Shottle Hall has been welcoming couples through its doors for two decades, and we’re proud to have been part of that journey along the way.
As one of Penguin PR’s first ever clients, we’ve worked together on all sorts of campaigns over the years – from putting royal lookalikes on the front pages to securing national television coverage during the challenges of the pandemic.
So when the venue celebrated its 20th anniversary, we knew it was another story worth telling.
Looking back while looking ahead
An anniversary is a chance to celebrate the past, but it’s also a chance to talk about what’s next.
Alongside 20 years of weddings, the campaign centred around the opening of Shottle Hall’s new wedding barn – a major investment that gives couples even more flexibility and makes the venue a year-round destination.
By combining the anniversary with a significant new development, we created a story that looked to the future as much as the past.
Finding the personal stories
Rather than simply announcing the anniversary, we started to look for the stories behind it. That meant tracking down Shottle Hall’s very first wedding couple, exploring how weddings have changed over the last 20 years and celebrating the thousands of couples who have made memories at the venue.
Those personal stories gave journalists something for readers to relate to, while reinforcing Shottle Hall’s position as one of Derbyshire’s best-known wedding venues.
Raising a glass
The campaign culminated in a public garden party, welcoming former couples, future brides and grooms, local businesses and the wider community to celebrate the milestone together.
Alongside strong regional coverage, the story secured a five-page feature in Derbyshire Life magazine – a fitting way to celebrate two decades of weddings and the start of Shottle Hall’s next chapter.