Shannon and Tris met in 2017 while working as lifeguards. “I was working to help fund my master’s degree, and Tris was learning to become a personal trainer before he headed off to university,” says Shannon. “I was attracted to Tris because he was quieter than the other guys I knew, and he was thoughtful and such a gentleman. We worked a lot of evening shifts together, which involved cleaning the leisure centre at the end of the day. He didn’t shy away from the dirty work, and he always put others first.” After carrying the ring around for two years, Tris proposed on New Year’s Day in 2021. “We had spent New Year’s Eve as just the two of us,” shares the bride. “I was feeling quite down as my family have a tradition of writing secret wishes for each other and ourselves, and we read these out from the previous year to see if they had come true. I knew that my wish hadn’t come true, so I asked my mum and sisters not to open my letter and instead to put it into the fire. Tris and I played games all evening, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment. After returning from the bathroom after getting ready for bed, I walked into the bedroom, and Tris was down on one knee asking: ‘is this what you wished for?’ It turns out that wishes really do come true!” SETTING THE SCENE “We are both lovers of the great outdoors, and it was our dream to get married outside and have a country wedding,” explains Shannon. “We chose Henley Hall for the ceremony as the gardens are beautiful and quintessentially British. The bridge over the River Ledwyche is incredibly romantic, and we knew as soon as we visited that we had found our dream venue. We hired some land in the quaint village of Ashford Carbonel, where I went to primary school, for our reception. We chose to hire tipis from Shire Tipis as they fitted our country vibe perfectly. “I’m a keen environmentalist, so it was important for us to minimise the environmental impact and carbon footprint from our wedding and to support small local businesses where possible,” adds the bride. “All of the décor was handmade using reclaimed materials. I made 80 metres of bunting, which we hung outside Henley Hall and inside the tipis. I also made a floral chandelier, which hung from the centre of the tipi. My dad made the most wonderful sweet cart, which we now hire out under Shropshire Handmade Weddings for other weddings and events. My sister-in-law and her partner also helped us to make a giant cornhole on which she painted a beautiful leaping trout.” The happy couple placed gin bottles filled with fairylights and vases made by Shannon’s dad on each table. “We picked the flowers for the tables from my mum and dad’s garden,” recalls Shannon. “My dad also hand-carved a tree of life inside a frame that we placed in the centre of our top table. It’s now sitting pride of place in our lounge. My parents grew a lot of the flowers for our wedding as we wanted to have English spring flowers that were grown locally. Kate, my mum’s very talented friend, also picked some of the flowers from her garden and bought a bucket to make my bouquet and the bridesmaids’ posies. She also picked some wildflowers from the hedgerow at my childhood home to place in my bouquet. It was such a kind gesture and a wonderful sentiment.” For their favours, Shannon and Tris chose bride and groom-themed biscuits that were made by Shannon’s sister, Heulwen. Shannon’s mum also contributed by making the couple a three-tiered wedding cake. It was filled with fruit, carrot and chocolate and was beautifully decorated with fondant and delicate flowers. “Tris and I absolutely love Spanish food and the culture,” reveals the bride. “We chose to serve patatas bravas and paella at our wedding breakfast. We also had canapés at the drinks reception following the ceremony. These were made by my mum, auntie and cousin. In the evening, we had an extravagant hog roast, which was loved by all. “My lovely uncle Mike drove me to the ceremony and Tris and I to the reception venue in his car, which my mum had expertly decorated with ribbon and flowers,” adds the bride. “My mum and bridesmaids were driven to the wedding by my dad’s best friend. We couldn’t have picked more special chauffeurs!” REAL WEDDINGS 35
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