Co Armagh minister Archdeacon Elizabeth Cairns officiates at Jubilee wedding of her daughter Rebecca and Laurelvale man Jack McClelland

Rebecca Cairns and the groom Jack McClelland had booked their wedding day long before it was to become Jubilee Day, which made it even more special.

The bride and her mother, who is Archdeacon of Ardboe in the Archdiocese of Armagh, didn’t have far to travel to get to the church on time, just a few yards from the Rectory to the Church.

Who is the groom?

The groom, Jack, aged 26, the son of Donna and Barry McClelland, is from Laurelvale so also didn’t have far to travel to the church.

Special memories

Rev Cairns said the most special part of the day was watching her daughter being walked up the aisle by dad Eddie. “I always go down to meet the bride at weddings and I did that and came back up and did the service. It was difficult. When I looked down and saw everyone with the tissues out, sniffing and crying.

“It was hard because you knew you were going to be marrying your daughter and I knew my husband was going to be walking her up the aisle. So a combination of all of that, it was difficult but I held it together,” said Rev Cairns.

Getting ready for the wedding

Before the service the girls were all together in the Rectory, getting their make up done and dressed for the wedding. Rev Cairns had to dash into the church slightly earlier than the rest to don her robes before the service. And after a quick change in the vestry after the marriage ceremony, Rev Cairns reverted back to her beautiful mother of the bride outfit.

“It all went without a hitch,” said Elizabeth, who has two boys, one who is already married but Rebecca is their only daughter. “It was very special to marry her in my own church and she is going to be living locally as well.

“Jack, her husband, is from Laurelvale. It felt like a village wedding because Jack is from Laurelvale, he plays for the local football team and has connections with the cricket club. Everyone knows the family so there were lots and lots of well wishers who just turned up at the church.”

Jubilee party at the church

Not only had the Rev Cairns help with the wedding but she had organised a special party in their church hall to celebrate the Jubilee just after the wedding ceremony.

“The church folk had been really good and came in earlier in the week to decorate the hall with bunting and I did the flowers for the tables and it was decorated in red, white and blue for the Jubilee. So all the wedding guests plus well wishers and parishioners were all invited into the church hall after the wedding.”

Wedding reception at Cabra Castle

The wedding party went to Cabra Castle in Co Cavan for the reception. “The staff were absolutely amazing. We could not praise them highly enough. The food, the venue, the way they looked after everyone was amazing,” said Elizabeth, who was particularly impressed with the care given to her mother who was in a wheelchair.

She added that the venue had given them an option to fly another flag as well as the Tricolour so long as they bring it along. “I had emailed them to ask as it was the Jubilee weekend would they mind if they flew the Union flag and they said no problem at all. All the table names at the meal were named after royal palaces, such as Buckingham, Sandringham, Windsor and Hillsborough.

Jack who works for Almac and Rebecca who works for the health service met seven years ago through Snapchat and their love blossomed from then. They are spending their honeymoon in Mexico, Florida and Caribbean cruise.

Mother of the groom, Donna McClelland said: “It was brilliant day from start to finish.”

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