Cockliffe Country House Wedding Photography
Beautiful Natural Cockliffe Country House Wedding Photography
Stunning Relaxed Natural Wedding Photography - A Gorgeous Nottinghamshire Wedding Venue
Cockliffe House is a beautiful traditional country house located in the heart of Nottinghamshire and sits surrounded by stunning countryside. It’s one of my absolute favourite wedding venues to photograph at with so many original features tastefully modernised to provide a stunning ceremony room and wedding breakfast room, whatever the weather, at Cockliffe House you’re going to get a gorgeous gallery!
I have put this page together to give you lots of information and photographs of Cockliffe House as well as some of my thoughts on how to get stunning wedding pictures when I have photographed at this amazing wedding venue!
As an experienced Nottingham wedding photographer I get to photograph at many wonderful venues and Cockliffe House is absolutely one of the very best, a stunning country house venue, amazing venue team who always pull out all the stops and the large bright ceremony room which just oozes rustic romantic vibes!
Table of Contents
Cockliffe House Bridal Suite & Getting-Ready Moments
The Ceremony Room – The Elliott Suite
The Gardens at Cockliffe House
The Wedding Breakfast
The Evening Party
What if it rains on my Cockliffe House Wedding Day
Finding your way to Cockliffe House
Cockliffe House Bridal Suite & Getting-Ready Moments
From the moment you arrive at Cockliffe Country House, there is a sense of calm, elegance, and anticipation. The bridal suite is one of the highlights: a beautifully refurbished, tranquil space where the bridal party can prepare in comfort and style.
With original features, high ceilings, soft natural light spilling in through sash windows, and ample space, it’s absolutely perfect for those early morning photos.
You’ll find cosy corners where mirrors reflect lace and shimmer, where bridesmaids can laugh together, apply final touches, and share champagne (or whatever drink suits your mood). The light in the morning tends to be soft through the windows, offering flattering tones perfect for capturing detail shots: shoes, rings, dress train, floral arrangements.
Also, the suite’s size and layout give great flexibility: there’s room to move around, plenty of mirror surfaces, places to hang the dress, so I can capture both intimate detail and wide shots. If you have a large bridal party, there’s space without feeling cramped, it’s a setting in its own right, full of photographic possibility.
The Ceremony Room – The Elliott Suite
The magic of your vows deserves a setting that feels meaningful, atmospheric, and timeless — and Cockliffe Country House delivers this in spades.
The Elliott Suite is the licensed ceremony room: intimate yet grand, modern yet evocative of the venue’s 17th-century heritage. Think high ceilings, characterful architectural features, plenty of light, and views of the surrounding grounds.
What makes this room especially remarkable for wedding photography is its adaptability. Natural light streams in from the ceiling glass, the décor is elegant but not overbearing, so it doesn’t distract from the couple or the moment.
Cockliffe House is an exclusive use venue, from the morning through to midnight the spaces are yours.
The contrast between the formal ceremony room and the softer outside (gardens, lawns) is strong — offers a lot of variety in your photographs.
The Gardens at Cockliffe House
Cockliffe Country House sits in the heart of Nottinghamshire countryside, with three acres of rolling lawns, woodlands, landscaped gardens, and rustic paths. These grounds are what many couples fall in love with — not just as scenery, but as fully usable backdrops for fabulous wedding photography.
On a bright, sunny day, the gardens offer sweeping vistas: I love the long lawns, mature trees, the façade of the stone house (with its turreted corners and arched windows), shadows of trees for romantic portraits, flower beds, rustic garden furniture. Tucked-away corners create secluded spots for intimate couples shots. The entrance is really nice too, I often use it for group photos if the lawns a little wet and it makes great pictures for confetti exits!
There are paths through the trees and wooded edges which create mood-shots. The façade of the building itself is photogenic: stonework, textures, architectural detailing — which pairs beautifully with both formal portraits and more candid, relaxed photography. I even love small features such as garden benches, arches, old walls, or gates which can be used for creative compositions.
For bridal portraits, groom and groomsmen, bridesmaids, and guests mingling, the gardens provide a variety of light: open sky light, dappled shade, golden hour, twilight, etc. Also, sunset photos here are often particularly magical!
As an experienced Nottingham wedding photographer I have the technical expertise and have invested in professional lighting equipment and low light cameras to ensure that you receive perfectly lit images as you say your vows and take your first kiss, when you look back on your gorgeous gallery you will truly see every detail.
The lighting I use is discreet and flattering, my aim is for your family and friends to remain focussed on you… I’m all about candid and natural photographs, no one wants to have camera flashes in their face throughout the ceremony as it’s distracting to you and your guests and creates harsh unflattering images.
The Evening Party
When the speeches and meal wind down, and the evening celebrations begin, Cockliffe switches mood.
The rooms for the evening party become alive.
