Young Love, Timeless Promises: A Journey to Forever
Young love is like a flame that burns brightly with the passion of youth, warming hearts and lighting up the path to a future filled with endless possibilities.
Lianne Reavey a Quantity Surveyor from Annaghmore, Co Armagh met Shane Rafferty a Transition Analyst from Granemore, Co Armagh in school where friendship and love blossomed amongst the books and halls. Lianne and Shane started dating in 2016, followed by the birth of little Padraig in 2019 and then Darragh in 2021.
A trip to Galway as a family of 3 led to a beautiful proposal on Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. Lianne told us “We went to Galway in July 2020 and while we were there he had planned the proposal on Diamond Hill, in Connemara National Park. It was beautiful and we loved that Padraig (he was 9 months old at the time) was there with us. The ring is a trilogy ring made up of an oval and a pear each side. It’s from Cahoon’s Jewellers, Cookstown”.
The newly engaged couple planned their wedding for 22 April 2023 and booked St Johns Chapel in Annaghmore along with the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan. They incorporated their clean, crisp and simple theme with the ivory bridesmaid dresses and black tuxedo’s for the groomsmen, they wanted to be able to look back on their wedding photo’s and for them to be timeless.
After visiting a few bridal boutiques Lianne instantly fell in love with a gown in Indie and Grace Bridal, Lianne said “I’d been to three boutiques already and tried on so many amazing dresses – but I just knew they weren’t the one. I loved the whole experience of bridal shopping – my Mum, Granny and Bridesmaids came to all the appointments. It was just such a lovely experience with them”
Bridesmaid dresses for best friends Cara Lavery, Emma Williamson and Cara Devine (also Lianne’s cousin) came from Folkster online, they were altered and embellished by the Sewing Room, Moy.
Shane and his groomsmen Ryan Rafferty (Shane’s brother and best man) Darran Rafferty (Shane’s younger brother) and Darren Carr (friend from school) went to Statement Menswear in Portadown for their suits.
Lianne and Shane really enjoyed planning their wedding, they told us “We loved it all – we loved the trips down to the hotel for lunch with the kids and walks around the Palace Stables (where we had our photos) – just imagining how the day would go. Our two kids made it very exciting as they had been practicing their smiles and dancing. Seeing them excited was the best part for us. I think everyone stresses about the finances of a wedding – it is a lot of money for one day – but Shane took control of the budget and we always made sure we knew where we were with it without letting it get out of control”
The wedding went like a dream, they had the best day, during dinner The Event Band performed for their 175 guests, from the minute everyone entered their suite the party started, some guests even made it to the dancefloor before the meal was served setting the wedding vibe for the day. Lianne told us about what could have been a disaster “The weather I suppose – the entire week leading up the wedding the weather was beautiful but I had been keeping an eye on it and knew the rain was due for the day of the wedding. I had ordered cool clear umbrellas in preparation!! There are so many things you can control – but the weather isn’t one of them – so we just got on with it!! It didn’t dampen our day!”
A highlight of the day for both Shane and Lianne was the music, they said “We both agree it was the music! We had Molly McKeever singing at the Chapel – and she was amazing. Our song choices really made our ceremony so personal to us! We then had the Nooks performing during the drinks reception which really set the tone for the day – followed by The Event Band who just blew everyone away! We hadn’t told any of our guests about the dinner entertainment so they all loved it. Then the Nooks were there to take over for the evening entertainment and they just kept the party going. Incredible!”
The only thing Lianne said she would do differently would be to be less rushed on the morning of the wedding “The hour before we left for the chapel was a blur and all very rushed with photographs / hair / make-up – I wish I would have took it in more in that moment”.
The family of 4 took a short minimoon to Lanzarote after the wedding to relax and have family time, they have a honeymoon booked for New York and Mexico in November and are really looking forward to it. Before heading to Lanzarote they gave this advice to other couples planning their own wedding “It sounds so cliché but enjoy it!”
Lianne and Shane are loving married life, they said “It is a genuinely lovely feeling – although we already lived together and had two kids so it feels like everything is back to normal now and were just enjoying family life”
WEDDING SUPPLIERS INFO:
Reception location: Four Seasons Hotel Monaghan
Wedding Dress from: Indie Grace Bridal
Groomswear from: Statement Menswear
Make-up by: Carla Bailie – Makeup Artist
Hair by: Hair at 25
Flowers by: Urban Eden Flowers
Room Décor by: Urban Eden Flowers
Rings from: Murray & Co
Stationery by: Handcrafted Wedding Stationery
Transport from:Mid Ulster Limos
Photography by: Photography By Melissa
