Weddings are about love—not just between the couple getting married, but between the families and friends gathering to witness the occasion as well.
Patricia and Neil Swan, who got married in got married in Kincasslagh, Co. Donegal, Ireland, surely felt the love on their wedding day when their guests surprised them with a catholic flash mob not long after they exchanged wedding vows.
For a bit of background, Patricia is the niece of Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell, so naturally, O’Donnell wanted the wedding to have a bit of a musical uniqueness to it.
It began when the priest was singing “How Great Thou Are” during the ceremony. The bride and groom looked intently on at the. Priest, enjoying the song. But in an instant, the priest then stopped signing when someone in the pews behind the bride and groom continued with his own rendition of the song.
The bride and groom looked back, stunned, to see one of their family members singing the song. Not long after, another family member joins in, then another and another. The couple is now wiping tears from their eyes, realizing what’s going on!
In addition to O’Donnell singing, other Irish singers who were present also sang along—Derek Ryan, Tony Kenny, Shawn Cuddy, and Tony Allen, as well as O’Donnell’s wife Majella.
“It was a total surprise. The only two people who knew were my friend Gavin Boyle who was one of the singers and my sister Fiona who was a bridesmaid. It was a huge surprise to everyone else at the church,” Patricia said.
The group of talents didn’t even have to practice signing together before the wedding. With their places in mind, the performance on the day of the wedding was the first time they all sung the song together.
“Apparently there wasn’t an actual rehearsal, just a gathering in the church before the Mass began to discuss it,” Patricia said.
In addition to their uncle, the couple also had their friend Gavin Boyle, and celebrant Fr. Pat Ward to thank, who helped plan the entire moment. He was also the one to start off the singing!
The moment was truly the most memorable part of the day. “We had the best day ever and absolutely everybody said that the church was their favorite part of the day,” Patricia said.
To see the incredible flash mob for yourself, check out the video below.
What did you think of this unique surprise moment? How would you have reacted if this happened to you on your wedding day?