Irish LGBT Weddings by April Drew

Issue 1

Summer 2015

n yours!

e to pla m ti ’s it , w o N ... e perfect day

15 was th

May 22nd 20

It’s a YES to Marriage Equality Wedding Plans are in Full Swing 1

Complimentary use of civil ceremony room while hosting your day at Bunratty Castle hotel

Contact David, Marguerite or Heather

• Winner in Brides of Limerick Wedding industry AWArds for ‘Best Wedding gArden’ & finAList for ‘Wedding coordinAtor of the yeAr’ • Only one wedding per day “yours” • Unrivalled packages tailored to suit your unique day • Enviable reputation for great food • Private pre-drinks room leading onto our beautiful gardens

You deserve fabulous

Ennis Road, Limerick City, Ireland T: + 353 61 453033 E: info@greenhillsgroup.com

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Editor’s Letter

In this issue CONTENTS PAGE 8 Thomas Hanigan shares his feelings on the Yes vote PAGE 10-11 Lisa and Karen’s wedding expresses their love PAGE 30 Irish fashion designer Don O’Neill pens love letter to his French fiancé Pascal PAGE 32 How to write your own wedding vows PAGE 38-39 Lisa went to the U.S. to marry Mylinda and now looks forward to Irish celebrations PAGE 54 Some fresh ideas for your summer wedding PAGE 48-49 Billie and Katie get engaged on May 23

Don’t forget TO CHECK OUT

Hello to all LGBT couples It’s a YES! May 22 was historic. The Irish people voted and the result was amazing. Finally on our wonderful little island of Ireland same sex couples are now afforded the opportunity to get married, legally married, where they will have all the same benefits of straight couples in wedlock. As a wedding magazine publisher who features same sex couples in my other magazines (Brides of Limerick and Brides of Kerry) I quickly realised that there would be a market for a wedding magazine that celebrates the love of the Irish LGBT community throughout Ireland and the world. Irish LGBT Weddings was born from a conversation with friends on May 23. That evening my wonderful editorial staff were given their duties and in less than 10 days stories were gathered from around the country. We have some wonderful civil partnerships to share. Some new engagements and some interesting opinion pieces on what the Yes vote means to the young people of Ireland. We were thrilled when famous Irish fashion designer Don O’Neill (who dresses A listers like Oprah, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift to name but a few) climbed on board with his story. We hope you enjoy our first issue of Irish LGBT Weddings and look out for issue two in September. To send us in your love story email April@bridesofIreland.ie Thank you Ireland April Drew Founding Executive Editor

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF April Drew LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Peter O’Carroll GRAPHIC DESIGNER Aisling O’Halloran ASSISTANT EDITOR Michaela Keating MARKETING AND SALES April@bridesofireland.ie PHONE 085 801 5278 WEBSITE www.bridesofireland.ie

FRONT COVER Lisa Morrison and Karen Doherty (Photo by Dermot Mullane Photography) Don O’Neill and Pascal Guillermie

• • •

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So Ireland said YES... now for the perfect suit

Bunratty Castle Hotel welcomes LGBT weddings

By Trevor Bermingham

By David Shelly- General Manager

On the 22 of May I was overwhelmed as a gay man that I’m now just like every other Irish citizen. So as a stylist here are a few tips on how men should dress for their big day! Enjoy the planning process and don’t forget to look amazing while doing so! How to dress for your big day... The Suit As a gay man personally my wedding attire would be, (if I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Right) a bespoke black fitted suit and crisp white shirt. My groom would be matching but we would have different coloured ties and pocket square’s like red or purple. I think a well fitted black suit has an air of class.

If you prefer, why not do two different looks? For example choose a grey suit for yourself and a navy suit for the future hubby. White Shirts Make sure you invest in a good quality white shirt. Zara is my first stop for a classy crisp white shirt. You don’t have to pick up your tie in the same suit shop so have a look around! A few gay men I’ve chatted to about wedding attire have said they would go with a different look like a tweed blazer and trousers and Ireland have an array of stylish blazers to choose from. Don’t forget shoes! With a black suit you can go for patent shoes which always finishes off the look. With your gray, navy or tweed suit the New Look brown brogues are perfect. After all your only going to get married once so you’re entitled to spend a fortune on your big day! As long as you celebrate your love looking stylish is all that matters! Follow me on Facebook – Trevor’s Style Blog – personal shopping service available and/or advice tips on any aspect of styling or grooming.

Much has changed in Ireland over the past few years for the LGBT community, first with Civil Partnerships and now with Marriage Equality. This wedding season will be the first in Irish history where all loving couples can marry, with the law expected to pass as soon as July. However some LGBT couples still may feel they are faced with awkwardness or discrimination. I believe that the majority of all wedding professionals today are very supportive of Marriage Equality and are looking forward to being part of that special day for all wedding couples inclusive of same sex couples. At Bunratty Castle Hotel in Co. Clare we feel making sure our LGBT couples feel more welcome as customers is key. This starts with the language used on our website and marketing material. The goal is to be completely gender neutral. The Wedding Team at Bunratty Castle Hotel are delighted to be already dealing with some same sex marriage enquiries since May 22nd. We look forward to dealing with any same sex enquiries that come in and we have recently refurbished our Castle Suite which won “Function Room of the Year” at the recent Brides of Limerick Wedding Awards. We are currently looking at redecorating our Civil Ceremony Room that has been a venue to civil ceremonies over the past few years.

C E L E B R AT I N G

L O V E

I DO. B A L LY G A R R Y

H O U S E

Ballygarry House Leebrook Tralee Co. Kerry Ireland T. +353 (0) 66 712 3322 | info@ballygarryhouse.com | www.ballygarryhouse.com

What the referendum means to me A few minutes later another campaigner walked up to me. She had given her all for a Yes vote over many months and had faced floods of abuse and cruelty from strangers for doing so. Her face drowning in tears, we just grabbed hold and held each other. Ireland had said Yes to us as equal citizens, 61.5% to 38.5%. I joined campaigners and friends in a local pub that evening to watch as the rest of nation handed its results down to Dublin. We waited and waited for the official announcement of victory. It was almost seven that evening as I sat staring up at a projector screen with one of my dearest friends, when Bryan Dobson cut to Dublin Castle where our historic and overwhelming win was made official. After a delayed reaction the pub erupted into shouts, cheers and thunderous applause. There were sobbing men and women everywhere and I hugged my friend and held on. Thomas and his brother on voting day

By Thomas Heneghan

A chorus of Amhrán na bhFiann broke out in the pub and in a telling sign of things to come, confetti was thrown excitedly.

In 1995 Dublin carried Ireland into facing the reality of many Irish lives and a long-overdue justice. This time around, 20 years on, the nation carried itself.

I will never forget Friday May 22nd or where I was the following day when my home county and my country told me it respected my equal right to love.

Not only did we squeak across the finish line of a hard-fought campaign, Ireland pulled a road-runner with an almost two-to-one majority.

We were told, and continue to be told, by prominent No campaigners that the referendum was never on LGBT people as human beings or their role in society. It’s difficult to fully explain how very wrong those claims are.

We said Yes to love, Yes to equality, Yes to fairness and Yes to justice. Throughout the day the 70’s spilled in from Dublin, but the surprise for many came from outside the capital, so-called rural Ireland. In a sense rural Ireland did shock the nation when genuinely rural areas handed back its Yes vote. Even Donegal, the perpetual no, gave the Republic what it had asked for. My local polling station in Galway came back with a 49.8% to 48.9% against marriage equality. Did it sting that little bit that my home voted No? Yes of course it did, but only slightly. My polling station serves a rural community, with many residents being older farmers, a group famed for their social conservatism. In truth, I was, and remain, proud of the showing for those in favour of marriage equality. I began my Friday, the Friday I will never forget, campaigning for a few hours in Galway city. I faced many young, old and middle-aged people - and families - who enthusiastically told me that they were either on their way to the polling station to vote Yes or had already done so. Tourists from Australia, Canada and the US also told me of their excitement for a national Yes vote. I also came across many No voters who declared that I should be ashamed of myself. From them I faced accusations of trying to rob them of their democratic right to vote, simply by offering them a sticker saying a simple “I voted”. Others of a similar mind greeted my friendly smile and polite nature with sneers and dirty looks. I stayed positive though. That evening I went to vote with my aunty and my 18-year-old brother, who was voting for the first time in his life. With “Yes Equality” and “Tá Comhionannas” sprawled across our chests, we stood outside the primary school taking photos as a family on the historic day. We soon covered up, as the many Facebook posts and news articles had reminded us to do, collected our ballot papers and went into our polling booths. My aunty finished first and when I had my ballots safely in the box, shaking arms embraced her and a few tears were let loose. I had voted on my own life. Saturday I stood with fellow-campaigners in our constituency count centre when the returning officer announced the results. On hearing the numbers, I found the nearest person and just hugged them, a move RTE captured on camera and would later use on its Six One News.

