Real Wedding – Ciara and Shane

Allow me to introduce this fabulous couple, Ciara and Shane. I am delighted to be able to share this wedding with you as I’m sure you will all agree that it is bursting with style and elegance.

Ciara and Shane met when Ciara was studying in Athlone and dated for a year. As life happens, they parted ways only to be reconnected 8 years later. If ever there was proof that whats meant for you wont go by you! As soon as they got back together, it was clear that marriage was on the cards. Of course, 2 years after getting back together, Shane popped the question.

Shane is quite the romantic and booked a night in Lough Rynn Castle. After a scrumptious dinner, completely out of character for Shane, he wanted some ‘fresh air’. Ciara just had her hair done and really didn’t want to venture out in to the rain but he was fairly persistent! Of course, Shane presented the sparkler and the rest is history.

They didn’t hang about with the wedding planning, the following week they had the priest and hotel confirmed. They had always planned on getting married in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel in Belmullet. Everything else was planned at a very steady pace.

As the day drew closer, weather was top of the agenda. The previous day it snowed and right up until 6.30am on the day of the wedding, there was hail. Ciara’s Dad however was very relaxed about it and said it will all clear by midday – and he was right! Thanks to positive thinking, Ciara’s dad’s reliable weather reference yr.no and of course the Child of Prague the weather turned gorgeous!

Speaking of Ciara’s Dad, one of their very special touches was a handmade ring holder. Her Dad is a woodturner and made this very beautiful piece. Shane’s son Cillian was paige boy and was tasked with being ring bearer, he clutched it so carefully when walking up the aisle. Ciara’s niece Seoidín was flower girl and provided excellent entertainment the night before with her renditions of Guns & Roses Paradise City and the Dubliners’ Whiskey in the Jar – she’s three!. Children just add so much fun and excitement to the day.

The ceremony took place in St Brigids Church in Ballycastle and everything was just so beautiful including the music by Brenda Grealis. After the ceremony, they headed straight for pictures. You will see in their pictures just how stunning the scenery was.

After their pictures by Elaine Barker, they were greeted at the hotel by Manager David Tyrell. The hotel had canapes, sangria and afternoon tea in delicate vintage teacups.

Dinner went down a treat and soon after, Spring Break set up and the madness began – glowsticks, inflatable instruments and some pretty epic moves!

Ciara’s Planning Tip:

“Consider having a Wild Atlantic Way wedding even if you are not from the West of Ireland.

There are many beautiful venues with top class food and service and even on a typical cloudy Irish day you are guaranteed fantastic scenery – cloudy days make for great photos! Every supplier we dealt with couldn’t do enough for us and really appreciated our business and you would be doing your bit for the rural Irish economy.”

Ciara & Shanes parting advice:

“Enjoy it, keep calm and organise at a steady pace. If it doesn’t have an actual purpose, you don’t need it.”

Suppliers:

Venue: Broadhaven Bay Hotel Belmullet

Band: Spring Break

Florist: Judi Roche of Balla Florists

Menswear: Eddie Murphy Menswear in Ballyhaunis

Cake: Sheridans Cheesemongers supplied our cake. It raised a few eyebrows! The Broadhaven Bay decorated it.

Photographer: Elaine Barker Photography

Make Up: Amanda Conlon Make Up Artist.

Hair: Hair by Jacqueline

Dress: The Bridal Corner in Glasnevin

Bridesmaids Dresses: Ollie & Mac in Navan

Seamstress: Oksana Mustuk in Drogheda

Ceremony Music: Brenda Grealis

Reception Music: Flat Out – (Groomsman David Mulderry arranged for them to play at the reception as a surprise for Ciara and Shane! Major kudos to him!)

And now for the pictures…..