Cork Weddings Magazine - Summer 2020 by Leinster Weddings Magazine

WEDDINGS

Cork

C O R K ’ S N U M B E R 1 W E D D I N G M A G A Z I N E - I S S U E 11 - S U M M E R 2 0 2 0

REAL CORK WEDDINGS

2020 COLLECTION HONEYMOON THE SEYCHELLES

F DIGREE CO ITAL PY

NEW

THE ULTIMATE WEDDING DIRECTORY GAA STAR RUAIRÍ DEANE WEDDING EXCLUSIVE

Say â&#x20AC;&#x153;I doâ&#x20AC;? to Something New The Smith Barry Suite, the exclusive new venue for weddings & celebrations coming soon to Fota Island Resort For more information, please contact our Events Team T: 021 488 3700 or E: weddings@fotaisland.ie

Celebrate Your Day Your Way at Fota Island Resort If you’ve ever dreamed of having a party on an idyllic island retreat, then Fota Island Resort is where dreams really do come true. The scenic surroundings provide the perfect backdrop for beautiful photography and the selection of dining possibilities on the island can cater for any gathering, big or small. Whether it’s an intimate celebration with just family and special guests or a larger affair with all the wedding bells and whistles, mark the moment in style at Fota Island Resort. For couples, Fota Island Resort is a very special place to celebrate each other. Avenues lined with magnificent oaks and sycamores meet you while the stunning backdrop of the island provides endless opportunities to capture those special first photographs together as newlyweds. After you’ve said ‘I do’ it’s time to celebrate in style. The Smith-Barry Suite can accommodate between 120 and 300 guests and opens out onto a terrace in the summer months where you can enjoy an al fresco pre-wedding drinks reception

with your guests. With exciting plans afoot at Fota Island Resort, couples planning their wedding from spring 2020 onwards will enjoy a sparkling new Smith-Barry Suite as a full refurbishment of the ballroom is currently underway, with celebrity interior designer, Hugh Wallace leading the new design. Wallace, a regular judge on RTÉ’s hugely popular Home of the Year, has an exciting vision for the impressive Suite which will focus on maximising the beautiful natural light in the space, while also adding a signature touch of his flamboyant design flair with plenty of sparkle and vibrant pops of colour. The Clubhouse at Fota Island Resort exudes a classic country feel and merges effortlessly into the surrounding landscape. Weddings at The Clubhouse can accommodate up to 120 guests. With its stunning setting, The Clubhouse at Fota Island Resort is also a wonderful venue to host your rehearsal dinner or post wedding celebrations. Start your happily ever after in 5-star style!

For more information contact weddings@fotaisland.ie www.fotaisland.ie Cork WEDDINGS

Contents 9 Bridal Fashion & Accessories

10 All About Diamond Bridal 12 ENZOANI - 2020 Collection (plus on front and back cover)

17 Men's Fashion 18 Easy Breezy Casual

23 Real Wedding Stories 24 39 53 67

Grace & Alan Niamh & RuairÃ Nicole & Liam Laura & Mark

81 Beauty and Make-up

82 Moira's Top Picks for False Lashes for your Wedding 84 The Best Way to Look Like YOU on Your Wedding Day

87 Bridal Hair 88 Tempted by Tiaras

91 Flowers

92 Dried Flowers DIY 94 Best Flowers for Drying 94 Flowers Speak

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97 Travel

98 The Seychelles

105 Health & Fitness

106 7 Reasons You Can't Get or Stay in Good Physical Condition 107 5 Ways to Improve Your Sleep 108 Increasing your STEPS 108 Free Recipe Book 109 Creating New Habits

111 The Ultimate Wedding Directory

WE DO. Do you?

Bespoke weddings at the award-winning Garryvoe Hotel When it comes to weddings, the Garryvoe puts the ‘you’ in ‘unique.’ And that’s why they’ve won many awards from Weddingsonline & Wedding Journal over the years; most recently Munsters Wedding Co-Ordinator of the Year in February 2020. But they don’t do it for the awards. They do it because they know just how big a deal your big day is – and they’re with you every step of the way. If you’ve always dreamed of a beachside wedding, the Garryvoe Hotel is here to make that dream come true. With a spectacular five-mile long, sandy beach on the doorstep, stellar dining options, a state-of-the-art health club, completely renovated Grand Ballroom and the best customer service you could possibly imagine, the Garryvoe Hotel does not just meet expectations: it exceeds them. From Hollywood royalty to fourth generation local couples, the Garryvoe Hotel has

welcomed hundreds of newlyweds through its doors, with wedding ceremonies even held in the hotel itself and, on occasion, on the beach! All weddings are tailor-made to suit the client’s needs and you’re guaranteed the personal attention of our award-winning Wedding Co-Ordinator at all times. Located a stone’s throw (or bouquet’s throw for that matter) from magnificent Garryvoe Beach with panoramic views of Ballycotton Island in the distance, the Garryvoe Hotel has been part of the fabric of East Cork’s memorable occasions for over 50 years. Their sister hotel in Ballycotton, the Bayview shares stunning views of EastCork’s coastline – albeit from the other side of the water! The Garryvoe Hotel is a name you can trust – and that’s exactly what the people of East Cork have been doing for more than half a century.

For bookings and further information on any of the Garryvoe Hotel’s accommodation, dining or wedding services, please call 021 4646718 or visit www.garryvoehotel.com

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We’re all about sharing the love ...

Photo: Adrian O’Neill / www.staywildimages.com

T: 021 4646 718 E: res@garryvoehotel.com facebook.com/TheGarryvoeHotel www.garryvoehotel.com Cork WEDDINGS

Experts Meet the

Meet our fabulous experts who have worked so hard to give you loads of advice and tips by sharing their wealth of professional knowledge. Material Boy - Men's Fashion Expert Blogger, Fashionista & Hair Stylist

Material Boy (David Babington) has been awarded RSVP Blogger Of The Year 2014 and Hi Magazine Most Stylish Blogger 2015 and has worked as a Hair Stylist for Two Decades. Material BOY has a huge passion for fashion and adores the opulent life and flamboyancy one can achieve through clothes and self-expression. In his own words David says: "Be unique, Be fabulous and more importantly be yourself" and we couldn't agree more. You can follow Material Boy on Snapchat, Facebook or Instagram. (Image Credit: Denisa Photo)

PJ Foley - Hair Expert

Salon Owner and Creative Director at Vanity Hair

PJ has worked at countless fashion shows, session styling with lots of designers both in Europe and Australia. He has worked with the Tigi artistic team and was a member of the Irish Tigi all stars team touring all around Ireland and the UK. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hairdressing is part of my life, it inspires me every day. It's constantly changing all the time."

Moira Fox - Beauty & Makeup Expert Beauty Tutor

Moira has over 16 years of experience within the beauty industry and is hugely passionate and committed to the beauty world. Moira keeps herself well-informed and up-to-date about all aspects of the industry so that she can pass on her knowledge to her students. She has qualifications with ITEC, CIDESCO, CIBTAC & FETAC. Moira, who recently got married herself, not only writes her articles and product review pages from the perspective of a professional but also from the real-life experiences of a bride.

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Sara Kennedy - DIY & Wedding Expert Wedding Blogger

Sara Kennedy is one of Ireland’s leading wedding bloggers with her blog - IrishWeddingBlog.ie - and was listed as one of the finalists for the Irish Blog Awards 2016. She has authored The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide Ireland which is available on her website www.irishweddingblog.ie. Sara has over 20 years of experience in weddings spanning from jewellery to venues. During her time working for some of Ireland's leading venues she won many awards.

Eric Marah - Health & Fitness Expert

Owner & Personnel Trainer at EM Fitness & Nutrition

With over 12 years of experience in the health and fitness industry Eric has helped countless individuals achieve their goals. Eric’s philosophy is to help people strike a balance between healthy living and training whilst also enjoying life. No quick fixes or FAD diets - you can have a social life, you can eat guilt free and you can still achieve your desired physique. He believes in finding the exercise that you love, eating the foods you enjoy, leading an active and healthy lifestyle which will lead to a healthier mind and body. info@emfitnessnutrition.com

Belinda Rahman - Flower Expert Owner at Special Petals

Belinda, an award-winning florist, embarked on what was going to be a very successful career in the flower industry in 2012. She enrolled in Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa for a year-long FETAC course in Retail Floristry. From the first night she knew she had found her calling and qualified with a Distinction. Belinda is always learning and keeping an eye on the most inspirational trends in the flower world as it is ever changing. We all love flowers. They are pretty, bright and cheerful – but apart from the fact that they look nice… how much further does our knowledge of flowers go? Luckily for us we have Belinda at hand to tell us everything we need to know and you will find all the best information and advice in our flower pages.

Contributors & Suppliers EDITORIAL Editor

Adeline Shorten

Assistant Editor

PUBLISHING Publisher

Cork Weddings Ballincollig, Co. Cork

Rían Shorten

Printing

DESIGN

Distribution

Adeline Shorten

SALES

Adeline Shorten

ON THE COVER Image

Image supplied by ENZOANI from the ENZOANI 2020 Collectiion Dress Name: Orsa

KC Print

Newspread

Stock Images

Shutterstock.com

Copyright © 2019 by Cork Weddings Magazine All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

info@corkweddings.ie 087 9526 007

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2020 COLLECTION

Welcome

A word from the editor...

Hello all and welcome to the Spring/Summer 2020 edition of Cork Weddings. As usual, this edition is packed with lots of advice and information to help you with your wedding planning. We have introduced a few new changes for 2020. First of all, we have changed the scheduling of the magazine. Where previously we had spring, summer, autumn and winter editions - we now have spring/summer, summer/autumn, autumn/winter and winter/spring. The summer/autumn edition will replace this issue in June. We also have introduced a new section toward the back of the magazine called The Ultimate Wedding Directory, where you will find lots of categories of local suppliers and venues. We recently launched an online version of this directory on our website. The online directory includes some additional features such as, questions and answers with the wedding professionals and interactively links on their adverts. This interactive feature means that when you click/tap on an advert you will be

redirected straight to the website of that vendor or venue. This will save you lots of time from online searches as we have done the work for you. We will be regularly updating the online directory with new categories and new suppliers, so keep checking in. You can find the online Ultimate Wedding directory at: corkweddings.ie/weddingdirectory. On the cover of this edition, and inside, you will find a selection of the 2020 collection from ENZOANI, which we absolutely adore. Your local stockist of ENZOANI in Cork is Diamond Bridal on Maylor St., so if you like what you see, make sure to get your appointment booked. Finally, I would like to wish huge congratulations to all newly engaged couples. Happy planning. Enjoy the read! With warmest wishes,

Adeline Shorten. Editor.

