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Belfast Live

Nadia Breen

Inside My Wedding: NI couple's 'perfect' big day at Lough Erne Resort

Joel NI Andrew Mckenna Arnie

A NI couple have shared a look inside their 'perfect' wedding day with a beautiful outdoor ceremony.

28-year-old Sophie Luney from Lisburn and husband Joel (27) from Comber had their big day on July 21, 2022 at Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen.

In our weekly feature Inside My Wedding, couples are delving into their special day to give bride and grooms-to-be some top tips.

Sophie told Be: "Joel and I met over 11 years ago as teenagers at our caravan site in Kesh, Fermanagh that we went to at the weekends. We were friends for a few months and the rest was history.

"We got engaged on July 12, 2019 in Lugano, Switzerland after being together for seven and a half years."

Sophie has told us all about their big day!

Bridal party (Andrew McKenna Photography)

Tell us about your wedding day!

It was the most incredible day from start to finish. Everything we ever dreamed of!

How did you begin planning your wedding?

We started planning as soon as we were home from holiday. We were only home for 3 days and I had Joel dragged to our first wedding fair. The excitement was just too much and I knew exactly what I wanted. We got the majority of vendors booked within the first two months of planning. We began with deciding on our venue and then deciding on a date.

Just married (Andrew McKenna Photography)

How did you decide on your venue?

Lough Erne Resort was actually the only venue we looked at. We had always talked about when we got married and that it would always be there. We just love it so much! Fermanagh is a very special place for us as it’s where we met so it felt like the perfect place to get married.

Tell us all about your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses & suits!

I always knew what kind of style I wanted but couldn’t find the dress that had everything I was looking for. After two shops and trying every style and dress on, I thought I was just being too fussy. It was the third shop which was Wed2B where I found the perfect dress. I knew as soon as I put it on that it was the one. I added lace straps and a belt and that was it.. I fell in love! The experience in WED2B was fantastic. The girls were amazing and you can spend all day there if need be. There was no rush. I highly recommend any brides-to-be to have a visit.

The bridesmaid dresses were from Chantilly Lace Bridal Boutique, Lurgan. I knew that sage green was the exact colour I wanted so it was just a case of finding a dress that all of the girls loved! Which we found very quickly. It was a really lovely experience.

Wedding party (Andrew McKenna Photography)

The suits were from Bogart Menswear, Belfast. We went with a traditional navy and we added a patterned waistcoat for Joel to stand out a bit more. Stephen in Bogarts was brilliant to work with.

Mother of the bride outfit was from Jonzara, Lisburn.

What was the best part in the build-up to your day?

The best part in the build-up was all of the planning that we had been doing for years all coming together. I am a very organised person and absolutely loved the whole planning process. It’s actually something that I really miss now that it’s all over.

Bride and groom (Andrew McKenna Photography)

What was the best moment of your day and your other favourite parts?

The best moment of the day was walking down the aisle. There were so many emotions at that point and just seeing everyone that we love there to celebrate with us was such a heart-warming feeling. Listening to the speeches was also very special. They were some of the best we have heard. Lots of laughter and lots of tears.

A really special moment for us was having our dog Arnie there for photos. We couldn’t have had our day without him. He’s our baby. Arnie wore a harness suit from Tuna and Bear which was made to match the wedding suits. He posed for lots of photos. I may be biased but he’s the most handsome and photogenic dog.

Sophie, Joel and Arnie (Andrew McKenna Photography)

What would you tell other bride and grooms to plan first & what are your top tips?

I would tell other brides and grooms to plan the venue first. The venue is the biggest part of the wedding. Once you have decided on somewhere you love, then everything links in with time of year and theme you want to go for.

A top tip would be to enjoy the whole experience. We used to be told how quickly it all goes and it really does! It’s all over in a flash so take it all in and enjoy the journey.

Sophie's dress (Andrew McKenna Photography)

What were the hardest parts to plan?

For us the hardest parts were due to Covid. We had to change our date twice. Trying to get a new date and making sure that all of our vendors we had already booked were able to do any other potential dates was really difficult. It had taken a lot of organising with many emails and phone calls. Thankfully we were really lucky and found a date that all of our vendors were available on.

Wedding cake (Andrew McKenna Photography)

Did you have a theme?

The theme/vibe of our wedding was very natural with lots of wood, white flowers and greenery. We had an outdoor ceremony which made the theme all fit together. We were very lucky with the weather - no rain in sight! Which is a very rare occurrence in Fermanagh, so we couldn’t believe it!