25 Years in the Making — Ginny & Del's Elopement at Millbrook Estate
Life has a way of getting in the way. For Ginny and Del, it took 25 years from engagement to wedding day — and when they finally decided to just do it, they did it properly. A last-minute elopement at Millbrook Estate, their dog Dexter by their side, walking up to Madness. Some things are worth waiting for.
When Life Finally Stops Getting in the Way
Wedding date: August 2026 | Accommodation: The Wheel Room | Hair: Mel Avery | Make-up: Kayleigh Avery | Photography: Becca Roundhill | Dining: Justine Wood Private Dining
Twenty-five years is a long time to be engaged. It's not that Ginny and Del didn't want to get married — life just kept presenting other things to deal with first. And then one day they looked at each other and decided: enough. It was time.
What happened next was a lesson in how good things can come together when you stop overcomplicating them.
The Registry Office That Put Them Off — and the Search That Led Them Here
Their first instinct was practical: call the local council. The call was, in Ginny's words, "unhelpful, unfriendly and quite off-putting." The registry office was booked until 2028. Not quite the warm start they had in mind.
They wanted something friendlier. Warmer. Something that would actually feel like a wedding day. Scotland crossed their minds. But a search online led them to Millbrook Estate — a venue that specialises in small weddings, elopement packages and last-minute dates. The website looked the part. What happened when they picked up the phone sealed it.
"Such a warm and friendly greeting," Ginny told us. From that first conversation, the plan started to come together.
Six Weeks to Arrange Everything
Once they had given notice — handled by their own local registrar, who turned out to be "lovely, warm and friendly" — they had six weeks. Six weeks to arrange a wedding day. It sounds like a tight window, but it really isn't, and Ginny and Del are proof of that.
Dress and suit sorted with ease. Then it was a matter of choosing the extras: hair and make-up, a photographer, private dining. Millbrook's supplier list made those decisions straightforward. Every supplier they contacted was warm and professional. Mel Avery for hair. Her daughter Kayleigh for make-up — "part magician," according to Ginny. And Becca Roundhill for photographs.
A last-minute wedding in Devon, arranged in six weeks, with a team of people who knew exactly what they were doing. That's how it works here.
Arriving at Millbrook
It was a five-hour drive. Millbrook is tucked away — you follow the signs, turn off the main road, and the world gradually changes around you. Once through the gates, Ginny described it as "an oasis of calm and serenity."
The Wheel Room was waiting for them: welcoming, clean and homely. A cake on the side. The smell of fresh bread from the bread maker. The kind of arrival that tells you immediately that someone has thought about you.
They took Dexter for a wander, started to unwind, let the gentle nerves settle. A welcome letter from their wedding coordinator Jade told them she would see them in the morning. And then Dexter met Ruby — and was, by all accounts, very happy about it.
The Morning of the Wedding
Jade arrived promptly. She ran through the day with them, calm and unhurried, making sure everything was on track without making it feel like a schedule.
Ginny headed to the pamper room with Jade to meet Mel and Kayleigh. Jade stayed until Ginny was in safe hands — then went back to check on Del and Dexter. That quiet, competent back-and-forth is something our coordinators do instinctively: making sure no one is left wondering what's happening or feeling forgotten.
Mel's down-to-earth character had them chatting and putting the world to rights. Kayleigh worked her magic on the make-up. Becca Roundhill arrived just before Ginny was ready — having already been to meet Del and Dexter. The first photograph she took that day was of the dog. Naturally.
They also made the acquaintance of the Millbrook alpacas — a detail Dexter had very strong opinions about.
The Ceremony — Outside the Summer House
They had woken to rain. But by the time the ceremony came around, the sun had come out — and with it came a decision: they would marry outside the Summer House.
Ginny walked up the stairs towards Del and Dexter to Madness — It Must Be Love. It's hard to think of a better song for a couple who spent 25 years waiting for the right moment.
Registrars David and Trudy conducted the ceremony with warmth and efficiency — going through the legal requirements, and then making the occasion genuinely meaningful. "The day was perfect," Ginny told us. "The team at Millbrook were warm, friendly, professional and just helped everything run smoothly."
The Afternoon and Evening
After the ceremony, the grounds were theirs. The photographs with Becca in the Devon sunshine. The comments since from friends and family — all of them wonderful, all of them surprised it had finally happened.
The day ended with private dining by Justine. A quiet, unhurried evening meal for two, in the place where they had just got married. "A truly lovely meal," said Ginny — and the right way to close a day like that.
What They'd Tell Anyone Thinking About It
Ginny and Del came to Millbrook because the registry office felt cold, because Scotland felt complicated, and because something about this place felt right from the first phone call. Twenty-five years of life getting in the way — and in the end, six weeks was all it took.
The suppliers recommended by Millbrook, they said, will do you proud. The grounds are gorgeous. The team make everything run smoothly. And they will absolutely be back — so that Dexter can see Ruby again.
If you've been putting it off for reasons that keep changing, perhaps it's time. Last-minute elopement dates are available at Millbrook Estate — with 29 days' notice, we can make it happen. Get in touch and let's have a chat.
Wedding Suppliers
Ginny and Del's August elopement was brought to life by a brilliant team of Millbrook-recommended suppliers:
- Hair: Mel Avery
- Make-up: Kayleigh Avery
- Photography: Becca Roundhill
- Private dining: Justine Wood Private Dining
You can find our full list of recommended suppliers on our wedding suppliers page.