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Bridal Fashion & Accessories

All About Diamond Bridal â&#x20AC;¢ ENZOANI - 2020 Collection

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Style... Elegance... Grace

Image Credit: Enzoani - Gown: Enzoani OCILIA

Stockists of: • Enzoani • Blue by Enzoani • Beautiful by Enzoani • La Sposa • White One by Pronovias • Callista Bridal • Nicole Spose • Kate Parle • Randy Fenoli

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Bridal Gowns - Bridal Accessories - Bridesmaid Dresses 5 Maylor Street, Cork City T: 021 4949900 E: info@diamondbridal.ie Web: www.diamondbridal.ie

Diamond Bridal Diamond Bridal opened its doors on Maylor Street in the heart of Cork City in November 2011. After I got married myself in March 2011, I decided to have a complete change of career, follow my dream of working with weddings and fashion, and Diamond Bridal was born. We are now a strong team of four Bridal Consultants who share the same passion and commitment as I do, and we genuinely go on the journey with each and every bride. We are lucky enough to stock world leading Bridal and Bridesmaids Designers whom we have gained exclusivity with. We travel to many overseas buying trips each year to source the best collections for our brides. Diamond Bridal has grown consistently each year since opening. We now boast an exclusive Bridal Suite and Bridesmaid suite over two floors which host over 500 brides and over 1000 bridesmaids annually. T: 021 494 9900 E: info@diamondbridal.ie W: www.diamondbridal.ie

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Bridal Boutique of The Year Diamond Bridal were the deserving winners in the Bridal Boutique category in the 2019 Munster Wedding Awards (in association with Cork Weddings Magazine). Stockists of well known international and Irish Designers including; Enzoani, Blue by Enzoani, Beautiful by Enzoani, La Sposa, White One by Pronovias, Callista Bridal, Nicole Spose, Kate Parle and Randy Fenoli Bridal - the ladies from Diamond Bridal travel far and wide to choose their collections each year.

As well as their extensive Bridal Collections, Diamond Bridal have one of the largest collections of bridesmaids dresses in the country. They have over 300 styles in store, available in over 100 colour options and in all sizes. The city centre location of this stylish boutique on Maylor Street means it is accessible for everyone and the appointment-only policy ensures your privacy while you search for your dream gown.

L-R: Amy McCarthy, Grace Penny (Owner) & Grace Hughes Diamond Bridal

Questions & Answers Q: What advice would you give to brides-to-be when going shopping for the first time for their wedding dress?

Q&A

Diamond Bridal Cork WEDDINGS

A: The most important thing to do is to keep an open mind. It is no harm to gather a few ideas but realistically, until you try, you won’t know what will suit. A wedding dress is so different to anything else you have previously worn, but it should still reflect your personal style, so aim to find a dress that shows off your best assets and makes you feel amazing. We advise to keep your wedding crew to a minimum, as too many opinions can make it confusing and often stressful. In practical terms, we advise wearing nude underwear and comfortable clothes you can easily get in and out of. We do advise shopping for your dress 12 months prior to the wedding where possible and schedule your appointment within plenty time, especially if you are looking for a weekend. Finally, like when you found your fiancé, when you do find “the one”, don’t be afraid to commit.

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ENZOANI 2020 - Oksana

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ENZOANI 2020 - Olaya

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ENZOANI 2020 - Ozara

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ENZOANI 2020 - Orsa (on the front cover)

OPEN FROM AUTUMN 2019 ˜

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˜˜ OPENING HOURS: TAKING BOOKINGS NOW 9AM ˜- 9PM 7 DAYS AHOURS: WEEK OPENING ˜ 9AM - 9PM 7 DAYS A WEEK 20% DISCOUNT ˜ ON INDIVIDUAL TREATMENTS & PRODUCTS WHEN YOU QUOTE: CORK WEDDINGS MAGAZINE 20% DISCOUNT ON INDIVIDUAL TREATMENTS & PRODUCTS WHEN YOU QUOTE: CORK WEDDINGS MAGAZINE

MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK - @thesecretgardenspacork

PHONE - 085 270 0751

MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK - @thesecretgardenspacork

PHONE - 085 270 0751 Cork WEDDINGS

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Men's Fashion

Image Credit: Denisa Photo

Easy Breezy Casual

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Easy Breezy Casual Who makes the rules when it comes to getting married ? You do! Stiff uncomfortable boring dull suits, with shoes that tire your feet, need not be the attire that appeals to you. A laid back, casual, yet classy groom may be just what you are looking for. Choose your wedding style to cater for you and your groomsmen. If your theme is casual then don’t be afraid of keeping your look easy breezy with a slight twist of sharpness. Light tones and light fabrics will make the perfect choice. All you’ll have left to do now is simply say “I Do”. Happy Wedding Guys.

MB. x

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Paul Smith Two Piece Wool Suit €770 @brownthomas.com

Adidas Originals €80 @brownthomas.com

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Short Sleeve Baby Blue Shirt €24 @riverisland.com Gucci Tie €120 Gucci Pocket Square €120 @Gucci.com

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Resort

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The Perfect Wedding Awaits at Award-Winning Castlemartyr Resort Recently voted Winner of the ‘Hotel Venue of the Year Munster’ award at the 2020 WeddingsOnline Awards. It is not only the elegant 18th century manor house and the 13th century castle ruins that make Castlemartyr stand out from the crowd, but the meticulous attention to detail that our award-winning team of wedding planners provide. Nestled in 220 acres of mature landscape, the manor house is the heart of this unique resort, having been restored and extended to offer perfectly styled accommodation, award-winning dining, Spa and Health Club, as well as an 18-hole inland links-style golf course. The Capel Suite is unlike any other ballroom in Ireland. With its floor to ceiling windows, giant chandeliers, mood lighting and magnificent drapes. Castlemartyr Resort is an HSE registered venue for Civil Ceremonies and is the perfect location to celebrate your Civil Partnership. Other, more intimate, Manor Rooms are also available so that your celebration is tailormade just for you. Couples also have the option to host their ceremony outdoors, choosing between the beautiful garden terrace or the stunning backdrop of the castle ruins. From the traditional to the informal, all celebrations are a challenge to ignore the mundane and create the original. Selected dates for 2020 are available from €85pp.

Castlemartyr Resort, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork. Tel: 021 4219000 Email: sales@castlemartyrresort.ie Web: www.castlemartyrresort.ie Cork WEDDINGS

Real Wedding Stories

Grace & Alan • Niamh & Ruairí • Nicole & Liam • Laura & Mark

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THE COASTERS Guitar, Vocals, Percussion

Providing Music Entertainment For Your Wedding Drinks Reception Email: thecoastersbandcork@gmail.com Facebook: @thecoastersbandcork Phone: 085 834 7065 24

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Photography: John Sexton Photography

Grace & Alan Date of Marriage: 8th November, 2019

VIENNA WOODS HOTEL

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HOW THEY MET “I already knew Alan’s brother as I worked with his girlfriend. She was having a BBQ at her house that Alan and I both attended. After the BBQ we all headed off into town. We hopped into the same taxi and the rest is history.” THE PROPOSAL “Alan proposed on a night away in the Europe Hotel, Killarney. Where we were going was meant to be a surprise, but I got it out of him! He had asked for my father's permission before hand. I started to get suspicious the night before when Alans phone rang, and confused, he wondered why a Kerry number was ringing. My father copped straight away that it was the hotel and I could see he was trying to help him cover it up. I knew then he was in on it. Also, what further aroused my suspicions is that my father didn’t ask any questions about this night away that we were going on which was strange for him!"

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THE STYLE "I always knew I would find dress shopping the most stressful part. I tried seven shops before finally saying ‘yes to the dress’. There were so many beautiful dresses, but I found it difficult to find something that suited me. I didn’t want anything figure hugging and couldn’t believe the weight of some of the dresses. I wanted comfort as well as style and some of the dresses weighed a tonne! My mother rang me one day to say she was free if I wanted to go to a boutique in Listowel she knew of. We made the appointment and set off that same day and we were both so relieved when I finally found a dress I liked. I went for a low heel shoe from the Rainbow Club collection as, again, I wanted comfort and wanted to make sure my feet kept me dancing for the night. Having had Dawn from Hairy Fairy do my hair before, she was always going to be my first choice. I didn’t want to take from Dawn’s up-style and as I was wearing a veil, I just chose a small headpiece from Azure. Susan from Crazy Dolls did my make-up and was relaxed and very easy to work with. I would be very fussy and particular about my make-up, but she listened to what I wanted and did such a good job. My sister and best friend were my bridesmaids. My best friend's mother was also bridesmaid for my mom 35 years ago! My main aim for the bridesmaid’s dresses was that the girls were happy and comfortable in them. I tried a few dresses online but felt the material quality wasn’t great for an autumn wedding. We ended up taking a trip to The Princess Rooms where we found their dresses. I wanted strong colours for the bridesmaid dresses because of the time of year and we chose burgundy. As usual, the men were much more straightforward when choosing their suits. They all wore a navy three-piece suit with Alan's differing slightly - wearing a grey waistcoat and a white tie. The fathers had matching ties and the groomsmen wore ties similar to the bridesmaid dresses. As gifts on the morning of the wedding, we gave them all personalised pocket watches to wear on the day."

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THE CEREMONY “We had the ceremony in my local church. It has just recently been renovated and now has an aisle which it hadn’t had before. I thought simple décor would complement the church and Liz from Wonderous Weddings helped me decide the best floral arrangements to achieve this. I wanted a mix of traditional hymns and modern music for the ceremony. Caroline Fraher was recommended by my photographer and she was amazing. I walked down to Gabrielle Aplin’s version of The Power of Love. We arrived to the church in a vintage regent car and my next-door neighbour drove the bridesmaids in his restored Morris Minor. Alan knew the priest who married us, and he made the ceremony so relaxed for us and had the guests in stitches laughing.”

