True Love Tuesday....Mr & Mrs Newman - Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine

Finding love amongst the clouds is what a lot of people dream of, for Louise and Richard this wasn’t just a dream it was very real and very romantic.

Louise Ross now a Health Visitor previously from Enniskillen but living in Belfast met London born Richard Newman on a Virgin Atlantic flight travelling to St Lucia. Richard was on the flight in Upper Class which was where Louise was working as Cabin Crew serving pre-departure drinks, following a quick chat Richard asked Louise for her number which then lead to a date in Brighton.

A very romantic proposal happened 34,000 feet in the air while on a flight to Dubai. Louise was working on a long haul flight to Dubai and Richard was a passenger and thought it would be the perfect moment to surprise Louise with a proposal. A perfect diamond engagement ring was bought in Dubai while on a stopover before flying home. Leaving four months to plan an amazing wedding after deciding in October that it was time to get married after 8 years, it was all hands on deck to ensure that no detail was left out.

A winters day with a chic city feel themed wedding was booked for 21st January 2023 at Belfast City Hall followed by a reception in Ten Square Hotel. Louise and Richard had golden lanterns and candelabras with a golden and cream colour scheme and green foliage flowing. Louise said they chose this theme because “I felt we were in the midst of winter looking down from Ten Square across to the stunning City Hall and the hustle and bustle of Belfast and the pink buses, it was perfect”.

Loving Priscilla Presley’s wedding look Louise knew what she was after for her wedding look, her dress also had to go with her dreamy white Christian Louboutins. Louise said “I wanted big 60’s hair and a bouffant veil. My dress was from Coast, very simple long sleeved fishtail dress. It was a very stress free online shopping experience”. Louise got a dress for her daughter Francesca who was Bridesmaid from Folkster, it was beautiful, a gorgeous green velvet dress teamed with a truffle cape from Helen Moore with glamourous gold shoes. A very pretty dress came from Next for flowergirl and niece Eliza. Little navy suits with pale gold waistcoats for sons Jacob and Zachary along with suits for Richard and groomsman Tim finished the bridal party look.

Planning a wedding can be stressful especially the table plan, making sure you seat people with other people that they will get on with and hope that they can all have a good time, the best part as Louise told us “I felt a really special part was planning my memory table, my mum and I sat with a glass of wine going through old photo albums we laughed and cried and it was so commented on by every guest. Looking back I am so happy I did this”.

The wedding day went quickly and was full of memories they will cherish forever. The stunning wedding included a sweety cart, sequin wall, memory table and a beautiful wedding singer Rachel Toman who sang some of the couple’s favourite songs by Fleetwood Mac and the Cranberries. For a bit of craic Louise booked a wedding crasher to come in dressed as a bride and entertain the crowd, she said “it was hilarious”.

Louise and Richard both said a highlight of their day was “we loved getting in the white London taxi and heading to the Duke of York for our pictures and everyone congratulating us. So much fun, having a wee Guinness as well”. They wouldn’t change anything about their day either saying “I did my best planning and it all seemed to go well”.

The happy couple are planning to go to Marbella in June for their honeymoon and are looking forward to enjoying a whole new chapter in their lives. They did give this advice to other couples planning their weddings “Don’t stress, get to love writing to do lists and enjoy every part of the build-up”