Wedding of the Week: A sparkling winter wonderland for this Kerry couple’s big day

A trip to Italy to celebrate Denis’s 30th birthday in June 2022 set the scene for the proposal, in Rome, in a rooftop bar overlooking the Trevi Fountain.

They exchanged vows in Séipéal na Carraige near Ballydavid, in a Mass led by An tEaspag Breandán Ó Laoithe, the bishop of Limerick. 

“An tEaspag Breandán is my father’s cousin, and our ceremony was mostly as Gaeilge,” says the bride. “We had wonderful singers and musicians during our ceremony, Sirona Strings, who also played at our drinks reception, and Siobhán Ní Ghrifín. Two of our friends, Róisín and Johnny, also sang with them during the ceremony.”

The bride’s parents Aileen and Muiris Breathnach and grandparents May and Dan O’Connell and the groom’s parents Marie and Denis O’Connor ensured the occasion was a special one, while the couple’s dog Luna showed up as a guest of honour at the reception, at the Dingle Skellig Hotel. 

The bride’s sisters Sarah and Meadhbh Breathnach were maid of honour and bridesmaid while the groom’s friends Donagh O’Connell and Michael Hayes were the best man and groomsman. Máiréad’s cousin Chloé Breathnach Edward was the junior bridesmaid, Denis’s niece Mae Geary was the flowergirl, his nephew Conor Geary was the junior groomsman, and nephew Jack Barry was the pageboy.

Pawel Nowak (pawelnowak.ie and cloud9bliss.ie) was the wedding photographer and videographer Matt Griffin (Capture the Day) were behind the cameras. “We also had a wedding content creator, Lucy Butler (@and_somethingblu on Instagram),” says the bride.

Máiréad looked camera-ready in a gown by Australian label Made with Love, sourced in The White & Gold in Kinsale, Co Cork, while the groom and his party wore tuxes by Ryles Menswear, Tralee. The bridal hair and makeup team were Maureen McCarthy and Maeve Carey, Tralee. Maura Sheehy of Maura’s Cottage Flowers, Tralee, created the floral arrangements and the newlyweds travelled in style in a vintage Bentley.

After a photoshoot at Dúinín Pier, it was back to the bride’s family pub, An Bóthar, for a celebratory drink en route to the reception. “Danny was our wedding co-ordinator at the Dingle Skellig and he was fantastic,” says the bride.

“We also had a classic three-tier wedding cake decorated with vintage-style icing by Sinéad Sheehy from Milis and Mil in Dingle.”

Popular wedding band Truly Diverse got the guests into party mode. “They are exceptional performers and had the crowd going from the moment they stepped on stage,” says Máiréad. “Our excellent DJ, Dave Daly from Cork, kept the energy going from the band.”

Day-two celebrations took place in An Bóthar.

The newlyweds enjoyed a trip to Paris for New Year’s Eve and plan to honeymoon in Japan, Australia, and Fiji later in the year. Máiréad, a primary school teacher, and Denis, an accountant, live in Castleisland.

• If you would like your wedding to feature in Weekend email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie