An NI couple have told all about their beautiful wedding day on Italy's Amalfi Coast.
Niamh Quinn, 28, and her 29-year-old husband Sean, who live in Belfast and are from Co Tyrone, got engaged in May 2018 after being together for seven years.
In Be 's weekly feature Inside My Wedding, couples are delving into their special day to give bride and grooms-to-be some top tips.
The pair got married in Italy on September 9, 2021 with a beautiful ceremony in Positano followed by a stunning wedding reception in Sorrento.
Niamh has told us all about the big day!
Why did you decide to get married abroad?
We decided to get married abroad when we visited Sorrento on holiday in June 2019. We had previously viewed several venues in Ireland but the minimum guest numbers were much higher than we wanted. It was a spur of the moment decision but one we're so glad we made!
How did you start planning?
The first thing we started with was the church. Non-Italian natives are unable to have a Catholic ceremony in Sorrento so we had to look to the nearest town over which was Positano. It has the most stunning church on the edge of the water, right at the bottom of the famous vertical cliffs.
Tell us about your venue and how you decided on it?
Villa Antiche Mura was the last venue we had booked to view and we almost didn't go. In fact, we turned up at the wrong place and almost missed the appointment! We were very lucky to finally get there and instantly fell in love with the venue.
It had a panoramic view across the Sorrento bay looking towards Mount Vesuvius, and citrus gardens for guests to explore. It blew all other venues out of the water and we booked it on the spot!
Tell us about your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses and suits!
I spent a long time looking for my wedding dress and visited probably 15 boutiques. There was a very specific idea in my mind that I couldn't seem to pinpoint, but I knew the dress had to have texture and be light and airy enough for the Italian weather. My bridal party and I visited Serendipity Bridal Boutique in Fivemiletown.
I described what I was looking for and the stylist knew exactly which dress to pull. As she went upstairs to get my size, my mum just happened to grab the same dress from the sample rail and it was love at first sight! I tried it on and couldn't stop staring, that's when I knew it was the one. It was an Atelier Pronovias gown in a fitted style with beautiful textured fabric. The neckline was low cut with beading all along it, which was perfect for the sunshine and hotter temperatures. Needless to say there was a sigh of relief and a few tears!
Once the dress was sorted, I was set on having a hat. The bridal shop recommended Diane Lee, a local milliner, who specialises in bridal and wedding millinery. When I explained to Diane what I was looking for, she knew exactly what to do. She was the perfect person for the job and really added to the excitement of the planning.
The men wore navy Remus Uomo tuxedos which were purchased from the lovely Bogart in Belfast. I can't recommend them enough - they provided the suits, shoes, shirts, cufflinks and even socks! The lining of the jackets had a map of the world which made them even more appropriate. This was all cheaper than hiring elsewhere for a week so definitely give Bogart a call if you're looking for suits.
What was the best part in the build up to your day?
The best part of the build up was when the invitations arrived! We went all out on the stationery which was from Margo and Bees. The invite itself was etched in white ink on acrylic and wrapped in vellum with a wax seal and dried flowers. This was enclosed in a sage green box and tied with a white ribbon in a bow. The invites arrived a week earlier than expected so my sister and I literally squealed when we opened the box and saw them for the first time!
What was the best moment of your day and your other favourite parts?
The best moment of the day was the boat which took the two of us from the ceremony to the reception. It was a quiet moment for us to soak in the atmosphere and chat about the day so far. Another great one has to be the cake. We opted for a traditional Italian Millefoglie cake which was made live in front of us and our guests - something we had never seen before!
What would you tell other bride and grooms to plan first?
I would recommend others planning a wedding to start with the big things. The ceremony and reception venue are the first you want to check as they will likely book up first. After that should be the entertainment, photographer, hair and makeup. Everything else after that is supplementary.
What were the hardest parts to plan?
The hardest part to plan was definitely the logistics. Since the ceremony was an hour away from the reception, we had to figure out how to transport our guests between both. We opted for the boat so everyone could see the coast, but also because the bus travels a very windy road and often isn't air conditioned. Everyone made it to the ceremony and back so it worked out well!
Did you have a theme?
We had a colour scheme rather than a theme - navy, olive green and gold. We wanted classic accents like lots of white roses and greenery.
Would you do anything different or wish there was anything you didn't worry about?
I wish I didn't worry so much about the weather! The week leading up to the wedding I was glued to the weather forecast. Of course it was predicting thunder storms and torrential rain for our entire stay! I could imagine what everyone would say - we had dragged them all to Italy for more of the same wet weather - but thankfully the forecast changed the day we arrived and we never saw a cloud the whole time. At the end of the day, there's no point in worrying about what you can't control but you can be prepared!
Did Covid change your plans?
Yes unfortunately our original date of 25th September 2020 had to be postponed due to Covid. While everyone could have travelled to Italy at the time, we didn't feel comfortable asking our loved ones to travel, so we made the decision to push the wedding back a year. We bought a house instead as we had the extra year to save the money for the wedding - so it wasn't all bad!
Do you want to tell us all about your wedding day? Email be@belfastlive.co.uk to be featured!