The evening room is large enough for a dance floor, DJ or band, lighting, evening food stations or bars. Because you have exclusive use, there’s flexibility to decorate, to arrange lighting (uplights, fairy lights, festoons) to suit the vibe.
Photos here can be magical: first dance with spotlighting, dancing silhouettes, sparklers or light trails, guests in motion, laughter under low lights. The contrast between the daylight settings earlier in the day and the warmer, dim-lights of evening make for emotive, atmospheric shots.
Also, the transition from daylight to dusk into night offers great photographic opportunities outside: dusk sky behind the house, lit windows casting glow, lawns or paths with external lights, lanterns.
If there are fire pits, sparklers, or other evening elements (many couples choose these), they photograph beautifully against darker surroundings. Candles inside, fairy lights outside, glowing lanterns all contribute to that romantic shimmer in evening photography.
The Wedding Breakfast
After the ceremony comes the wedding breakfast: a time for guests to eat, talk, toast, enjoy. At Cockliffe, the room used for this is beautifully presented and elegant.
The whole team at Cockliffe House are amazing at what they do and tables are laid with attention, lighting is warm, décor blends well with the historic features of the building. High ceilings, good proportions, large windows — all help keep the room feeling grand but intimate.
When it comes to photographs of the speeches the wedding breakfast room offers many opportunities. The banquet set-up: wide shots when all guests are seated, detail shots from tables, close-ups of toasts, speeches, laughter, I really love to capture candid emotion. The windows let in soft, natural daylight so those moments feel open and airy.
If you have table plans, personal touches, floral arrangements, the texture of linens, these will be beautifully showcased and I capture every detail.
Canapés food and drink at Hazel Gap Barn
Even the canapés are five star, it’s so difficult when photographing everyone relaxing after the ceremony to not hide the cameras in a bush and pretend to be a guest to sneak a sausage or two!
What if it rains on my Cockliffe House Wedding Day!
One of the things couples worry about is what happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Cockliffe is well equipped to handle rainy days, and in many cases, rain leads to even more evocative photos.
Here are several reasons why this venue works so well — and how to plan to make the most of it.
Indoor light & charming corners: The house has many rooms with good windows, interesting architecture, cosy corners, mirrors, staircases, rustic features. These are perfect when you can’t go outside. Photographers can use window light, open doors to let in soft ambient light, use reflective surfaces, capture emotion inside.
Covered entrances, porches and archways: Even when it’s raining, the areas around entrances or archways can serve for sheltered portraits: a bride under the doorway with veil catching the breeze, family under a porch, umbrellas as props — which often lead to very romantic, striking images.
Reflections & wet surfaces: Rain produces reflections, glossy surfaces, and atmosphere (mist, soft light filtered through clouds). The driveway, stone flooring, puddles can give dramatic mirror-like effect. The wet stone of the façade of the building can bring out textures and colours more vividly, particularly with architecture detail.
Gardens still usable in drizzle: Light drizzle or overcast skies are diffused light, ideal for portraits (less harsh shadows). Gardens, trees, leaves, and flowers tend to look more saturated when wet. Paths under trees offer shelter in dappled light, foliage holds drops of water for close-ups, etc. Umbrellas (transparent or stylised) can be incorporated as props.
Evening lighting inside: The light inside, when it’s darker outside, becomes more cinematic: shadows, warm tones, contrast. Candlelight, chandeliers, lamps all help. Photographers can use artificial lighting creatively (flash, sparklers) to balance with ambient glow.
Backup plan flow: Because the venue is all under one property even if outdoor plans are disrupted, there are always beautiful indoor spots to use without feeling compromised. Group photographs can be done indoors without any stress and the rear breakfast room has fab lighting and lots of space as you can see below!
So rain needn’t feel like a “spoiler” — at Cockliffe it can lead to unique, romantic, mood-filled images that are harder to capture in full sun. The diffused light, rich textures, reflections, indoor blending provide an alternative beauty.
First Dance and Party into the Night!
As the light fades away the big red brick barn transforms into an amazing dance hall with the candle lit walls and a disco ball or two for your first dance together followed by the evening party!
Kind Words
Mat photographed our wedding and we have ended up with the most amazing photos that we are so happy with!
He captured every part of the day in a beautiful way and what really impressed us was his ability to capture really special natural shots without us even noticing that he was there!
We would not hesitate to recommend Mat to anyone else.
Thank you so much!
Mike & Abby
Finding your way to Cockliffe House
Cockliffe Country House
Burntstump Country Park, Burntstump Hill, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 8PQ
T: 0115 9680179
Previous Cockliffe House Weddings
Getting ready on the morning of your Cockliffe House Wedding
Want to know more?
If you are looking for a relaxed, professional wedding photographer to capture your incredible Hazel Gap Barn wedding I would absolutely love to hear all about your plans.
You can find my full wedding gallery here with lots of examples of my work from recent real weddings
If you like what you see an want to know more, get in touch and we can catch up!