When Brenda O’Neill met her now husband Damien McMahon, he was trying to sell her make-up – and even though she didn’t buy any, he was still smitten, and the two became a pair. Five years later, on Brenda’s birthday, she was babysitting for her sister and couldn’t get out all day – so Damien made her day by proposing with a ring from Cahoon’s in Cookstown. Brenda loved her ring as soon as she saw it – and quipped, “The boy did good!”
Her wedding dress shopping wasn’t as easy though. “I had already picked a dress but I didn’t like it so I started looking for a new one. It made the experience quite stressful. Then, when I saw the dress I finally chose, I didn’t think it was ‘me’. But as soon as I tried it on I fell in love with it.” Brenda looked stunning in her final choice – an A-line gown with beaded lace bodice, applique and sheer overlay. The bridal party was a real family affair, with their daughter and son assigned the roles of flower girl and pageboy. Brenda’s niece was the second flower girl and the young girls wore dresses from Monsoon. The bridesmaids – Brenda’s sister Tanya, friend Theresa, and Damien’s sisters Natasha and Lisa-Marie – all wore dusky lilac one-shoulder dresses with flower detail on the strap, all sourced online.
And the men – Damien’s brother Kevin, his friend Gary, cousin Ciaran and Brenda’s brother Dominic – all wore suits from Louis Boyd. Damien opted for a different style, with a tartan check three-piece, with the rest decked out in a contrasting blue. They really enjoyed planning the day, especially adding touches individual to them. Brenda joked that “paying for it was the most stressful!” And it’s no surprise that they didn’t stick to their budget! But their vintage themed day, held with 120 guests at the beautiful Wild Duck Inn in Portglenone, after a ceremony at St Mary’s Chapel, Bellaghy, went exactly to plan and they still wouldn’t do anything differently. “We loved every minute of it. It’s great to be able to finally call each other husband and wife. “We would advise other couples to enjoy every minute of their day as it goes by so fast. Our day went so well, but it’s also really tiring!”
Wedding Details
Reception: The Wild Duck Inn
Wedding Dress: Wedded Bliss Bridal House
Groomswear: Louis Boyd
Make-up: Blush Beauty Salon
Flowers: Amy Rose Flowers
Room Décor: Swift Wedding and Event Services
Rings: Cahoon’s
Cake: Lyttle Cakes
Stationery: The Copy Shop
Photography: Audrey Kelly/ C2 Photography
Entertainment: 3’s A Crowd
