Seidy and Matthew Hynds are celebrating three years of marriage on 29th May, here we chat with them ahead of their wedding anniversary and look back on their special day.
I Do Date: 29.05.21
How did you both meet?
‘We met while working together in 2014, in the Radisson Blu St. Helen’s Hotel in Dublin. I worked in the bistro and then Matthew joined the team. I was 26 at the time and when I asked Matthew what age he was he told me 24! It was only three months later I found out he had just turned 21 when one of our colleagues wished him a happy 21st birthday! By this stage we had already been on a few dates and his charm had won me over and it became our story. Matthew made the first move. On his first shift I gave out to him for not working hard enough, but he persevered and a few weeks later asked me out on a date in Lillie’s Bordello and as they say, the rest is history! On our first date, Matthew asked me do I see myself getting married in the future and I said “yes”, and he said “you could be looking at your future husband!” Cheeky! But he was right!’
Tell us about the proposal?
‘We got engaged on the 34th floor of the iconic Shard building in London, in 2018. We were together four years at this stage and planning on buying our first home together. Matthew told himself he was going to propose at 6:30pm, however at the time I was talking so much he actually had to tell me to be quiet! He went so pale I thought he was going to faint! But he got down on one knee and asked the question and honestly it was the happiest moment of my whole life. I was so shaken and couldn’t believe I was going to marry the man of my dreams. It’s a moment I will never forget, we danced and laughed the rest of the night away accompanied by a lovely bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé. Matthew actually wanted to propose in a venue in Ireland, however while making the call to book the room the phone line cut and he took this as a sign that this wasn’t the right place and booked London instead!’
How did the planning process?
‘Poor Matthew thought his job was done when he proposed, but the fun was only beginning! I fell in love with the wedding industry via planning my own wedding! I enjoyed every step and loved working with so many amazing vendors and suppliers. A wedding is such an important part of a person’s life and I just love all the romance, décor and planning that goes into a special day. Having both worked in the industry, we didn’t feel the need to book a wedding planner, however, this is something I highly recommend for someone who does not work in the industry, as they can totally keep you on the right path in all your wedding needs. We researched and viewed multiple venues until we finally found the one for us. Our original date was supposed to be in May 2020. However, it was not to be, as we had to delay our wedding by a year due to the Covid pandemic.’
Where was your ceremony and reception?
‘We set our new date for 29th May 2021, but with the risk of another lockdown, and so many restrictions (No dancing – seriously?!) we made the decision to hold the reception in our own home. We had a lovely garden space, and felt this would be totally unique, and memorable, and most importantly, we could dance until the sunrise! We got a stunning day, with the weather at 25 degrees, the garden was the best choice! We were blessed to be supported so well by our industry colleagues and we had a marquee, waiting staff, bartenders and even a chef! Champagne memories provided us with a champagne wall and a bar and we had two bands throughout the day and evening. Our garden looked out of this world with the décor and we even had our first dance on our lawn which was just so special. Matthew is from Armagh City, which is home to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which from the moment I set eyes on, I knew this is where I wanted to get married. It was made extra special, as we were able to arrange a live stream, so my family in Estonia who couldn’t make the trip could watch the whole ceremony. Despite Matthew being adamant he wouldn’t be emotional on the day, the minute I started walking down the aisle he couldn’t hold back the tears! It was such a sincere moment.’
Who else did you choose to work alongside when planning your day?
‘We had so many amazing suppliers. Champagne Memories supplied us with all our bar, beverages and glassware needs. Marie Fox was our music for the ceremony and for the arrival reception and Joe McVeigh was our entertainment throughout the evening. Look Events, totally transformed our home and garden into the most amazing wedding venue, I was honestly blown away by their work. Our flowers were done by Maureen from Imagine Flowers. She did all our bouquets, centre pieces and bridal flowers. My hair and make up were done by Claire McManus Armagh. Our cake was done by Bella-Torta. We got an amazing painting painted by Wedding Art Paintings, who captured our family, our engagement and wedding day, it truly is a stunning piece of art.’
Who captured your day?
‘We had Mark Douglas from Image 31 capture our day. Mark also did our engagement photoshoot, which was so helpful when it came to our day as we had already built a relationship from a few years prior. He stayed with us all day, and even took us back to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to take sunset photos. Top tip: invest in your photographer! Memories may fade but these photos are forever!’
What did you wear?
‘We wanted a traditional theme, so Matthew opted for a tuxedo, he decided to go with a velvet blue blazer, which was a lovely touch as essentially he wore the colours of the Estonian flag. He also wore an Estonian pin along with his father and groomsmen, which was so nice, as many of my family couldn’t travel over. All of the menswear was bought from Louis Boyd Newry, who were great in helping with the attire. I gifted Matthew a Hugo Boss watch for our engagement which was silver and blue which worked well on the day. The small details matter! My dress was by an Australian designer, Essence of Australia. It was true love at first sight and had a romantic and elegant feel. I finished the look with a cathedral length veil by Creative Ideas Bridal.’
What was your favourite moment of the day?
‘It was truly a magical, unique and memorable day. Our guests could not get over what we managed to create in our own home. Also, the fact that we only had 35 people at our wedding, meant that we got to spend so much valuable time with all our guests and not feel rushed throughout the day. Some memories we cherish, the first dance – this was a secret first dance planned by Matthew, I honestly knew nothing about it, and he totally pulled it off and we had our first dance in our back garden to Ed Sheeran – Tenerife Sea. Matthew says his favourite moment was us leaving the ceremony, he says he felt 10 feet tall, as he finally got to call me his wife! My favourite moment of the day was the whole ceremony. The emotion, magic, and feeling to marry your life partner, was just a surreal feeling that I cannot explain or replicate. My father passed away when I was very young, so it was a touching moment to be walked down the aisle by my mother who was just so proud and happy for me.’
Do you have any advice to share?
‘My honest advice is to enjoy and embrace the planning process. This is a truly magical time of your life, and you should enjoy every step along the way. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment and wish the time away until your wedding day, but the whole build up, and experience are all a part of the journey. Try not to stress too much about things out of your control, everything will fall into place. There will be a few bumps in the road! Don’t worry about them. My final piece of advice, would be, if you are struggling where to start, there are people, including myself, that are here to help. Reach out. We have been and done this all before, and can guide you on your special journey to married life!’
