Latest news with #AThousandYears
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'My fairytale wedding day was years in the making - but I woke up in hospital'
With just 24 hours to go until their dream castle wedding, Lisa Haggart and Ian Whitaker headed for fresh air with the family but soon, their world was flipped upside down Dominating the landscape on the breathtakingly beautiful Isle of Mull, Duart Castle with its 14th Century keep is the kind of fairytale venue where every bride dreams of tying the knot. And in 24 hours, it was where florist Lisa Haggart planned to marry her partner of 14 years, welder fabricator Ian Whitaker. Mull's dramatic beauty - so different to their home in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire - had stolen the hearts of the couple and their children, Esme, 12, and Eddie, seven, who had made the barren setting their preferred holiday destination for years. Now they were rolling a family holiday and honeymoon into one - enjoying a few days in a caravan together on a campsite with spectacular views, before and after the wedding. But a wild storm had raged since they arrived, largely confining them to barracks. READ MORE: Pharmacist shares hidden' dangers of pill taken by millions in UK So, with the kids getting cabin fever, on 4 August Lisa and Ian, both 39, seized a break in the rain to take Eddie out with them for a walk. Esme, sensibly, stayed indoors, with Lisa's parents, Anne and Andy Haggart. Heading to the beach beside the campsite, being mindful of the soggy ground, Lisa recalls: 'It was the day before my wedding and I was positively giddy with excitement. 'We'd been on the Isle of Mull for a few days and had the most relaxing time. It was so lovely to spend time together as a family. 'After this walk, I was planning on heading back to the campsite to work on my bouquet. As a florist, I'd be making my own bouquet. I'd chosen the sunflowers and roses for it a few days earlier in Oban.' Strolling along with Eddie, behind Ian, she says: 'I couldn't believe it had been 14 years since our first date, when we went to the cinema to see Super 8.' Ian proposed in Christmas 2015. Lisa recalls: 'I thought I was opening a gift when suddenly my favourite song, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri, came on. 'I opened the unassuming present to find a gorgeous ring propped up on a cushion with a message that read 'Lisa, will you marry me?' I leapt into his arms right away. The answer was always going to be yes.' The couple's decade-long engagement was because they wanted to wait until the time was right - deciding, in the end, to have Eddie as Ian's best man and ring bearer and Esme as Lisa's maid of honour. And it had been worth the wait. 'Now we were finally getting married in our favourite place, the Isle of Mull,' says Lisa. 'I had always seen Duart Castle when we came to Mull in the summer and wondered what it was like inside. We'd toured it last year and I fell in love with the dramatic surroundings and stunning sea views. 'I knew this was the place for us and we had picked the sea view room for our special day, because of the spectacular scenery.' Pinching her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming, as she walked down a bank, suddenly, without warning, Lisa lost her footing and slid across the wet grass - before coming crashing down. 'I heard it before I felt it,' she says. 'The sound of my bones in my left leg snapping is something I'll never forget. Then the excruciating pain followed, I swear it was genuinely worse than childbirth. I let out a strangled scream to get my fiance to turn back and Eddie ran up the path to get his attention.' Between them all, they managed to move Lisa onto a nearby picnic bench. 'I knew it was a bad break. When I looked down at my leg I saw it had gone completely limp and floppy,' she says. 'I felt the colour drain from my face and it looked like all the bones had vanished from my leg. 'We hurried to the car as quickly as we could and drove to A&E at Mull & Iona Hospital. It was only 10 minutes away, but it felt like an eternity and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was supposed to be walking down the aisle the next day.' After her X-rays, a doctor broke the news. 'He told me, 'You've broken your tibia, fibula and ankle,'' she says. ''I'm supposed to be walking down the aisle tomorrow,' I said.' As doctors fitted her cast, they told her she needed to be airlifted to the mainland for further treatment on her leg, which was broken in three places. But the stormy weather meant the air ambulance couldn't land until the morning. 'My mind was racing a million miles an hour now,' she says.'I thought, 'was there any way I could still get married on Mull like we'd planned?'' The castle steps meant, even in a wheelchair, she wouldn't be able to get to the venue without risking damaging her leg further. 