Meet Lorna and Jenny! This beautiful couple wanted a relaxed and unfussy wedding with just their nearest and dearest. One of my favourite things about their wedding is how they were able to personalise everything! Having a smaller guest list meant Lorna could personally draw on each guest’s place setting. What a special touch!
Couple: Lorna and Jenny
Engagement length: 4 years
Wedding date: 2022-03-23
Wedding location: The Village Barn
Photographer: Timmy Keane of Timtim Media
The beautiful Lorna and Jenny met many moons ago on a football pitch. They got engaged while they were on holiday in Germany with Jenny’s good friend and boss.
Here’s Lorna’s side of the story: “I’d picked up a toy ring in a local shop and 2 little ladies in a wedding car. When it came to it I freaked out a little so she hadn’t a clue what I was doing. Just that I was “acting weird”!! Anyway I proposed and she accepted. She was very shocked as she’d asked me numerous times and I’d always said no.”
Lorna and Jenny knew exactly what type of wedding they wanted: relaxed and unfussy, with an element of classiness. They really just wanted to give their nearest and dearest the best day without compromising on comfort!
They ended up getting married on a gorgeous day so they could sit outside in the sun until dinner!
“We had a small wedding as we had a few sick relatives and wanted a very intimate vibe. It was so much nicer as everyone got to speak to each other and because we did everything on-site there was no rushing away to take pics or go speak to loads of ppl and missing out on others. It was just so relaxed and beautiful the whole day. A stress-free, fuss-free wedding with lots of fun was what we wanted and what we got. We’ll never forget it!”
Lorna wore a beautiful pre-loved handmade dress. In fact, it was the first dress she tried on! She knew it was for her, so she didn’t need to try on any others! She then changed into a shorter, white cocktail dress by Mascara for later so she could dance in it. To complement her dresses, she opted for deep red nails and shoes, which also matched Jenny’s red suit!
Here’s what Lorna says about Jenny’s gorgeous red suit: “Her suit was a big deal for us too. As a woman who wouldn’t be wearing a dress we were very conscious of finding her a suitable style that was comfortable and beautiful. We wanted a ladies suit with a feminine style with no fuss. Luckily we got it right, opting for a deep red Tommy Hilfiger ensemble that suited her hair colour and skin tone. We complimented it with cream and gold touches.”
Since they chose comfort, they didn’t bother with fake tans, Spanx or bras to adjust!
“We told our wedding party to wear whatever they wanted so they did. All bright, colourful and comfortable. My son and father wore mismatched chinos with blazers which I love so everyone still looked dressy as well as comfy. We didn’t do a bridal party so I loved seeing everyone in their colorful attire.”
Their ceremony was very very personal, relaxed and beautiful.
“We weren’t having a religious ceremony and wanted it all about us and our loved ones, so we were very clear with our celebrant that a very personalised ceremony was on the cards. As an interfaith celebrant Reverend Babs was more than happy to accommodate. We loved speaking with her!”
Lorna and Jenny say that The Village Barn is the best venue they could have chosen. Relaxed and beautiful. Everything is onsite and it’s exclusively yours and your guests for the day. It was the only venue they viewed and they loved it!
“Colourful bunting looks pretty and the lights dotted everywhere as it gets darker just made it feel magical. It’s definitely rustic. A mile away from the fuss of a hotel. Just what we wanted. Everything just flowed, no fuss. We did add a lot of decoration the day before as we had access as it wasn’t being used that day. My pal made a beautiful wedding arch while myself and 3 good friends spent hours adding personal touches. I do feel they greatly added to the charm of the place but in saying that you really could go with it as it is.”
Another factor that helped them choose The Village Barn was the food! It was served like a huge family dinner with sides, sauces, meats and salmon in the centre of the tables. They loved the vegetarian options, the plated dessert trio and the food that came out later: the personal pizzas, crust bread rolls with ham and cheese, along with bags of crisps. This added to the relaxed atmosphere that they really wanted!
Instead of a cake, they chose a donut wall, tiers of beautiful cupcakes and a delicious cheeseboard spread! Their guests loved it!
Their wedding celebration was captured by Timmy Keane from Timtim Media. They love the photos he took and say he was brilliant!
“He also gave us a great deal as he wanted to do a night shoot on the grounds of our venue so he did that for free. We received the digital footage back within 4 weeks and are so so pleased with the results. The night shoot was just beautiful, he is extremely talented. We would definitely use him again, the whole family loved him and he was a pleasure to work with.”
Having an intimate wedding with a smaller guest list meant Lorna and Jenny could personalise each place setting. In fact, Lorna drew pictures on every card to symbolise what image each guest is associated with! It’s no surprise that this was one of their guests’ favourite things!
Their band was Pump Up The Jam! They had everybody on the dance floor all night and even provided a DJ to keep the party going.
Lorna’s favourite memory from the day is how happy everybody was!
“It has been a tough few years and everyone was just overjoyed to spend time together in a happy environment. We couldn’t have asked for more. That and my son walking me up the aisle felt very special.”
“My advice to everyone getting married is to do what YOU want. You only get one day. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If people let you down don’t let it upset you, everyone you love will be there and you will just be so happy to be surrounded by them on the day! And the big one for us, less really is more. It’s definitely NOT about the numbers there. It’s about the love in the room for you. Don’t get bogged down with numbers, I can honestly say that my own wedding was the BEST wedding I’ve ever been to! And my wife and many guests said the same. Just relax, enjoy the day and let it be about you both.”
Suppliers
Ceremony and reception venue: The Village Barn Tyrrellspass, Mullingar | Photographer: Timmy Keane of Timtim Media | Videographer: Conor McGuinness of CMcGVisions.com | Band and DJ: Pump Up The Jam | Hair: Debbie Sheilds | Makeup: Debbie Stanley | Couple’s outfits: Tommy Hilfiger and Private Designer | Cake: Melanie Riley Thompson of Mel-ts-cupcakery | Celebrant/solemniser: Reverend Babs | Stationery: Optimal Print | Jewellery/rings: Boyne Jewellers | Accessories: Lovett and Co. and Tommy Hilfiger | Bouquet: The Gate Drogheda | Flowers: Artificial, sourced by Lorna
