Surprise Museum Wedding for Bangor Groom
Published: 10 October 2010
A wedding is usually something a couple plans together for many months but for one local man, this was far from the case. David Hunsdale, a gymnastics coach in Bangor, was thrown a surprise wedding by his fiancée at the Ulster Museum on Sunday 10th October.
His now wife, Arlene Clarke, informed David on Thursday evening that he would be getting married at the Ulster Museum on Sunday. She said,
“David and I have been together for 10 years and I just thought this would be hugely memorable and a lot of fun to surprise him with our wedding. We had a family party on Thursday which is when I told him we would be exchanging vows 72 hours from then at a place we both love, the Ulster Museum. He was certainly shocked but delighted.”
The new Mr and Mrs Hunsdale are pictured above at the Ulster Museum, click image to enlarge.
The couple, who met through gymnastics and dance in 2000, were married in the museum’s Belfast Room and held their reception with 100 friends and family in the impressive atrium area of the Ulster Museum.
Arlene, also a gymnastics teacher in Bangor, began planning the wedding back in 2008 and worked with the museum’s event organisers to make sure it remained a closely guarded secret. Patrick McLain of National Museums Northern Ireland, said, “This was certainly a wedding with a difference and the team have enjoyed working with Arlene to ensure she had the wedding of her dreams. It’s not often the groom is given so little notice about his impending marriage so there was a great sense of anticipation within the team about this wedding.”
The wedding very much reflected the couple’s shared love for music and dance with Conleth Kane from the Fame TV show performing and ‘the time of your life’ performing a retro show. The couple’s 8 year old daughter, Bailée, also played a key role in the day.
Since reopening last year, the Ulster Museum has become a popular venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
Visit the Wedding pages of our website to find out about getting married at one of our museums.
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