OUR BIG DAY Becky & Ciara

So tell us how you met, were you single for a long time before you started dating?

We met as all good love stories in Belfast start, in the Kremlin! We matched on tinder (twice!) and then fate stepped in and we finally met face to face in the Kremlin. I (Becky) had been single for about 10 months before we met. At that point I was planning on trying to leave the country to work as a cabin crew so had not expected to get into a relationship.

How long after you started dating did it take to pop the question, was it an immediate yes? And who asked who?

We knew early on that we wanted to get married. But we had two rules. Whoever proposed first got to walk down the aisle last and we both wanted to be proposed to. I proposed to Ciara first. It took her a few moments to say yes due to the uncontrollable sobbing! But about a year and half later, I got my proposal on our 6 year anniversary.

Tell us about your big day, location, amount of guests etc. Was it planned pre Covid, had you to alter many things?

We got married on 12th August 2023 in a place called Segrave Barns, Dunany in Co. Louth. We actually found the venue by sheer chance. I had picked up a wedding magazine just before the first lockdown and came across it. It was everything we could want! All I wanted was a big barn to dance the night away in. It was rustic, had accommodation, by the sea but also in the countryside. The staff were exceptional! I cannot recommend them enough. We were lucky with the venue because we could arrive on Friday and celebrate with family and friends, get married on Saturday, have our second day in the little pub on site and then leave on Monday. Never once leaving the premises! But also it could accommodate our 120 guests very easily.

We thankfully planned our wedding for 2023 and started the planning just as the lockdown hit. It was a bit of a nightmare to find vendors or meet them due to restrictions and wedding fairs weren’t running. We were extremely fortunate to have such amazing suppliers and vendors.

What about the food and drink?

Food and drink was really important to us. When I first met Ciara she was a Bartender and we quickly learnt we had a shared passion for great food and drink. The food was supplied by the incredible Old Barn Catering. We decided on a sit down dinner. The doube of beef was the highlight of everyone’s dinner!

Were there any hiccups or did all go to plan?

We had to change our wedding celebrant due but we were so happy we did!! We ended up with not only the best ceremony anyone could ask for, but also a friend!

Two weeks before our wedding we had to change hair dressers but Susan Evan’s hairdresser stepped in and saved the day! I have never met a one woman band power through so many people and not even break a sweat!

When people say expect the bride to be late, the bet was on myself and not my wife. Unbeknown to our guests, my wife decided our wedding day was the day to make us all late by watching the Arsenal match... she’s lucky they won!

But as with all weddings, there were many other hiccups but you soon learn to just get over them and not let it ruin it!

Have you or are you going on a honeymoon?

As I’m typing we are actually on our way to Florida for 3 weeks!! I’m a Disney fanatic! So much so I walked down the aisle to the Lizzie maguire song “this is what dreams are made of”

In your day to day lives are you into the same things? What interests do you have that are different?

This is a tough one, we love sitting in with the dogs with a cup of tea watching some trash tv shows on Netflix or going on some kind of an adventure. But ciara is very much into sports and country music... and I’m a big Disney musical geek!

Do you do everything together or do you like to keep independent?

We do a lot of things together but we are very much two separate entities and make a point of going out just with our own mates.

Have you a family, is this something on the plan for you?

We hope in the very near future that we will be able to start our fertility journey and have a couple of kids. The dream is to be standing in Disney world with our kids in front of the castle watching the fireworks.

Tell us who made your day possible in terms of rings, flowers, photographer, cars etc There are so many people we would like to thank..

• Venue: Segrave Barns Dunany

• Celebrant: Laura Fitz Humanist

Celebrant

• Photographer: Agnieszka Marsh

Photography

• Videographer: Forever Endeavour Films

We are based just outside Drogheda, our work encompasses wedding, corporate events, funerals and gift flowers. We can create lavish & unique bridal bouquets, centerpieces etc.

If you’d like to have a chat about your upcoming wedding give me a call.

Opening Hours:

Tuesday - Friday 10.30am - 6pm Saturday 10.30am - 4.30pm

Kearney’s Lane, Monasterboice, Co. Louth, A92 Y8W2

P: +353 86 244 6143

W: foreverflowersdrogheda.com, E: mary@foreverflowers.ie

• Catering: Old Barn Catering

• Cake: NI Cake Design

• Singing chef: Eugene from Segrave barns

• Ceremony and reception music: Sean Magee Music

• Flowers: Forever Flowers

• Neon sign: Majestic Neon

• Invites designed by: Those Wee Doodles

• Carvings by the cake: Caricatures by Trevor (my dad!)

• Camper booth: The Quirky Camper Booth

• Band: The Convicts

• Becky’s dress: Lauren Elizabeth Bridal

• Ciara’s dress: La Boda Bridal

• Seamstress: Sew Handy

• Hair: SUSAN EVANS hairdressing

• Makeup: Julie Quinn

• Bridesmaids dresses: asos

• Best man’s suit: Suit Locker (find on Instagram)

• Dads suit: Suitor Bros Clothiers and Custom Tailors

• Ciara’s engagement ring: Murray and co

• Becky’s engagement ring and both wedding rings: Jack Murphy Jewellers Jackets were made by my friend Nadine O’Hare and her mum Paula O’hare

Has anything changed since you said “I Do”?

Well we still don’t see each other as often as we would like... although I was told this was the secret to a good marriage! I suppose for me, being able to say “wife” and be the same as any other couple, means a lot to me sentimentally!

Anything else we may have missed that you may want to add/mention???

Possibly just some advice to future lgbtq couples:

1 - Don’t settle on vendors. Go and explore your options and do your research!!!

2 - We got ready together right up until we put our dresses on and it was the nicest way to spend the day. It made the day feel longer as well

3 - Do your wedding how you want it! Not what others want or what you think they will want.

4 - Breathe and enjoy it!!

5 - Lastly if anyone is stuck or needs help, reach out to our Instagram page @ bridesbythesea_ni

At Starling Entertainments we very much appreciate the time and organisation required by the couple, so it is our pleasure to eliminate some of that pressure and provide you with a professional, fully bespoke entertainment package from start to finish.

Our aim is to lighten the weight of responsibility that falls on your shoulders by supplying the highest quality acts and much more to meet your individual requirements. All of the acts that are accessible to you, have been personally vetted by us before their details are made available through Starling Entertainments. We guarantee that you will get only the best quality entertainment for your very special day.

Its your day so have it your way!

For additional information please contact Tel: 07802 341134 Email: info@starlingentertainments.com