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THE RECEPTION “We had our reception in Cork’s Vienna Woods with 220 guests. We were at a wedding there the previous year and thought the food was amazing. We liked the country house feel to this city hotel and the general ambience the hotel had to offer. They were very helpful and easy to deal with throughout the wedding planning. Our guests were welcomed to the drinks reception in the lounge and drawing room by the smell of mulled wine, canapés and music. The celebrations were already under way when we arrived after having the photos taken in Blarney Castle. We decided to have the speeches before the meal so everyone could relax and enjoy their dinner having the nerve-racking part out of the way. Our beautiful three-tier cake was made by Baker Boy Cakes and he liaised with our florist to ensure his handmade flowers on the cake matched our bouquets. We always knew we wanted J90 as our wedding band and when we began organising the wedding, the first step was contacting them to see their availability and this determined the date of our wedding. The rest just fell into place. We knew they would not disappoint, and they were so interactive with the guests that the dance floor was full for the night. Once you have good food and a good band you already have the makings of a brilliant wedding.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY “John Sexton was our photographer. He was fantastic on the day, like a third bridesmaid. He was so professional and had the ability to turn what could have been chaos into calmness. Our photos were taken on the grounds of Blarney Castle, as were Alan’s parents on their wedding day. We were spoilt with the autumnal colours on the trees and blue skies. John also worked so well with our videographer Cal from On Track Films that you would think they were a team.” FAVOURITE PART “Being surrounded by all our family and friends together and seeing them all enjoying themselves. I also appreciated the time alone we had in the car after the ceremony and then on the way to the reception as it was the only time we had to talk, just us.” ADVICE “All the planning and organising pays off on the day. Try not to worry about it all if you can. The day runs itself if you have put time and effort into the lead up to it. Organisation is key. Try not leave things until the last minute or you will likely get stressed and stress is something a bride definitely wants to avoid. More importantly, enjoy the day!”

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OUR SUPPLIERS

Reception Venue: Vienna Woods Hotel Venue Wedding Coordinator: Mary Anne and Adina Ceremony Venue: St. Senan’s Church, Cloghroe Celebrant: Fr. Ray Riordan Photographer: John Sexton Photography Videographer: On Track Films Bridal Gown Designer: Opulence, Ballygally Bridal Boutique: Finesse Bridal, Listowel Bride’s Shoes: Rainbow Club Veil: Finesse Bridal Headpiece: Azure Jewellery Bridesmaid’s Dresses: The Princess Rooms Hair: Hairy Fairy (Dawn) Make-up: Crazy Dolls (Susan) Groom’s Wear: Suit Distributors Groomsmen’s Suits: Suit Distributors Transport: Wedding Vintage Car Hire Cake: Baker Boy Cakes Flowers: Wonderous Weddings Invitations: The Wedding Scribblers Ceremony Music: Caroline Fraher Band & DJ: J90 Rings: Keanes Jewellers Honeymoon: Trailfinders

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T 087 063 1225 www.cakeland.ie cakelandbyanitavenczel

Lets Your Cake Come True!

Truly Exclusive

Set in 90 acres of mature parkland with panoramic views over Oysterhaven Bay, this luxury hotel offers couples the perfect location for their big day. Located in a peaceful and tranquil setting, the expert team at Kinsale Hotel and Spa are happy to cater for weddings of any size, from 40 to 240. The Rathmore Banqueting Suite is simply magnificent with unspoilt views over the bay and countryside making it the ideal wedding venue location for that special day. Kinsale Hotel and Spa is also licensed to host civil ceremonies and offers a unique, intimate occasion guaranteed to be truly exclusive for you and your guests.

(021) 470 6000 / kinsalehotelandspa.ie weddings@kinsalehotel.ie

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Wedding Wow at Overlooking the stunning Bantry Bay, the Westlodge Hotel is the idyllic destination for your wedding celebration. Situated in 26 acres of matured landscaped gardens, it provides the most natural backdrop for perfect wedding memories. Our warm and hospitable team will go the extra mile to ensure your experience from initial point of enquiry right up to your big day is a seamless arrangement, ensuring that you and yours have an amazing day. The Westlodge operates a one wedding per day policy to ensure you have a personal & hands on approach. The venue has been a wedding choice in West Cork for 50 years. With 100 bedrooms, including inter-connecting suites, double and triple rooms and 9 cosy self-catering cottages there is plenty of accommodation for all your guests. We offer special wedding rates for guests attending weddings.

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Photography: Stay Wild Images

Niamh & RuairÃ Date of Marriage: 31st December, 2019

WESTLODGE HOTEL

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HOW THEY MET “We are both teachers at Scoil Phobail Bheara, Castletownbere and met through work. We used to carpool together every day and things escalated quickly from there. One day I finally gathered up enough courage to ask Niamh on a date. Thankfully, it all worked out and we are where we are today. I knew very quickly that Niamh was the one I was going to marry.” THE PROPOSAL “I sent Niamh on a treasure hunt around Bantry on the 16th of December 2018 to 16 different locations in the town that mean something to us both. At each location there was an envelope with a hand written letter in it. Each letter explained what each location meant to us, what we did there, and finished with clues on how to get to the next location. The final destination was Bantry House where I asked her to marry me and thankfully, she said ‘yes’. I had Eddie Hennessy, the photographer, hiding there to capture the moment and the photographs are amazing to look back on now. It is a really special moment to capture and thankfully we will have that forever.”

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THE STYLE “Niamh wore a custom, handmade Julia Kontogruni dress which she purchased in Alicante, Spain. It was the one and only dress she ever spoke about or wanted for our wedding day and she was willing to go to the moon for it if she had to. It was an ivory lace fitted mermaid dress with a four-metre tulle train. It was an illusion backless dress and had a low illusion sweet heart neckline. It had custom made illusion sleeves with lace cuffs. The dress was decorated with pearls and Swarovski crystals. Niamh’s veil was 4.5 meters long and had the same lace (leaves and flowers) running throughout the veil. Niamh’s second dress was an ivory Wtoo strapless ball gown with a sweetheart neckline. Given the length of Niamh’s main dress she assured me it was essential to get a second dress to be able to move freely and dance the night away. Niamh went for half up half down with her hair and designed a handmade headpiece which incorporated pink and ivory pearls and Swarovski crystals from Azure and long drop diamond earrings to compliment the entire look. Her make-up was natural with the main emphasis being on her eyes. Her bouquet was a structured look with ivory roses decorated with pearls and diamonds. She looked so beautiful and was the most amazing bride in the world. The four bridesmaids, Niamh’s sisters and niece, wore baby pink tulle dresses with rose gold shoes and diamond stud earrings. The bridesmaids’ dresses were all the same, with the exception of Niamh's godchild Isabelle, who was junior bridesmaid, and she wore a slightly different version of the dress. I wore a three-piece navy suit with a burnt orange stripe running through it. I had a white shirt, ivory tie, burgundy shoes and belt. I wore a rose gold pocket watch that Niamh got for me as a present which was a nice addition to the look. The groomsmen wore a navy pants with a grey jacket and waistcoat that had a navy check stripe running through it. They wore baby pink ties, which they tell me they will never forgive me for, and had burgundy shoes and belts also. I bought them O’Neills Gaelic Football cufflinks, which we all wore on the day. The staff at Simply Suits Cork will have to take credit for the style as I’m only really used to wearing tracksuits 99% of the time."

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THE CEREMONY “We got married at a religious ceremony at St. Colman’s Church, Macroom. We tried our best to make it a fairytale wedding with a theme of rose gold, baby pink and ivory. The décor included a draped entrance with large cherry blossom trees and lanterns upon entrance. We had large floral balls of roses and hydrangea on glass pedestals, with candles floating on water in glass vases, along with an ivory carpet going down the aisle. The altar had a large floral arrangement and the tabernacle was covered with glass candelabras with flowers draping down along them which made the church look truly amazing. We wanted to make the church look really special as it was the most important part of the day for us. The ceremony music was sung by Anne-Marie and Timmie from West Cork Wedding Music who played piano and guitar on the day. Niamh walked down the aisle to From This Moment – Shania Twain which is a song that relates to us, especially on our wedding day. For the ceremony we included a mix of meaningful and contemporary wedding music. We walked back down the aisle to The Little Things – KeyWest which is a song where the words really sum up what our relationship is all about, the little things we do for one another all the time. Our mass was celebrated by a close family friend, Fr. Thomas Fogarty, which made our marriage so personal and special to us. The bridesmaids and groomsmen travelled in two black Audi A6 cars, provided by Audi Cork, and the bride and groom’s car was a Champagne coloured Range Rover Velar. Everything at the ceremony was just perfect from start to finish."

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THE RECEPTION "Our wedding reception was held at The Westlodge Hotel, Bantry. The hotel is situated just outside Bantry town and we chose this venue for the beautiful grounds and scenic views of Bantry Bay. We know the staff and owners which added a really personal touch to planning and preparing for our big day. The staff are so friendly and accommodating and whatever we needed was never a problem. We had close to 300 guests on the day with a mix of family, friends, work colleagues and teammates. Our guests enjoyed a mixture of canapĂŠs and a drinks reception upon arrival at the hotel. The hotel also provided warm scones and homemade signature biscuits. Anne-Marie and Timmie provided the music for the drinks reception too, bringing the elegant and romantic theme forward from the church to the reception venue. We decorated the tables with large flower balls of roses and hydrangea and glass candelabras with a circular posie of roses. The tablecloths were rose gold sequence and we had baby pink napkins in a heart shaped napkin holder. The chairs were rose gold Dior and Cartier infinity chairs at every second table. We had a seven-tier cake with a mixture of flavours which was placed on a wooden swing. The top table had a fairy light backdrop with a large floral arrangement along the table and draped down the sides and the table was decorated with rose gold cutlery and charger plates to add the finishing touches. The quality of the meal was out of this world and many of the guest continue to comment about it to this day. With all the added decor, the room and the wedding cake were showstoppers! As our wedding was on New Year's Eve, we had a midnight balloon drop to ring in the New Year. My mother made the wedding favours which were a homemade slice of Christmas cake placed on the table in a laser cut baby pink heart-shaped favour box for each guest. Even the candy cart carried through the wedding theme which included only baby pink and white coloured sweets. We partied the night away to The Boogie Band who played a fantastic mix of songs that suited all of the guests and the dance floor was packed all night long. Our first dance was to Perfect Duet by Ed Sheeran and Beyonce. My cousin and her husband sang the song which made it even more special for Niamh and I. We chose this song for the meaning of the words in it and it sums up what we think of one another. The beauty of the venue really exceeded all of our expectations when we saw it on the day and it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have been possible without the support from Joan from Enchanting Events Specialists and all of the staff at the Westlodge Hotel. It was the most amazing and special day we could have hoped for.

