1. Tell us a little about your story — how did you meet, and what led up to the proposal?

Liam and I met on a night out in Cardiff on Halloween 2015 (glamorous, I know!). I was at University in Cardiff at the time and Liam was living in Ilfracombe, North Devon. We instantly fell head over heels for each other and did two and half years of long distance, visiting each other on weekends. After I graduated, I secured my first job in Bournemouth in 2018. Liam dropped everything and moved with me, even though he didn't have a job lined up. We made it work and Liam proposed in Cornwall in August 2023, the day after my birthday. He had said that he wanted to wait a few more days before proposing, but was so nervous that he couldn't wait any longer. We had booked a little shepherds hut and had a fire going outside in the fire pit. We toasted marshmallows, played Uno, had music playing and were just enjoying a summer evening. Liam kept getting up and checking I was ok - I thought nothing of it at the time but now I realise, he was very nervous! He was also sneakily setting up his phone to video him proposing. We used the song that was playing as he proposed for our walk out song after our wedding ceremony. It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

2. What drew you to Abbots Court, and how did you know it was the right venue for your wedding?

Shortly after getting engaged, Liam and I started looking for wedding venues. Liam had found Abbots on Instagram and we added it to our list of possible options. We went to view another venue in the morning, which was nice enough and seemed fine, but hadn't given us any kind of feeling. After lunch, we went straight to Abbots. It was an instant feeling. The more we saw, the more we fell in love with it. I remember just beaming the whole way round and it just felt right. We were obsessed and couldn't imagine ourselves getting married anywhere else. We were so excited and knew that we had found the one. We booked the venue that same day and left feeling absolutely elated.

3. Which spaces at Abbots Court did you use , and how did they help create the atmosphere of your day?

We got married in the Victorian Stables which was absolutely perfect for us. The atmosphere was lovely and it shielded everyone from the sunshine perfectly. We had previously been to two outdoor weddings and whilst they were beautiful, it was very hot to be sat for so long as a guest. We knew we wanted an indoor option for our ceremony and the stables were exactly what we wanted. The space at the back of the room was wonderful for me, as I could see everyone before I walked out, which helped to somewhat settle my nerves! It was also a lovely hideaway after the ceremony to re-group with my new husband and absorb what had just happened!

The Walled Gardens were the backdrop to a lot of our family photos. We loved the space and the children really enjoyed the outdoor games. It was also the perfect location for our pizza truck in the evening! I know our older guests also appreciated the comfy seating and heaters outside! This was also perfect post-ceremony for drinks and canapes.

The Pavillion was a beautiful place for our wedding breakfast and evening reception. The space was perfect as we had a lot of guests, but at no point did it feel too crowded. It gave us the ideal place to celebrate into the evening and have a little dance with all of our friends and family.

4. How did you make the day your own — were there any personal touches, themes, or details that stood out

Liam and I are both introverts and knew that the thought of personal vows in front of everyone would be too much for us. Instead, we decided to write each other a letter to read in the morning. This was so special to both of us and something that we cherish from our day as it was just for us.

When creating our playlists, we tried to incorporate songs that our families had used for their weddings - I know my sister had noticed her first dance song playing in the background, which she really appreciated.

The team at Abbots were great at recommending such wonderful suppliers. The House of Styling helped us bring our wedding vision to life and really helped us to make the day our own. Our guests were really impressed with the decor and the little acrylic place names that they could keep.

5. What was your experience with food, drink, and entertainment — and how did your guests respond?

We hired Ako Dining for our wedding breakfast. They were wonderful throughout the process and adapted to all of our dietary requests with ease! We had lovely feedback from our guests about our food and the service. The drinks went down a treat also - I think some guests enjoyed it a little too much!

We hired LuvWed in the evening. Mark gave us a wonderful, upbeat and fun atmosphere. The dance floor was packed all night and everyone was impressed with the song choices! We were so pleased to have the space to let our hair down and celebrate!

5. Did staying at Abbots Court for the weekend, with the on-site rooms or glamping options, make the celebration feel more special?

We stayed at Abbots for the weekend, we hired some of the glamping pods and also hired Almer Manor and the Cottage. It was really nice to make a whole weekend of it and have time to chat to some of our guests properly before the day, as we knew we'd be overwhelmed with the amount of people! Our guests were all really pleased with the accommodation. The groom's flat was the perfect place for Liam to get ready in the morning and I know the MUA, hair stylist and photographer were relieved with how good the lighting was in the bridal suite.

The tennis courts over at Almer Manor were used by our family - the children, in particular, really enjoyed this space. My dad stayed in the cottage with my aunt and uncle. They enjoyed the pool table, but commented that there were no stools to sit at in the kitchen.

6. Looking back, what are your favourite memories from your wedding, and what advice would you share with other couples considering Abbots Court?

The whole day was so wonderful, it's hard to choose! We loved having the venue for as long as we did. It was so nice to extend the celebrations and get as much out of our wedding as we possibly could. We both really appreciated having time to ourselves throughout the day to re-group. The venue provided a beautiful backdrop for our photos, and this time together, just the two of us, was amazing. The whole day ran so smoothly. Charlie was amazing at ensuring we had every need catered for, without ever feeling like we were asking too much, and kept us calm before the ceremony. The handover into the evening felt really seamless.

For future couples - take time during the day to just be the two of you, it's so special to have this time together.