Located at the heart of Belfast's Titanic Quarter, the legendary Harland & Wolff Headquarters and Drawing Offices are now the world's most authentic Titanic Hotel. This hub of Irish history was the perfect venue for travel advisor Lisa McConnell and risk manager Phillip McConnell's wedding on May 11th, 2024. Photographed by Sun and Beau, this sleek and modern wedding day is packed with dreamy details, from Lisa's dress to the stunning black and white decor.
The pair first laid eyes on each other at the age of 17 at a Halloween Party, where Phill was dressed as a Smurf, and his future bride was Tinker Bell. "It may not have been love at first sight on my part.. The blue paint wasn’t really my thing!"
"The proposal occurred on our first night on holiday in Barbados. It was completely unexpected on my part, as a few hours before, I had asked if Phill was even going to propose and if I could pick the ring. I don't think that helped his nerves."
"Around six months prior to the wedding, I had regular facial and skin treatments at ‘The Skin Solution NI’. Christine was a pro and had my skin looking perfect on the run-up to the wedding. " For her wedding day fragrance, Lisa wore Attrape-Reves from Louis Vuitton. With rich notes of cocoa, peony, and patchouli, it's a perfectly unique feminine scent that we can only describe as catnip for people!
Thanks to years of hearing wedding dress shopping horror stories, Lisa was less than enthusiastic going into her bridal appointment, worrying that she would have to sacrifice her comfort for a dress that she liked the look of. "I knew I wanted sleeves on my dress, so this was a non-negotiable. I visited a few shops before Forever Bridal, but I never found ‘the one’. As soon as I first tried my dress on, I knew it was the one!" Thankfully, her searching paid off, and Lisa walked down the aisle in the gorgeous Aretta dress from Eva Lendel —a mermaid-style sheath dress with an off-shoulder neckline, long, semi-transparent sleeves, and beads and sequins covering every inch.
When it came to Phill's ensemble for the day, it was an easy choice: a tux is timeless and perfectly complemented the couple's black and white theme. So, the pair headed to Freddie Hatchets in Belfast to pick up his custom suit.
For her bridal party, Lisa kept things small (Unlike Phill, who had a whopping 11 groomsmen!) with just her best friend Amy and Phill's younger cousin, Beth, standing by her side. For their dresses, she chose one-shoulder, black satin, ruched dresses from Six Stories.
"We viewed many venues, both at home and abroad, but struggled to find the perfect one for us until we visited the Titanic Hotel. The building itself matched everything we wanted and was perfect for our black-and-white-themed wedding."
"Our entertainment was singer Bry O’Reilly, who sang during the drinks reception and dinner to get the atmosphere going. This was followed by DJ David Ralston, a childhood friend who was actually the host of the Halloween party where we first met!"
Regarding the best decision, Lisa said, "For the whole day, in general, I don't think either of us could pinpoint one specific decision that made the day more special than it already was. We adored the venue, and the staff were excellent, making sure every aspect of the day ran smoothly. We also can't speak highly enough of Sarah, our photographer. If I could, I would put on my wedding dress and do another shoot with her in a heartbeat!"
Regarding the worst decision, Lisa said, "The worst decision was focusing so much on the small stuff that people don’t notice on the day. Don’t sweat the small stuff unless it's important to you!"
- Gráinne