Real Weddings: Shannon and Liam

Jan 21, 2026 | Real Weddings

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.

Shannon and Liam

Wedding Date – 16th April 2025

‘An intimate spring wedding with a green and pink colour scheme and floral wedding dress’

Shannon and Liam’s beautiful Spring wedding was a heartfelt, laughter-filled celebration that truly reflected who they are as a couple. As an exclusive use venue, they were able to relax and enjoy every moment surrounded by just their closest family and friends. From emotional first looks and unforgettable garden moments to the excitement of seeing the reception come together, their day was all about fun, love and soaking up every second of their newlywed joy in a setting they wouldn’t change for the world. Read all about their day here…

What was your inspiration for your special day?

We both wanted a day that represented us and shared our interests and favourite things with our favourite people. We both decided how we wanted the reception to look like and what our photos would show when we looked back on them and for us it was about having fun and celebrating our love for each other and ultimately, I got to marry my best friend that day.

What was the best part of your day?

There was SO much to look back on and picking one specific moment is difficult as it was all amazing! Beyond getting married (as nothing tops that) as the bride my favourite parts were the bouquet toss in the gardens as that was so funny and is still a big talking point among everyone and also having the time in the morning to have a first look with my dad was really special but overall it was the feel of the day for me, the way I felt giddy and excited to see my future husband and just basking in newlywed vibes is what I remember most about the day. For the groom he would say that it was seeing his bride at the end of the aisle and seeing her reaction to the set-up of the reception room and evening party. Her face was filled with excitement and she had was beautiful and I just stared in awe of her and all the work she had put in to make the day it was.

Why did you choose Cockliffe Country House?

We chose Cockliffe Country House because of the exclusiveness that came with it, we were the only people on site with the staff, no visitors, no strangers just us and our guests and that made it feel so personal to us and when we were looking around and visiting other venues we found ourselves just comparing them to Cockliffe and ultimately we said that if nothing is better than Cockliffe then we have our answer and we wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

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

For our Menu we had: Canapes:

Cucumber topped with Hummus & dehydrated cherry tomatoes

Toad in the hole with pigs in blankets

Chicken in satay marinade

Meal (2 options): Starter

Wild Boar Meatballs in Spiced Tomato and Herb Sauce with Toast Ciabatta

Pork Belly with Pea Puree and Pan-fried Scallops

Main

Traditional Roast Chicken Dinner with all the Trimmings

Lamb Rump, Fondant Potato with Rosemary and Thyme

Dessert

Chocolate Brownie with Hot Fudge Sauce and Vanilla Ice cream

Passion Fruit Posset with Shortbread

This menu was chosen with both of us in mind, for me (bride) I am a very picky eater so I wanted foods that I knew I would be able to eat and also foods I knew I would enjoy whereas my husband chose a meal that was technical and not his everyday foods as he approached it with the mindset of how it would be cooked and his love of cooking coming through that choice. The menu was a big part of the day as we also had a menu that meant a lot of our guests could eat it with there being dietary requirements and preferences present, we didn’t want to single anyone out and make it very obvious they had a different meal to everyone else, and they didn’t! The food itself came out in a timely manner and was absolutely gorgeous (which we knew having attended the tasting evening the previous year) and the guests loved it all!

What was the hardest part of your wedding planning?

The hardest part is knowing where to draw the line, how much to include and what not to include as budget is very important! It was looking at what memories we wanted to create and how we were going to capture them or facilitate them, and we made some firm yes decisions but then had to look at everything else with the mindset of will it be needed or do we just want it for fun. What we did was perfect and looking back there was nothing that would have made the day better.

What were your favourite parts of the venue?

The honest answer is the whole building and gardens! We took photos everywhere and the rooms are beautiful. So much thought has gone into each area and for us having booked Cockliffe in 2023 we have been able to see new areas be created, and decorations be added and that’s been wonderful to witness. The whole space has clearly been carefully designed, and the lighting choices outside really make the environment sparkle and showcase it even at night.

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

Enjoy every minute of it as it will go by quickly and be fully prepared for issues to happen whether that be a guest doesn’t turn up or problems are caused. The team are there to handle them all and put your mind at ease! Just focus on you both and what that day means to you!