I, as a gay man, felt strongly that it was in fact a vote on me and my place in our country. I was prepared to emigrate if a No vote had won the day. I was never campaigning solely on the right to marry someone I love. A Yes vote was a message, an affirmation of me as an equal and valued member of our Ireland. And in this I was in the majority of LGBT people in this country. What campaigners such as Breda O’Brien, Paddy Manning or Rónán Mullen failed to understand was that their feelings on a referendum that would never affect them were irrelevant. It was those of us who gave ourselves to begging on people’s doorsteps for permission to someday marry who knew what this referendum truly meant. We were forced to smile and thank people for their time in the face of their horrendous abuse. I will never be able to express fully my gratitude to those 1.2 million people who shouted a loud and resounding Yes to equality last week. I will thank as many as possible and will do so to the best of my abilities. We all played a crucial part in making this country a better place and for that I have found a new sense of pride in Ireland. I want to marry someday, have three children and live in a beautiful new Ireland and each Yes voter will be a part of that life. You have changed lives forever and for the better. Thank you.

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Lisa Morrison & Karen Doherty

Photos courtesy of Dermot Mullane Photography 10

The Back Story Lisa Morrison, from Kileely, and Karen Doherty met 14 years ago through mutual friends. The pair, who now reside in Dublin, were just friends for eight of those years until finally there was no denying they were meant to be together. “We were seeing each other for a year and a half when Lisa took the plunge and moved to the big smoke to be with me,” shares Karen. The weekend Lisa moved lock, stock and barrel to be with her partner in Dublin was more than special. Karen knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Karen so she popped the question that August in 2010. They finally set the date in October 2013. WEDDING DATE January 16, 2015 WEDDING VENUE Radisson Blu Hotel HOW MANY GUESTS? 260 THE DRESSES Both brides wore wedding dresses which were purchased from Butterfly Brides but neither knew until the day what kind of dress they chose. They wore converse runners with the dresses for comfort. FLOWERGIRLS/PAGEBOYS Outfits from Littlewoods – all seven nieces and three nephews played a part in the ceremony. They all wore converse with their outfits. PHOTOGRAPHER Dermot Mullane was the photographer INVITES They designed the invites themselves which consisted of the pride colours and the following; “Keep Calm We’re Getting Married”.

“We are ecstatic with the result. We never expected the amount of love and support we received. It truly means the world to us that we will have the same rights as married couples. We intend celebrating when we receive our marriage certificate however not to the extent of our civil partnership of course but it will be as memorable.”

WEDDING THEME Michael Jackson (Lisa’s idol). Lots of fun involved. Their first dance ended with both brides dancing to ‘Thriller.’ FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF THE DAY “Our favourite memories are the first time seeing each other and exchanging our vows in front of our amazing family and friends.” HONEYMOON Rivieria Maya, Cancun for ten nights and three nights in New York ANY EXTRA BITS “We hired a photo booth from Black & White Events which went down a treat with guests. Everybody loved it. The guys were very professional and a great idea for a wedding. The photo booth album and USB key we received is priceless.” PERSONAL TOUCHES “Our favours were a hangover kit which was very useful for the morning after. We also had personalised beer mats thanking our guests for joining us on our special day. We hired an LED dance floor which set the room alight.

Fe atu r e

What the marriage referendum means to me

By Orlaith Henderson This referendum is extremely significant to me. This referendum means that I’m finally viewed as equal in the eyes of the law and the state. This referendum means that I no longer have to sit through weddings of family and friends, thinking that I’ll never have a day like that. This referendum means that I’ll finally be able to have the same wedding that my sister has always had the right to. This landslide of a win for the Yes side means that I can walk down the street holding a girls hand and get the right kind of butterflies. This referendum means that we, as a country, as a nation, are able to look past years of being controlled by the church, to make our voices and opinions heard. This referendum means that I’m viewed as equal, not just by my family and friends, but by all 1,201,607 people that voted Yes on Friday May 22nd. This referendum passing means that I now have more confidence when I tell people about my sexual orientation, with less fear of a negative response. This referendum means so much to me and so many young people around Ireland, as it gives us the chance, the right, to be as happy as everyone else can be with the people we love. This referendum has changed lives, especially with the amount of proposals that have happened already, in the best way possible.

WeddingCosts

Hidden

You might think you know exactly what your wedding is going to cost you and your partner, but, as with most things, there are always going to be hidden costs. We’re going to give you a guide to spot these costs and where they tend to come from, so you don’t get caught out. Stamps You’ll never think of stamps when you’re wondering what’s going to cost you money, but they can. If you’re making and sending your invitations yourself, then you’re going to have to buy all your stamps and possibly buy more than you need. If your invitations are being done for you, companies might not always tell you about shipping costs, which can vary depending on the size and bulk of your invitations. To prevent this surprise cost, make sure you inquire about postage costs before confirming any order. Entertainment Equipment When a band gives you a price, it’s usually for their service with a certain amount of equipment. If your reception area is large with a large stage, they might need more speakers or amplifiers to make their sound better; something that you may have to fork out for. Before booking anyone, make sure to tell them about the size of the venue to make sure they don’t turn up on the day looking for more equipment.

This referendum means that all love is finally shown as equal in the country and no one should be afraid to be who they are. This referendum has shown, that even in the more rural parts of the country, people’s minds are changing for the better, and that we’re not stuck in the dark days anymore. This referendum, and the media coverage that it’s gotten, means that Ireland isn’t going to be the only nation to do this. We are hopefully going to start a trend that’s going to make the world a better and brighter place for everyone. #YesForEquality has become my favourite hashtag of all time, while #HungoverForEquality is a close second and #HomeToVote made me bawl my eyes out. The support that this referendum has gotten from celebrities and musicians the world over shows how much of an achievement this referendum has been and how much of a step in the right direction it’s been. While Friday, May 22nd is mostly a nervous blur, I do remember sitting down and thinking “what if it doesn’t pass?” a horrible thought, one that no one should ever have. Saturday was a different kind of blur, one filled with happiness and celebration and love, even if I did spend most of the day at home, I could feel the love and respect form the nation. This referendum passing means the world to me. So, thank you Ireland. I love you.

Dress Alterations Wedding dress shops might boast about the fact that they do alterations also, but they don’t boast about the fact that the alteration comes at a price, and it can be a steep one! Overtime When you book your band or DJ, make sure that they know how long that they’ll be playing for. If you think that your party is going to go on for a long while, make sure to tell them that so they can price accordingly. Bar Extension Some hotels include this in the overall cost, some don’t so make sure to clarify this when booking your venue. This cost can be up to €400.

Photos courtesy of In Love Photography

L o v e blo s s o m s outside the salon Calvin Hayes, of Hugh Campbell hairdressing group and Stephen O’Driscoll who also works with Hugh Campbell, first met in 2011. Calvin shares their story- “My friend and I decided to go to 31 Thomas Street, Limerick’s Gay Bar at the time. Just as I was about to say “let’s go”, Stevie walked in! I was going nowhere! After a few more drinks I plucked up the courage and grabbed Stevie when he was walking back from the bar. We chatted all night and the rest is history.”

grooms wear was also an important aspect of the day.

For the guys, it was a classic case of love at first sight. “We both clicked that second we spoke. We spent the next couple of days hanging out. To be honest it was nearly instant. Some things are meant to be - In some ways we are very opposite which makes it work. There is a lovely balance.”

The big day was a laid-back affair for the couple and their family.

The couple had a very down to earth engagement. “I was getting ready to take a shower and Stevie was brushing his teeth. We both bought each other rings in Links of London a few months prior to the proposal as gifts. Just before getting into the shower Stevie said “I think you should get a new ring.” I said “What really, why?” He replied ‘I think you should, let’s get married’ and that was it!” Calvin said. The couple decided to celebrate their special day on August 22, 2014 in the Limerick Strand Hotel. The 14

“Both Stevie and I wore suits that we both loved - we didn’t want something too formal and went for looks that we would wear again. We didn’t want to match. My tie and Stevie’s Dickie bow were purchased from Alexander McQueen. We both love McQueen and the skull detail brought our personalities through. ” Calvin said.

