Diocesan News
‘The Big Day’ Wedding Dress Festival opens this week
Preparations are being finalised for ‘The Big Day’ Wedding Dress Festival, at St Columb’s Cathedral in Derry–Londonderry, which will be officially opened on Thursday evening by Lady Christine Eames. The Cathedral is being transformed for the event, during which around 70 dresses will be on display – including the dress worn by Lady Eames when she married Lord Robin Eames in June 1966.
Among the highlights of the ten–day festival will be wedding re–enactments at 12.30pm on Saturday 23rd and Saturday 30th June, when ‘the bride’ will make her way from the deanery to the Cathedral, preceded by up to 50 attendants – children dressed specially for the occasion. The Cathedral choir and musicians will be on hand to provide suitable wedding music, and there’ll be a vintage car and motorcycle display outside in the Cathedral grounds. Wedding dresses through the decades will be exhibited in different parts of the church, along with the fascinating stories behind each.
There will be additional features, too, such as ‘mother and daughter’ displays, and a trousseau – including underclothes – dating from the early 1900s. The festival opening times will be from 10am–5.30pm Monday to Friday; 9.30am–5.30pm on Saturdays; and 2pm–5.30pm on Sunday. Late opening on Wednesday for pre–booked groups.
The official opening by Lady Eames will take place at 7pm on Thursday 21st June in St Columb’s Cathedral. All are welcome to attend.
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Derry & Raphoe
Mr Paul McFadden
028 7126 2440
07525 826290
press@derryandraphoe.org