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PHOTOGRAPHY “We chose Adrian O’Neill from Stay Wild Images because he is simply one of the best photographers in the country. He was a breath of fresh air to deal with and made the day so seamless for us both. He does way more than his job description and makes you feel so comfortable and makes what could be a stressful time simple and enjoyable. We began by stopping at Gougane Barra on the way to Bantry. We got some lovely pictures here near the church and by the water. The conditions were perfect and the water was so calm it looked like glass. We then went on to Bantry House and Gardens to go back to where we got engaged. It was always going to be where we would be going for our main wedding photographs after we saw how beautiful our engagement ones turned out. The beautiful house and grounds are a photographers dream and thankfully with someone as professional and efficient as Adrian we got some of the most stunning pictures that we will have for the rest of our lives.” FAVOURITE MOMENTS “The best thing about the day was looking into one another’s eyes at the front of the church for the first time on our wedding day. It was such a special and emotional moment looking at one another knowing that we are committing to one another for the rest of our lives. We enjoyed each and every moment as it came and had the most fantastic day ever. It was the most perfect day and we wouldn’t change any of it.” ADVICE “Make sure to enjoy each and every moment of your special day together. Don’t spend all of your time trying to please everyone else as the day is about you and you can’t keep everyone happy so focus on yourselves. If you’re happy, your guests will be happy too. Splash out, you only do it once (hopefully), you won’t regret it. Dance all night long.”

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OUR SUPPLIERS

Reception Venue: The Westlodge Hotel, Bantry Venue Wedding Coordinator: Norma McCarthy Ceremony Venue: St. Colman’s Church, Macroom Celebrant: Fr. Thomas Fogarty Photographer: Stay Wild Images (Adrian O’Neill) Videographer: Event Videography (John O’Sullivan) Bridal Gown Designer (dress 1): Julia Kontogruni Bridal Boutique (dress 1): Sedkas Novias, Alicante Bridal gown designer (dress 2): Wtoo Bridal Boutique (dress 2): Memories Bridal Boutique Bridal Accessories: Azure Jewellery Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Memories Bridal Boutique Hair: Hair Passion (Dominika) Make-up: Annette O’Brien MUA Groom’s Wear: Simply Suits, Cork Groomsmen’s Suits: Simply Suits, Cork Transport: Audi Cork Cake: Lily’s Cakes, Skibbereen Flowers: Floral Sculpture Florists Venue Décor: Enchanting Event Specialist (Joan O’Connor) Wedding Planner: Enchanting Event Specialist (Joan O’Connor) Invitations: Pretty Print Ceremony Music: West Cork Wedding Music Band & DJ: The Boogie Band Rings: Aksoy Jewellers Honeymoon: Bantry Travel

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PUTTING THE WOW IN YOUR WEDDING With Glorious Gardens & Panoramic Views Over Bantry Bay

Mark Golden - Operations Manager: markg@westlodgehotel.ie Norma McCarthy - Sales & Marketing Manager: norma@westlodgehotel.ie Phone: 027 50360

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www.westlodgehotel.ie

City Luxury at Clayton Hotel Silver Springs

The four-star Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, located within a short drive from Cork City Centre, combines classic elegance with contemporary design. An extensive refurbishment programme of the entire hotel was completed in April 2018, making the venue one of Cork's newest wedding venues. The hotel is situated on mature landscaped gardens, offering further options for those special photos together as a newly married couple with family and friends, plus ample onsite free parking for guests, allowing your guests to arrive at ease and find parking right to the door of the hotel. We are a recognised civil ceremony hotel and we can offer an intimate suite for civil ceremonies and partnerships. Hosting only one wedding reception per day, we cater for wedding receptions ranging in size from 100 to 450 guests in our elegant ballroom, for more intimate weddings of up to 80 guests we can cater for in a private venue in our main hotel. The hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magnificent ballroom, complemented by a

private drinks reception space, is the perfect setting to celebrate your special day. Floor to ceiling windows flood the stunning private reception area and ballroom with natural daylight. The ballroom is further enhanced with 8 glorious crystal chandeliers and mood lighting in a variety of colours. Your dedicated in-house wedding co-ordinators, Mariska & Jennifer are there to help you plan your wedding and guide you through our wedding packages. Their guidance and expertise on dĂŠcor, entrainment, new trends and all those little extras will ensure that you enjoy your special day every step of the way. Our Head Chef will take pleasure in preparing for your guests a variety of homemade starters, soups, carefully chosen meat, poultry and fish, garnished with bouquets of fresh vegetables. You can also avail of a choice of desserts prepared by our pastry chefs. Combine this with impeccable presentations and courteous service and you can expect a wedding banquet certain to be the centrepiece on your special day at Clayton Hotel Silver Springs.

Email: jmullally@claytonhotels.com Phone: +353 (0)21 450 7533 Web: www.claytonhotelsilversprings.com Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Tivoli, Cork, Ireland, T23 E244

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Photography: Mark O'Shea Photography

Nicole & Liam Date of Marriage: 4th May, 2019

CLAYTON HOTEL SILVER SPRINGS

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HOW THEY MET "We both met in 2007 through close friends - my bridesmaid Janice and her partner Shane. We are together now nearly 13 years. The month of May is a significant month for us, so we knew exactly from when we got engaged that we both wanted the wedding to be in May as it’s our anniversary from when we met and our son’s birthday." THE PROPOSAL “We were in Disneyland Paris on a family trip with our son Leighton, and Liam proposed while we were in Disneyland Paris. We then set our wedding date in March 2017."

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THE STYLE "Growing up I always said if I ever got married, I would love to have two wedding dresses so that’s exactly what I did. I said “yes to the dress” on my first day searching for a dress. I went for a fitted ivory satin dress with a long tulle trail; it had crystal design along the chest and shoulders with a fully embellishment backing. I purchased my dress from Laura Kate’s Bridal Boutique based in Grand Parade Cork City. Such a great selection of unique stunning dresses. My second dress was a princess tulle dress which I changed into for our first dance. I purchased it in Cinderella’s Closet where they have a large selection of beautiful dresses. I purchased my Jimmy Choo shoes in Brown Thomas and I designed and got my 5m veil custom made in the UK as I wanted an extra-long veil. My hair-piece clip was from Debenhams and I chose my jewellery in Swarovski. I went for more natural bridal make-up done by Helena K MUA. I have very long hair, so I had quite an elegant side bridal up-style. My bouquet was a drop style flower bouquet and was ivory in colour as I wanted mine to be plain and I incorporated colour in my bridesmaids to match their dresses. Our three bridesmaids’ dresses were pink in colour. Two bridesmaids had off-the-shoulder embellishment style, while my sister had the same style dress, but she had shoulder straps on hers just to mix it up a little as she was the maid of honour. Liam and his three groomsmen wore navy matching suits, but we wanted to add our own touch, so we ordered our own accessories. Liam wore an ivory paisley tie and the groomsmen wore matching paisley dickie bows. Our florist Liz supplied all the buttonhole flowers for the groomsmen."

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THE CEREMONY "We had our ceremony in the North Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne on a Saturday afternoon with our parish priest Fr. Greg Howard. In 2013 he christened our son Leighton, so it was special to have him marry us six years later. I had Stacey Bailey church singer perform our ceremony music and I walked up the aisle to Songbird by Eva Cassidy. Following our ceremony, we walked down the aisle to My Girl which was nice to incorporate as it mentions the month of May in the lyrics. I arrived to the church in a vintage wedding car supplied by East Cork Wedding cars and the bridesmaids had a silver Chrysler. Our church dĂŠcor was done by florist Liz Cott Wonderous Weddings."

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THE RECEPTION â&#x20AC;&#x153;We booked Clayton Hotel Silver Springs as our venue for after our ceremony. The ballroom in Silver Springs is a stunning location for anyone thinking of getting married; they have a great set up with plenty of room which will cater to any guest size no matter big or small. Our wedding coordinator was Mariska Smit who, from start to finish, was a pleasure to deal with. She was there from day one to accommodate us; nothing was ever a problem and she always kept our minds at ease throughout the planning process. Clayton Hotel also supplied us with our pre-dinner music which was Velvin Lamont. Our son also loves Toy Story and Disney, so we based our table and seating plan around the characters of Toy Story along with photos of him on each table with the Toy Story characters he met in Disneyland. Our wedding guest list was 200 and this consisted of our family, friends and work colleagues and our first dance song was Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran.â&#x20AC;?