“The day was mind blowing from start to finish. We had so much fun the morning of the big day. We were lucky to have the presidential suite for three nights. Our morning was spent surrounded by family and friends having their hair and make-up done in a fun relaxed environment. We were both so relaxed.” The wedding was organised by wedding planner Sharon McMeel. The couple thoroughly enjoyed their day and enjoyed making that all important commitment to each other. “Making a commitment to each other to spend the rest of our lives together was amazing.”

Although the boys are already in a civil partnership their excitement for the referendum results was immense on May 23. “Although we were both working that day there was such a buzz at the River Hair Studio. Everyone was so excited to hear whether the “Yes” vote would go through. I proudly wore a button hole from Lawless Flowers to show my support for the yes vote. The whole salon was thrilled when the vote came in. I already bought a bottle of Moet Chandon regardless of the outcome!” Calvin said. Calvin confirms that they will marry again now that the Referendum has passed. “Stevie and I will plan to go ahead with the “Marriage” next year for sure. We had such a wonderful day last year it would be hard to pull off such another day like that.”

Wedding Details Venue - Limerick Strand Hotel - City View Suite Grooms wear - Zara Black Label / Burberry / McQueen / Vivienne Westwood Photographer - Wim - In Love Photography Cake - Niamh Eyres - Confetti Cakes Flowers – Lawless Flowers Entertainment - JJ Hartigan (DJ) / Conor O’Brien / Silent Disco / Celine ( Special Guest Performance ) Witnesses — Calvin (Sandra Hayes -his mam) Stephen ( Lee O’Driscoll – his nephew) Honeymoon - Paris Advice to other couple planning their wedding- “Work with a wedding planner if you can. Sharon was great I know it is possible to have a beautiful day without a planner but we both agree that without our wedding planner we would not have enjoyed the whole journey as much. We had an amazing journey and have made a friend for life! Also, enjoy your day. Escape every so often together during the day to soak up what it actually happening - it’s over in a flash.”

Photos courtesy of John McGarry Photography

Sean Mills & John Gavin

NEWLYWEDS Sean Mills and John Gavin WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW? Newport, Co. Tipperary THE MEET Nine years ago on Valentine’s weekend in Limerick THE PROPOSAL Sean and John decided to get married back in July 2012 – on the one year anniversary of Sean’s mums passing. They wanted to make the day a happy one so they went looking at venues. Sean had written a letter to John asking him to marry him, so he went to the jewellers in Shannon to get him a ring for the occasion. DATE OF WEDDING August 29, 2014. WEDDING LOCATION Both ceremony and reception were held at the Absolute Hotel HOW MANY GUESTS? Around 86 WEDDING ATTIRE They both went for three piece suits. Sean’s was a light grey and John’s was navy. To have something to link them, they wore matching ties, cufflinks and pocket squares in light blue. FLOWERS They got their flowers from Lawless Flowers. Sean and John had white roses and their men wore white carnations, the women pink ones.

i nsi de th e B r i dal Room

CAKE They had a two tier cake, bottom tier was Belgian chocolate biscuit cake and the top tier was chocolate fudge cake. They also had personalised cake toppers that were dressed like them. The cake was made by Confetti Cakes. “The cake was delicious.” PHOTOGRAPHER John McGarry www.jmcgphotos.com FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF THE DAY John’s niece, Katie Slattery, did a contemporary dance for them to John Legend’s ‘All of Me.’ Also, it was the first time that they got to meet Sean’s niece, Ellis Eleanor Mills, who’s living in England and was born in April. The couple enjoyed being with their friends and family and having them there to share their special day. QUIRKY BITS Sean chose to have an entrance song – ‘How Long Will I Love You?’ by Ellie Goulding and an exit song by Diana Ross ‘I’m Coming Out’ which was very fitting and everybody loved it. VIDEO They showed a video montage of pictures of them both growing up and their lives together organised by Damien Hickey. PERSONAL TOUCHES “I know that speeches get done at weddings but up to the very day of the wedding, John was not too sure if he was doing a speech and what he was going to say! He had hoped to have a few moments to write a few points down but this did not happen. So he winged it and was very funny,” says Sean. Also goodie bags for the children and disposable cameras on the tables. WOULD YOU DO IT ALL AGAIN? “Most definitely,” says Sean. HONEYMOON USA for three weeks. Orlando, Las Vegas, and San Francisco

“With the Yes vote winning, this just shows that love is love regardless of your sexuality. The fact that it was the people who made this happen makes it even more special. A huge thank you to everyone. Myself and John are definitely going to do something to mark this occasion. Maybe wedding part two. The most important thing is to be able to get our marriage certificate and for our marriage to be recognised and that we are all equals.”

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Photos coutsey of The Woodards

What it means to be gay in Ireland By Dan Lawless Florist Dan Lawless tells EnGAYged Ireland what it means to be gay in Ireland. He and his partner Clive have been together for over 20 years. “Once I came out, believe you me, it was with a bang,” shares Dan. He came out in his late teens and admits he was probably more overt than others with his sexuality. “It seemed to me like I was making up for all the years of when I had hidden it.” Dan recalls his first visit to the local gay bar in Limerick, The White House. At the time it was the ‘gay bar’ in Limerick, but not many people went there.” As it became more acceptable to be gay, the bar became a popular meeting spot for gay people in Limerick. The florist stresses the importance of having a place of relief and to allow people to be themselves. “For a lot of young people, even though it’s in the media, it’s on the soaps, on the stage it’s in the movies and the press whatever, the individual has to come out to their own heart and their own family and sometimes in that time in people’s lives, it’s nice to have a place to go where you can be yourself.”

Dan said. Through a commitment from a club, Dan was asked to meet one of its best members and it was then he met his partner Clive, in the White House. “I came in to meet this guy and there was this fella in the corner and I’m there thinking ‘God, he is gorgeous’.” Dan remembers there was an instant connection from the first locking of eyes. “The eyes met and it was clear we were destined to meet. It’s very interesting that that night we vowed that we would be each others for life and it stuck.” Like many others Dan believes that no one has the right to judge what you do in the privacy of your own home. “As we move forward, I would like to think that, …. it should be irrelevant what you are, who you are, your creed, the colour of your skin, you religion or lack of it or otherwise, that it would be a utopia.” Although he admits that this level of acceptance is difficult to attain, Dan believes it is vital to create a more accepting environment for generations to come. “There are two generations younger than me

that are coming out now or that will be coming out and they need as much support and structure to give them the best possible quality of life, that they are not marginalised and that they are not isolated.” Reflecting on his own youth, the Limerick native had ruled out the possibility of ever obtaining Civil Partnership. “I suppose if you had asked me when I came out at 19 or 20 years of age would I ever have had legal civil partnership the answer would have been ‘No’,” recalls Dan. Dan and his partner Clive became civil partners in 2010, the first year it became legal for gay couples. However, the couple will be getting married following the passing of the Marriage Equality Referendum on May 22 this year. “A long time ago we weren’t allowed to hold hands, now we’re civil partnered and here we are and we can be married, of course I’ll do it twice.”

Print up a big sheet of paper with an image of the couple and ask everyone to sign it at the reception – if you’re brave ask for some wedding advice too. Also ask the hotel to print out your table names and seating chart. Most hotels won’t charge for this.

Bring out the family heirlooms – borrow your grandmother’s veil or great grandmother’s brooch. Not only does it save you money it also makes the day extra special.

If you are the emotional type then leave a hand written note for your guests at every place setting – it’s super sweet and well worth the effort.

A month or two before the wedding collect flowers. Hang them in the hot-press to dry, and when you’re done you can use them on your wedding day as confetti for guests to throw when you come out of the church.

One for the creative brides and grooms! Mail a square of fabric to each of your guests with the wedding invite. Ask them to write a message on it. When you get it back with the reply card stitch them all together (or ask the best sewer in the family to) and hang it up at your wedding! We love this idea!!! 22

Ask your friend with the nicest (and the most practical car – you don’t want to be squashed into an uber-trendy mini-cooper) to drive you to the church

FLOWERS FOR EVERY OCCASION

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve waited long enough! Now go for it and be happy. Whether you are two ladies or two gentlemen getting married we would be delighted to look after your floral requirements. We are so happy that you are and can get married now and whether you have decided to wed in a small intimate service or flamboyant affair in your chosen hotel, castle, marquee or garden we are here to help accordingly. Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors we will be delighted to provide only the highest quality arrangements without breaking the bank.