'I had my heart set on marrying the love of my life the next day, as planned,' says Lisa. 'As I locked eyes with Ian, I knew he felt exactly the same way. Then it was all systems go. 'Ian was straight on the phone to our registrar and thankfully he agreed to come and marry us at the hospital.' Barely sleeping, because of her excitement, Lisa nearly forgot the pain in her leg - waking the next morning, thrilled to be tying the knot. Admittedly, it would be a very different day to her dream wedding - where they'd planned to take photos in the castle grounds before heading into nearby town Tobermory with their six guests to take a boat around the harbour and go for fish and chips. Then later that day, Lisa was planning to take a dip in the sea in her wedding dress before heading back to the caravan for a barbecue. Luckily, all was not lost, as understanding staff at the castle said they could postpone it and have a blessing the following year instead. Waking up on August 5, Lisa says: 'I chuckled to myself, I never thought I'd be waking up in a hospital bed on the day of my wedding. I was still devastated that I wasn't going to be walking down the aisle in Duart Castle, but all that really mattered to me was getting married to Ian. 'Most brides would have probably waited until all the drama was over, but I simply could not wait another day. The nurses were amazing and decorated my room with their Christmas lights and a garland made from surgical gloves. And the staff were so excited as they'd never had a wedding at the hospital before. 'They even helped me get my wedding dress over my head and lay the skirt out over me as best they could. I had planned on wearing a pair of gorgeous white heels, but with the cast on my leg I had to forgo them.' In the end, six people - Lisa's mum and dad, her children, and two friends, one of whom was the photographer - made it, despite the storm, and watched them tie the knot. 'My gorgeous daughter Esme came running through with a stunning bouquet in her hands,' says Lisa. ''Mummy, we made you this because you didn't get a chance to make your own!' she beamed at me. ''Oh darling, they are absolutely beautiful,' I replied, through tears of joy. 'Although I never imagined I'd be saying 'I do' sitting in a hospital bed, my big day was even more perfect than I could ever have imagined. 'The registrar has also agreed to give us our blessing next year and I plan to wear my wedding dress again. Not many brides get to wear their dress twice!' A few hours after the ceremony, the helicopter arrived to take Lisa to the mainland for surgery at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Sadly, there was no room for Ian. 'I was heartbroken to be flying away from him so soon after we'd married, but I was glad he was staying with the kids,' she says. 'We agreed he would meet me at the hospital later on. 'It wasn't the wedding night of passion we'd envisioned!' Lisa, who is now recovering at home, had a rod inserted into her leg and says: 'It was certainly a wedding day to remember!' Ian adds: 'I didn't want to wait another day to marry Lisa. She is the love of my life. 'I know a hospital isn't the most traditional venue, but we can still have our special day at the castle next year.'
Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
My Wedding Day with Niamh Hogan: 'We didn't have any rings, we got matching tattoos instead'
We were married eight years ago in 2017. We got together 12 years before that and had our daughter really quickly, so we just went straight into parenthood. And I suppose marriage was never really something we thought about. But then — and this is in no way romantic — we started thinking that to protect each other and our daughter we should think about getting married. So we booked the registry office for the end of July 2017. It was literally in this lady's office ... she just put a tablecloth over her desk. We didn't have any rings, and with the nature of my job where I was travelling around doing facials and things like that I didn't want to get a ring because I was afraid I would lose it. So we got matching tattoos instead. We both got triangles on our forearms, so when we're holding hands they're right next to each other. In my triangle there are trees and in Paul's there's a wave. We had a lovely day with our two witnesses and our daughter Bella, who was 12 at the time. And then two weeks later, on August 5 — the bank holiday weekend — we said we'd have a party to celebrate getting married. We had the party in The Old Deanery in Ferns, County Wexford. We invited 32 people — 12 of them were children, so essentially our family and their kids. We had our witnesses, and