Gemma & Dan's Beautiful SUMMER Wedding Weekend

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Gemma and Dan about their wonderful summer wedding. They were married at Camel Studio on the 17th June in front of 35 of their closest friends and family. In this blog they share the highlights from their special day, including the inspiration behind their stunning styling and food, their outdoor party in the courtyard with their musician performing a fabulous acoustic set and the many ways they made their day personal to them. Thank you so much Gemma and Dan for choosing Camel Studio. We are so delighted that we were a part of your celebrations. It really was the most magical day!

The Booking Process

What was most important to you when you were choosing a wedding venue?
The quality and feel. We wanted a small and intimate wedding where we could feel at ease but also feel that it was special, we could make it bespoke and right for us. Camel Studio was perfect for us and felt like we were in a gorgeous location. Dan proposed in St Ives, so it was really nice to be able to get married in beautiful Cornwall. 

When you first viewed Camel Studio what were your first impressions and what were your favourite elements?
The venue looked amazing and so naturally beautiful, we just knew from that first moment that everything would be perfect on our day. The atmosphere and space felt lovely and calm, open yet contained which meant we didn’t have to worry about guests’ children. It was also the perfect amount of space for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves without feeling like it would be too big and could split family up. 

What was it about the venue that persuaded you it was ’the one’?
Camel Studio felt too good to be true, everything seemed to fit. Helen and Dave were lovely which made the decision so much easier, it was the only venue we looked at and it was perfect, almost like fate brought us here. 

When budgeting for your wedding what aspects were most important to you - i.e. food, styling, live music etc - and why?
Camel Studio set the tone for the rest of the wedding planning - we knew we wanted to focus on food, drink and creating a lovely atmosphere. We knew we didn’t need to spend much on decor or styling because Camel Studio was already amazing and we wanted to let the natural beauty shine through. We made a few bits ourselves including place name cork holders, name cards, children’s activity bags and our own frames. The main aspect was that we did what we knew us and our family would enjoy.

In the run-up to your wedding, what aspects did you find most helpful?
We had the chance to ask Helen and Dave so many questions and we felt like nothing was too much trouble - which made us feel at ease. They created such a stress-free environment which made the process and weekend all feel effortless. It also helped that we had an intimate wedding and venue, it allowed us to personalise our day and make it completely bespoke to us. The recommended supplier list from Helen was also amazing, you can tell she has spent so much time hand-selecting the best suppliers. Helen also recommended having live music so we went with her recommendation and had Alex singing in the Courtyard, everyone loved it and it was amazing! They all exceeded our expectations and went above and beyond. By the end of it, they didn’t feel like suppliers they felt like one huge family to us!

Gemma and Dan’s Wedding Day

What was the inspiration for your wedding and how did you personalise your day? 
Our wedding day was inspired by our life, the holidays we’ve taken together and the things we enjoy day-to-day. The food element was inspired by a trip to Barcelona, we told the chef all about the amazing time we had and he re-created it for us which was just amazing! Gemma also loves custard so the chef incorporated our favourite foods and we had cake and custard for dessert. For us, not doing the usual wedding thing and doing what we liked was how we wanted our day. For example, we said to our guests, the dress code is smart casual as long as you’re comfortable. We were happy and having a lovely time which meant everyone else would too.

You used the Courtyard throughout your day and into the evening. Did you incorporate the Courtyard into your schedule?
Yes, we loved the courtyard, festoon lighting and the ping pong table - it made it feel like a lovely outdoor party. It also meant family who didn’t want to be up dancing could still have a lovely time and enjoy being outside with others, without feeling we were trapped in one area. We also really enjoyed having a firepit, it was beautiful - like a summer party and again, not too big that you lose people in different areas.

In what ways did your wedding meet your expectations?
In every way possible. More so than we were ever expecting. Our wedding was just so so good, we’re sad we can’t do it all over again! There’s not one thing we would change which is what has made it exceed our exceptions - it was perfect in every way! If you’ve put in the right amount of planning, and keep in touch with Helen as she helped us make sure that everything that needed to happen, happened. We really couldn’t fault the whole weekend, even the meal the night before was SO perfect. We didn’t have to consider hosting, cooking or going anywhere for a meal, shopping etc. It was such a nice start to the weekend and felt like we were on holiday. Nothing was too much trouble for Helen and Dave, they just really are lovely.

What would you say to couples considering getting married at Camel Studio? 
Don’t worry about the little things and just enjoy the day, the day feels so much better stress-free! If you’re considering a wedding at Camel Studio, it’s honestly more than you could ever imagine - you will not regret it in the slightest - it’s a little slice of heaven! Don’t look anywhere else, just book because the whole place is perfect, Helen and Dave are also SO helpful, we can’t thank them enough. All of our family commented on how amazing they were, and we all felt like family.

Wonderful Suppliers:
Photographer: @meganhemsworth
Coordination: @piccoloweddings
Catering: @chefinmyhomecornwall
Florist: @lafoniaflowercompany
Decor: @stargazeydecorhire
Cake: @jennassignaturebakes
Hair & Makeup: @ionemakeupandhair
Musician: @alex_dobson_music