At Ring O Roses we put you first. We listen and usually become involved in all the romance and excitement of the wedding. We guide you through the process but the decisions are all yours. Do you want a formal look, a relaxed meadow style look with garden flowers in abundance? You tell us, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we are here for. We listen and then we do everything we can to help make your dream day as wonderful as you want it to be.

You can contact us on 061 411321 - info@ringoroses.ie Facebook Ring O Roses

Check out our free competition

Civil Ceremony and Reception Bunratty Castle Hotel

Photos courtesy of Megan Higgins Art Photography

Andrea Doolan & Elizabeth Brown A BIT ABOUT THE BRIDES Andrea, a singer and songwriter, is from Shannon and Elizabeth, who recently completed a degree, is from Sligo. The newlyweds now live in Ennis. THE MEET December 2012 after a few weeks of talking online and on the phone. THE ENGAGEMENT Andrea used her musical talents to show Elizabeth how much she meant to her by learning their song and performing it with the Shannon Gospel Choir in June 2013. Wedding plans were in full swing for the next year. DATE OF WEDDING June 14, 2014 WEDDING VENUE Bunratty Castle Hotel HOW MANY GUESTS? 130 WEDDING ATTIRE Elizabeth wore a stunning white wedding dress and Andrea’s beautifully tailored outfit was made by Donna Mc Gettigan from Shannon. PHOTOGRAPHER Megan Higgins from Sligo WHO OFFICIATED THE CEREMONY? Greta Naylor, a great friend of the couple. COLOUR THEME Black and Silver and plenty of bling FAVOURITE MEMORY “We asked our photographer to capture the moment we first saw each other which was quite lovely and emotional,” shared Elizabeth. Also Andrea’s father and Elizabeth’s mother surprised them by making speeches on the night. Andrea was so happy to have her son Timmy as a part of the wedding party and Elizabeth to have her nieces, Cora and Mia and cousin Mandy as the bridal party. THE “BRIDESMAN” Deccie Honan, delivered a speech worthy of a comedic award with added tears and heartfelt sentiment.

OVERALL FEELING Love and acceptance. “It was like a modern day fairy tale of two women who had found their soul mates,” shared Elizabeth. Together to salute the first day of their marriage and to welcome the second, Andrea and Elizabeth, stayed up to watch the sunrise and took time to be grateful for each other. PERSONAL TOUCHES A wishing tree in the function room. People wrote wishes for themselves or the couple and hung it on the tree, sprayed silver and donned with fairly lights and butterflies. There was also a Jenga set waiting for guests. “We wanted people to help us build our future together so we asked them to take a pen and write some advice or tips for us on each block and build a tower. We will read through them, varnish the blocks, and have them for our children in years to come,” shared Elizabeth. HONEYMOON Crete for two weeks

May 23rd was such a special day for us. A day we had be fighting for, a day that will go down in history. The day Ireland said Yes! We were overjoyed when the results came in. Emotions ran high as we celebrated with friends, the feeling of acceptance and joy is something we will never forget. In the lead up to May 22nd Elizabeth was canvassing on the streets of Ennis and calling door to door looking for support and thankfully the response was mostly positive. The Yes Equality team in Clare were very active and so very supportive so it made the campaign an easy and fun experience. I look forward to telling the grandchildren in years to come that we were a part of that change, the people made a difference. We said Yes last year when we had our civil partnership. We wanted a day of celebration and love, a day our family and friends could share with us and it was amazing, a truly fantastic day. A day that now everybody can have if the wish. Our ceremony will forever be the most magical day of our lives, but picking up our marriage certificate in a few months will no doubt come a very close second.

Wedding Trends Fe atu r e

The Ups and Downs of

By Kathryn Dalton of The Crafty Koop

Spring Flowers…

Foodie Stations…

Yay, spring has sprung for all flower loving brides; glorious colours and scents. Maybe some delphiniums for drama or Icelandic poppy for the pop of colour. This ties in nicely to our next hot tip…

It’s all about the food, not just how it tastes but how it looks. The more dramatic the presentation, the better … we’re ok with dramatic presentation just make sure the taste is not lost in the push for drama

Cascading Bouquets…

BRIDAL SEPARATES…

The drama of beautiful, trailing bouquets against elegant bridal dresses in summer weddings; what photoshoots are made of!!

Everywhere on the bridal runways this year, fabulous on some bodies, but if you’ve always dreamed of the white dress, don’t be swayed. Follow your dreams…..

Cocktail Stations…

Drone weddings…

Oh yes please, and yes, every bride wants a personal cocktail but make sure the classics are there too … don’t try too hard, we love you for just having the cocktails

View your wedding from every angle possible. Some intrepid photographers are using drones to get aerial shots. What next? Selfie sticks on the dance floor … no, no people; the dance floor is sacred.

Send us your ups and downs email cluck@craftykoop.ie

Irish fashion designer Don O’Neill praises the YES vote Co. Kerry born fashion designer, Don O’Neill, who has made a name for himself in New York dressing A listers like Oprah and Taylor Swift sings God’s praises that he can finally marry the man he has spent 22 years loving in front of family and friends in Ireland. Don took time out of his hectic schedule to share his feelings with Irish LGBT Weddings. It’s kinda crazy that it actually even had to be a vote. It’s crazy that it needed so much energy to win the Yes, but it was necessary and the Yes campaign fought hard, each and every one of the campaigners fight came from a place of Love. Love that came from knowing a gay son or daughter, a gay brother, sister, friend , or a place of compassion ,from knowing and loving us, knowing that our sexuality is as inconsequential as eye colour or if our hair is curly or straight. There were skits on YouTube where “Red Hair “ was the issue, with comical meetings of campaigners voting as to why Redheads were a 28

danger to society … and as comical and ridiculous as those scenarios were , the “Gay” issue was seen by some in the same life threatening way by many, As though we somehow made a choice in our teenage years or that somehow God got it wrong! Oh dear He nodded off again that day and another “homosexual” made it out of heaven! None of us are defined by our sexuality, our gender, our skin colour, our hair colour, we are each and every one unique beings of light, created by God and temporarily clothed in this human body. He loves us beyond our human comprehension and I am sure he must be a tad dismayed, if that’s even possible, at our intense human desire to classify and imperiously dominate over each other, using gender, skin colour, geographical origins, sexual orientation and religion to do so. It’s human nature after all for some, to feel that need of righteousness. That I am holier than thou and by highlighting the differences between us one can assume to be of a higher, holier caste.

It’s crazy to think that a woman couldn’t vote. It’s crazy to think a black person couldn’t use the same toilet as a white person, that white woman couldn’t marry a black man, nor a Protestant a Catholic, that an Irish man could not rent an apartment in New York city, but times have changed and the human race is evolving. Each battle for human rights taking us slowly step by step in the right direction to realising our full potential as of beings of love and light created as equals by God.

It is now possible to do so in Ireland, as unbelievable as it may have seemed, we can now be wed in Ireland, and will do so.

This Vote in Ireland was a shining example of a country standing up in unison for love, for equality and the entire world took notice of this tiny nation and a bright beacon of hope in the ladder of human evolution. The world did not stop spinning, it in fact became a brighter and better place.

Thank God that Love prevailed in Ireland:

Was the validation of the state necessary for our love story? No it wasn’t but what is important is that the state and society at large see our love story just as any other wonderful love story, that we are seen as equals and be accorded the same rights as any married couple.

Alleluia, Amen and “We Do”

Pascal and I have been together in Love for 22 years and we can at last, stand in front of our family and friends and declare our love for one another. Thank God for blessing us so richly with our beloved, and prayer to become lawful husbands, to have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, till death do us part, and for all of eternity I would add.

