Rosevine, it really is something else. Originally a Georgian family house, it is just a stone’s throw from the sandy beach of Porthcurnick. The beautifully maintained gardens and the stunning sea views are breathtaking – it’s exactly the sort of place you want to pull up a comfy chair and just admire the surroundings. Another bonus, the hotel is also dog friendly – which is ideal as we had a few canine guests! – but without a doubt, the whole environment just exudes warmth, elegance and peace …the Davies had chosen very well indeed!
So the stars were aligned – the weather was perfect, the setting was perfect, we just hoped we could pull off the perfect ceremony! Susan made a romantic entrance, looking absolutely exquisite in her stylish dress, walking through the gardens of the hotel to the ceremony location accompanied by her grandchildren, Rob and Roo.
Narrating Susan and David’s ceremony to their guests felt very natural, it was a great story to share, and there was laughter and tears in equal measures. They had asked one of their daughters’ very close friends Emma to read as part of it, and she chose a version of “The Train of Life” originally written by James S. Tippett – which was perfectly fitting and a beautiful analogy of Susan and Dave’s life together.
With personalised promises to renew their vows, and the giving of a new ring for Susan and the rededication of Dave’s original wedding ring, our couple signed a commemorative certificate as witnessed by their daughters, and there was of course a kiss, and then confetti was thrown. The party continued on the beach, with a steel drummer and beach games, before everyone returned to the open-sided marquee at the hotel for dinner, drinks and later on, dancing under the stars.
The day after the ceremony, we received this lovely text from Susan (receiving texts and messages so soon after your celebration always blows us away – as it’s just so blimmin’ thoughtful!!!)
Hey Lisa we just want to say a huge thank you from the bottom of our hearts for yesterday, everyone commented on how beautiful the ceremony was, so personal, we will remember the day with wonderful memories for the rest of our lives. Sending love and hugs, Susan and Dave x x x
And they also kindly provided this review:
From the moment we contacted Lisa we knew she was going to be the perfect celebrant for our vow renewal, after 40 years of marriage there was quite a story to tell and Lisa captured this beautifully, with a subtle combination of humour and sentimentality, including funny stories and happy memories of our life as a family that Lisa gathered from speaking to our daughters. We wanted our ceremony to be a celebration of our life together, relaxed and light hearted and fully inclusive of family & friends and this is exactly what Lisa provided, it was absolutely perfect!!! We would not hesitate to recommend Lisa to anyone hoping for the most exquisite ceremony xx
Lovely Susan and Dave have stayed in touch since their big day, always demonstrating their gratitude for such a fabulous time at The Rosevine, with sublime weather and a ceremony that exceeded all their expectations. We do very hope to see them for their 50th wedding celebrations in the years to come!
Thank you to The Rosevine for orchestrating this celebration so very beautifully for the Davies family, and to lovely Sarah of Checkered Photography for the kind use of her images.
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