A NI couple have shared a look inside their "incredible" wedding day.
Brendan, 28, and 26-year-old Olivia Quinn from Belfast have been together since June 2014 and got engaged on December 13, 2020.
In our weekly feature Inside My Wedding, couples are delving into their special day to give bride and grooms-to-be some top tips.
Read more: Inside My Wedding: NI couple's special day at Jackson's Hotel in Donegal
The actor and beauty therapist had their big day on October 13 - a ceremony at St Teresa's Church in West Belfast followed by their reception at The Loft Templepatrick.
Brendan said: "I can hold my hands up and say that every detail of this wedding no matter how small was done by my beautiful wife! Olivia had an attention to detail and overall vision that just seemed to work and manifest itself into reality."
Olivia and Brendan have told Be all about their special day.
Tell us all about your wedding day!
Our wedding day was incredible. At times we think it was a blur, then other times we can piece together every moment. To have all your loved ones in a single venue is an absolute blessing. We can truly say it was the best day of our lives... so far!
How did you begin planning your wedding?
We always wanted an autumnal wedding and the 13th just seemed like a perfect date, given that’s the day we started our relationship and also the date we got engaged.
How did you decide on your venue?
We came across a few venues before we found The Rabbit Hotel and we were absolutely floored. Their venue is truly breath-taking and like no other venue that we had seen. Having everyone in one big room brought the party together.
Our ceremony was at St Teresa’s of Avila on the Glen Road. Strangely enough, eight years previous we went for our first drive and decided to meet up just outside the church, so that venue picked itself.
Tell us all about your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses & suits!
I always envisioned a dress that would make me feel like a princess. I tried on quite a few dresses before finding the one I loved. Forever Bridal in Finaghy was the first bridal salon I contacted for an appointment but it was the last one I visited and all along the dress of my dreams was on my door step. Leondra, Rachel, Natalie and seamstress Tanya provided amazing service and always made me feel special.
I knew the colours I wanted my bridesmaids to wear and bringing the autumnal colours to reality was helped by Elsebeth in Peony Bridal in Hillsborough who sourced all the dresses for me. They were phenomenal and my bridesmaids wore them so well.
Again we didn’t need to travel too far to get the suits. McCalls of Lisburn had everything we needed and more. Fraser and Roy gave the boys the best advice on wedding attire and we can’t thank them enough for their help.
Overall, we were blessed that everything was at our finger tips and sourced locally.
What was the best part in the build-up to your day?
The best part for us was really an excuse to see our friends and family all together. Every weekend was an excuse to meet up and plan, or not plan if truth be told. Between these get-togethers with our bridal party and our stags and hens, we really got to socialise again after the restrictions of the pandemic.
What was the best moment of your day and your other favourite parts?
The best moment for us was stepping to the side of our reception and taking it all in. Seeing all our friends and family in one place as husband and wife is truly something we will never forget. Favourite parts of the day include wearing the dress for the first time and both of us getting ready with our bridal party. Brendan’s DeLorean time machine car, s’mores and of course the singing waiters - to name but a few.
What would you tell other bride and grooms to plan first & what are your top tips?
Have a date in mind and book your venue(s) and vendors well in advance to allow you to feel in control of the big day.
We found that this allowed us to build good relationships with our vendor. They got to know us - our style and our vision. It’s an incredible feeling when it all comes together.
What were the hardest parts to plan?
There were some challenges along the way but none insurmountable when surrounded by family and good friends to support us.
Did you have a theme?
Our vibe was traditional mixed with our personalities - chilled and relaxed. Getting married in October allowed us to focus on autumnal colours which were majestically captured by the floral arrangements and bouquets by Fleuiste and our incredible wedding cake designed by The Daily Apron in Lisburn. The warmth of the colours of the flowers and the cake really set the vibe for the day.
Would you do anything different?
A special person in our life reminded us that “a wedding is a day, but a marriage is for life”
This really stuck with us. We couldn’t imagine doing anything differently and we didn’t sweat the small stuff. We just enjoyed the build up as we knew our marriage would be the beginning of 'our adventure'.
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Do you want to tell us all about your wedding day? Email be@belfastlive.co.uk for your chance to be featured.
