Long Time Lovers Reunited - #MyStoryTold

Geraldine share her beautiful photos and told her love story:

“Firstly, I’d like to say that my choice of Wedding dress was absolutely perfect. I had seen it months beforehand on your site and fell in love with it... it was meant for me. I travelled far and wide in Ireland with my Mum and Sister, trying on and taking off some fabulous and many awful dresses. I knew exactly what I wanted and it was the Wardrobe Shop dress I had seen at the start of this ‘perfect wedding dress’ long, at times hilarious and tiresome journey.

My only fear of buying from The Wardrobe Shop was that it was ‘online’... I’m getting there now, but I’m slightly old fashioned in the sense that I like to see, feel and try on before I buy. Anyway, several times after a day out looking I’d come home, get onto your site, select the awesome Downton dress, get all the way to buy and then stop... I was afraid to finish the purchase in case it wasn’t for me. Well about six weeks or so before the Big Day, I got the confidence to click on that button and boy am I thrilled I did.

The dress arrived literally 8 days later... When I heard a package had arrived I sneaked out of work, got home looked at this ‘small’ package and thought “Oh My God, this Is my Wedding Dress, it must be SO FLIMSY... OMG OMG”, opened it up ... had to try it on quickly. I was flabbergasted at how gorgeous it was despite just being unwrapped, I (who would rarely self compliment myself), thought I looked fabulous. The excitement was tingling all over me, so I had to drive to my sister’s house and show her... She fell in love with My Dress and made me feel amazing, if it can make me look that good on an ordinary working day, what was it going to be like on the actual day, with all the additional bits and pieces. I rushed back to work, no one the wiser of my triumphant 40 mins away. When I left work I had to call to my Mum, who is an absolute lady of style and always has been, she tells you straight what she thinks of what you’re wearing or are going to buy. Mum will reach 90, on 1st Sept and is still a stunner, would not dream of going out unless she was impeccably dressed and couture! I was actually dreading her opinion…

She could not believe a dress bought online could be so awesome and fit/suit me perfectly. I was on a high from then on. All we needed to do now was get the suitable accessories, lingerie to complete my Wedding Dress.

John and I lived in the same area of London UK, had gone to the same primary school and dated in the 1970s as teen sweethearts for almost five years. We became engaged when we were just 18, but I broke it off two years later. We went our separate ways and eventually married other people. As the years went by, we later discovered that we both had often thought of one another but never met up again. Bellow photo taken at a Christmas dinner/dance 1975.

I moved to Ireland in 1994, with my young son Harry, who was just 4 yrs old then, to be with my parents and sister, who had moved back there from London, a few years earlier. In 2008, I received an email from John through ‘Friends Reunited’, a site for old school friends to catch up with each other by registering under their primary/secondary schools. I was registered with our primary school and John came across me on here. I couldn’t believe it. We exchanged mails for a few days and then spoke on the phone. A month later we met, for the very first time in 32 years, when I flew over to London. We spent a few days together, reminisced on the past and learnt so much about all those in-between years. That time together was like a Fairytale come true, we fell totally in love with each other again .... that was 12 years ago. Photo bellow taken 2009.

John’s work and grown family kept him in London, so we travelled over and back for a few years and then he moved to Ireland permanently in 2010. We talked about getting married, but just never got around to it. John’s two daughters Dani, her husband and Becky, travel to Ireland a few times a year with his two grandchildren Megan and Chloe (Dani and husband Dave’s Girls). We are so blessed that we all get along so well and our home is like their second home.

In 2018, John said “I think we should get MARRIED, what do you think?”, I was over the moon, thought it was something we’d never get to do. Naturally, I jumped straight into the planning and organizing. ‘Our Day’ started with just the immediate family members to attend, that soon increased to 50 guests. We booked to have a Spiritual Ceremony in the most beautiful little Chapel, in a small village about 20 miles from where we live in Killarney. The Little Belfry Chapel, Glenbeigh, Co Kerry it is just a venue, no longer used for religious use. We married on 20 June 2019, exactly eleven years to the day we were reunited at Stansted Airport in London. My son Harry gave me away, we had some brilliant photos taken en route to the Chapel, at a remodelled 1930-40s Turf Village. My dress was stunning...

We had our two Grandaughters plus our lovely next door neighbors daughter who is like another Grandaughter, two of John’s Grandnephews and a Grandniece as Bridesmaids, and two Junior Ushers. You will see from the photos how beautiful everyone looked. Our day was magnificent, my husband looked so handsome and the happiness of that day oozed from the entire Wedding party and guests, not lest the Bride and Groom. The skies were blue, the sun shone down on us, we were blessed. After the Ceremony, Dani and Becky surprised us with champagne served in the chapel grounds. We travelled back to The Killarney Royal Hotel for a Summer Punch Reception and dinner.

Would do it all over again. We may not have been meant to be together as a young couple, but my goodness WE WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER ONE DAY. We couldn’t be happier.”