Rebecca Sellar and Christopher Wells

When the organisers of the Cyprus Avenue concert celebrating Van Morrison’s 70th birthday learned that the daughter of the minister of Bloomfield Presbyterian Church and moderator-designate of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland was getting married at the east Belfast church on Cyprus Avenue on August 29th, they decided to postpone the historic performance.

Rebecca (23), eldest child of Frank and Claire, went to school in Dublin while her father was minister of Adelaide Road Presbyterian Church. The family moved to Belfast in 2007.

In 2012, she met Christopher, also 23, at the University of Exeter at which she studied law and he did international studies. His parents are Heather and Graham.

Given away and married by Rebecca’s father, the service was introduced by Rev Dr Bill Addley and the preacher was Rebecca and Chris’s minister in Exeter, Rev Simon Austen.

Music was provided by the Bloomfield church band led by Brian McNarry and included a number of songs by contemporary Irish hymn writer, Keith Getty.

After the ceremony, guests were invited for afternoon tea in the church hall, followed by dinner at Culloden Estate and Spa in Cultra with music by Blackstaff Ceili Band.

The newlyweds honeymooned in the Scottish Highlands before setting up home in the English Cotswolds.

Photographs: Esther Irvine