True Love Tuesday Caroline and Jake Lendrum... - Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine

Twinkly Lights, Love & Laughter

Together is a beautiful place to be

Caroline Handcock a Recruitment Manager from Greyabbey met Jake Lendrum a Civil Engineer from Bangor at Christmas in 2015. Sharing stories over a cup of tea at a mutual friends house led to a New Years Eve date which then of course led to love and marriage. Caroline was studying at University in Southampton and Jake was working on a contracted job in Edinburgh but they still managed to meet up every few weeks until they moved back home to Northern Ireland.

Getting married was something they discussed over the years and both agreed that they would ideally like a wintery wedding and also be married by 2022. On Sunday 28th March 2021 they were going to visit Caroline’s Grandparents in Larne, they stopped for brunch along the way and then also stopped at Gleno Waterfall, Jake mentioned it was nearby and that he would like to stop for a walk. There were lots of sea swimmers swimming in the waterfall, just in front of the waterfall there was a little bridge. Jake asked Caroline to set up the phone timer so they could get a photo, not thinking anything of it, Caroline set up the phone but when she turned around Jake was down on one knee with the most beautiful ring in his hand. A platinum band with a three diamond setting from Lunn’s, stunning and the ring of Caroline’s dreams. Jake had already asked Caroline’s Dad for her hand in marriage a few days before while they were chatting out in his shed, also a regular occurrence, if you’re looking for them they can be found out in the shed! Caroline said that Jake and her Dad exchanged handshakes and her dad was delighted but very emotional.

Dress shopping was an experience, Caroline said “Even after four other shops where I had tried on numerous dresses, I still was very unsure of what style I wanted. My Mum and Nanny had picked one dress out which they both loved, and I chose another couple, then Emma from La Boda had picked a few. I tried on the one my Mum and Nanny had picked out first, and when I put it on I just had the most amazing feeling come over me and knew it was the one. Emma drew back the curtain and Mum, Nanny and Jessica sat in tears! I tried on a few of the others, but nothing compared. It made me feel like a princess!”

Caroline told us about the experience at La Boda “After four different bridal shops, I booked an appointment with La Boda Bridal in Banbridge. The service was exceptional, one I had never experienced before. They welcomed my Mum, Nanny, bridesmaid Jessica and I with open arms, provided champagne and chocolates and then I got trying on the dresses”

Bridesmaid dresses for Jazz; Maid of Honour and Best Friend, along with Best Friend and Sister in Law to be Jessica, Jake’s Sisters Eve and Holly and Farrah who was Flowergirl all came from Seraphim Bridal in Greyabbey. Catherine who helped them was excellent and very accommodating, having a variety of bridesmaids with different ages and tastes it was never going to be the easiest of tasks to find something to suit everyone, Catherine made it as easy as possible for them.
The suits for Jake and his Groomsmen; Best Man and Catherine’s brother Jack, Jake’s Brother in Law Tony, Jake’s Brother Luka and Pageboy Jude all came from Focus in Bangor.

The wedding date was set for 10th December 2022 at Hillmount House in Larne, they got married in the original building and had their reception in the newly built contemporary style barn which is simply amazing and set the perfect back drop for their wintery wedding vibe, they wanted to incorporate some Christmas feel but not too much. They had deep purple and pink colours throughout the wedding along with some fairy lights, Christmas trees, the couple even folded the napkins into Christmas trees, the wedding breakfast was a traditional turkey and ham dinner which went down a treat with their 110 guests. Caroline said “I always knew I wanted deep but bright colours incorporated into our wedding, I wanted it to feel and look rich but also keep within the Wintery December vibes.”

“The day was phenomenal! I know it sounds pretty cliché, but we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better day. We watch our wedding video back all the time and flick through our photos, wishing we could relive the day over and over again!” The couple told us. They have absolutely no regrets from not sticking to their budget, the day was just magical from start to finish and will be a day to remember for many years to come. There were a few special features throughout the day but the main one was it was Caroline’s Nanny’s 80th birthday so getting to celebrate with her on the day with a cake was fantastic and of course Caroline’s Nanny loved it. The guests were also surprised by Fiddler Adam who entertained the guests after the meal, he had everyone up on their feet dancing, singing and doing the Conga line around the room. Caroline and her Daddy also had a special moment when they enjoyed a dance together just before the Bride and Groom took to the floor.

Planning the wedding was easy due to Caroline having a degree in Event Management along with a lot of experience, Jake didn’t really have to do much, apart from pick a suit and actually turn up. Caroline had the wedding well organised and planned in advance, she knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted her dream wedding to look, they both said the hard work paid off. Caroline told us “Jake didn’t have much to do other than try on suits and show up on the day, my favourite memory from the planning stage will forever be the moment I found my dream dress and the reaction from my Mum, Nanny and Jessica which will be cherished forever” The most stressful part wasn’t during the planning stages, they were all under control, including the seating arrangements, it was the week running up to the wedding that brought a bit of stress, Grandparents fell ill along with some other family members so weren’t able to make the wedding, thankfully it was still magical day.

A funny moment was “Caroline had a little trip up the aisle, but it made everyone giggle and settled the nerves slightly” Jake told us.

A highlight of the day was “Gosh how could I ever choose one, there are so many for me personally, but my top two would be walking down the stairs at Hillmount House to see my Daddy, a moment I will forever cherish. And of course obviously seeing Jake at the end of the aisle – he might of shed a little tear!” Caroline told us. Jake’s was seeing Caroline walk down the aisle
If they could they would have made the day slow down and last longer!
They gave this advice to other couples planning their own special day “Ask around and research different suppliers before jumping in and booking just anyone. You really do want to have a team of amazing suppliers join you on your wedding day! I can honestly say we had a dream team that made everything so smooth and relaxed for us! Enjoy every moment! Continue to make time for each other and have date nights on the run up to the wedding because sometimes the planning can take over! On the wedding day, relax, have fun, take it all in and enjoy every single moment because it is over in a flash! But I can’t recommend enough to take five minutes out of the day for just the two of you!”

After the wedding Caroline and Jake had a short mini-moon break to Tenerife, they’re going away at the end of April to Orlando, spending a week there, before getting on a Royal Caribbean cruise around East Caribbean which they are both very much looking forward to.
“Married life is a rollercoaster but so much fun! Alongside planning a wedding and getting married, we have been self-building our forever home and have recently announced that we our expecting our first baby later this year! So a very busy 2023 ahead, but we are so so excited and we can’t wait for this next chapter in our lives!” The happy couple told us.

WEDDING SUPPLIERS INFO:
Ceremony & Reception location: Hillmount House