Aoife & Andy
The Happy Couple
Tell us a little about how you met
We met online in 2007 over a shared love of music. Aoife posted a photo with a band online and Andy commented on it, having also met the band. A friendship was formed and we chatted regularly, getting to know each other on MSN until we met in person months later to go to a concert together in Dublin. We maintained a long distance relationship for 5 years until Aoife moved North in 2012, so our life together could begin.
Talk us through the proposal
We got engaged on the edge of Lough Hyne in Co. Cork on our 9 year anniversary. We were at the lake as we were taking part in a night time kayak tour to see the bioluminescence in the water under starlight. We arrived early to take some photos and for Andy to set up a timelapse video of the sunset. This of course was the perfect excuse to capture the whole proposal on camera! Even though it was our anniversary, Aoife was not expecting a proposal at all!
Your Day, Your Way
What made you choose The Loft to host your day?
We had visited many locations around Northern Ireland, searching for the perfect place. Although there are lots of lovely venues (and we even had our date held for another!) it is true what they say…when you find the one, you just know.
It was important to us that our venue have a unique and quirky feel, while still maintaining a high standard. We wanted a venue where we could hold the ceremony on site, and have many guests stay too. The Rabbit Hotel ticked all the boxes (and extra boxes too, a.k.a. the spa!) We fell in love with the Loft and the Fern Room as soon as we saw them.
Even though the Loft was essentially a building site at the time, we could tell by the detail and level of finish in the Fern Room that the Loft would be spectacular. We trusted the artist plans, and Abby did a great job helping us to visualise the space. We were buzzing with excitement on the car ride home from our first visit, and that’s when we truly knew we had found our perfect venue.
Favourite memory of your day
There are so many amazing moments from our day! Our beautiful humanist ceremony in the Fern Room, stealing a few quiet moments together away from the crowds, and dancing the night away with our friends and family.
How was your Loft Wedding Planner?
Abby was absolutely incredible every step of the way. She helped guide us through the planning process and informed us on all we needed to know and decisions we needed to make. We felt we could contact Abby with anything, no matter how big or small, and she would get back to us right away. Her bubbly personality and professionalism were exactly what we needed to help us plan our big day.
Were there any challenges along the way?
Honestly there wasn’t anything too difficult to plan, we had done our research and had a great team at the Loft to help us along the way when needed. Our most difficult part was the week leading up to the wedding, waiting to hear about changes in restrictions, having guests testing positive and having to change our wedding band 3 times!
Top Tips?
Don’t sweat the small stuff! you can’t control every single thing, so just focus on what’s truly important to you and the rest will fall into place. Oh and also get 2 fake tiers in your wedding cake, lest you’ll be eating cake for every meal for a month (learned that one the hard way.)
Would you change anything about your day?
The weather!
Shout Out To The Dream Team
Cake
Eileen at Wedding Cakes NI
Flowers
Bouquets, lapel pins and cake decorations made by Aoife, using dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers
Entertainment
Phil Edgar
Photographer
Laura O'Connor at
Days of Roses Photography
Groomswear
Gowdy's, Belfast
The Glam Squad
Make Up
All done by bridal party
The Happy Couple
Tell us a little about how you met
We met online in 2007 over a shared love of music. Aoife posted a photo with a band online and Andy commented on it, having also met the band. A friendship was formed and we chatted regularly, getting to know each other on MSN until we met in person months later to go to a concert together in Dublin. We maintained a long distance relationship for 5 years until Aoife moved North in 2012, so our life together could begin.
Talk us through the proposal
We got engaged on the edge of Lough Hyne in Co. Cork on our 9 year anniversary. We were at the lake as we were taking part in a night time kayak tour to see the bioluminescence in the water under starlight. We arrived early to take some photos and for Andy to set up a timelapse video of the sunset. This of course was the perfect excuse to capture the whole proposal on camera! Even though it was our anniversary, Aoife was not expecting a proposal at all!
Your Day, Your Way
What made you choose The Loft to host your day?
We had visited many locations around Northern Ireland, searching for the perfect place. Although there are lots of lovely venues (and we even had our date held for another!) it is true what they say…when you find the one, you just know.
It was important to us that our venue have a unique and quirky feel, while still maintaining a high standard. We wanted a venue where we could hold the ceremony on site, and have many guests stay too. The Rabbit Hotel ticked all the boxes (and extra boxes too, a.k.a. the spa!) We fell in love with the Loft and the Fern Room as soon as we saw them.
Even though the Loft was essentially a building site at the time, we could tell by the detail and level of finish in the Fern Room that the Loft would be spectacular. We trusted the artist plans, and Abby did a great job helping us to visualise the space. We were buzzing with excitement on the car ride home from our first visit, and that’s when we truly knew we had found our perfect venue.
Favourite memory of your day
There are so many amazing moments from our day! Our beautiful humanist ceremony in the Fern Room, stealing a few quiet moments together away from the crowds, and dancing the night away with our friends and family.
How was your Loft Wedding Planner?
Abby was absolutely incredible every step of the way. She helped guide us through the planning process and informed us on all we needed to know and decisions we needed to make. We felt we could contact Abby with anything, no matter how big or small, and she would get back to us right away. Her bubbly personality and professionalism were exactly what we needed to help us plan our big day.
Were there any challenges along the way?
Honestly there wasn’t anything too difficult to plan, we had done our research and had a great team at the Loft to help us along the way when needed. Our most difficult part was the week leading up to the wedding, waiting to hear about changes in restrictions, having guests testing positive and having to change our wedding band 3 times!
Top Tips?
Don’t sweat the small stuff! you can’t control every single thing, so just focus on what’s truly important to you and the rest will fall into place. Oh and also get 2 fake tiers in your wedding cake, lest you’ll be eating cake for every meal for a month (learned that one the hard way.)
Would you change anything about your day?
The weather!
Shout Out To The Dream Team
Cake
Eileen at Wedding Cakes NI
Flowers
Bouquets, lapel pins and cake decorations made by Aoife, using dried flowers from Shida Preserved Flowers
Entertainment
Phil Edgar
Photographer
Laura O'Connor at
Days of Roses Photography
Groomswear
Gowdy's, Belfast
The Glam Squad
Make Up
All done by bridal party