Irish fashion designer shares his own love story By Don O’Neill 22 years ago my life was changed An extraordinary man with a heart of gold, a little French dancer called Pascal Guillermie pirouetted in to my heart and took up residence. This incredibly handsome young man, though small in stature, could fill every inch of a giant stage with his presence , and little did I know that he would fill every inch of my life and the universe as I knew it with unending love. 22 years ago as I stitched together costumes for the Baroque Opera “Phaeton” created for the re-opening of “The Opera de Lyon”, Pascal would come to me daily to say “Hi” and find excuses for longer visits. He came and asked me to mind his friend Nathalie’s cat who had broken her paw, so they could come check on the cat on their breaks, and when out of excuses, he came with costume issues, they didn’t fit or were cutting in to him, as he was suspended on stage on a bungee harness in gold sequin bicycle shorts. With his incredibly long curly hair, usually pulled back in to a tight bun, he charmed me with his good looks and his quirky sense of fun. Fittingly Pascal was playing the roll of Phaeton, The Sun God, radiating sunshine and light whereever he went , adored by his fellow dancers and all of us in the atelier. As I fell in love with him over the month of working in the Theatre de Genvilliers, I thought he was straight, and even had to get my good friend Moira in to rehearsals for a look to see what she thought. Moira thought he was adorable and that evening as I left the theatre, with Pascal still working, his best friend Nathalie confirmed he liked boys! Woohooo! That night, April 28th 1993, we had our first date. Our fate was sealed, and we set sail on a magical journey. We have been through so much together, ups and downs, through great hardship and sadness, to great joys and happiness. Through all these years Pascal sacrificed so much. Leaving his world of dance to follow me to the United States, giving up being able to visit his family in France when he became trapped illegally in the USA for almost 14 years. He has laboured and toiled to create beautiful apartments, endless research to find our gorgeous house and then transform it in to our “Nid d’amour”. He planned spectacular holidays, spoiling our families on dream vacations. 30

As my career transformed, and I took that terrifying leap of faith to move to Badgley Mischka, he held my hand every morning on the subway for four months and told me to do it just one day at a time and as it evolved in to THEIA, he has done everything he can to help me shine bright (believe me most of the time it’s like pushing a giant snow ball up a hill). Down to selflessly helping producing my first runway show and every show since, to making sure when I get home after long hours I have nothing to worry about when I get home. Pascal is the definition of Love, he gives 2000% to love , to honour, to hold , in sickness and in health. Without ever taking these vows, he epitomizes them. The sacrifices he makes as he gives selflessly; no questions asked , always. I thank God for the gift of Pascal Guillermie , that he blessed me with 22 years ago and I thank God that he also gave Pascal all the necessary super human patience. “Je t’aime comme tu imagine pas”

Don

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Writing your own vows is one of the things that some couples dream of doing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easy to do. We’re going to give you an easy guide full of tips on writing your own vows, with the least amount of stress possible. Make them personal, but not too personal. Of course you want your vows to be purely about you and your groom/bride so you’ll want to make your vows personal to the two of you. But don’t make them too personal, leaving your guests feel awkward and uncomfortable. Put some jokes in. Small jokes are always a good part in wedding vows, but make sure you don’t fill them up with jokes. A few jokes here and there will be enough to keep your vows light-hearted but simultaneously filled with meaning. Make sure not to use only private jokes between you and your partner or else no one else will understand and will be confused. Try to use jokes that your friends and family know about and can laugh at. Don’t write them the night before. One of the worst things you can do after deciding to write your own vows is to leave it until the last minute. Don’t do that. You’ll only end up stressed and panicked. As you get nearer and nearer to your big day, make sure you have a plan done out that you can have handy and add to when you think of things. This way you can make sure all your best ideas actually go into your vows, and not just the ones that you can remember the night before. Read other vows for inspiration. No one expects you to come up with your vows without reading any other vows first. Search the internet or buy a wedding vows book to help give you some ideas on where to start and what exactly a wedding vow is. If you find one that you really like you could even incorporate some of the ideas from it into your own vows. Don’t make them too long. You don’t want you family and friends getting bored after you keep talking and talking about your partner. Keep your vows to two minutes max. This way, people will still be tuned in to what you’re saying by the time you’re finished. And by cutting it down to a certain time, you can cut out any parts that mightn’t be that important and relevant as others.

No clichés. You want your vows to reflect you and your relationship, and that won’t happen if you’re using the standard clichés that everyone does. You might think that you’re being original, but you’re not. Keep it simple and personal, and representative of your relationship. Practice out loud. This is very important as it allows you to find out if you’ve written your vows too complicated or hard to say. Practice them in front of a friend and take any constructive criticism that they might have, they’ll want you to have the best vows possible. This might also take some of the nerves off you if you’re uncomfortable with public speaking.

Getting married – the need to know Getting engaged is a fabulous occasion but once the celebrations are over it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty - the legal stuff. As of June 2, 2015 these are the laws surrounding marriage in Ireland. •

The minimum age for getting married in Ireland is 18 years of age.

•

As of Nov 2007 it is a requirement that you give three months notification to any registrar. The Registrar does not have to be the Registrar for the district where you live or where you intend getting married.

•

If either party to the marriage are living abroad or cannot attend the registrar due to illness, it is possible to contact a Registrar of Marriage and make an agreement to make their three month notification by post. The Registrar will send you the relevant documentation to fill out and send back.

•

Getting married changes many aspects of your life including pensions, taxation and life insurance. Be sure to research all these areas and be aware of where you stand legally.

•

A civil ceremony can be held in a registry office but if you intend on getting married in a different venue you must notify the Registry Office for the district of the venue to have it approved.

•

The cost of a full standard marriage certificate is €20 but the cost varies depending on circumstances so make sure you look into what price you should be paying.

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11 years of happiness

leads to a magical December wedding Photos courtesy of Cardam Photography 12-years ago Don Donnelly and Garreth O’Mahony first laid eyes on each other. They initially met online and got on so well they decided to meet in person to see if anything would come out of this blossoming friendship. They met for dinner and have had many meals together since. Don, who works for Tesco, had lived in many exotic locations such as Spain, Geneva, Saudi Arabia, Japan and the U.S. before he settled in Ireland. Garreth is a self-employed IT contractor. They keep

After all the negative aspects of the campaign, we were both relieved when it was over and the country could get to vote on the actual referendum on Marriage Equality. Don was in work when the results were being announced so I was texting him with updates. I nervously turned on the TV and was delighted to hear that the result was going to be a landslide in favour of us.

themselves busy – so busy in fact they recently set up a business together called LegalEase which will provide accounting services to the legal profession. Ever the romantic and spontaneous person, Don told Garreth last year to pack his bags, he was taking him to Turkey on holidays. “He gave me 10 hours notice before our flight,” laughs Garreth looking back. “After a wonderful six days where we visited the Gates of Hell in Ephesus, we packed up and were waiting on the bus to bring us to the airport. With five minutes to go Don proposed to me, saying that as we had visited the gates of hell we could go anywhere. I said ‘Yes’ immediately. Well it was either that or a difficult six hour journey home.”

As the result was shown from Dublin Castle, We toasted the occasion with the last bottle of Champagne we had kept from the ceremony. Ever since December 2013 we have felt married. Everything was perfect that day and we could not top it with another ceremony. We are eagerly awaiting the news of how we are going to upgrade our civil partnership cert to a marriage one. If we have to have a ceremony YES we’ll do that. For now it just feels great that finally Ireland accepts our family and treats us as equals like we always knew we were. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

All loved up back in Ireland plans quickly fell into place to get married. They booked Fallons Bar and Restaurant in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare for a small and cozy December wedding. “We wanted an intimate occasion so we invited 30 guests, Don’s and my family and some close friends,” said Garreth. “We wanted the occasion to be informal, almost as if we invited the guests to our house for dinner.” Don and Garreth decided upon kilts as their wedding attire. “We wore kilts in our family colours, Red for the Donnelly’s and Green for the O’Mahony’s. This allowed us to stand out as the married couple and yes nothing was worn under the kilts, it was all in perfect working order.” Through the ceremony there was three very personal songs sung. They entered to “If I Was to Fall in Love” by Christy Hennessey – it was Garreth’s late father’s favourite song. “It’s Getting Better” by Mama Cass was played during the ceremony, a song which tells the story of their relationship and “Something Inside So Strong” by Labi Sifre was played at the end, a song which portrays the struggle for gay rights. “During the reception we decided to play all of our favourite songs on an iPod in the background. After the reception Don’s sister-in-law sang two songs for us,” tells Garreth.