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PHOTOGRAPHY “We did a lot of research into photographers shortly after we booked our venue. After searching a lot of websites online I came across Mark O Shea Photography. His photos and technique were exactly what we were looking for. On the day he was so professional, while still keeping the bridal party upbeat and relaxed throughout the morning as we got ready. Mark made sure to get us the perfect photos and even leading up to the big day he checked out locations near the church. For our photos we headed to Military Hill in Cork which looked over the whole city and included the North Cathedral in the background.” FAVOURITE PART “Following the meal, we booked singing chefs to sing at our reception. It was a complete surprise for our bridal party, families and guests as we kept it a secret from everyone. We booked them through Audio Networks, and they were fab!" ADVICE “Make sure to try to relax in the last few weeks running up to your big day. Try not to stress and enjoy the build-up as the day goes by so quickly. Thankfully everything went so smoothly on the day. The only slight disaster was we had booked a vintage car to take me to the church and I hadn’t even thought about beforehand about how I would fit in with my dress and the long trail but we got there in the end! A little tip: I know a lot of brides like the traditional way of getting ready and leaving from their family home but I decided I wanted to leave from Clayton Hotel and I stayed there the night before with my bridal party to enjoy the build-up to the celebrations. We also tried to include our little boy in our wedding as much as possible and added a photo of him to our invitations holding a sign saying, 'Mammy & Daddy are getting married'. I loved the planning and crafting my own stuff to put my own twist and effort into it. I like things to be unique and my own ideas. For a lot of my wedding bits I did my own DIY. "

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OUR SUPPLIERS

Reception Venue: Clayton Hotel Silver Springs Venue Wedding Coordinator: Mariska Smit Ceremony Venue: North Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Anne Celebrant: Fr. Greg Howard Photographer: Mark O Shea Photography Videographer: Captured Occasions Video Productions (Denis McCarthy) Bridal Gown Designer: Julia Kontogruni Bridal Boutique (Dress 1): Laura Kate’s Bridal Boutique Bridal Boutique (Dress 2): Cinderella’s Closet Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo Veil: Custom veil 5 metres long, made by Brittan Weddings Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Vows, Blarney Hair: Be Fabulous Hair Salon (Janice McCarthy) Make-up: Helena K MUA Groom’s Wear: Suit Hire, Shandon Street Groomsmen’s Suits: Suit Hire, Shandon Street Transport: East Cork Wedding Cars Cake: Trace of Cakes Flowers: Wonderous Weddings (Liz Cott) Church Décor: Wonderous Weddings (Liz Cott) Venue Décor: Ace Entertainment Invitations: The Wedding Scribblers Ceremony Music: Stacey Bailey Ceremony Singer Entertainment: Singing chefs from Audio Networks Dublin DJ: Colin Aherne Rings: H. Samuel Jewellers Magician: David Peace Magician Photobooth, Candycart, Ferrero Stand, Flower Wall, Throne chairs, LED Dance Floor: Ace Entertainment

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UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Contact our wedding team to arrange your private appointment with one of our experienced wedding planners.

FOR ENQUIRIES E events.silversprings@claytonhotels.com W claytonhotelsilversprings.com/weddings T +353 21 450 7533 Cork WEDDINGS

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Photography: Dominic Dunne Photography

Laura & Mark Date of Marriage: 23rd August, 2019

CARRIGALINE COURT HOTEL

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HOW THEY MET "We met when we were 16 years old through a mutual friend while working in Supervalu in Carrigaline. We have been together ever since!" THE PROPOSAL â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had booked a shopping trip to New York, but Mark had a different agenda for this trip! He bought a ring, let the hotel know what he was planning, and on our first night he got down on one knee on the red steps in Times Square."

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THE STYLE "I found my dress in the first shop we went to which was Cinderella’s Closet. The girls here were so helpful and made it a really special experience. I thought I knew what I wanted, but every dress I tried on didn’t suit me at all. My mum picked out the dress and the minute I put it on I knew it was the one for me! It’s a Sophia Tolli dress with embellished top with a fitted ivory body with a slight fish tail covered with lace. The back is sheer with lace and embellishment with a train. My veil was borrowed from my sister-in-law. My parents gifted me my jewellery for the day, purchased from Keanes; it was a pair of white gold diamond earrings and matching necklace. My make-up was done by my maid of honour Kate Kelly. We went for a natural look with a slight smoky eye. My hair was done by Lisa from Jelis Hair and we went with an up-style which looked amazing on the day. My bouquet consisted of cream and pink flowers, mixed with a bit of greenery. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were similar to mine and the junior bridesmaids and flower girls had bouquets of baby’s breath. All three bridesmaid dresses were the same, in a dusky pink colour which looked amazing on the girls. Mark wore a three-piece suit from Benetti which was a navy pants and jacket and a check grey waistcoat with navy tie paired with a dark brown pair of dress shoes. The groomsmen wore the same suit - navy pants and jacket but differed from Mark with navy waistcoats and they wore a pink tie matching the bridesmaids."

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THE CEREMONY "We were married in the Church of Our Lady and Saint John, Carrigaline. This is my local parish where I have been baptised, made my communion, confirmation and our little girl was also baptised here. It was only fitting that we have our ceremony in this church. We were so lucky to have Fr Joe Coughlan preform the ceremony as he married my parents 43 years ago, he was accompanied by the parish priest Fr Pat Fogarty. I walked down the aisle to Songbird sang by Kellie Lonergan which is a longstanding favourite of ours. We had the church decorated by Tracey from Florist4u which was beautiful. Along with our bridal party, we had my three beautiful god daughters as junior bridesmaids and our gorgeous daughter Ellie as flower girl!"

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THE RECEPTION “We kept everything nice and local, so, after the church, our guests had to only cross the road to the Carrigaline Court Hotel. As we drive by it every day, the hotel was not in our first choices because of it being so local to where we live. However, we organised a meeting with Sinéad Gillen, the wedding coordinator, and we left that day after booking our dream wedding. Sinéad was amazing in every way; she explained everything so well that afterwards we didn’t need to even ask her a question. There was absolutely nothing that she wouldn’t or didn’t do for us; she took all the stress from us so that we could enjoy the build up to our day. The event manager Barry looked after everything on the day and it went seamless! All of our guests were raving about the food and service received during our reception. We couldn’t speak highly enough about the way we were treated by every member of staff in the hotel throughout the whole process. They made our dream wedding reception a reality. We held our drinks reception in the bistro and had Gerard Kearney the Magician to entertain our guests! The outstanding Pat Fitz band provided our evening entertainment. Mark, Ellie and I danced our first dance to Your Song as this is a song Mark always sings on nights out and a firm favourite of ours.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY "We went with Dominic Dunne for our photographs because he came highly recommended and had previously done my brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding. We had our main pictures taken in Camden Fort, Crosshaven. We were blessed with the weather on the day and we got some amazing photographs, both on the grounds and in the tunnels. On the day, Dominic had us so relaxed because he had previously visited the site so he knew exactly where we would be taking the pictures. This saved us loads of time and allowed us to be back to enjoy part of our drinks reception as we wanted." FAVOURITE PART "We are not sure we could pick one favourite part of our day because we thoroughly loved every minute of it. On the day we had amazing support from family and friends that took the stress off us and allowed us to be carefree and enjoy our day. Mark and I also took time to sit and have a drink by ourselves when our guests were called for the meal which was nice because the day is all go from the minute it starts!" ADVICE "Our advice is to try to enjoy the day as much as possible, with such a long planning process you will regret it if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t."

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OUR SUPPLIERS

Reception Venue: Carrigaline Court Hotel Venue Wedding Coordinator: Sinead Gillen Ceremony Venue: Church of Our Lady and Saint John, Carrigaline Celebrant: Fr Joe Coughlan and Fr Pat Fogarty Photographer: Dominic Dunne Photography Videographer: Tim McCoy Bridal Gown Designer: Sophia Tolli Bridal Boutique: Cinderella’s Closet Bride’s Shoes: Kurt Geiger Bridesmaid’s Dresses: The Ivory Rose Hair: Lisa Wilson – Jelis Hair Make-up: @Katiebmua Groom’s Wear: Benetti – Gentleman’s Quarters Groomsmen’s suits: Benetti – Gentleman’s Quarters Transport: Friends’ Cars Cake: My sister-in-law – Michelle Wallace Flowers: Florist 4u Venue Décor: Enchanting Events Invitations: Homemade Ceremony Music: Kellie Lonergan Band: The Pat Fitz Band DJ: Ian Scully Rings: Keanes Jewellers Honeymoon: Trailfinders - The Maldives and Dubai Magician: Gerard Kearney The Magician Photobooth: The Pat Fitz Band

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Sea View Heaven at Walter Raleigh Hotel The tranquil setting and beautiful scenery surrounding the Walter Raleigh Hotel offer the perfect backdrop for your wedding day. Youghal’s inviting Green Park with panoramic coastal views provides exciting opportunities for beautiful photographs. From the early stages of planning to the big day, you’ll find that our professional management team is able to offer invaluable advice on all aspects of this memorable occasion, to make your wedding in Youghal and East Cork just perfect. Your chosen wedding banquet menu will be prepared by our experienced culinary team, led by award winning executive chef Lanka Fernando. Lanka has many years of experience creating the perfect wedding menu, and was awarded wedding menu of the year for two years in succession. Whether you are considering an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, our experienced wedding coordinator Michael Brett and his team will be there to advise you. Our professional team will help you achieve your perfect wedding day, at one of the most sought after wedding venues in East Cork. Our wedding packages offer you

the freedom and choice to envisage the wedding of your dreams. What we can offer you: • Red Carpet welcome at the Hotel entrance. • Champagne on arrival for the Bride & Groom • Private car parking available for your guests. • Pre Wedding consultation with our experienced wedding team • Private room available free of charge for your pre reception drinks. • Complimentary tea and coffee pimms cocktails, scones and finger sandwiches on arrival for all guests. • Cake stand and cake knife. • Complimentary accommodation for the Bride & Groom on the night of your wedding. • Our personal guarantee that Your wedding will be the only wedding at the hotel on that day. Our Adelphi Suite can cater for up 280 guests We are proud to host a variety of wedding celebrations, including traditional Irish white weddings, civil ceremonies, multicultural weddings and renewal of vows. The Walter Raleigh Hotel is a marriage equality venue.

Email: info@walterraleighhotel.com Phone: +353 (0)24 92011 Web: walterraleighhotel.com

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Beauty & Make-Up Contributed by Moira Fox

Moira's Top Picks for False Lashes for your Wedding â&#x20AC;¢ The Best Way to Look Like YOU on Your Wedding Day

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Moira's Top Picks for False Lashes for your Wedding 1. Make Up For Ever - Nude Eyelashes -132 - €17 – most natural 2. Tarte Cosmetics - Tarteist Pro Cruelty-Free Lashes in Goddess - €13 3. JCM Luxury - “Sinead” Lash - €12 – for a lovely soft fluffy lash 4. Urban Decay - Fast Easy Sexy Instalush Partial False Lashes - €16 5. Sephora Collection - Luxe False Lash in Plush - €18 6. JCM Luxury “- Alison” Lash - €12 – for an amazing fuller look 7. Fuschia - Mink lash 3D - €10 8. Ardell Lash - Wispies in Black - €7 9. Red Cherry - False Eyelashes Style #16 - €7

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The Best Way To Look Like

YOU

On Your Wedding Day Want Untouched Skin?

