“We opted for a fairytale theme to tie in with the beautiful castle venue.”
Names: Rowland and Jo
Length of engagement: 18 months
Wedding Date: 26th August 2018
Wedding location: Waterford Castle
Videographer: Quinn Video
We met… in August 2013 whilst working on a railway project in Nottinghamshire in the UK. Rowley was working as a signaling installation member and I was the project manager on site. Rowley built up the courage to ask me out for a coffee one day at the end of the project, which was a success, and our first date from there was to the Froch and Groves boxing match in Manchester in November 2018.
Our proposal… was in New York City. Rowley whisked me away to New York City for St Patrick’s wedding, and with me being Irish, I thought what a great way to celebrate. Little did I know that when up the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center), I would be given my very own Rock. Rowley got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. After the huge surprise hit me, I of course said yes. We celebrated by having a meal in a revolving floor restaurant in New York and attending a boxing fight at Maddison square garden.
Our wedding theme/colours… we opted for a fairytale theme to tie in with the beautiful castle venue, and the fact that our relationship feels like a prince and princess love story. I opted for rose gold and pink colours as it is my favourite colour.
Things we DIY’d/made ourselves… were the favours for the dining tables. We went for an Irish whiskey shot for the men and a baileys shot for the ladies. The reason we chose these liqueurs is because Rowley is a real whiskey drinker and I am a huge Baileys fan! The tags on the miniatures were ordered from an ebay seller which were cheap and cheerful.
My dress… was by designer Romantica of Devon and the style was ***. I purchased my dress from Victoria’s Bridal in County Carlow who accommodated all my needs perfectly. In fact Victoria’s creative and artistic skill helped me chose a lace bolero which was then added on to my dress.
My hair and make up… hair was done by Bridal Hair by Marie Hickey. I opted for an upstyle on the day to allow my dress to be fully seen as I really wanted to show it off! The bridesmaids all had a different upstyle, I let them chose whatever they wanted, however they all had a side plait and a flower slide. Marie was a fantastic hairstylist who ensured our hair looked fabulous on the day.
His suit… the groom’s suit and the groomsmen were from Fitzgeralds Menswear in Waterford City. From the moment we arrived in this shop we were blown away with their first class service. Rowley opted for a navy suit for him and his groomsmen, and opted for a different colour waistcoast to allow him to stand out from the boys.
What our bridal party wore… The bridesmaid dresses were from Little Mistress which I found in a shop called Simply Be in Derbyshire, UK. They were in the sale at Christmas time hence the sequins on the dresses, so I impulse bought them, as I fell in love with the colours, and the whole wedding colour theme was built around these dresses!
Our ceremony…was a traditional celtic ceremony performed by a celebrant named Dara Molloy who is a celtic priest and monk. Everyone that came to our wedding had so many beautiful things to say about Dara. He really touched people in such a wonderfully positive way. When I started to plan this wedding, I knew in my heart it was something that would be special. The most memorable part of the ceremony was the tying of the knot! Dara lives on the Aran Islands and can dress in many ways to suit your ceremony. He can dress as a monk, in a suit, or a priest, whatever your preference.
We chose our videographer because…Quinn videography was chosen because we were so impressed with the video that Ronan produced for our friends Gillian and Dominic at their wedding. The videographer was the most important supplier to me as I cherish memories and Ronan from Quinn video captures moments like no one else I have come across. He was easy going on the day and put myself and the bridal party all at ease.
We chose our venue because… Waterford castle because we fell in love with the venue from the moment we arrived. Waterford castle resides on its own private island with 19 luxury rooms which are fit for Kings and Queens. In addition to the luxury castle, there are a number of lodges on the island, for friends and family to stay in which are self-catering and ideal for families or large groups. To get to the island we had to board a car ferry which is a different and unique experience, and we were so excited to see what lay beyond the car ferry. The staff at the castle were wonderful to work with and nothing was too much for them to accommodate.
Our menu…was chosen to suit our favourite types of food, but with a hint of Irish culture in the mix. We opted for Potato cake starter, prime fillet of Irish Beef or salmon for the main course, followed by a trio of dessert for pudding, tea and coffee and homemade chocolates. The
Our honeymoon…was 10 nights in the Maldives to an island called Olhuvelli. We both work hectic busy jobs in the UK, working on a railway that runs 24 hours a day, and we wanted to go somewhere completely remote and quiet, and this surely ticked those boxes. We had fine dining meals most nights, access to water sports free on the island, and an all-inclusive access to food and drink. The transfer from the airport to our island was by a water taxi which was a really unique and fun experience! We booked the holiday through a private travel agent in Manchester.
My favourite part of the wedding day… was the saying I DO bit! I have heard the saying tying of the knot before, but never did I think my hands would be physically tied to my future husband when we were going through our vows! My joint-favourite part of the day was the throwing of the bouquet and the throwing of the garter. This was a really funny moment on the day and a real competitive moment amongst friends.
My piece of advice for other couples… Relax on the day, enjoy every moment, and make sure you take 10 minutes away from all your guests for just you two. We did this at Waterford Castle, shared a cocktail in the bar and had a little chat.
What is it that makes your wedding unique? 3 of my very special friends sang all the hymns throughout my ceremony and chose songs that had meaning to us, but also included an exit upbeat Irish tune to suit the mood and location! The other unique and fantastic part of my wedding was bringing two families and friends together from the UK and Ireland to create a fun-filled weekend, which was full of craic!
Suppliers
Wedding venue: Waterford Castle | Photographer: In Love Photography, Dublin | Videographer: Quinn Video | Musician: The Duets, County Mayo | Hair: Bridal Hair by Marie | Makeup: Kate McCormack | Dress: Victorias Bridal, County Carlow | Suit: Fitzgeralds Menswear, County Waterford | Bridesmaids dresses: Little Mistress | Groomsmen Outfits: Fitzgeralds Menswear, Waterford | Cake: Cherub Coutre Cakes, Waterford | Celebrant: Dara Molloy, Aran Islands
