Today, we are bringing you details of a wedding that's packed with windswept joy, rugged landscape and the kiss of the ocean! Gareth and Sara held their gorgeous and intimate ceremony on Downhill strand in Northern Ireland, where they had 20 of their nearest and dearest with them on the day, along with some truly special guests joining the wedding live from the US via video chat! We loved their low-key and charming seaside soirée, and we think you will too! Captured through the lens of Laura Curran from And Other Lovers Collective, these pictures are truly breathtaking. Have a look for yourself!
The first thing we asked the couple, of course, is how they met, because - let's face it! - we all love a good love story! Sara tells us that she and Gareth met on a date, her "first and last" bumble date to be exact! "We met for coffee and dessert at Ambrosia café on the Ormeau Road before then going on to the Northern Lights for a gin and board games. A few lunches, hikes and holidays later, we were inseparable and looking forward to a lifetime of fun and adventures together."
Sara's wedding dress was a bodysuit and skirt combination from Etsy, with a preloved overskirt from eBay. She wore a gold bangle, which was her grandmother's, and her pearl necklace was her mother's. Her gorgeous flowers came from Blooming Backdrop in Northern Ireland.
Sara's gorgeous pink coat came from Liberty in Love, as well as her beautiful pearl earrings, which matched her mom's necklace on the wedding day.
The day was especially emotional as Sara's mother, who lives in the US, was ill at the time and couldn't be there on the day. Sara tells us, "She was adamant that we went ahead. She wanted nothing more than to see me happy and marry the man I love. She cheered us on the whole way and, thanks to technology, even from her hospital bed, she could be there with us every step of the way. She passed away only four weeks later, and I'm so grateful for her wisdom and foresight, because, if we had postponed, my Mom would have missed the wedding and it would have changed everything. Having my Mom there, even via videocall, and capturing her through my sister’s phone in photos and on the wedding video is just the most precious and important part of the day, and always will be to me."
When it came to the couple's main goals on the day, Sara said that she and Gareth were adamant that their big day would go ahead. She says they, "tried to make the best out of a difficult situation, and to continue to enjoy and celebrate life, despite the obstacles. We also wanted to share our special day with our immediate family and best friends, who represented all the special people that couldn’t be there in person. We’re looking forward to having a big party with everyone next year."
Sara's sister walked her down the aisle on the day - what a lovely idea!
Gareth's mother made the wedding cake for the couple and it went down a treat! Gareth's three-year-old son, Daniel, seemed to really love it too!
The couple had always wanted to get married on the beach and Downhill seemed like the perfect location! Sara says, "We always talked about getting married on the beach and Downhill Strand is just so beautiful and romantic – especially with the Mussenden Temple in the background. We had our photos taken at Dunseverick Castle, on the cliffs, where Gareth and I often walk, cycle and splash in the rockpools."
When it comes to a honeymoon, the couple tells us that they are planning on going to the Greek island of Santorini as soon as Covid permits! Their advice for other engaged couples is, "enjoy and savour every minute of it; it really does go so fast, too fast! As cliché as it sounds, try not to stress over the small things, they really don’t matter, and instead focus on and celebrate the wins, as small as they may seem at the time."
Thank you so much to the lovely Sara and Gareth for sharing your stunning beach wedding with us and of course to And Other Lovers Collective for capturing all those special moments behind the camera! There are more pictures to pore over in the gallery below!