Invest in good skin-care prep. That way, your face will be so glowing on your big day, you wouldn't dream of covering a single freckle with full-coverage foundation. You don’t wear much make-up and don’t want full on makeup look for your wedding; you want something light to give you an even colour and let your skin shine. Possibly a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream, leaving a dewier and fresher look to your skin, would be a more preferred option.

Natural Brows

They say your eyes are the window to the soul, which would make your brows the drapes/curtains. Simply brushing them up and filling in the sparse areas can add a natural depth to the entire face. Big brows may be in, but you want a natural look on the day, so keeping them looking like hairs and not a block of colour is important. Even just going for a natural outline of the brows will help achieve this.

Natural Lashes

You know you'll probably shed a tear or two, so when you pick a mascara, it should probably be waterproof. But more than that, you should look for a natural formula that softly lifts and defines the lashes. Some of the best ones known for this are: • Burt’s Bees 100% natural. • Lancôme Définicils High Definition Mascara, • Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara If you don't usually wear mascara and you have fair skin, a brown formula will probably be your best bet for a natural-looking lash with barely-there definition.

Get a Sun-Kissed Glow

If you're looking for a little bronze glow, the right bronzer can also help give that natural-looking glow. Remember to focus the colour where the sun would hit: across the forehead, the tip of the nose, and the cheekbones. A

matt bronzer is best, just a shade darker than your skin tone; you can blend the colour into the hollows under your cheekbones for a soft contour that shows as naturally stunning definition.

Eyes & Lips

You don't need a lipstick or a smoky eyeshadow on your wedding day if that's not your thing, maybe just a very soft eyeshadow and a nude or clear lip gloss or lip balm may just be your best options. Don’t overdo your make up by peer pressure….glow as you, not as anyone else.

Cheeks

A natural look of a well-placed cream blush melts beautifully into skin to leave the softest hint of colour. For a fool proof match, you can dab a little bit of your lipstick onto your cheeks, blending it out until the colour is perfectly seamless. This must be done on top of any foundation/tinted moisturiser and before you put powder on the skin, otherwise you will get a cakey, blotchy look f you apply after powder.

Highlight is a Must

When dewy skin is the goal, you can gently gloss the high points of your face — eyelids, lips, and cheekbones — with a shiny (not shimmery) highlighter, to give the illusion that your skin is radiating light. No matter what kind of bride you're channelling — bohemian chill or classic beauty — a nude lip gloss delivers the perfecting finishing touch to your look.

Blurred Lip

When you know there's going to be kissing and bubbles involved, it might feel like lipstick is a bad idea. But the trick to wearing colour on your lips when you know it's probably going to smudge is to use a lip stain and purposefully blur the edges. You can go with a red, pink, nude, or berry shade, just remember to blot, pat, and layer for that natural-looking, bitten effect.

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Your Wedding, Your Vision, Your Way

The Heights Hotel have over 40 years' experience in hosting weddings. We know and understand how special of an occasion it is and that you want your day to reflect you both as a couple. The Heights Hotel runs as a one wedding a day venue meaning you and your guests have that feeling of exclusivity on your wedding day and know that yours will be the sole focus of our attention. Our experienced and attentive Wedding Team will be there for you as your first point of contact from your initial enquiry until the day you say, 'I Do' so you will always have a familiar face at hand that you know & trust. We will guide you every step of the way and make sure your wedding day is memorable for all the right reasons. Our entire team prides itself on offering warm and professional assistance to you, your family & friends. No two weddings are the same and yours will be tailor made to reflect you both. The Heights Hotel has two wedding dining areas which can cater for weddings up to 350 guests and provides the perfect wedding setting: spacious, bright & neutral decor with stunning views of the surrounding Torc & Mangerton Mountains. At The Heights we provide those little extras that really tie everything together. Creating a day bespoke to the two of you is incredibly important to us and we will help bring your vision to light. After all, our motto is 'Your Wedding, Your Vision, Your Way'. We believe that every wedding is unique and yours will be extraordinary.

The Heights Hotel Killarney, Cork Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland Phone: + 353 (0) 64 663 1158 events@killarneyheights.ie www.killarneyheights.ie

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B Bridal Hair

Tempted by Tiaras

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Tempted By Tiaras

RELEASE YOUR INNER PRINCESS On your wedding day, you will be the star of the show. This is your chance to shine like royalty and what greater way to achieve this than wearing a crown. There are styles to suit every bride and every look. Check out our top choices on the following pages...

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F Flowers

Dried Flowers DIY • Best Flowers for Drying • Flowers Speak

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Dried Flowers DIY

If you are thinking about doing some DIY dĂŠcor for your wedding, dried flowers are a super option as they can be prepared well in advance of your big day. The last thing you want to be doing on the week of your wedding is adding a whole lot of extra work and pressure onto yourself. Dried flowers can be really pretty and are perfect for those who want to create a rustic or vintage look. And, it doesn't have to be just flowers; think about incorporating foliage, twigs, herbs and grasses too, to give your creations that artistic flair. Here are some useful tips and tricks to get you started: The most common and easiest way to dry flowers is air drying. Try to cut the flowers on a dry day so that they don't contain too much moisture. The best time to cut the flowers is just before the heads open fully as they will retain their colour better through the drying process. Gather into small bunches and secure at the end of the stems with twine or an elastic band. When this is done, hang the bunches upside down in a cool, dark and dry place for example a cupboard, wardrobe or even in your attic. The darker the place the better, as light will cause the colour to fade. The drying process will take 2-3 weeks. When the flowers are dried, they will last from anything from 6 months up to 3 years. A handy tip to help preserve the flowers for as long as possible is that when they are dried, give them 3 light sprays of hairspray! When storing your dried flowers, ensure to keep them away from direct sunlight or from heat sources such as radiators, as again, this can cause the colour to fade. The more vibrant the colour of the flower in the first place, the better the colour will be. Blues, purples, bright pinks and reds usually turn

out best. Do not put the flowers in water! The flowers do retain their scent to a small extent so the stronger the scent when they are fresh, the better scent you will have when they are dried. Lavender is a great choice if you want to have floral aromas wafting from your tables. Dried flowers are quite delicate, so careful handling is required. Some stunning bouquets can be made from dried flowers but may be a bit tricky to make so you may want to ask a professional for help. However, creating centrepieces for your tables would be very easy to do and you have plenty of time to experiment. Consider what flowers you may like to use and get nearby family and friends on board with growing some of your chosen blooms in their gardens - a great way to keep the bees happy too! Start collecting glass jars, bottles, or anything else that takes your fancy to use to hold the flowers. Think about decorating the glass with twine or lace or, you could even personalise the jars and bottles by painting them and making a stencil with your initials and painting them onto the glass. You could also use oasis to make the arrangement. Another idea is that you could use some of the flowers on the name-cards on each table - another nice personal touch. So get growing, get drying, get creative and most of all - have fun!

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Dried Flowers Below is a list of some of the flowers that are perfect for drying. Some of the names may sound unfamiliar, but after a quick google search you will realise that most of the listed items are known to you. The flowers are not limited to the list here, so why not experiment with flowers that you love yourself and see what results you get. The bouquet we have chosen here is a wonderful example of how pretty an arrangement you can get with dried flowers; the colours and textures really are beautiful.

Dried Flower Bouquet

Best Flowers for Drying • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ageratum (Floss Flower) Amaranth Artemisia Astilbe Baby’s Breath Clover Celosia Coneflower Seed Heads Globe Thistle Gomphrena Heather Herbs Hydrangea Larkspurs Lavender Lunaria Pansies Peonies Ranunculus Roses Salvia Sea Holly Statice Strawflower Yarrow

Flowers Speak The Real Meaning Behind your Big Day Blooms Lavender

Lavender represents refinement, grace, and elegance. The purple flower is also the colour of royalty.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201D; S I M P LY I N C R E D I B L E M A D E I N C R E D I B LY S I M P L E

HOTEL SPA HEALTH CLUB RESIDENCE The Kingsley, Victoria Cross, Cork, Ireland. www.thekingsley.ie

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For further information: E events@thekingsley.ie T 021 480 0500 Photo credit: Marriage Multimedia

A City Chic Wedding at The Kingsley

Brides and grooms-to-be dreaming of a chic city wedding will love what The Kingsley has to offer. Stylish and contemporary interiors, sleek design and excellent service right in the heart of the city, make it the ideal wedding venue for a discerning duo. The dedicated wedding team are at your service and will work closely with you to ensure your every wish comes true. The luxurious Deane-Woodward Suite, complete with dramatic chandeliers and wood-panelled walls, is ideally suited to host elegant wedding receptions, civil ceremonies, and blessings. This wonderfully adaptive space can be perfectly tailored to you. Located on the banks of the River Lee and also a short distance from the idyllic Fitzgeraldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park, The Kingsley is the perfect location for getting those special wedding day photos you will cherish for a lifetime. At The Kingsley great pride is taken in making your dream day a reality and creating memories you will always cherish.

The Kinglsey, Victoria Cross, Cork. Tel: 021 4800500 Web: www.thekingsley.ie Email: events@thekingsley.ie

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T Travel

Contributed by Mandy Walsh

The Seychelles

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The

Seychelles

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Article Contributed by: MANDY WALSH - GOLD TRAVEL COUNSELLOR

"Without a shadow of a doubt the Seychelles is the most beautiful destination I ever had the privilege to visit. It was simply 'heaven on earth' and honestly took my breath away each and every day." Cork WEDDINGS

The Seychelles is made up of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. We started our adventure by landing in Mahe International Airport and headed straight to the island of Silhouette to stay in the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. Easily reached by the hotels very own speedboat from the Bel Ombre jetty which took about 35 minutes and also can be reached by helicopter. It was like arriving at another world - a true island experience surrounded by lush jungles and mountains. We stayed in a beautiful King Garden Villa, a very spacious contemporary villa with a large bathroom offering an indoor and outdoor shower. They were just a short stroll to the stunning beach. We knew after our first night in the Seychelles we were in for a very special and unique few days.

