The Merchant Hotel Belfast Wedding | Niamh + David

Niamh and David got married on the 4th of December at St. Malachy’s Church in Belfast before we made our way through Belfast to The Merchant Hotel for their wedding reception.

We met up with a very excited Niamh at her Mum and Dad’s home in Armagh on the morning of the wedding. Niamh’s lovely sisters who were also her bridesmaids on the day also got ready from their Mum and Dad’s and did a great job of keeping Niamh from going into full wedding panic mode.

Once the girls were finishing of getting ready, we headed off to Belfast to meet up with Dave and his groomsmen at the chapel. Everybody expected the weather to be quite poor for this one and while there was some rain and it was bitterly cold, in the end it wasn’t too bad at all. We usually find that the groom is more nervous than the bride before the ceremony but it was Dave who was calmest on the day. To be fair we think every bride would have been feeling a bit anxious after what happened on the way to the ceremony.

Wedding Photos at The Merchant Hotel Belfast

Most weddings end up having something that doesn’t go quite according to plan. As experienced wedding photographers in Belfast we see it all the time. For Niamh and Dave’s wedding it was their wedding transport. Although Dave had spoken to the transport company a few times on the lead up to the wedding and even the day before they somehow managed to get the pick-up time’s wrong so both of the cars arrived to pick the girls up quite late. Worse still the cars ended up going to the wrong church, causing further delay. By the time Niamh arrived for the ceremony she was a nervous wreck.

All that was put aside though as she walked down the aisle and seen Dave waiting for her. The ceremony itself was quite traditional. Niamh and Dave live in England but current travel restrictions didn’t hurt too much on the day and many of their family and friends were able to make it across the water for their wedding day.

The Merchant Hotel Belfast Wedding Photography

After the ceremony we walked with Niamh and Dave through Belfast to their wedding reception at The Merchant Hotel. Belfast as you would expect on any Saturday but especially at this time of year was absolutely hiving with activity. So, there was plenty to see and do as we walked across the city to The Merchant. There was a great atmosphere and buzz everywhere we went and many people stopped to wish Niamh & Dave well. Niamh & Dave are both so easy to get along with, we really enjoyed the time we spent with them.

On arriving at The Merchant Hotel the guys got to spend a bit of quality time with their family and friends before the speeches and dinner. Instead of a traditional wedding cake the guys had an epic selection of cheeses instead. After dinner entertainment was provided by traditional Irish wedding band The Real Shingdig before our good friend D.J Dave Ralston arrived to get the real party started. The staff at the hotel were warm and friendly all day, they even sent us home with a bottle of wine which was much appreciated.