then we had one extra friend each. And we didn't tell anybody else. We were calling the party 'a wedding', because no-one had been to the registry office, and for our parents we thought we should have some kind of event. We decided to have a ceremony: we got our friend to perform a service, but it was a fake ceremony. Niamh Hogan and her husband Paul and daughter Bella participating in a sand ceremony. She wasn't a celebrant or anything, but she wrote the most beautiful ceremony. Secretly she spoke with our families and got quotes from them about us or our relationship and it was so lovely and heartfelt. And then, our daughter Bella has the most beautiful singing voice but had never sung in front of anyone. I convinced her to sing at the ceremony and she sang A Thousand Years and had everyone in tears, it was so beautiful. There was no big planning for the day at all, it was all very relaxed. But there were loads of little moments like Bella singing that made the day so special. We got all the little kids (those who were old enough to read) to come up and tell us their wish for our future and they were so cute. It really was a family celebration. We didn't have any rings so we did a sand pouring ceremony instead — myself, Paul and Bella did it with three different coloured sands, and that was lovely. It was lashing rain on the day, and after the ceremony we all went to the cellar bar in the complex, and because of the weather they had lit the fires and it was so cosy. We had bubbles there and we did the speeches, but the speeches were so chilled, and we all spoke just sitting down. It was intimate and meaningful, and we didn't want that part to end. Then we all went back to the barn area where they had laid out a long table in the middle and we had a buffet meal there. And then we had a band afterwards, and they played all sing-a-long songs, so myself, my sister, and my daughter were all singing half the night. Niamh Hogan and her husband Paul. We didn't do most of the traditional stuff; we didn't have a wedding cake, we didn't have a first dance. I didn't wear a wedding dress. My mom had asked me before the day what was I going to wear and I said I'd find something in my closet. She said: 'No way, I'm buying you a new outfit for your wedding.' So I got a lovely outfit on Folkster that I still wear to nights out — I wore it once to an awards event. The whole day was just a party really, a big party with all the important people in our lives and a real celebration of family and love. And we were all so relaxed and chilled and we had the best time with everyone. Then the funny thing is about three years ago coming up to Christmas, my husband asked me what I wanted and I said: 'Let's just do something nice together instead of gifts'. He surprised me on Christmas Day with a workshop where we went and forged our own wedding rings. I absolutely adore the ring, and I just know that if I'd gotten a ring when we actually got married, I probably would have lost it, or I wouldn't have worn it, because I would have been afraid I'd lose it, whereas now I never take it off my finger. It just means so much more to me. And it has its own story. Niamh is the founder and CEO of award-winning Irish skincare brand Holos Skincare, an active plant-powered skincare that's available on and at selected pharmacies nationwide Read More Discover Ireland's hidden gems with these memorable guided tours
Business Wire
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
New Film '18 MONTHS' Tells True Story of Baby Found in Subway Station 25 Years Ago, Celebrates Foster and Adoptive Families
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Danny Stewart couldn't have imagined how finding a newborn in a New York City subway station — and the media circus that followed — would forever change him and his partner, Pete Mercurio. Now, 25 years later, and in time for Father's Day, the couple's extraordinary journey to parenthood has been brought to life in ' 18 MONTHS,' the animated short from nonprofit Second Nurture that celebrates all paths to family and challenges adoption stigma. '18 MONTHS' unravels as a metaphorical pregnancy, with the monumental personal, societal, and legal hurdles Stewart and Mercurio faced in adopting their now almost-25-year-old son, Kevin, reimagined to mirror the milestones of gestation. Set to Christina Perri's stirring love song A Thousand Years — rerecorded as an emblematic duet that creates a thread between the biological and adoptive storylines, the stop-motion film features backgrounds meticulously crafted from actual pages of old pregnancy books, hand-sculpted puppets, 2D animation, CGI, and shadow projections. The credits include archival news footage and family photos. ''18 MONTHS' is more than just our story — it's a challenge to the way the world views adoption,' said Stewart, a social worker and Second Nurture board member. 