Real Weddings: E & A

Feb 28, 2025 | Real Weddings

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Welcome to our Real Wedding Blog!

We’ve spoken to our couples to find out their top tips, advice and favourite moments of their wedding at Cockliffe Country House in Nottingham. If you’re getting married with us, or simply looking for some wedding day inspiration for your own wedding plans, read on to find out more.

E & A

Wedding Date – 4th August 2024

‘A bright and colourful summer wedding with two wedding dresses and crazy golf’

Dreaming of summer? We’re throwing it back to last August with the beautiful wedding of E and A. Their was was filled with pops of colour thanks to their flowers and decor styling, whilst including little touches to make sure their pooches were included! Read on to find out more about their special day…

What was your inspiration for your special day?

We wanted the day to represent us. For doggie welfare, we decided not to have our 2 dogs with us on the day however we tried to bring them into each part. Our ceremony included a reading called “What I learnt about love, I learnt from my dog”, which gave our guests some giggles. My mum had made some doggie wedding favours which went down a treat and our cake topper had the outline of both dogs.

We were keen to have a bright summer theme which included flowers which were in season. Neither of us liked too over pruned, almost artificial, looking arrangements.

We chose Scott and Crazy Golf Hire, he was actually the first supplier we booked, after seeing him at the Cockliffe open day. We often play crazy golf if we are on holiday (with various results) and we wanted to introduce some fun whilst still being us.

What was the best part of your day?

E: The ceremony. Despite my fear of walking in front of everyone, the team put me at ease as my bridesmaids walked down the aisle.

A: The wedding breakfast. Food and seeing all our family and friends laughing and joking with each other.

Why did you choose Cockliffe Country House?

It felt like home. Somewhere where we could relax and be happy. We have been to enough weddings to know our likes and dislikes.

We’d visited a local hotel prior to Cockliffe’s open day which felt cold and commercial. When entering Cockliffe, on a glorious September day, it was perfect. We could see ourselves there. It’s hard to think that we don’t need to visit again!

How did you decide which menu was right for your day?

We went to the tasting evening just before Christmas and chose two of the courses we had on that evening. It’s difficult especially if you opt only to have 1 choice. Choose what you like not what suits everyone’s individual tastes.

What was the hardest part of your wedding planning?

The guest list and seating plan!

What were your favourite parts of the venue?

All of it, but if we had to choose one, the gardens. This was part of the reason we chose the colour palette we did. The variation in colour and texture just in the gardens alone was something we wanted to mirror with our flowers, etc. Thankfully Lucy from Bennington Blooms could see our vision. The flowers she gave us were beyond our wildest dreams. Sunflowers (which were one of the many beautiful flowers) will now hold a special meaning.

If you have any advice for new marrying couples, what would it be?

Don’t worry about traditions. Make your own memories. We did not have a traditional wedding cake or speeches, I even had 2 dresses! It’s the memories you make which matter, not what someone did 30+ years ago.

Your relationship with suppliers really matters. We couldn’t recommend Lucy enough, however despite her amazingness, she is retiring. Despite not meeting Dan face to face until our engagement photoshoot, we knew from our online meeting he was the one. He put us both at ease and knew our likes/dislikes. Equally Jordan from Studio Mae, I met at a wedding fayre. The first thing she asked me was when was the wedding so she knew if she was free before the conversations that followed (we’d had long conversations with cake suppliers only to find out they were unavailable). Hannah Marshall was another lovely supplier we met at Eastwood Hall wedding fayre. If we were to do it all again I wouldn’t change a single supplier.