“I always knew I wanted to go with a rustic, vintage style theme. The Anglers Rest was a ready made perfect spot and needed very little extras from us to make it feel complete which is exactly what I wanted amongst all the uncertainty at the time!”
Couple: Kate and Noel
Engagement length: 3yrs
Wedding date: 2021-01-01
Wedding location: The Anglers Rest
Photographer: Laura Conlon Photography
After almost 10 years together, Noel knew he would have to catch Kate off guard! One drizzly Saturday afternoon in January 2018, he insisted that they go for a walk with their son in the nearby Phoenix Park.
“I, of course tried everything to delay and put him off as it was fairly miserable out but he insisted. So we wrapped up and after a quick round of the playground, Noel pulled out a flask of hot chocolate and then said he forgot he had gotten us donuts and they were in the car! He ran off and came back with a rolling donuts box. The last thing I expected when I opened it was to see a message written in the lid using Scrabble letters saying ‘You donut know how much I love you, Will you marry me?’ I turned to find Noel on one knee with an open ring box…. It was just perfect!”
“I always knew I wanted to go with a rustic, vintage style theme. The Anglers Rest was a ready made perfect spot and needed very little extras from us to make it feel complete which is exactly what I wanted amongst all the uncertainty at the time! We loved that the ceremony room could be made smaller which suited our more intimate numbers of 25 guests. I really didn’t want to feel the emptiness of the missing guests at any stage of the day! In terms of our colour scheme, accessories etc, we have kept all of that for our big wedding celebration that will take place in March 2023!”
Kate chose to wear her wedding dress for the smaller occasion to make the day feel really special!
“I am so glad I did as it made the day feel really official. And it was such a lovely opportunity to be glam during a time when our social lives and the opportunity to get dressed up was virtually wiped out! Noel went ahead and wore his tux as originally planned, as did our son Louis and my dad, who gave me away. We did however save our groomsman tuxedos and bridesmaid dresses for the big day in 2023!”
Noel and Kate decided not to go ahead with the full wedding party as the wedding guest numbers were so intimate!
“We are lucky enough to have the opportunity to go back to our original plans and have our big weekend celebration in March 2023. We have saved things like bridesmaids, groomsmen, first dance, wedding cake etc for the bigger celebration!”
“With the ever changing restrictions and limitations with distance, as well as the fact that I didn’t want my Dad to walk his only daughter down the aisle in an almost empty church, we decided to opt for a humanist ceremony on site in the Anglers Rest itself. We got in touch with Romy McAuley celebrant after seeing her name pop up a number of times on the HIGM Facebook page and I am so glad we did! From the moment we met her on Zoom, she was just a breath of fresh air who put me at ease during a very uncertain and anxious time. The ceremony itself was just beautiful! Romy has a way of obtaining lots of great info out of the bride and groom beforehand which she uses so cleverly on the day. Lots of our guests thought she knew us personally! With the smaller guest numbers, it was so intimate and every word could be heard, emotions were high and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!”
“The Anglers Rest is a one stop shop for all things wedding! The ceremony room has a real rustic vibe that doesn’t need additional added extras. It’s lovely just the way it is! From a guests perspective, it’s lovely to arrive and know you are in the one spot for the entire day! The rustic theme follows on through to the reception space that is well thought out and perfect for groups both big and small. The venue also has a great reputation for its food so we knew we would be delighted with any options we chose!”
They were very in terms of entertainment due to restrictions at the time. So they decided to support local and asked Martin McDonnell to perform at the ceremony. They also had a DJ friend and guest play later in the evening which kept the energy high and tunes flowing. For favours, they made a contribution to Temple St Children’s Hospital earlier in the year and they were given little cards to display on the tables to let guests know!
“
“My advice to any other couple is don’t sweat the little things. They really don’t matter at the end of the day! Just remember why you decided to get married in the first place! The love in the room will be electric whether you have 10 guests or 200!”
Suppliers
Ceremony and Reception venue: The Anglers Rest | Photographer: Laura Conlon Photography | Musician/band: Martin McDonnell | Hair: Hair and Beauty Secrets | Makeup: Makeup by Gill (Gill O Neill) | Couple’s outfits: The Bridal Outlet Baldoyle and Diffneys | Cake: Capital Cake Co | Celebrant/solemniser: Romy McAuley – A Beautiful Ceremomy | Flowers: VP flowers
