Tell us a little bit about how you met & talk us through the proposal.
We first met through work, and interestingly, the very first time we spoke was on 5 April 2014, a date that would come full circle when we married exactly twelve years later, on 5 April 2026. That night, I was out with friends, while Dean was out with colleagues from his workplace at the time. As fate would have it, I knew a few of his colleagues, so I stopped to chat. One of the first things Dean said to me was, “Oh, so you’re Ludi—the one who keeps sending me work to do!” His tongue-in-cheek comment broke the ice, and from that moment on, we never stopped talking.
Not long after, we went on our first date to the cinema. We watched Bad Neighbours, which instantly set a fun, relaxed tone and swept away any awkwardness we might have felt. From there, everything just fell into place.
Fast forward a few years, after the births of our sons, and we were on holiday in one of our favourite places—Albufeira. One evening, while out at a bar in the Old Town with Dean’s parents, he suggested we go for a short walk to buy some crisps for his mum. Off we went… or so I thought. Instead of heading straight back, Dean sat down and started eating the crisps himself, leaving me quite confused. Just as I insisted we return to the bar, he stopped and said there was something he wanted to ask me first. I could see how nervous he was, but I had no idea what was coming.
Right there, in Albufeira in June 2022, Dean asked me to marry me. It may have taken me a full five minutes to say yes, but that pause only showed how emotional the moment was. I knew how much it meant to him, and my answer was a very certain yes.
Ceremony
Phantom House
Reception
The Renaissance Suite
Why Galgorm?
We chose Galgorm as our wedding venue because it holds a very special place in our hearts. It was actually the first place we ever spent a night away together, so it has always meant a lot to us. In addition to that, we’ve attended weddings at Galgorm before and they were absolutely amazing, from the stunning setting to the incredible food. We knew we wanted a venue that offered that same special experience for our own wedding day.
Tell us the most memorable part of your day?
The most memorable part of our day was being surrounded by the people who truly hold a special place in our hearts. We didn’t want guests just to fill a room; we wanted to celebrate with people who genuinely mean something to us—and that’s exactly what we had. On top of that, having our boys play such an important role made the day even more special, from taking part in the handfasting ceremony to helping with the countdown for the cake cutting.
Galgorm Wedding Planner
Jenny
Stationery
We took care of the stationery ourselves
Cake
Jill Cakes NI
Flowers
Let's Face Creation
Decor & Design
Let's Face It Creation
Photographer
Alisa Captures Love
Videographer
Lyman - Sky Visuals
The Bride
Dress: Forever Bridal Belfast by Eva Lednel
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Veil: Shein
Earrings: Shein
The Bridal Party
Dresses: Custom Made
Earrings: Shein
Shoes: Shein
Hair: Ryan Hamilton
Make Up: Adelle Leacock
Nails: Colleen Loughran
The Groom
Suit & Shoes: Freddie Hatchet
The Grooms Party
Suit & Shoes: Freddie Hatchet
The Page Boys
Suit & Shoes: Next
Our range of rooms provide the finest contemporary accommodation with all the finer details to ensure a good nights rest.
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