WHILE Covid restrictions on weddings continue to cause heartbreak among many local couples.
For new bride Niamh McGovern, planning her big day within ‘five weeks’ to husband Conor last month proved to be no task, having loved him since the age of 16.
Speaking on their journey to the altar, Niamh told the Herald, “In the beginning we were naive in thinking it would all blow over in a matter of weeks but about a week before the actual lockdown, we could see how scared people were getting and how serious it was so we decided to put our July wedding off until June next year.
“We didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable attending our wedding. We didn’t realise at the time that come July, weddings would be banned altogether.”
Despite concerns over the constant changing of rules and how many could attend, Niamh and Conor took the plunge to say ‘I Do’ on October 24, days after a second lockdown was announced.
“When the rule was that we could have 25 attending our wedding, we decided to jump to it and within five weeks we sent in our paperwork to the town hall, got a seamstress, ordered suits, planned flowers, music and photography and hoped we would be able to get married before anything changed again.
“That month of waiting was the most stressful part. There has been
more than a few tears shed about our wedding since April, and not in a good way unfortunately.
“For our wedding we could have a maximum of 25 people above the age of 12 attend our wedding.
“We were so lucky in that our numbers came to 23. This included all our immediate family and their spouses.
“We couldn’t imagine our wedding without them there with us. We were so panicked that the numbers would drop to 15 again and we would have had to cancel again as we couldn’t have unpicked any of them.”
Niamh added, “For Conor and I, getting married is a long time coming.
I’ve loved Conor since I was 16, we have two beautiful children
together, Saoirse (13) and JohnJames (15 months) and for us we just wanted to be married.
“The wedding would have been nice but he is my husband and I am his wife and that’s everything to us. What we have learnt over the past year is that everything is uncertain and life is too short.”
“Our wedding was held in Newtownbutler Chapel and it was a beautiful day. As there was restrictions on hairdressers and beauticians, I did my own make up while my sister did my hair for me.
“I was so excited for the day and couldn’t wait to walk down the
aisle. Conor was a bag of nerves as all men are on the day.
“I walked down the isle with my dad to beautiful music from my cousin
Aoife Cathcart, singing Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love
With You’.
“Our wedding felt so intimate and much more special having those whom we love the most sharing the day with us.
“We have yet to actually celebrate our wedding day, but when the
restaurants open again we will go to 28 Darling Street, our favourite restaurant to celebrate with our family.
“We got so many messages and well wishes from friends and extended family who joined us over the webcam and it was heartwarming.”
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