UlsterNet.co.uk

Ssshhhh.. Rathfriland’s best kept secret revealed!

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Lynette Douglas, owner of Platinum Brides, Rathfriland, with one of the beautiful gowns the groom may have picked when he called into her store as part of the cult show, ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’.

IMAGINE not knowing any details about one of the most important days of your life.
While that may be the case for most men, it was one Rathfriland woman who was kept in the dark until the day of her wedding, only seeing her wedding dress 24 hours before the big day.
This was because she was taking part in one of the country's most-talked-about and adored television shows - 'Don't Tell The Bride'.
In accordance with the title, the groom was given £12,000 to plan every detail of their wedding in just three weeks - without his bride's input.
Darryl and Clodagh, who live on Dromore Street in the town, are originally from Co Wicklow and recently moved to the town.
So it comes as no surprise that Darryl's first choice for his bride's dress was Rathfriland's Platinum Brides.
Proprietor Lynette Douglas told The Outlook it all began with a simple telephone call on Wednesday, 11 January.
“I received a phone call from a girl who said she was from a television company asking my permission for three guys to come and look at wedding dresses in my shop.
“I didn't know what to think. I initially thought maybe someone was taking the hand out of me.
“I asked was it for 'Don't Tell the Bride' and when she said yes I started screaming!
“I could not believe it," said Lynette, who is an avid fan of the cult BBC Three show.
From the time Lynette received the call, the wedding was just over two weeks away and it wasn't until the groom turned up at the shop that Lynette started to believe her favourite show was being filmed in her shop!
On Tuesday, 17 January, at 10am, the groom, his brother-in-law Conor and friend Tag arrived at the bridal shop in search for the perfect dress.
Lynette says when they came into the shop at 10am, they spent around an hour looking at the details on every dress on the rails.
“When he came in he had an idea of what he wanted and told me the theme for the wedding. However I could not advise him on anything - I couldn't sell him a dress as such - as it was up to him to pick one. I couldn't say if I thought that dress isn't going to suit her shape or anything. But the one thing he did repeat all day was that he didn't care if he got anything else wrong with the wedding, he wanted to get the dress right."
Lynette said that Clodagh, who works in Daisy Hill Hospital, had already bought her wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses before they were selected to appear on the nationwide television show, which meant that Darryl had to live up to her already purchased dream dress.
Darryl chose four dresses for Lynette's model, The Look's Aisling McConville, to try on.
Darryl's pick of the bunch was a Sophia Tolli designer dress which are known for their 'unparalleled craftsmanship and exceptional fit'.
“When he picked THE dress, he suggested we do something else to it - I won't reveal what that was - but my initial reaction was "no, don't do that." However when he explained the reasons as to why he wanted to do this, we went ahead with it.
“We were given her measurements so I sent the dress to the dressmaker after Darryl had been and then on the day that Clodagh came in, the dressmaker came down to finalise any alterations."
It was 10 days from when Darryl picked the dress to his bride seeing it for the first time.
Lynette said she was very nervous before Clodagh arrived at the shop.
“I was very nervous for her coming in. Darryl had sent up her shoes and underwear and he requested that she see the dress first and try it on before anyone with her seen it.
“She did like the dress in the end, but you need to watch the show to get her full reaction!" says Lynette.
So to see Rathfriland's big moment in the spotlight and Lynette's brush with fame, watch 'Don't Tell the Bride' which will be broadcast on BBC3 on St Valentine's Day, 14 February, at 8pm. Don't miss it!

Subscribe to read full newspaper »

Send this page to a friend »