Niamh & Christopher's Wedding Story

This post features Niamh and Christopher's beautiful wedding story.

All featured wedding suppliers are linked at the end of their story.

The Love Story

Let's start from the beginning, like all good love stories. Niamh and Christopher are childhood sweethearts, together since they were sixteen. So after 14 years together everyone was waiting for the engagement and it happened on a trip the two took to Thailand.

“We had a trip planned to Thailand. However, Chris took me by surprise waking me in the middle of the night with Champagne/ Flowers and of course the ring. I was in totally surprised even after 14 years”

Christopher got the engagement ring made he bought the diamond in Antwerp and got it made there also. Before he popped the question, he asked Niamh’s Dad for her hand, very romantic.

After the high of the engagement comes the planning and venue selection. With Ballymagarvery Village Niamh and Christopher knew it was the one for them and stopped venue hunting after viewing there. They wanted something different to the average hotel and Ballymagarvey certainly offers that.   

Planning the wedding

Niamh is a Teacher so she is very organised she loves planning and organising, my kind of bride. She had an excel spreadsheet with a timeline and to-do lists for each month. A very important element to your wedding, keeping track of the outgoings and incoming's. Niamh didn’t feel the stress of planning and says that she loved every minute of it. Her advice to brides “Enjoy all the months leading up to the wedding it’s not just the day it’s the whole process that’s amazing”

When it came to a theme, they decided to keep it simple. Another great tip for couples. You do not need to go crazy with a theme, sometimes simple works just as good and it really is less stress on you both. Having the latest of everything is not possible unless you have a very big budget. The Bridesmaids dresses were grey and they had pink flowers so that colour scheme followed through to the stationery, such a gorgeous colour palette.

  

“We didn’t want the stress of doing DIY things on the lead up to the wedding. It was a good decision as nobody noticed. During the ceremony we had songs and readings that meant a lot to us which made the ceremony very

personal”

The wedding dress

I am a lover of a dress with back detail and Niamh’s dress had that.

It is so elegant with that crystal beading detail on the back.

Niamh found her dress on the second day of shopping. “After trying on lots of gowns it was obvious that lace didn’t suit me. So I picked an understated and elegant Morilee gown” The stunning Morilee gown is a-line featuring a crystal beaded sheer back and waistline covered buttons trimmed the back and train

When Niamh was shopping with her two bridesmaids, in The Bridal Studio she put on the dress and her first reaction was ‘Oh my god, this is massive’. Then the magic happened she saw herself in the dress and knew it was the one and it even had pockets (now I know how brides love a pocket in their dress).

What happened next is very special, Niamh asked could she make an appointment for her Mam to see it and the Lady in the shop said “why not call her” They pinned up my hair and put in a hairpiece and veil. They gave me a bouquet. When Mam arrived, there was not a dry eye in the place. I never thought I would have the moment that people talk about but I did"

Tips for engaged couples

"My advice to brides is to enjoy all the months leading up to the wedding. It is not just the day it’s the whole process that is amazing.
Enter Facebook competitions, we won our beautiful naked cake from Heavenly Cakes and we won a voucher towards our invitations."

Niamh also said that a lot of couples ponder on the idea of a wedding video. "It was the best thing we did. I love watching the short clip over and over again re-living the day over and over again"

This piece of advice was given to Niamh & Christopher when they were planning their wedding.
"Nobody else apart from you and your partner knows what is supposed to happen on the day, so if something goes wrong just brush it over you are the only one who will notice".

  

The Honeymoon

For their honeymoon, Niamh and Christopher opted for a mini moon to Malta straight after their wedding. A few months after they went on their big Honeymoon to South Africa. A honeymoon highlight for them was going on safari in Pumba Water Lodge. A  stunning remote resort surrounded by wilderness. You could dine indoors or outdoors, swim in your own private pool. They took part in interactive sunset and sunrise game drive taking in dramatic landscapes and a diverse range of wildlife.

 

Would they change anything?

The answer, not a thing. A relaxed, no fuss and well organised wedding.
Thank you to Niamh and Christopher for sharing your lovely story and tips. I could sense the happiness and relaxed atmosphere form the photos, imagine how amazing it all was in real life.  

The Suppliers

·                 Venue: Ballymagarvey Village

Photographer: Lisa McCormack

Grooms suits: Mc Kenna Man, Dundalk

Wedding dress: The Bridal Studio, Drogheda

Bridesmaid dresses: Folkster

Cake: Heavenly Cakes         

Makeup & hair: Maeve Hollywood, Rita O’Brien

Shoes: Macy's in Las Vegas

Flowers:Caoimhe in The Green Room, Dundalk and Arbour Blooms

If you want to feature your wedding story contact me via email  

weddingsbeautyfashion@gmail.com

Yours in love

Mary

xxx