By Islam El-Sakka
When Bridget Devaney's fiancé suffered a medical emergency and their planned elopement fell apart, she invited strangers online to join a "non-wedding" trip in Northern Ireland. Eleven women from the United States, Canada, and Wales responded.
The invitation
Devaney, who splits her time between the US and Killarney in the Republic of Ireland, was left reeling after the separation. In April, a photographer's email about her postponed wedding plans prompted her to act. A friend suggested advertising a female-only group trip on her anonymous social media profile, which drew hundreds of inquiries.
The journey
Among the respondents were Janae Pettit, a design consultant from Utah, and Shana Johnson from Minnesota. Pettit saw the post on April 1 and viewed the trip as a birthday gift to herself. Johnson, whose friends were focused on family travel, seized the chance for a solo adventure. Each woman had personal reasons for joining, but all sought connection.
A new kind of celebration
Earlier this month, the group spent a week exploring Northern Ireland's north coast, visiting the Giant's Causeway, the Dark Hedges, and Londonderry. Despite having met only online, they bonded quickly. The week culminated in a photoshoot with Rob Dight of Epic Love Photography, who had extended the original wedding deposit. Dight said he was "blown away" by the deep connection among women who had met just days earlier.
Lasting connections
A wellness session focused on new beginnings left "not a dry eye in the room," Devaney said. The experience helped her reframe memories of places once intended for her wedding. Weeks after returning home, the group remains in close contact, planning future reunions. Devaney said she learned that community exists "if you want to find it," even if it requires vulnerability.