Our next stop was back to Mahe to the Constance Ephelia, which we reached by the very scenic and memorable Mission Lodge. This was a very different property set within 120 hectares and situated on two of the most beautiful beaches on Mahe, overlooking the Marine National Park of Port Launay. Perfect for both couples & families - the Kids Club here was so cool and funky, complete with its own pool. All the suites & villas are very spacious, and we stayed in a Family Villa with private pool which was simply a sanctuary in itself. No visit to the Constance Ephelia would be complete without a visit to the unique U Spa Village. It's a spa like no other - an oasis amidst the tropical gardens offering a truly blissful spa experience. You can simply do as much or as little as you want at this beautiful resort as there are plenty of activities available including numerous water sports & diving opportunities.

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We then headed to the Hilton Northolme Resort & Spa - a mere 25 minutes from the airport in the Northwest of Mahe and lovingly known as the smallest Hilton in the world with just 15 villas. This hotel is a true escape with every villa ocean facing and offering stunning views of the Indian Ocean & Beau Vallon Bay. Let's just say the room we stayed in moved me to tears - it was one of those moments in life that you realize that life is not measured by the number of breathes we take but the moments that take our breathe away. There are numerous dining options including the unique 'floating trays' and with a very talented Irishman headhunted as Head Chef for the last 5 years be prepared to experience the most amazing culinary experiences. Snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding or simply just enjoy a cocktail by the infinity pool. The Hilton Northolme will certainly hold a special place in my heart for a very long time. An early start today to explore Victoria, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest town, before heading to the luxurious 5 Star Banyan Tree for lunch and onwards by ferry to the island of La Digue. The island of La Digue certainly did not disappoint, famous for its beaches like Anse Source D'Argent which is dotted by the granite boulders infamous to the islands of the Seychelles. If you are looking for a relaxed island vibe with beautiful beaches and a touch of local life, then you will love La Digue. With very little traffic on the island and everyone exploring by foot or on bike you will fall in love with the atmosphere on this gem of an island. We stayed at the Le Domaine De L'Orangeraie.

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Praslin was our next stop, a mere 15 minutes by ferry from La Digue. Praslin is the 2nd largest island of the Seychelles and was certainly one of the highlights of my week in the Seychelles. Lots more beautiful palm fringed beaches surrounded by the granite boulders that will WOW you even more than the last. We stayed at the very modern 4 Star Coco De Mer & Black Parrot Suites which has just completed a $12 million renovation this year and the hotel reflects this from the moment you arrive. Its very privately located and passionately ran and owned by a local Seychellois. The hotel runs complimentary shuttles to the Anze Lazio beach and you can stroll or use bikes to explore the many sandy beaches and coves located close by. Another must is the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Vallee De Mai, home to the rare black parrot & the Coco de Mer. Our final afternoon took us back to Mahe which we did so by air - a breathtaking 15 minute flight with Air Seychelles before our last transfer of 20 minutes to the Carana Beach Hotel - this locally owned boutique hotel has just 40 chalets, 12 of which have private plunge pools and all within a short walk from the beach. The perfect end to a more than perfect week with each chalet overlooking the breath-taking waters of the Indian Ocean. The colours and concept of the Carana Beach create an authentic Seychellois sanctuary. Its nearly like the hotel imitates the colours of the Seychelles. Each chalet is modern with rustic touches inspired by the sea. We loved our stay at the Carana especially our treatments at the Sens Spa, thus leaving the Seychelles with a calm only the islands can provide. The service, the standards of accommodation and the cuisine on the Seychelles was second to none. Most of the hotels in the Seychelles are on a Half Board basis with drinks on par with what you would pay here at home, unless you try the local beers which are very reasonable. I would estimate that a couple should allow for at least €100 to €150 per day for drinks and lunches. I would go back in a heartbeat, so whether it’s for a honeymoon, wedding anniversary, special birthday or just simply been on your bucket list for too long, please don't hesitate to contact me to find out more. You must once in your lifetime 'Live the Seychelles Experience' if nothing else to stop me going on and on. It was paradise! If you fancy a honeymoon to the Seychelles and want to find out more, you can contact Mandy directly: MANDY WALSH GOLD TRAVEL COUNSELLOR T 046 9483906 M 087 6499980 E mandy.walsh@travelcounsellors.com W http://www.travelcounsellors.ie/mandy.walsh

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Free Wedding Invitations Offer

Here at the Kenmare Bay Hotel and in partnership with Natalie Moriarty Calligraphy & Design, we are delighted to offer complimentary wedding stationery to our couples who book their wedding with us for select dates between May & October 2021 & 2022. As well as an extensive pre-designed collection, Natalie Moriarty Calligraphy & Design offers a bespoke stationery design & calligraphy service, working closely with clients through consultations and mood boards to bring stationery dreams to a reality. Her creative offerings include venue & floral illustration, watercolour art, modern calligraphy along with a variety of print finishes including hot foil, letterpress and custom wax seals. All your â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;on the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; items can also be catered for from ceremony booklets to table plans, signage, menus & place cards. Together with All You Need is Love, we want to make it

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that bit easier for our couples and what better way than giving them the invitations of their dreams. The Kenmare Bay Hotel offers a service and a setting that is second to none. Our beautiful banqueting suite is light filled and airy and offers an undisrupted view of the Kerry Mountains for miles. We have a dedicated and long standing wedding team that are passionate and experienced in their roles. Our team provide wedding packages to suit each couple individually so no matter the budget, numbers or specific requirements, the Kenmare Bay Hotel will be on hand to create the most Perfect Wedding Day! For your perfect day, look no further than the Kenmare Bay.

Contact Sile on 064 66 41300 or sile@kenmarebayhotel.com

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H Health & Fitness Contributed by Eric Marah

7 Reasons You Can't Get or Stay in Good Physical Condition • 5 Ways to Improve Your Sleep • Increasing your STEPS • Free Recipe Book • Creating New Habits Cork WEDDINGS

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Reasons You Can’t Get or Stay in Good Physical Condition Over my 10 plus years in this industry I have seen people make many mistakes and here are seven that I constantly see being repeated:

Following a restrictive diet. The problem with cutting out certain food groups or foods from your diet is that it tends to be an unsustainable approach. The most common strategy is cutting carbs. Remember, it’s not the carbs that make you put on fat, it’s the overall amount of calories you consume. Plus, who can or wants to go without carbs for the long term!!

Weekday dieters. “Surely if I’m good on the weekdays I’ll get away with eating what I like at the weekends”. “Surely” is never enough to ensure you get the results you want. Eating in a calorie deficit can be difficult but easier during the weekdays when we have structure to our days. Eating in a massive calorie surplus is easy during the weekend when we don’t account for our nutrition intake. Meaning when we add up the 7 days we are no longer in a deficit, this is why you are either maintaining your body fat levels or gradually increasing.

Not understanding energy balance. “Surely I’ll lose fat if I just eat healthy”. There’s that word “surely” again, which can often mean ‘wrong’! You don’t need to eat healthy to lose fat. Yes, it is recommended you eat a healthy balanced diet, but the fact of the matter is you can eat healthy food only and put on fat. To lose fat, energy out must be greater than energy in, no matter what type of foods you eat.

Seasonal dieting. You cannot stay in shape if you pick and choose when you want to take care of your training and nutrition. Yes, you may have felt great going on that holiday, but how hard did you have to diet beforehand? How did you feel after a couple of days binging? How did you look physically and feel mentally in the weeks afterwards? How long did it take you to get the discipline back to look after your health again? If you implement a proper nutrition strategy all year round, then it should never feel like you are “dieting” and yes you can get and stay in great condition.

No structure to training and exercise. Do you enter the gym undecided of what exercises you will be doing or even what body parts you will train? Do you go to 4 classes one week, but 1 the next? Do you do lots of walking some weeks but use the weather as an excuse not to go out the next? Find consistency in your training and exercise.

People wing it. After training with me for a month or less I will often hear a client say, “I have achieved better results with you in 4 weeks than I have in 4 years by myself’. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help. Investing in your health will be the best investment you will ever make.

Overcomplicating. Fat loss is a challenge, but it is not as complicated as what it is perceived to be. This problem may arise from social media, certain television shows and trainers selling the newest “quick fix”. My advice is do your research, if a “diet” has a name it’s probably not what you need and don’t believe everything you hear or read.

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5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP

When it comes to fat loss, many of us attempt to run before we can walk. Fat loss isn’t as simple as just reducing calories and achieving a calorie deficit. There are other factors we must master first, that’s if we want to achieve fat loss and sustain it. Getting enough sleep is essential. If you’re someone trying to achieve fat loss and not sleeping enough this may relate to you: ▪you sleep less than 6 hours per night ▪you wake often during the night ▪wake up every morning feeling very tired This may lead to the following scenarios: ▪fail to plan and prepare food ▪order takeaways more often ▪skip gym sessions due to lack of energy ▪you’re less active outside the gym ▪decrease in mood and increase in stress All the above will help contribute to you having a high calorie dense/less healthy diet which will ultimately lead to weight gain overtime. 5 ways to help you improve your sleep: 1. Form a routine, go to be bed at the same time every night and get up in the morning at the same time. 2. Avoid caffeine after 1pm. 3. Put the phone away a couple of hours before bed, that includes the iPad! 4. Take a warm bath before bed, add some Epsom salts. 5. Fit black out blinds in your room, the darker the room the easier it is to fall asleep. Sleeping more efficiently will lead to increased energy levels. This in turn will allow you to exercise and move more as well as make better nutrition choices. For example, cook a dinner at home regularly rather than taking the easier option of ordering a takeaway.

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Increasing Your STEPS Understandably not everyone has the goal or the desire to enter a gym in 2020, and the good news is you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a gym to achieve your fat loss goals! Today I want to speak briefly in relation to getting your STEPS up. With the growing popularity of Fitness Trackers, you may be already tracking your daily STEPS or heard other people speaking in relation to this. The only problem I have seen with STEPS so far is that many people seem to believe 10,000 STEPS per day is the magic number. 10,000 STEPS per day is not an easy number to hit! If a person is led to believe they must hit 10,000 a day but find they are only hitting 3,000 they will soon realise 10,000 is too far out of their reach and will ultimately give up on tracking, which will most likely decrease their daily exercise. The truth is everyone has their own magic number. Here is what I advise my clients to do when they first begin to track their STEPS: First of all, I get them to track a normal week. They are not to do anything extra, no extra walks, runs etc. They do what they have always done. For example, if their week-one STEPS averages out at 4,000 per day then 4,500 becomes their magic number. That means that their new target is set. When they consistently hit 4,500 and it becomes easy, their new magic number is set at 5,000 and so on. Remember everyone is an individual, focus on yourself, aim for numbers that are achievable and sustainable.

