From Saying 'I Do' to Front Row at Teddy Swims Concert
Neil and Leighann Hanna attended the Teddy Swims concert in Belfast wearing their wedding outfits, turning their special day into an extraordinary celebration.
While most couples conclude their wedding day festivities by bidding farewell to guests, Neil and Leighann experienced something quite different on Monday night.
Last October, Neil purchased tickets for American singer-songwriter Teddy Swims' performance at Ormeau Park in Belfast. Although the concert date was marked in their calendar, Leighann inadvertently booked their wedding for the same day.
"We've been together for a while," Leighann explained. "I just said 'right, let's just do it', so I booked the wedding about a month ago and I messaged Neil at work and said 'this is the date we're getting married'."
When Neil checked his work calendar, he realized he was already off that day for another commitment.
Leighann recalled, "I thought he was just trying to get out of it. And then he went no, honey, we've got the Teddy Swims concert that night."
The couple resides in Neil's hometown of Bangor, County Down, while Leighann is originally from Musselburgh, Scotland.
With only 12 guests attending the wedding, including their three children, they decided to proceed with both the wedding and the concert.
Leighann stated, "That was not in question, I was not missing Teddy Swims for anything."
Neil added with a smile, "I was just doing as I was told."
They adjusted the wedding time to noon, held their intimate ceremony, enjoyed a lunch at a restaurant in Bangor, and then headed straight to Ormeau Park.
Leighann said, "This is going to sound strange, but we don't really like big gatherings … unless Teddy Swims is singing."
Concert Experience and Public Reaction
As the newlyweds arrived at Belfast's Ormeau Embankment in their wedding attire, they quickly attracted attention from concertgoers.
Neil recounted, "There were that many people who were like 'are you guys for real?'. Everybody wanted a photograph with us and to congratulate us."
The concert staff enhanced their experience by escorting them to a VIP area and providing complimentary drink tickets.
They were also granted access to the front standing area directly in front of the stage.
Neil shared, "We actually had our first dance right in front of Teddy Swims."
The couple chose the song "Lose Control," which propelled Teddy Swims to international fame in 2023, for their first dance.
Leighann remarked, "Nobody could believe that we had just been married that day and we were there."
Neil added, "Everybody wanted a photo and wanted to shake hands and give Leighann hugs. I had plenty of girls telling me that I was punching above my weight, which is true."
He continued, "Really good, lovely, light-hearted stuff, like people were just amazing."
After the concert, the couple noted that people were honking their horns in celebration as they made their way home.
Reflections on Their Unique Wedding Day
Reflecting on their special day, Neil and Leighann encouraged others considering small weddings to proceed confidently.
Leighann said, "We had it small deliberately and we did it our way. We got all the dressings for the table ourselves. I made up all my bouquets by myself, with the help of my eldest daughter Paige, and it was more personal because we did it ourselves."
