Our wedding story: Welsh dress, and leeks with the daffodils

[ irishtimes.com/weddings ]

Becky Satchwell met Welshman Luke Rees more than seven years ago during a three-month stay at the Ballymaloe Cookery School. He first sparked her interest when he sang his national anthem in the pub.

Five years later Luke proposed at Rhossili Bay in Wales. Becky “immediately said yes, even though I can’t remember what he actually said”.

They were married in St Mary’s Protestant Church in Maynooth, Co Kildare on February 21st, with a reception afterwards in Carton House.

“Carton is stunning, “said Becky. “And it’s right beside where I grew up, so there was no point in looking further afield. We found all we needed there.”

With that sorted, it was time for her favourite part: dress shopping. Becky found the one – on only her second outing – in Swansea.

Top of the couple’s priority list was that their guests all had the best day, and that meant finding a really great band. The Seducers did the trick.

Becky’s grandmother, Felicity Satchwell, played a starring role on the day as she and her friends arranged all the flowers, which included lots of daffodils and leeks for the 40 Welsh guests.

The bride credits her maid of honour, Kate Hurley, and bridesmaids Sadie Rees, Lara Sullivan and Ruth Quigley for being “fantastic throughout the whole thing, from the hen to all the little bits like sorting my makeup artist and dealing with the panic of getting me into the dress on the morning, having never done it before”.

The couple run Chai Deli and Tea Room in The Mumbles, Swansea. Here are some final words from one very exceedingly happy bride.

“Everyone says how quick the day goes but I had no idea. My only regret was that I didn’t take a step back every now and then to try and take it all in. It really was the best day of my life. I was so relaxed and just really looking forward to saying I do to the man who had become my best friend over the last seven years. I don’t think I stopped smiling all day. I just wish I could relive it again and again.”

We’d love to hear your wedding story. If you’d like to share it with our readers email weddings@irishtimes.com with a photograph and a little information about your big day