Although there was no set theme for the big day it being Christmas they happened upon a natural one. “We incorporated many Christmas elements into the day. We had crackers for each of the guests, we gave a tree bauble as a wedding favour and had Christmas stockings for each of the children.” Adding his own personal touch to the wedding Garreth designed their wedding cake. It was an angel sponge cake with a melon curd filling and a meringue butter cream frosting. “I gave the recipe to Alice’s restaurant in Naas who made the cake for us the day before the ceremony. We coated the frosting in edible glitter in the colours of the gay pride flag and separated the colours using Jelly Beans (Don’s favourite). Eibhlin created two figurines for the top dressed in Kilts and Magda did a wonderful job decorating the cake.” And that wasn’t the only personal touches. Instead of a mass booklet they created a ceremony souvenir with pictures of them growing up and of all the guests who were at the wedding. “We included snippets of the ceremony and songs that we played. We also created activity booklets for the children to keep them occupied during the afters. We gave them a camera and they had to photograph different things during the reception. If they photographed each one they won a prize.” Garreth describes his wedding to Don as “magical.”

The Details Photographer Damian from Cardam Photography Who officiated the ceremony Tommy Gorman performed the ceremony Favourite memories of the day “No one memory, but the whole day was special. I was afraid that the day would go by in a blur of activity but it didn’t. The speeches were excellent, funny, poignant, personal and quick.” Honeymoon They flew to New York two days after the wedding. They spent a few days there before travelling onwards to spend Christmas with Don’s sister in Colorado. They then spent a week in Santo Domingo in fabulous winter sun shine. First dance No First dance. We wanted an informal atmosphere where nobody felt pressurised to dance. Anything unique “When we first started dating we bought a bottle of whiskey which we kept. We gave each member of our wedding party a whiskey tankard as a thank you gift and filled it with the 10 year old whiskey.”

Love blossoms 6,000 miles across the Atlantic By Lisa Hogan My name is Lisa Hogan. I come from a small town in north Tipperary called Roscrea. I recently got married to my partner in America on May 1st. We wanted to wait and see how the referendum went here but we didn’t want to leave it to chance. Now thanks to the result on May 23, I will get to call her my wife. Her name is Mylinda Hogan (she took my name). We met online two years ago. It wasn’t long till we fell in love. She is an American and will soon be joining me to live here once the visa comes through. We are now seen as equal in my home country and for that I am proud and humbled to be Irish. The Meet We first met in June of 2013 online on a chat site. That night I had seen MyLinda’s picture beside her chat name and I thought she was cute so I messaged her to say “hi”. Apparently my charm and humour won her over because she was just about to log out. We chatted for over two hours that night but it honestly felt like five minutes, but sleep deprivation and the time difference took its toll on me and under the insistence of MyLinda I went to bed.

My Dating Process MyLinda lives in a small town in Missouri, USA, called Warsaw. Ireland is six hours ahead of her local time. We talked on and off for a week or so via the chat site which eventually lead to a Skype call. We talked and laughed for eight straight hours, by the end of the call MyLinda said that she wanted me to be her girlfriend. So we set up a Skype date, with a movie and popcorn, we hit play and the same time and had our first movie Skype date. For the next few months this is how our free time would be spent Skype dates, hanging out, talking about everything and nothing and at the same time getting to know every little thing about each other. We fell in love; we had everything we needed in a girlfriend except the physical touch. Every night before I would turn in for bed I would pull up Skype and MyLinda would lay with me till I fell asleep so I wouldn’t fall asleep on my own or feel alone, we still do this every night. In March of 2014 we finally arranged to meet in person. I’m not going to lie, the first time we met it was a little weird. We had this somewhat awkward hug and we collected my baggage. After an hour in each other’s company it was like we had known each other all our lives. For the first time I could reach out and touch her and vice versa. Sparks flew, an energy I had never felt before and I knew. We knew it was a forever kind of thing. It’s a love story with a lot of twists and a lot of distance. People say long distance relationships don’t work but they do, all you need is trust, hope and love. Even now in married life, we live in two separate

countries, 6000 miles away and we are making it work, we have a few more small obstacles but we know that it will all be eventually worth it, we are almost there. Our First Date Can you count a photo shoot as our first date? I do. It was the day after I arrived in March 2014 and we had arranged to have a couple photo- shoot with a very talented photographer called Rosi Buretz. She was amazing; she made us feel at ease. For the first time since we met I got to hang out with this amazing woman, hold her hand all day (except when I was “apparently” jay walking to which I promptly pointed out that this is how the Irish cross the street). All that day I would regularly pinch myself and sometimes MyLinda to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, that she was real and that I really was this lucky. When did we know we were meant to be? Probably the first night we met in person. I remember that after we got home from the airport I was sitting on her couch in the living room and she knelt down in front of me, took my face in her hands and kissed me. It felt right that this is the way it should always have been. There are no words can describe what my family do for me on a daily basis, they keep my spirits up when the distance gets too much and celebrated the referendum with elation. The truth is without the support and love of my Mam, Dad, sisters and brothers I would not be the person I am today. They shaped who I am and MyLinda will most definitely create and love the person I want to become. The after party will be a band, good fun and dancing till we can’t dance no more. It’s a way for my family and friends to welcome my beautiful wife into the family and to wish us the best for the future.

A Message to my Beautiful Wife

The Proposal One night after she finished work she came home and handed me a Samsung box and told me it was a phone for me while I was in the states so I could get in contact with her and my family back home if I wanted too, when I opened It, it was empty except for a small black box, she told me to open it and that was empty too but when I looked back up she was on one knee asking me to be her wife.

MyLinda when we first met I never imagined the journey our love would take us on. I never believed in soul mates but here I am 6000 miles away from you after saying ‘I do’. You are my best friend, my lover, my soul mate; the mere mention of your name brings a smile to my face. But most importantly you are the love of my life, the only woman I have ever loved and the only woman I will ever love. You make me happier than I could have ever thought possible and more loved than I ever imagined. You make me a better person, our love reflects the way I live my life, always smiling always feeling needed and wanted. I always thought God was too busy to worry about me and my happiness, that he had so many other people that needed him more than me. But he found the time to send me you and for that I am truly grateful and blessed. I love you MyLinda I can’t wait to start forever with you.

The Wedding We married in Iowa on May 1st. We picked Iowa because Ireland recognizes same sex marriages and civil partnerships from this state. We got married in the county court house with two witnesses present. The following day we held our own ceremony in the Truman State Park with family and friends. It was a small intimate ceremony with about 15 guests. The theme was a rainbow theme and I walked down the aisle to the song ‘How Long Will I Love You’ by Ellie Goulding. We danced our first dance to Mary Lambert’s ‘She Keeps Me Warm’. The Irish Celebrations When MyLinda moves to Ireland we plan on having an afters celebration with my family and friends. I have the best friends I could ever ask for; the Eliza lodge crew, where I work as a carer, are my best friends; they have supported me so much on my journey along with my incredibly understanding boss Kay. 39

Celebs around the globe react to Ireland’s YES vote

Stephen Fry The Irish people spoke. And the words they spoke were Respect, Dignity and, loudest of all, Love. The sanctity of marriage has been upheld.

Ellen De Generes Ireland did it! The first country to legalize gay marriage by popular vote, but they won’t be the last! What an incredible accomplishment.

J.K. Rowling Sitting here watching the Irish make history. Extraordinary and wonderful.

Hozier The pure joy of it. I’m so proud of Ireland today...We can all take pride in making history. Only sorry I can’t be there to celebrate!

Graham Norton Congratulations Ireland! The journey the country has made during my lifetime leaves me so very proud, happy and amazed. Group hug!!!!

Saoirse Ronan I LOVE YOU IRELAND!!!!! IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

Neil Patrick Harris I proudly raise a pint glass of Guinness and toast the people of Ireland for voting by a sweeping majority to legalize same sex marriage!

Richard Branson Great to see the people of Ireland voting to live in a country where everybody is treated equally #MarRef #YesEquality 40

Miley Cyrus Fuck yeah Ireland!

