“Our colours were dove grey/lilac, green and off-white with my bridesmaids wearing dove grey dresses with a hint of lilac in the colour and beautiful off white beading and very simple bouquets of babies breath.”
Names: Laura and James Duggan
Length of engagement: 4 years
Wedding Date: 12th April 2019
Wedding location: Eccles Hotel, Glengarriff, West Cork
Photographer: Andrew O’Dwyer
We met… on Stephen’s night at a friend’s party in Cork City. We knew a few of the same people but I didn’t know him. However he’d seen me out a few times and had wanted to ask me out but I had been seeing someone else. By the time we met at the Christmas party though we were both single. He came right up to me as soon as I came into the room and started chatting. I remember he used a very cheesy chat up line but he had me in stitches laughing and we hit it off straight away. We were inseparable for the rest of the night.
Our proposal… was a bit chaotic which was totally my fault! He told me he was going to Galway to source mountain boards for his outdoor pursuits company and asked me to come. It was a Saturday morning and we left really early and I basically complained for the first hour in the car that I was wrecked and was there any real need for me to be there!! He had to stop the car in Mallow and tell me what his plan really was! I of course burst out crying thinking I had ruined the surprise but we both saw the funny side and were on cloud nine for the rest of the trip. He had arranged to look at rings in The Antique Rooms in Galway and had picked out the perfect ring for me. It was beautiful! We then celebrated in Galway city and drove home to tell our families the next day.
Our wedding theme/colours… we had a slightly vintage theme to our wedding but not too over the top. Our venue the Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff is a beautiful hotel in a gorgeous location. It’s one of the oldest hotels in Ireland but has recently been restored and revamped but kept the original aesthetic so it fit in perfectly with beautiful touches of antique features and beautiful antique furniture so it really set the tone without us having to do much. It was an amazing backdrop. Our colours were dove grey/lilac, green and off-white with my bridesmaids wearing dove grey dresses with a hint of lilac in the colour and beautiful off white beading and very simple bouquets of babies breath. The florist incorporated a little more colour into my bouquet but everything very subtle with hints of colour.
Things we DIY’d/made ourselves… We didn’t really DIY anything ourselves to be honest. We have a 2 year old son who is a whirlwind of fun but we really didn’t have the time. We were so lucky with our suppliers though who really understood the kind of day we wanted and were so accommodating to ensure we stayed within our budget without having to really sacrifice anything.
My dress… was from Cinderella’s Closet in Cork City. It was a Sottero and Midgely gown and It was totally not what I thought I’d go for. It had thin straps and was fitted and was a beautiful off-white Chantilly lace. I also had a full- length veil. It was so comfortable and I loved it!
My hair and makeup… were done by the amazing Siobhan O’Mahony in West Cork for the make-up and the fabulous Donna O’Neill from Pin Up Hair in Innishannon, Cork. I had one trial each with them and they really got what I was looking for. The morning of the wedding was so much fun! They really put us at ease and I don’t think we stopped laughing all morning! They were so professional and both hair and make-up lasted well into the night and survived many a dodgy dance move!!!
His suit… was a Herbie & Frog suit from Fitzgerald’s in Cork City. I was navy with a slightly tweed jacket and a flowery bow-tie! He looked great!
What our bridal party wore… my bridesmaids wore slightly vintage style dove grey dresses with a hint of lilac in the colour and beautiful off white beading from Boohoo.com and the groomsmen wore navy Herbie & Frog suits with grey bow ties
Our ceremony… Our ceremony was in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glengarriff and it was performed by my first cousin Fr David Collins. The music was performed by Sarah Burke-Hochstedler and Theresa Burke-Murphy. It was lovely to have someone who knew me well to perform the ceremony and it was beautiful
We chose our photographer because… I saw some of Andrew O’Dwyers work online and absolutely loved it. I really like the finish of the photos and the mix of natural, candid and stylised shots. I feel like he had a really good range of styles in his portfolio and I felt like he could be very versatile. When I met him I immediately comfortable with him. He asked us about how we met and just generally wanted to get to know us as a couple which I thought was great as he really got a sense of us and who we were. On the day Andrew was just fantastic. He really put us at ease and I am thrilled with the finished product. He really listened to what we asked for and what we really didn’t want but he also used his own judgment and creativity to capture some photos in a location and style that I hadn’t even thought of! He has captured our day beautifully. He has such a talent and I can’t recommend him highly enough!
We chose our venue because… it is an absolutely stunning venue in an equally stunning location. It is one of the oldest hotels in Ireland but has been restored beautifully while keeping its original charm. We initially looked at it because of the location in West Cork where we are based. Once we met Rose the coordinator we knew it was the venue for us. From the beginning she was so helpful and has a wealth of experience. She guided us through the planning with such ease that I really had to do very little! She was fantastic in helping us work out any kinks, advised us when she (correctly) felt something might not work, and helped me to achieve the vintage style wedding that I really wanted. She has a fantastic eye for detail and everything from the centerpieces to the drinks reception to the seating plan was planned and designed to perfection.
Our menu… Was a classic menu but a real crowd pleaser. The Eccles hotel has an amazing chef and he planned a menu of goats cheese tart, feather blade beef or salmon with a mouth-watering butter sauce and a selection of desserts. People are still talking to me about how delicious the food was!
Our honeymoon… was short and sweet as we didn’t want to be away from our little boy Cillian for too long so we went to Cascais in Portugal for 3 nights and onto Lisbon for 4 nights. It was the perfect mix of relaxing holiday and city break.
My favourite part of the wedding day… I loved the ceremony! It was so special and personal especially as our priest was my cousin and knew us. It was very relaxed and I found it quite emotional to see all the people we love there to support us. I also had a ball the morning of the wedding. We really enjoyed getting ready. Also getting our photos taken just the two of us. It was lovely to have that time away from the madness!! It’s so hard to choose!
My piece of advice for other couples… I know it’s probably a cliché but just try and take your time on the day to take everything and enjoy it. Try and take a few minutes just the two of you between the ceremony and the reception if possible. It really does go so fast! And rope in people to help as much as you can especially in the couple of weeks leading up to it.
Suppliers
Wedding venue: Eccles Hotel Glengarriff | Photographer: Andrew O’Dwyer | Planner/coordinator: Rose O’Sullivan Eccles Hotel | Church Musician: Sarah Burke-Hochsteler | Band: The Aristocrats | DJ: Paul Twohig | Hair: Donna O’Neill (Pinup Hair) | Makeup: Siobhan O’ Mahony | Dress: Sottero and Midgley from Cinderella’s Closet Cork | Suit: Herbie & Frog – Fitzgerald’s Menswear Cork | Bridesmaids dresses: Boohoo.com | Groomsmen outfits: Herbie & Frog | Cake: Kay Duggan | Celebrant: Fr David Collins
