THEIR wedding venue cancelled just two weeks before the big day — due to Covid restrictions — but that didn’t stop this couple from getting wed.

Denise Heslin, from Mahon, and Augustine Mc Gilligan (Gusty), from Ballerin in County Derry, who now live in Minane Bridge, were wed on November 7 at The Kingsley Hotel, in a beautiful ceremony.

Denise explained: “Our original venue cancelled two weeks before due to Covid restrictions so the Kingsley facilitated us. We had 23 family on the day.”

She said nothing was too much of an ask for the new venue who came to the rescue.

“Everything was just perfect on the day.”

The happy couple met on September 23, 2010, in Havana Browns. Denise said: “It was Arthur Guinness day, Gusty was working in Cork for a few weeks. We did long distance for a few years and he moved to Cork in June, 2014.”

The couple were engaged at their son’s Christening on March 24, 2018, on the altar surrounded by friends and family.

Denise bought her dress in wed2be in Dublin three weeks before the first lockdown. She wore a cathedral length veil. The suits were purchased in D&Gs fashions, in Derry.

Joining the couple were their children, Ciara Lilly and Patrick, Denise’s parents’ brother, sister and their families. Gusty’s mother and husband, his brother, sister and their families travelled from Derry. Her sister Christina was bridesmaid and Ciara Lilly and her niece Niamh were flower girls. Gusty’s brother Martin, Denise’s brother Brendan and the couple’s son Patrick were groomsmen.

Speaking about the ceremony, Denise said: “We ‘tied the knot’ during the ceremony with a tie that belonged to Gusty’s father who sadly had passed away in February, 2010. It was our way of including him in our special day.”

The couple had a beautiful cream VW camper as a wedding car provided by VW weddings. Their cake was by The Meaning of Cake.

Their first song was Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts.

“As we weren’t allowed music on the day due to restrictions, we had our first dance in the penthouse later that evening,” said Denise.

What was the most memorable thing about the day?

Denise said: “My sister-in-law Charlie couldn’t make it so she had been chatting to my sister unknown to us and had arranged lockets with photos of my grandparents and Gusty’s granny and dad for us on the day as a little gift.”

Denise said Sheenagh Morley from Bismark Photography did an amazing job too.

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