Kathy Griffin As an Irish-American woman who spread her father’s ashes in #Ireland, I couldn’t be prouder today! #LGBT #MarRef @HRC @ GLAAD @TrevorProjectt

Mr. Gay Ireland candidate looks forward to future after YES vote Name: Shane Guerin Tell us about yourself “I am a very outgoing person. I love to socialise and meet new people. I’m always up for a laugh and love having fun. I’m also a very caring person; I love to try help my friends and family if they have a problem or if they need a shoulder to cry on. My friends and family are everything to me.” Tell us about your passion for dance “Dance is a major part of my life. It has helped me through a lot when it comes to my own problems. I’ve won many titles in competitions which I am so happy with. I will be quitting competitions soon in order to get my teaching exams and fulfill my dreams to be a dance teacher so I really hope that it all works out for me.” Why did you enter the Mr. Gay competition? “I entered this competition because for all my life I was a victim of bullying. I was always told I was never good enough for anything because I’m gay, ugly, stupid etc. After I came out as gay I wanted to do something to prove to myself I am good enough. I can do whatever I want if I 42

put my mind to it so this competition came up and it was just perfect for me. I was shocked at the fact that I won to represent Limerick.” What has the competition taught you Shane? “I have gained so much confidence in myself and knowing that I have proved to me and to everyone else that I am good enough is a wonderful feeling.” What did the Yes vote on may 22nd mean to you? “The Yes vote has had such an impact on me because it’s a life changer. Before it we were all labelled, we were all just thrown to one side like a piece of rubbish but now that we have passed it I have a weight off my shoulders. I now know I can marry the love of my life and I now know I am ‘equal.’ What is your idea of a perfect partner? “My idea of a perfect partner is someone who loves food, walks, cinema, hanging out, who respects all my family and friends, who loves me, respects me, who is bubbly and wants me to be with them for the rest of their lives and who wouldn’t ask me to change because they should love me for who I am.

How many guests would you have? “Well I am well known all over Limerick and I have lots of friends and so much family so basically the whole of Limerick is invited ha ha!”

What is your idea of a perfect wedding? “I actually never thought of this one! Well first of all I’d have to have the love of my life who is ready to be my other half. Having all my friends and family there to support us and after that to have a party to celebrate. I wouldn’t really ask for much to be honest just as long as we get to put a ring on each other’s fingers and have everyone there- that’s all I want; that would be my perfect dream wedding.”

Who would give you away? “My mam, she is my best friend and we love each other so much there would be no other candidate to take that position.” The perfect wedding theme? “My theme would be colourful funky but you have to have a bit of tradition as well. I’m a very colourful person so I’m thinking a hot pink tux!” Perfect honeymoon destination? “I would have to go with Spain. It’s such a lovely place, I’m only recently back from there and it was just incredible.”

What marriage equality means to me By Willie White On Friday the 22nd of May 2015, the Irish public were asked to go out and vote Yes or No in a referendum on the following 17 words “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex” Little did I know that these words would open up a debate and argument I had never witnessed before in Ireland. I instinctively knew the Yes Campaign would use these words to support and protect us and defend our right to marriage. I also knew the No Campaign would challenge this and put up a strong stance against it. In the early stages of debate, I sat back and watched it. Slowly but surely, I started to take offence to the tactics the No campaign was using. Don’t get me wrong I strongly believe in democracy and fully support the right of people to vote Yes as well as No. However, I couldn’t believe the issues they were bringing into the debate-adoption, surrogacy, the rights of a child to a mother and father, that only a biological mother would love a ginger, that gay couples would fly to the UK and attend “womb parties” and buy a child, and even the increased risk of sodomisation of marriage, the list was endless. 44

Many of us in the LGBT community knew we would be the target of these arguments but when the majority of our heterosexual family, friends, colleagues, home and abroad started to get offended, something had to be done. A close friend Ali Stewart captured how we felt in a Facebook status when she said, “this campaign hurts”. As time went on, I started to take a stand and make my views heard on social media. A great colleague and friend in the Deaf community Dee Byrne asked me to put up posts in sign language too. On her request, I put up a post with a signed interpretation of Mary McAleese’s now famous speech. This was shared on numerous Facebook pages including Irish Sign Language (ISL) Vlogs. My sister Catherine who lives in the UK nearly became my campaign manager and urged her friends worldwide to express their support. 4,830 people have since read this post and the signed clip viewed over 1,500 times. The swell of support and love from the hearing and Deaf community was amazing. At the same time, things were also changing dramatically across Ireland as the surge of thousands of other people were expressing their support for the Yes vote too. While all this was going on, I was intrigued about the advice and guidance the No campaign was getting. Did anyone pull them aside and say their posters were having a negative and adverse reaction on the streets? This was

after all a minority issue. Yet, the referendum was becoming a national and indeed an international issue. It was time to make changes. Shockingly, the No side seemed to ignore public opinion and kept on the same track. This was in stark contrast to the Yes campaign. They seemed to be listening and strengthened their campaign. While the No side was rejecting me, I began to feel educated, informed and empowered. I couldn’t go anywhere without someone expressing their support and love for us. This continued to grow and grow right up until polling day. There was also the swell of support from the Irish Diaspora abroad and the hundreds if not thousands that came home to vote Yes. We even trended worldwide on Twitter with numerous hash tags #MarRef, #YesEquality #HomeToVote. The night before we cast our votes, a dear friend Teresa Lynch eloquently in sign language said, “Tomorrow is the LGBT’s community “BIG DAY”. She was so right. The next day, my Facebook page exploded with Yes messages and below is how I felt that historic day.

This morning I cried. I cried when I saw the all your messages of support for the Yes Vote. I cried for all the love and support shown from the people of Ireland and across the world. I cried for all those who stood up and defended the rights of same sex couples to get married. I cried for the hurt that many of us felt by comments made by the No Vote. I cried for those who struggle with their sexuality and for those who have taken their own lives because of it. I cried because we have felt your love, your support, and your defence of all couples to get married regardless of gender. I cried because my Vote and your Vote today makes a monumental & constitutional difference to so many lives. If you voted YES, you will never ever know the difference that this will make to so many couples, their families, friends and colleagues. To all of you, thank you.

Willie

These are tears of happiness, of pride, of love and sincere gratitude to all of you” And you may wonder how I feel now? I don’t know why but I feel more equal now. I feel blessed, I feel proud. I feel nothing but love from all those who supported us in Ireland and abroad. I applaud all those who stood up and made a difference. This has been a roller coaster ride I will never forget. I will never be able to repay my family, friends and colleagues for their outpouring of love and support. I’ve received cards, balloons, chocolates and thousands of texts messages and Facebook comments. We’ve been given the right to marry and countless other rights that same sex couples take for granted. But we’ve also been showered with love and so many goosebump moments that we will carry with us the rest of my life. Dave and I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our friends and colleagues who have always supported us. A particular word of thanks to our families, you know who you are; your unflinching support is appreciated the most. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives X

Hon eymoons

Italy is one of the most visited countries in the world, especially by honeymooners. The landscapes, culture and the charm of Italy continues to draw thousands of visitors to the country every year. Italy is rich in history, is known for its beautiful architecture, has plenty of activities and events and has beautiful picturesque villages. Italy is romantic in every way possible. It is known to be a perfect destination for lovers. There are plenty of places to choose from, its art cities, and beautiful islands to the snow covered peaks. Given below are the top 5 honeymoon destinations in Italy:

where to visit 3. Florence

Florence is action packed all through the year with its various public events and entertainment options. Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany and is situated on the banks of the Arno River. Visit Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge on the river for a beautiful view of the river. The statue of

1. Venice

David by Michelangelo is also not to be missed.

Without a doubt, Venice has to be one on the top of this list. Venice is known

4. The Amalfi Coast

to be the most romantic city in the world and for good reason. People who visit the city fall in love with it at first sight. The captivating and unique

The beautiful Amalfi Coast has to be on

buildings, the canals the old villas and the very air of the city is romantic.

the list of every honeymooner visiting Italy.

Roaming around the pretty streets can be one of the most romantic things

The coastline stretches on a picturesque

you could do on your honeymoon. Stop frequently at the outdoor cafes

steep landscape, along which many

and enjoy a cup of coffee or wine. There are plenty of places in Venice where you can enjoy some quiet time with your loved one. And although it sounds clichĂŠd, do not miss the gondola ride.

beautiful towns and quaint villages are located. The town of Amalfi is the major tourist resort and a base for visiting many other destinations along the coast. Visit the town of Sorrento which offers beautiful ocean views and a glimpse into the life of the locals. Those who are in mood to visit a chic location can head to Positano that has many world class restaurants and shopping streets lined with chic boutiques.

5. Capri The island of Capri has been famous with celebrities and the elite crowd of the world since decades. It is a classy chic holiday destination which has an air of mystery around it. The island is perfect for those couples who want to have a honeymoon that offers natural beauty as well as glamour. The simplicity of the island is quite captivating and the scenic panoramas of the island add to its beauty. (the above information is from www.lifeinitaly.com)

2. Rome Rome is one of the most visited cities in the world. There are many beautiful narrow lanes, parks and restaurants in the city which provide ample of options. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best for honeymooners to avoid the large crowded squares and head for the internal medieval lanes of the city. Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori have plenty of peaceful charming streets and corners dotted with cafes. Visit the beautiful rose garden, the Ponte Sisto Bridge that leads to Trastevere and the small island of Tiber.

