Aobhinn & Connor

1. The Décor  

Northern Ireland’s most iconic wedding venue, The Loft is an exclusive-use venue offering an environment of unabridged luxury. Come see for yourself! 

2. Social Dining Experience

Enjoy your first meal as newlyweds with up to 140 of your family and friends gathered in this one-of-a-kind setting. A unique feasting menu celebrates the joining of two families through a social dining experience.

3. Personal and Heartfelt Service

The Loft’s team of wedding planning experts are proud to do things differently, with all the character and charm of a luxurious wedding setting, couples can expect heartfelt personal service paired with a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere. 

4. The Food

Enjoy a unique twist on a traditional wedding feast. Think sharing boards, dinner served from the pantry and delicious desserts. 

5. On-site Ceremonies

Walking down the aisle is one of the most important moments of your big day. Our beautifully intimate Boathouse Ceremony room sits lakeside and reflects the rustic charm and natural warmth of the Loft. Hosting your nearest and dearest, this elegant setting is the perfect space to say your I Do’s. Licensed for civil ceremonies, partnerships, blessings, and renewals of vows. 

6. Unique Enhancements  

The Loft’s enhancement features are perfect for those wishing to step it up a notch. From a grazing table and canapes to a candy, gin, or cigar & whiskey cart and more, make the day yours. 

7. The Showstopping Spa at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat

Exuding a mix of sophisticated luxury and Bohemian glam, The Spa promises luxurious facilities, laid-back Balearic vibes and a chilled party playlist to match, making it the perfect spot for post-wedding celebrations. If you want to celebrate day two in style, enjoy a dinner in the cosy surrounds of The Restaurant, or BBQ after a day of lounging around The Spa or pool party for an unforgettable night– keep the good times going with endless options available.

The Happy Couple

Tell us a little about how you met & talk us through the proposal

Alan and I met when I was 18 and Alan was 21 but were friends long before then with mutual friends. We booked to go to Las Vegas & Mexico in August 2020 but due to lockdown our trip was cancelled so we ended up doing a long weekend at the most amazing Air BnB on the Red Lion Road in October 2020, on the Saturday we went out to do some of the walking trails at Gosford Forest Park and just as we approached the castle, Alan got down on one knee and I cried my heart out before eventually saying yes… The engagement bubble was fab!

Your Day, Your Way

Ceremony

We had our wedding ceremony in The Boathouse, it is such a beautiful space for a ceremony. We wanted a religious ceremony but also wanted to keep everything in the one place due to family travelling from near and far so we were so thankful to be able to do this at The Rabbit.

What made you choose The Loft to host your day?

We wanted a venue that would give us the WOW factor. We decided to do a viewing at The Rabbit and we're so glad we did as the minute we walked in, we had that WOW we'd been waiting for, we booked and paid our deposit within the week!

Favourite memory of you wedding day

We honestly has the best day so picking one favourite memory is difficult, but I definitely think it was the alone time with eachother over a pint of outcider before being introduced into The Loft as Mr & Mrs Russell. 

SHOUT OUT TO THE DREAM TEAM

Wedding Stationery

Hayley designed all of their save the dates, invites, table cards, wedding programmes, sweetie bags & individual packets of tissues. Welcome & order of the day signs were made by the fabulous Little Barn Designs NI

Cake

Sugar Lane Artisan

Flowers

Family Friend

Entertainment Rachel Toman for drinks reception & The Collective Wedding Band for evening entertainment

Photographer

Agnieszka Marsh Photography.

Videographer

Friend Steve Earley

Favours

Done by the couple themselves! Alan & his granny make fudge every year at Christmas so they decided to do this as their favours!

Wedding Dress & Accessories

Wedding dress from Wedding Box in Newtownards Shoes & accessories from Shein.

Bridesmaid’s Dresses

Wedding Box in Newtownards

Groomswear

Focus Menswear in Bangor

THE GLAM SQUAD

Makeup

Emma Scott Makeup Artist

Hair

Ashlee & Courtney from SAKS Newtownards

The Happy Couple

We met in a nightclub in Belfast back in 2014 through our friends. After months of dating Nathan asked me to be his girlfriend and I panicked and said no, then changed my mind a week later and said yes (lol)! Who would have thought we would be married 9 years later. We went to Finnlough for an overnight in September 2021 and Nathan proposed that evening after dinner with candles, rose petals, bubbly and lots of photos of us and our daughter displayed. It was just perfect!

