The couple at the centre of today's real wedding feature, Dee and Geo, dreamed of a laid-back celebration that felt more like an extended night out than a traditional wedding, and that's exactly what they got at Hilden Brewery in Lisburn! Featuring courtyard games, scratch card wedding favours, and a surprise appearance by the couple's sausage dog, Sam, this wedding was all about ditching the formalities and having an incredible time! Laura J Curran Photography captured the day in gorgeous detail, including the epic, rustic florals, and we just can't wait to share it with you!
Dee tells us that she met Geo while they were both working in the same cinema during college. "I suppose it’s very rare for two people to fall in love while spending a Sunday afternoon cleaning an industrial popcorn machine, but that’s one of the earliest memories we have of just being giddy about each other," she says.
Dee describes Geo's proposal as "very romantic and unexpected! We had been living in Glasgow for four years, and I had to move back to Belfast before Geo to start my new job. I went back to Glasgow a few weeks later to help pack up the last of our stuff in our flat and, on the Friday night, we were out for Geo’s work leaving do. When we got back to our empty flat, Geo had lit a few candles and had made a very sweet slideshow of photos of us over the years. At the end, I turned around and he was down on one knee with a plastic 'tide-you-over' ring, as I called it. We were both a bit drunk, laughing and crying at the same time!"
Dee chose the Lenora dress by Wtoo by Watters from Marie Me Bridal for the big day, which, with its lace trim and cutout panels, is the perfect compromise between classic and boho styles! Her bridesmaids, meanwhile, donned beautiful teal blue gowns by Sorella Vita. What a stylish gang they make!
Dee describes the couple's big day as, "laid-back, informal and very fun. It was essentially a piss-up in a brewery! We kept our decorations to a minimum because Hilden is so rustic and quirky, it would have been a shame to do too much to it."
It took Dee and Geo no time at all to settle on Hilden Brewery as their reception venue. "Everyone knows we love a good pint and a good feed, so it made the choice pretty easy," Dee says. "A hotel wedding wasn’t really our style, it seemed a bit too prescribed for us. We loved that we could customise each part of our day and also the fact that it really didn’t need any decorating, as it has so much character on its own. It was also the first place we went on a date after we got engaged and had just moved back home, so it felt quite special."
The couple were keen to bring their personalities to the day, wherever possible. "We’re big music and beer fans, so Hilden was the obvious choice where the drinks were concerned," Dee says. "We loved the fact the guests could pour their own pints at the drinks reception! We also spent many, many hours creating a playlist for Mick from The Hootin Annie’s to play after the band had finished. We didn’t want your usual wedding playlist, which was a bit controversial, so we had everything from Spandau Ballet to Metallica to DJ Sammy. The plan was to have no 'popping-to-the-bar/toilet' songs. It worked. The dance floor was constantly packed!"
Asked to name a highlight from the day, Dee tells us, "probably the fact that Geo’s best man, Dan, flew back from South Korea the day before!"
The couple's dog, Sam, was their guest of honour on the day! "We had Sam and my aunt’s dog, Bailey, looked after by Dogzone NI for the weekend, who also brought them both to the drinks reception at Hilden for photos." This is such a great idea for couples who want to include their pet in their wedding, but need help with the logistics!
Dee's advice for engaged couples is to, "just do you! Know that you will not be able to please everyone. Don’t feel under pressure to have things a certain way or invite a million people just because it’s what other people do. And when you’re feeling stressed about it all, just step back and remind yourself why you are organising it in the first place!"
As Dee had her final exam in anaesthetics three weeks after the wedding ("it was very poor planning on my part!" she admits), the couple weren't able go on a long holiday straight after the big day. "We went for a week-long driving minimoon around Ireland. We took Sam with us, so stayed in some lovely dog-friendly spots - The Twelve Hotel in Galway was a favourite. We’ve since been for a week to Ibiza and a week to Toronto, which were both amazing. Oh, and I passed my exam!" Hurrah - I feel double congratulations are in order!
We honestly can't get over how cute little Sam is! Before we bid farewell to Dee and Geo's real wedding, we've got to thank the couple for sharing their day with us, and Laura J Curran for providing the beautiful imagery! There are more photographs in the gallery below, so be sure to click through for a look.
