Lucy and Phil wanted no fuss for their wedding – there was no bridal party, no fancy cars, no favours, but there was all the romance. From the sweet cinema ceremony at Queens Film Theatre, Belfast, to the restaurant reception dinner at Molly’s Yard that followed, these lovebirds made their day about what was most important to them – something special, something low key, and something that was full of romance and fun. With their love story beginning on Tinder, the pair also have possibly one of the sweetest proposal stories we've ever heard! From all the big moments to the gorgeous little details, there to capture their day was Vicki Maher Photography.
Phil and Lucy, the ever, modern couple swiped right on Tinder. Dates turned into a relationship (and a gorgeous baby!), and that relationship turned into an engagement with one of the sweetest proposal stories we've ever heard! Lucy kindly shares it with us. "It was a dream. It happened in a bookshop in Donegal town. I had lifted “The Children of Lir” and suggested we buy it for our (then 11-month-old) daughter Penelope. He brought me the book a few minutes later and asked me to open it. Inside was our favourite photo of Penny and the words “Will you marry me?”. Needless to say, we bought the book! I wrote a little inscription inside the front cover for Penny when she’s older, “There’s a great story behind this book. We’ll tell you it one day”." We'd be lying if we said we didn't have a tear in our eye after that!
When it came to planning their day the pair tells us, "We didn’t want it to be a “traditional” wedding, so it allowed us cut out the traditional aspects and just do our thing. We didn’t feel the need for bridesmaids/groomsmen, fancy cars, favours etc. In fact, we were kind of the antithesis of a wedding- we had tea and cake before the meal!"
Their relaxed celebration consisted of a ceremony at Queens Film Theatre, an independant cinema in Belfast, with a reception after at Molly’s Yard followed then by drinks at Neighbourhood bar.
Lucy walked into QFT to the sounds Rachel Toman’s beautiful voice singing Songbird by Eva Cassidy, signed the register to Pure by Lightning Seeds, and danced her way out of the theatre to Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere with her brand new husband. She says, "It was an eclectic mix, and it was perfection."
As self-confessed "IMDB King and Queen", there could be no other venue for this movie-loving pair. "We are buzzing to celebrate our anniversary every year by going to watch a film in QFT and then sitting down to a class meal in Molly’s Yard after."
"We totally availed of our cool venue. As the guests were seated before the ceremony, we screened a slideshow of “our best” (and worst) photos on the big screen. After the ceremony we used the smaller side room to show screenings of the kids tv show “Bluey” which went down a treat with the kiddos (and some parents too!)."
"I adored our wine box ceremony- when the guests arrived, they wrote us some lovely affirmations/ advice for marriage. During the ceremony we placed these notes in wooden box with our favourite red wine. On our first anniversary, we’ll open the box, drink the wine and read the advice from our loved ones- I am crying already!"
"I also loved the team of women we had chosen to play a central part in our day- our celebrant JBQ is legend material, and we adore her, our photographer Vicki Maher was class craic and captured us in all our weird and wonderful glory and our musician Rachel Toman had everyone raving about her song choices and voices. Is it any wonder these three won awards in their category just days before?!"
Lucy and Phil thoughtfully and fittingly provided their guests with popcorn through the ceremony to munch on, and then canapes and personalised popsicles after the ceremony to tide them over until they reached the reception.
"Graze NI made us adorable little popsicles with tractors and hens for the “kids” which the adults may have taken instead of their canapes! Phil and I had personalised popsicles- mine was a hen wearing a veil and his a red (very important) tractor with a farmer driving it. We had fun, personalised popcorn boxes with quotes from “The Owl and Pussycat” and our guests could munch on their popcorn during our ceremony!"
Speaking of their favourite moment from the ceremony the couple say, "We chose the Owl and the Pussycat poem by Edward Lear as our first date was in the Owl and Pussycat cafe in Hillsborough. The whimsical nature of the poem suited our day to a tee! We also chose the reading- The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel which was a lovely contrast to the aforementioned poem but still cool and low-key."
Lucy looked incredible in her fab long-sleeved 'Gretchen' wedding dress by the designer Eddy K, which she sourced at XO Bridal in Northern Ireland. She completed her bridal look with mint satin heels from ASOS and accessories from Belfast-based jewellery brand Lines and Current.
Phil looked very smart in a brown tweed suit from Freddie Hatchett, worn with a brown tie and rustic-style boutonniere.
Suming up their day, the pair tell us it was, "chilled, it was cool, low-key, fun and it was US!"
Lucy and Phil have these words of wedded wisdom for other couples planning their day "YOU DO YOU!"
The couple's cute cake was a gift from the Phil's mum. How adorable is the personalised cake topper which the newlyweds commissioned?
Adding to the memories from the day the couple had a fun photo booth as well as one of our favourite new wedding trends, a vintage-style audio guest book. Lucy says, "The memory Phone was also a lovely sentiment as we can hear our loved ones leave messages rather than the traditional guest book. It is so special to think that in years to come we have preserved our family and friends wishes for us! "
The pair have yet to go on honeymoon, but tell us it is on the cards, "we would love to... maybe after second baby gets here!"
That just leaves us to say a huge thank you and congratulations to Lucy and Phil (and cutie-pie Penny!) on their nuptials, and of course to also thank Vicki Maher Photography for these love-filled images.
