Francesca & Stephen McCullough's Ayia Kyriaki & Alexander the Great Wedding, Paphos
"We met in 2013 when I went to buy a new car. The sweet-talking car sales guy was Stephen. We chatted back and forth for a while, then he finally asked me out in December 2013. We wined and dined, travelled and lived the high life until August 2016 when he proposed."
How they met
The proposal
Stephen proposed in Santorini on 25 August 2016. "I thought he was getting the camera out of the bag, so it was a big surprise. It really was amazing. My ring is a solitaire diamond brilliant cut 1.13 diamond."
The dress
"My dress was purchased from a very good friend of mine and her boutique, Peony Bridal in Hillsborough, NI. It was a simple Sharon Hoey dress with a Sharon Hoey belt."
The groom
The groom wore a three-piece suit from Andrew Watson in Belfast — a blue paisley print with "Stephen and Francesca 23.08.17" embellished on the inner pocket.
The finishing touches
Kerry from Cyprus Dream Weddings planned the day, and Jane Summers from Do Me a Favor made the hangers, cigars and fans.
The wedding day
"We really wanted a relaxed summer wedding — something you just cannot get at home. I knew I wanted to get married in a church and just fell in love with St Paul's. We relaxed all morning with Renoir doing hair and makeup, then the Wilds came and started the craic. The whole day was amazing. We both loved every minute."
The favourite moment
"My favourite part of the wedding day was walking down the aisle. That magical butterfly-in-your-tummy feeling is like nothing I have ever felt. Seeing all our guests' faces so happy, I just felt so full of pride."
Why these venues
"The church is so stunning and simple with a lot of history. I liked the idea of Alexander being at the water with the terrace overlooking it."
Food, music and entertainment
"We had a traditional Cypriot mezze-style menu and the food was unbelievable — a mixture of grilled chicken, fillet steak and pork. Our first dance was 'Wonderwall' — not your typical first dance song but it meant a lot to us." The couple had Davey and Aimie as their band, followed by a cheesy DJ to keep everyone on the dance floor. "We ended the night like a proper Scottish wedding, all singing 'Loch Lomond' together. That is when I got so emotional at how much it meant to us, people travelling over to Cyprus to spend our special day with us."
Advice for other couples
"Go away. So enjoyable to be away with your closest friends and family. Intimate, relaxed, perfect."
Working with Beziique
"They made the wedding. All of our guests talked about them. They put us all at ease and the craic was flowing. I cried with laughter with them when they first came into the room. They just bounce off each other and they have such a natural spark. I particularly enjoyed when we sang 'Wild Thing' at them."
Suppliers
- Photographer: Nick and Aimie — Beziique
- Rings: Fred Malcolm
- Wedding planner: Kerry Barker — Cyprus Dream Weddings
- Music: Davey + Aimie
- Stationery and favours: Jane Summers — Do Me a Favor