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Kate and Billie celebrate Yes vote by getting engaged Kate Stoica and Billie made headlines on May 23 when the couple got engaged after the announcement of the passing of the referendum. They spoke to EngaGAYged Ireland to tell us their story. The background: Kate and Billie first met in a professional capacity and became friends. After years of different relationships and time apart, the girls realised it was meant to be. “We both realised we meant more to each other than just friends. We decided to give it a go and here we are six and a half years later still giving it a go and loving it.” Kate says that Billie, who doesn’t have a surname as she legally changed it some years ago, is a free spirit and ‘always puts herself last’. “Billie’s love is accepting and loyal, she has shown me how to love myself, what else can I say, she is the love of my life!” Billie who proposed to Kate says that her fiancée is ‘fiercely passionate’. “She’s a superhero; a multifaceted testament to inner strength and determination.” It was on May 23 that the girls’ dream came true as the same sex marriage referendum was passed. Kate was shocked when Billie popped the question once the final results were revealed. 48

The proposal Kate recalls the moments leading up to the proposal. “Standing in the counting house, I was tallying the papers as they came out of the ballot boxes, and had many boxes that were NO. Billie was counting and recording the tallies from everyone’s boxes so had a clearer idea of the bigger scheme of things. My mum arrived, and whilst I was very happy to see her, I remember questioning Billie about why she had come out to the counting house, because I thought we were meeting her later. The last vote from Limerick was tallied and a big cheer went up, the next thing I know Billie took my hand and asked me to go with her. She guided me to a corner of the room where our friend Ann played Bruno Mars, ‘Just The Way You Are’, and I started to ask her “what’s happening”. Billie took both of my hands and got down on one knee and asked if I would marry her. I was totally shocked and completely delighted, I could barely answer her, but somehow I managed to indicate my yes! She gave me the ring and the next thing there was cheers and rose petals everywhere.” The girls were ecstatic with the result and celebrated their engagement with their friends and fellow ‘Yes’ campaigners that night. “It was amazing to have all of our old and new friends, who had campaigned tirelessly alongside us, through rain, hail and shine, there to celebrate something that meant so much to so many people. It was truly

a momentous day, for the whole of Ireland, for our community, for generations of young people to come and on a personal level for us.” The wedding Kate and Billie have not made any specific arrangements as of yet but plan on having a laid-back wedding day. “We do know that we would like a relaxed, easy going wedding. We are enjoying the idea of a festival theme, with a hand fasting and a barbeque.” However what they are wearing is hugely important to the couple on their big day. Kate wants to remain traditional in a white wedding dress while Billie would like to wear a kilt to show the culture of Scotland, her birth place.

As both of the ladies work with children, they play a vital part in their lives, Kate and Billie have no plans to start a family. “We currently have no children and although we both love them, have no plans for any. I have a passion for working with children and their families; we could both see ourselves fostering children in the future.” The couple are currently enjoying their engagement and patiently waiting for the day same sex marriage is made into law. “For now our plan is to wait until the law comes in, fix a date, look at venues and hopefully plan for an August wedding in 2016. In the mean time we will have fun and cherish each other!”

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Photos courtesy of Jakub Saluda

The full love story behind ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’ couple Nora and Katriona Nora Dennehy met Katriona Hourihan four years ago at Cork Pride. The couple currently live in Blackrock, Co. Cork with their ten month old daughter Willow Belle.

table and won €1000 so I was able to buy her designer Jimmy Choo shoes. The day was amazing; a lot of Ireland watched it and we had great support after it.”

“Katriona who wasn’t gay at the time was going in to the parade to show support to her sister who is gay. Once I set my eyes upon her I had to have her. We then started dating at the end of July when her relationship broke up.”

Despite the presence of the TV crew, the day was very personal and special for the girls who were not used to being apart for so long.

Nora decided to ask the love of her life to marry her in May 2014. “I proposed to Katriona when she was 7 months pregnant.” The girls decided to take the plunge and get married on RTE’s TV show ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’ so the entire nation could share in their love. “I had to organise everything so I moved out for two weeks. I had full control of the planning which I know Katriona would have had such a problem with. We got married in the Macau Casino and had the afters in the Vertigo Rooms in the City Hall. I picked out our dresses, spent all the money on her dress which she hated and bought a second hand dress for myself which turned out amazing. There was a part that RTE left out in the editing where I gambled €500 of the budget put it on red on the roulette 52

“Best part for me was when I finally got to see Katriona walking up the aisle. I’ll never forget that feeling for as long as I live. I had moved out and we had no contact at all, I missed her terribly. We are never apart so two weeks apart was very tough.” Since the passing of the referendum, the ladies look forward to when same sex marriage finally becomes legally binding in Ireland. They have decided to keep it low key since they have already had their dream day. “We would probably have a small party. I’ll let Katriona organise it though I could never deal with the stress of that again!” The day of May 23rd was an emotional day for same sex couples and for Nora and Katriona it was no different.

“I was working away for five weeks in America so I arrived back into Dublin the morning of the 23rd. Katriona was meeting me in Kerry with Willow for my nephews’ communion. I had been monitoring the tallies on Facebook and I had known from about 10am that we had it. On the Sunday we celebrated with friends and straight away we agreed we need to get married without the big day involved of course.” Nora believes that the referendum has changed Ireland for the better. “We both would like to say a huge thank you to everyone in Ireland who supported us. We’d like to thank the show, it changed a lot of people’s views and also to be seen as an equal citizen is an amazing feeling. I even started holding my wife’s hand walking down the street now! I’m proud to be Irish.”

Su mme r time

Summer Wedding Ideas

inspired by weddings at AnnaCarriga Estate

Don’t be blinded by our LOVE … please take some shades

Dancing shoes to comfort your feet while dancing

Colourful pom-poms gives you that summer feeling always!

Summer wild flowers are always so beautiful and so simple to arrange

Personalised ‘jam jars’ are the perfect favour for your guests

A ‘Photobooth’ in a natural settings – hang a simple frame off a tree

Be ready for any type of weather – have your wellies and colour matching umbrella always handy

Sweet table – buy lots of sweets and a variety of jars … No doubt there will be a lot of spare hands to help with this tasty arrangement

Have a beer barrel as part of your drinks reception

Top Tip

Have fun with it!

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Frank and David are flying high planning their upcoming nuptials Frank Wynne from Sligo and David O’Sullivan from Dublin and are both part of the cabin crew with Aer Lingus. The couple knew each other via mutual friends for a long time before they began dating. “We knew of each other for the last 20 years through friends of friends but David lived abroad for many years in New Zealand & Amsterdam. When he returned to Dublin he went on holidays with mutual friends. My housemate returned from the holiday saying what a great guy David was and he was starting a new job at the airport next week.” A few weeks later, Frank popped into the George bar in Dublin and met David by chance. “I was about to leave and heard somebody call my name. I looked around and it was David. We chatted for a while and I joined his company. Later I invited him out to the house for a few 56

drinks. We went back to the house and sat up all night chatting. That was it. We dated for about six months. We moved in together in November so its 11 years now.” The couple now live in Swords together with their dogs or ‘babies’ called Macy, a Scottish terrier, and Cagney, a West Highland terrier. The Sligo native said that the couple had proposed to each other a few times before they finally decided to say yes. “There has been a few proposals over the years; I think I might have been first on a night out. David proposed seriously at home one day a few years ago and last year we finally set the date.” The couple plan to get married on July 28 in Castle Dargan in Sligo. The guys will have around 280 guests with a black tie theme “so nobody will turn up in the same colour suits!”

“At the ceremony we are having the band Amadeus playing classical music followed by a drinks reception and five course meal. Later Deja Groove and DJ Scruffy will be entertaining our guests. We have a surprise act also lined up for the night. The next night we are having an after party in the glasshouse Sligo where Avryll Nitrate will be playing drag bingo and DJ Scruffy will be entertaining till late.” Frank said. The couple are excited at the prospect of possibly being one of the first same sex couple to get married. “We could be one of the first same sex couples to get married which would be amazing or one of the last civil partnerships. Either way hopfully it will be a great day.”

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