True Love Tuesday Tracy and Daniel Rafferty... - Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine

Coming Together

A FEW MONTHS’ DELAY TO THEIR WEDDING DAY, DUE TO COVID, TURNED TRACY AND DANIEL’S SPRING NUPTIALS INTO AN AMAZING AUTUMN CELEBRATION.

Tracy Jackson, an Environmental Health Officer from Coalisland, first met Daniel Rafferty, an electrician and farmer from Galbally, at McAleer’s in Dungannon on New Year’s Eve 2012. Long-time loves, they got engaged at a special getaway to Farnham Estate in Cavan on 1st March 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit. Previously, the couple met with Gemma from Jack Murphy Jewellers, who assisted them in their choice of ring: a beautiful row of three diamonds set in yellow gold with the centre stone an emerald cut diamond.

When it came to looking for her wedding dress, Tracy had a clear vision in mind. She wanted something simple but elegant with long sleeves. Some careful research on Instagram helped point her in the right direction, and she found her dream dress at Ivory and Pearl in Comber. Tracy very much admired the cut and style of Sarah Seven dresses, which are available at Ivory and Pearl, and after trying on a round of gowns, she chose one with a slightly different neckline to what she had in mind with the help of the boutique’s bridal consultant Linzi Watts, who made Tracy’s shopping experience a pure pleasure. For her three bridesmaids, sisters Catherine McKillion and Gemma Jackson and sister-in-law Sarah Rafferty, Tracy chose to go bespoke, having the simply stunning champagne satin tea-length dresses with long puffed sleeves and deep cuffs made by local dressmaker Ellen Lambert in Coalisland. She chose a similar course for her two flower girls after sourcing handmade dresses from Maria Platero, a dressmaker in Spain with an Etsy shop.

Daniel and his three groomsmen, brother Andrew Rafferty and friends Ronan Hagan and Kevin Corr, found their attire in Tom Morrow, Dungannon. They looked very much the part in their smart three-piece navy suits, with the groom wearing a tweed check waistcoat.

The best part of the whole planning process was seeing everything come together…finally! Their original wedding date was set for 23rd May, however, Covid restrictions intervened in their plans and delayed their celebration by nearly five months. Second time lucky, Tracy and Daniel tied the knot 1st October 2021, though there was some stress involved in making sure their wedding suppliers could accommodate the change in date – thankfully most were. Though they didn’t manage to stick to their wedding budget, they have no regrets in including those important extras to make the day that more special.

Tracy and Daniel were married at the Church of the Holy Family, Coalisland, where their parish priest Father McGinley officiated over a beautiful, relaxed wedding ceremony. Following their vows, the bride and groom and 140 guests attended the Old Rectory, Killyman, Dungannon, where they were welcomed by the classic sounds of the Ulster String Quartet, and staff ensured the reception ran smoothly the entire time.
Having no particular theme in mind, Tracy pulled a lot of her ideas from Pinterest. Knowing she preferred simple elegance and neutral colours, she gathered inspiration from the social media site to inject the celebration setting with style and character. Enlisting the help of Mood Events and her florist Kim at Victoriana Floral, Tracy was delighted with the final arrangement of her dining and venue décor.
The highlight of their wedding day was just that – the whole thing from start to finish and the many happy moments and memories made along the way to look back on with family and friends.

Tracy and Daniel’s advice to other couples is not to stress too much about anything as the day goes by so fast and you should enjoy every moment of it!

The Jacksons enjoyed a lovely honeymoon in London.