Favourite memory of your wedding day

It’s hard to choose one specific memory as the whole day was literally just amazing, which was mainly down to The Loft wedding planners and the staff who were so attentive. The food was also out of this world! Walking up the aisle surrounded by our nearest and dearest with Nathan waiting at the top was a big highlight for me. Also my first dance with my dad, he made a slideshow of photos from I was a child and went to a recording studio and sang a song which got recorded to play over the slideshow, it had everyone in tears!

SHOUT OUT TO THE DREAM TEAM

Wedding stationary

Ryan Patrick design

Cake 

Connie Thompson Cake Design

Flowers

Blooming Events NI

Entertainment

Matty Rea

DJ Magiggs

Cars

Star Car Hire

Photographer

Pop Photography NI

Videographer

Take Two Studio

Favours

Debra & Nathan did bookie dockets for the races & a donation to  sands charity

Wedding dress

Eden bridal

Bridesmaids dresses

Eden bridal

Groomswear

Red Belfast

THE GLAM SQUAD

Makeup

Emma swift @ Studio 8

Hair

Lynda Crawford @ Looloos Cabin

The Happy Couple

Tell us a little about how you met & talk us through the proposal

We met at work in 2015 and officially started “going out” in February 2016. We bought our house together in Portrush in 2018, survived a pandemic and got a puppy (Jax, a Soft Coated Irish Wheaten Terrier) before getting engaged in June 2021. It was the evening before my 28th birthday and we went for a walk with Jax as we normally do, although Roo said we were going for a picnic for my birthday which was the reason for the large backpack he was carrying. We walked along Whiterocks beach and up to the bench that overlooks the coast alongside the fifth green at Royal Portrush Golf Club (Roo has been a member since he was child and I have followed many rounds of golf here)! Roo set out an M&S picnic and a bottle of champagne (which I thought was a bit much as it wasn’t a big birthday, but I wasn’t complaining)! When I was mid breadstick and hummus, I looked round to see Roo down on one knee as the sun started to set, Jax was sitting beside him totally oblivious as to what was going on! Restaurants and bars had only just opened again after lockdown the weekend prior so we were able to celebrate properly in the weeks after!

Your Day, Your Way

Ceremony

We had our ceremony onsite in The Boat House, very fitting as Roo is a volunteer RNLI crew member. A friend of ours conducted the ceremony which added a lovely personal touch and put us at ease. We knew we wanted a short ceremony as we were keen to make the most of the day with all our guests.

What made you choose The Loft to host your day?

The venue is just stunning, we were already sold on the venue before viewing it just from pictures alone, but the team were also so helpful and lovely which was a bonus. We knew we wanted a venue with accommodation onsite but didn’t want a typical hotel or function room style wedding. The Loft was just perfect, and the banquet tables and décor of the room sold it for us, everything was just so easy too. Shoutout to our lovely wedding planner, Claire Graham, for her help on the lead up!

Favourite memory of your Wedding

Spending time with our friends and family! We also loved to be able to stay at the venue for 3 nights, getting ready there that morning and having a day two BBQ with some time to relax in the Spa too. We can’t wait to go back again.

Shout Out to the Dream Team 

Wedding Stationery

We did online wedding invites through Greenvelope

Cake

Angel Cake Bakery

Flowers

Pixie and Piper Flowers NI

Entertainment

Aria String Quartet for ceremony and drinks reception, Anna’s Number were our band & Darran Wallace from Northern Lights Event Hire was our DJ. Take 3 performed at our day two.

Photographer

LIT Photography NI

Videographer

Forever Endeavour Films

Wedding Dress & Accessories

Pippa Bridal, Rainbow Club, Lily & Roo and Astrid and Miu

Bridesmaid’s Dresses

Six Stories

Groomswear

McCalls of Lisburn

THE GLAM SQUAD

Makeup

Sian Sutherland

Nails

Holly from The Beauty Bar, Coleraine

Hair

My friend Chloe and her colleague (also Chloe!) from Chloe’s Hair Studio, Coleraine