We met growing up in the same village. We started to hang around with the same crowd of people. I guess we just caught eachother's eye one day and that is where it all began!
I'm 27 and Justin is 29.
We were in Galway last August (the 9th to be precise). We were standing on a very quiet street off the main walkway. We had planned to go stay in a hotel quite a bit away from the city, so I mentioned that we "should head off now"..... but before I could say anything else, he said, "Well, actually Lynne, I was going to ask you to marry me." It was amazing. I was truly and for the first time speechless! I started to cry, then we hugged eachother for a while. For a few moments, I felt like I was on top of the world, like I was floating on air, such an amazing feeling! Then, Justin grabbed my hand and we went ring shopping! We popped into a few jewellers first, but nothing jumped out at us. We came upon a lovely jewellers on the main street and went in. We sat there awaiting a tray of rings (still in complete and utter shock by the way). I tried on a few of the ones I always dreamed of wearing, but none of them suited me. So then, the lady brought out a tray of rings, as I described what I was looking for. As soon as they came out, one specific one was just twinkling up at me, and that was the one!
Yes - Justin went to London with all his close mates and it ended up a party of about 20 guys I think. They had a great time, but to be honest, that is all I know about it! I went to Sligo with all of my 'angels'. We had such a brilliant time. We stayed there for the weekend, got dressed up, had lots of laughs (and tears), but it was fantastic to get away with all my mates!
He helped with the seating plans, but that is all I really asked of him, as I am a complete organiser and planner myself and I knew that he was not really into that side of the wedding. He told me that he had complete trust in me and he would be happy with anything I chose!
I did to a certain point, but once the months got shorter, I didn't really have time to use it that often. It was so helpful and the website is great for ideas, tips and help from other engaged people and previous brides!
Yes - we bought some heart light garlands for our big day. I bought them online.
My dress was a Ronald Joyce one piece. It had a sweetheart neckline, beautiful ivory colour, with a spanish lace effect and very long (and heavy!) trail. it had a beautiful sash around the waist with a fab diamante buckle attached to it. I also wore a full length veil with tiny diamantes on it. I bought the dress in a shop called B Couture in Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Yes - I had 2 bridesmaids. My sister Leah who is married and my best mate Danielle. They wore a taupe coloured Bill Levkoff full length dress with a camel sash around the waist, super duper dresses! I bought them online at a bargain! They were stunning against my dress!
Justin chose 2 bestmen, both his very good friends, Ronan and Mark. We had my brother Karl as the Usher/Groomsman also. They all wore black pinstripe formal suits, with Cream waistcoats, black shoes, cream shirts and coffee colour cravats. Justin wore the very same except, he wore a cream cravat - very dapper!
We had a Catholic ceremony.
In our local church, where we both grew up!
We had our reception in the Glenview Hotel, Co. Wicklow.
Justin's uncle collects vintage cars, so he offered us 2 of them for the day, which were fab!
We invited 165 guests for the full day and then we had separate evening guests.
Our colours were all shades of creams and browns, but with a very laid back theme to it. Sparkles were included and scented candles which consisted of chocolate, coffee and vanilla, yum! We also had butterflies incorporated into the wedding.
We bought candles which smelt and looked like chocolates, and put them on each table. People were trying to eat them! We also had tealights around the whole room, and when the evening set in, it was all lit up by the amount of lights, which made the room very cosy and very romantic! We included the butterflies on our cake, in the bouquets and in the church.
No, we didn't really like the idea of it, so we left favours out of the day. But I do think that some of our guests brought some of the candles home with them!
Bouquets consisted of gerbera, lotus heads, small cream lilly type flowers and a butterfly! We had a single stem cream rose in a vase on each of the tables at the reception. We had beautiful lilly and rose sprays on the top table, which made it look fab! Our florist was Busy Bees in Ferns, Co. Wexford, who were so professional and so friendly!
We used the hotel catering, as it was second to none! I'm a vegetarian, so for the vegetarian option, we went for buffalo mozzarella and tomato and basil salad for starters, leek and potato soup for the second course, aubergine with tomato and goats cheese in filo pastry on a bed of mash for main course and the classi fruit pavalova for dessert. The meat option changed for the main course and it was a fillet of beef, which went down very well!
It was a three tiered cake. We chose the traditional fruit cake for the base and then we had lemon sponge and the top tier was a yummy chocolate chip sponge. A few of our friends who are excellent bakers made the cakes between them and another friend iced it and it was so beautiful. He added a few butterflies onto it. It was simple, yet effective!
We had a string quartet (who learned to play Damien Rice's Cannonball for us as we lit our wedding candle) for our church ceremony, a band after the meal and then a DJ till 2am!
No, we did not have a gift list.
We spent the first night of our honeymoon in a Dublin Airport Hotel (The Radisson). We booked our honeymoon with a travel agents in Gorey Co, Wexford call O'Donoghue Travel. Then we headed off to Sorrento in Italy for 11 nights - Magical!
I think walking up the aisle was a memorable moment for me. The whole day really meant so much to me, I couldn't take the smile off my face all day! Another moment was when the string quarted played the Damien Rice song for us as we lit the wedding candle. I completely savoured the moment!
I was very lucky to be honest. Didn't have any nightmare moments! Oh yes, there was one. I picked my wedding ring up a few days before the wedding and I couldn't get it on my finger, as I had a slight cut over the knuckle.. Luckily, Justin gently eased in on me the day we got married!
Would do nothing differently, except lengthen the day by another 12 hours! We had torrential rain on our day, and the run up to it, the weather was fantastic! But they do say if it rains on your wedding day, it is meant to be for a very happy marriage, so I'm saved then! Advice I would give to other brides - be yourself, enjoy and savour every moment of that day from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep! Try and get to chat with your guests, but remember to make sure you get that 'special two minutes with your new husband'. Just take a walk around with him and enjoy watching other people or maybe head off for a chat and a catch up and see how they are feeling! Most of all, dance your heart out, as we did. All our friends danced with us all night and it was just the best time ever! |
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