Exeter Couple To Be Last To Wed At Larkbeare House Before Sale

Larkbeare House in Exeter stops weddings in March. The house is on sale for £4 million initially. Devon County Council is selling six properties to cut costs and be “more sustainable.” Larkbeare House has hosted weddings since 2014 and also handles birth and death registrations. The house remains for sale.

Sarah Hemming and Jack Spicer will soon marry there. They got engaged in December and want to marry quickly, having booked before Christmas. Their wedding is the last at this venue, with bookings open until March 31. Sarah and Jack met at work, both being civil servants.

Sarah and Jack have known each other for a while, their friendship blossoming into something more. Jack proposed at The Ivy in Exeter, hiding the ring in her cocktail. The drink, with crushed ice, concealed it effectively.

Jack encouraged Sarah to drink her cocktail quickly and shone light through the glass. She then saw the ring at the bottom and he proposed on one knee. They will marry at Larkbeare House on March 22, with the ceremony starting at 4pm.

Approximately 45 people will attend the service, with the reception held at The Port Royal pub. Larkbeare House is a beautiful venue, and they did not find a nicer place within their budget. They planned the wedding in three months.

They learned about the wedding change on the website. It will be cool to be the last couple married there. Devon County Council has owned it since 1876, and they will honor wedding bookings until March. The registration service will move to County Hall.

Larkbeare House was built in 1862 as the home of John Charles Bowring, a British merchant. In 1876, it became lodging for judges.

The sale includes over 16,000 square feet of internal space. The property also has five acres of grounds, along with an office and outbuildings. The grounds possess historic value.

Veitch Nurseries designed the gardens, which popularized exotic plants and are now Grade II listed. The river wall of Larkbeare House is also listed. The property now costs £3.5 million.

The council states March 31 is the last wedding day, after which weddings move to County Hall. Bookings happen close to the date and bookings are accepted up to March 2. The building will be used for meetings before any sale.