'Every family's journey is unique,' added Mercurio, his husband of 13 years. 'And love is what makes a family." 'Like Kevin, all children deserve loving homes and a deep sense of belonging,' said Susan Silverman, Second Nurture's Founder and Executive Director. 'We hope '18 MONTHS' inspires more people to support foster and adoptive families in every way they can.' Tearing Up Outdated Family Archetypes (and Books) Created by Klick Health and animated by Zombie Studio, with music by Jamute, the six-minute film seeks to ignite broader conversations around adoption, especially for LGBTQ+ families still facing outdated perceptions and legal barriers. Andrea Bistany, Klick Health Group Creative Director said, 'The art direction in '18 MONTHS' literally illustrates how outdated the 'traditional' family ideal is. By tearing up and repurposing pregnancy books, like Eastman's Expectant Motherhood, that date back to the 1950s, we're conveying a more inclusive, modern definition of family.' Film co-creator and Group Creative Director Amy Fortunato added, 'There is a lingering belief that biological families are the only 'real' families, so the more we challenge this, the more we empower families to form in all their beautiful, varied forms. Pete and Danny's story is an incredible example of how there is no wrong way to build a family. By partnering with Second Nurture on '18 MONTHS,' we hope to spark stigma-free conversations about adoption and support foster and adoptive families across the country.' To watch '18 MONTHS' and support Second Nurture, visit Second Nurture partners with local communities to weave the love and skills of their members into a real-time support and nurturance for foster families in their city, transforming the experience of fostering from one of isolation and difficulty to a deeply relational endeavor of belonging and shared responsibility.
GMA Network
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Cristopher Diwata, aka 'What hafen Vella' guy, starts taping for 'Mga Batang Riles'
Cristopher Diwata, the guy behind the viral "What hafen Vella?" trend, has started taping for his guest appearance in "Mga Batang Riles." On Instagram, GMA Network gave a sneak peek at his behind-the-scenes for the series, where he joined Miguel Tanfelix, Kokoy De Santos, Anton Vinzon, Zephanie, and Ynes Veneracion for some scenes. He was shown practicing his lines and also singing "Twilight" soundtrack "A Thousand Years" on set. "Hello mga Kapuso, nandito na ko ngayon sa Mga Batang Riles. Yo what hafen to me? Kinakabahan na naman ako dahil ito na, artista na po tayo," he said. Cristopher joined the "It's Showtime" segment Kalokalike 12 years ago. A video of his performance as Taylor Lautner, the Jacob Black of the "Twilight" films, recently resurfaced and went viral on social media. He has since collaborated with brands, artists, content creators who joined the trend started by his iconic lines, "What hafen, Vella? Why you cryin' again? I know, vampire, right? Vampire will feyt to me." "Mga Batang Riles" is nearing its finale. The series, which also stars Raheel Bhyria, Bruce Roeland, Diana Zubiri, Jay Manalo, and more, airs weeknights on GMA Prime at 8:50 p.m. after "Lolong." —MGP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Barbie Forteza joins Cristopher Diwata in 'What hafen, Vella?' trend
What hafen, Barbie Forteza? The Kapuso Primetime Princess is the latest celebrity to hop on to Cristopher Diwata's viral "What hafen, Vella?" lines! On TikTok, Cristopher shared a short clip of himself with the Kapuso actress doing his iconic lines. "Iba ka talaga miss [Barbie Forteza]," he wrote. It looks like Barbie isn't the only one who can't get over this trend. In a separate video, Cristopher shared a clip of Barbie's "Beauty Empire" co-star Kyline Alcantara, joining in—adding a special twist by singing a few lines from Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years," famously featured on the Twilight soundtrack, which originally inspired the iconic lines. This isn't the first time Cristopher doubled-down on the "Twilight" references. He previously sang the song with Ben&Ben, who is just one of the many celebrities riding on his trend, among them Abi Marquez a.k.a Lumpia Queen, Michael Sager, Anjo Petierra, and SB19. He's landed several endorsements as well, which he said helps him to pay off debts and support his family. "Kahit maliit man 'yan, tatanggapin ko 'yan. Iga-grab ko 'yan kahit maliit. Sana sa mga nag-aalala sa akin, huwag n'yong intindihin 'yun at mas maganda 'yung meron kaysa sa wala," Cristopher told GMA News Online in an interview. Cristopher is also going to appear on "Mga Batang Riles."