FREE RECIPE BOOK

Visit www.emfitnessnutrition.com and download one of our recipe books for free. 108

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Creating New Habits

With every New Year and especially with a new decade many of you will have great plans to get fit and healthy. (Which is brilliant!) But how many times have you failed at fat loss? How many “new diets” have you tried? How many times have you said no more takeaways, no more nights out and no more junk? How many times have you started again?

this is why results are achieved and maintained successfully. You as an individual, in pursuit of your goals, must take a sustainable approach. For example, a common January trend is to cut all junk food or cut takeaways to achieve weight loss. But can you do this forever? Probably not. What has happened in the past, after initial results have you reintroduced what you restricted during your “diet” and soon found yourself back to square one?

Fat loss isn’t about going from what you are doing now to having the perfect diet and training regime. It takes time and that’s okay, there is no pressure to make fast progress, once you are continuously improving and heading in the right direction you will get there, you will reach your goal.

My advice is to find a way to achieve results without restrictions. Remember to achieve fat loss you need to be in a calorie deficit (as discussed in previous articles) and the good news is there are no foods you cannot eat to create a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you are consuming).

Stop comparing yourself to others, it will only hold you back. It’s your journey. Everyone is different. There is no one “diet” that fits everyone, there is no certain exercise that everyone must do.

Creating new and improved habits gradually is essential to achieve fat loss. How many times have you seen someone else lose lots of weight but in time put it all back on, and more? This was more than likely from being restrictive and doing something than is unsustainable.

Every client I have coached in the past 10 years has always been treated as an individual. A nutrition and training strategy is designed around their needs and wants,

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Patience is also a major factor in holding people back from reaching their goals. Usually the majority of fat gain

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is achieved during our 20s. We’re finished school or college, we have less activities, we have given up sport. We may now have an office job; we sit all day meaning our output is far less and we use the canteen more regularly which contributes to an increase in our daily calorie intake. The stress of a new job and the longer hours now also means we don’t have the time or energy to plan and prepare food, we choose the quickest more calorie dense option which also increases our daily calorie intake. My point is we spend 10, 20 or even 30 plus years increasing our body fat but we expect to lose it all in 6 weeks. We expect bigger changes than we should, we get disappointed and give up, we repeat the cycle year after year. If you just had the patience you would probably be where you want to be by now, physically and mentally happy, so what are you going to do about it? You can ask for help; you can read articles but untimely the decision to make changes comes down to you.

will reduce the amount of “picking”, ordering takeaways or grabbing readymade meals on the way home from work.

Here are some habits you need to change to help you on your fat loss journey:

- Get a diary. How many training sessions have you missed? At the end of every week map out your activity for the following week. Put each gym session, run, walk, class etc. in your diary. These are now your most important meetings of the week, no more missing sessions!

- Cook more food at home! Set time aside to do so and stick to that time! Bringing your lunch to work can be far more calorific. Eating from canteens and delis can lead to consuming far greater calories. Right now, you have a habit of picking up the same wrap or sandwich in work every day, let’s change that! - Plan and prepare. Do a weekly shop. Make a habit of shopping on a Sunday afternoon. Ensure you have plenty of health-based foods ready to cook in the house. This

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- Improve your sleep! Sleep is essential, especially for increasing your energy levels, activity and mood. The more tired we are the more likely we are to make poor nutrition choices. (More on that in today’s Top 5 Tips for Improving Sleep - page 107). - Fill up on fruit and vegetables. Lots of people I speak with struggle or forget to eat enough fruit and vegetables. They’re healthy, low in calories and help us stay fuller for longer. Eat a variety of vegetables, add spices, add to stir fry’s, get creative, veggies can be tasty! Every day cook enough vegetables at dinner for lunch the next day, eat fruit at breakfast and bring two more pieces for snacks during the day.

Pick one habit, master it, then move onto the next. Don’t try to change everything at once. Some habits may take longer than others to form. That’s okay. Remember to be patient, more often than not the longer it takes to reach our goal can often work out better, as what we have done is far more sustainable.

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THE ULTIMATE WEDDING DIRECTORY

MUNSTER VENUES & SUPPLIERS corkweddings.ie/weddingdirectory Cork WEDDINGS

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PHOTOGRAPHERS

Wedding photography for couples who don’t like being photographed!

T: 086 335 6316 - E: dominicdunne71@yahoo.ie www.dominicdunnephotography.com

CONTACT DETAILS Phone: 086 806 4613 Email: dermot.photo@gmail.com Web: www.dermotsullivan.com

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Dominic Dunne Photography Photography is an extension of who I am. Since a very young age, I’ve been capturing life on film and my passion has only grown since. I love meeting different people and throwing around so many different ideas and working venues that vary dramatically, from the ordinary everyday, to some of the country’s most unique locations. Creativity is vital to me. Welcoming a unique perspective with every shoot, I put so much passion into everything I do and capture every emotion from tears to laughter and everything in between. This is more than art to me, it’s a life. And I love every second of it. T: 086 335 6316

E: dominicdunne71@yahoo.ie

Photography by Dermot Sullivan I am a Cork based wedding photographer with over 10 years experience and almost 500 weddings shot. My approach is to meet my couples before their wedding, to work out a timeline and a schedule that fits in with their vision for their day, so that they get time for photography but also get time to socialise with your friends and relations. On the day, I work fast, I keep everything moving and keep everything fun for my couples. T: 086 806 4613

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E: dermot.photo@gmail.com

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PHOTOGRAPHERS

Capturing the natural moments that say so much more about your day T: 086 830 0074 E: info@markosheaphotography.com www.markosheaphotography.com

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Mark O’Shea Photography As a professional portrait and wedding photographer in Cork, I love to capture the natural moments that say so much more about your day, the couple and the memories that bring pictures to life. My style is documentary and observed portrait photography, capturing the elusive moments which convey more than the event. My goal is to create an enjoyable, relaxed atmosphere so the bridal party are put at ease, ensuring elegant portraits with dramatic, creative and memorable photographs for your album! T: 086 830 0074 E: info@markosheaphotography.com

John Sexton Photography John Sexton Photography specialises in Weddings, Portraits and Commercial Photography and has a state-of-the-art studio in Blarney in Co. Cork. John mainly services the greater Munster area, but also travels on-request. John’s weddings use a mix of candid and posed photography which suits his client’s needs well. John also has a Master’s Degree in Digital Image Processing so every image is finished beautifully. John’s goal is for the wedding couple to enjoy their day completely, without the Photography becoming a ‘chore’, while still managing to capture amazing memories and moments that will last forever. T: 086-8160455 / 021-4886603

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E: info@johnsexton.ie

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HAIR STYLISTS

HaiHai r by Ki r bym Kim

Hair by Kim Bridal & Occasion Bridal Hair & Occasion Specialist Hair Specialist

085 273 2760 kimandshelly1@gmail.com Get Social

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Hair By Kim Welcome and thanks for stopping by! My name is Kim Moynihan. Thanks to my dear father Frank, who was also a hairdresser, I was introduced to the hair industry at a very young age. Even then I knew this was going to be my passion. For over 16 years I have been offering luxury and bespoke wedding hair services in and around Munster, creating a completely unique look for each of my brides. I’m all about creating effortless and naturally beautiful looks that compliment my bride’s personality and style, giving you the confidence that you will not only look amazing but you will still feel like YOU! T: 085 273 2760

E: kimandshelly1@gmail.com

W E N

THE ULTIMATE WEDDING DIRECTORY MUNSTER VENUES & SUPPLIERS corkweddings.ie/weddingdirectory

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MAKE-UP ARTISTS

JESSICA O’ SULLIVAN - BRIDAL MAKEUP ARTIST T: 087 462 1078 - E: jessica@portraitbeaute.com www.portraitbeaute.com

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Liz McCarthy Makeup Artist Liz McCarthy is a cork based professional make-up artist who has been beautifying faces for the past 20 years on brides, celebrity clients and also in editorial, fashion and tv shows. She has been creating head turning red carpet inspired looks with flair and style for hundreds of brides and special occasion clients. Liz travels nationwide and internationally creating bespoke make up looks to ensure her brides look their most beautiful, radiant and flawless ever.

T: 087 980 4520

E: liz@lizmccarthy.ie

Portrait Beauté Jessica is a fully qualified and experienced Bridal Makeup Artist. She is also a Beauty Specialist and Makeup Tutor. She began her bridal career in France where she launched her brand Portrait Beauté. Her bridal makeup style is described as timeless, soft glam. With her combined skillset, Jessica loves to offer brides a unique and bespoke bridal package including pre-wedding skincare consultations and beauty treatments to get you looking the best version of your beautiful self from bridal trial to aisle.

T: 087 462 1078

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E: jessica@portraitbeaute.com

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WEDDING CAKES

♥ www.cakeland.ie ♥ ♥ 087 063 1225 ♥

♥ www.facebook.com/cakelandbyanitavenczel ♥ ♥ cakelandbyanitavenczel@gmail.com ♥

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Baker Boy Cakes At Baker Boy Cakes, I aim to provide unique personalised cakes for all your special occasions - from weddings to birthdays to any celebration. The cakes, which are individually designed for you, are homemade, handcrafted and come in an array of flavours. There’s something to suit everyone’s taste buds for that special occasion. You can and be confident in knowing that whatever you choose in both flavour and design, it will be freshly made to your requirements, just for you. T: 086 3713637 / 024 98026

E: info@bakerboycakes.ie

Cakeland by Anita Venczel Hi my name is Anita, welcome to Cakeland. Baking is something I always liked. I am a passionate cake decorator, and adore sugarcraft, and feel so lucky to do what I love. Cakeland by Anita Venczel is a HSE registered and fully insured home-based business located in Carrigaline. “All my cakes are unique and customised from the freshest and finest ingredients.” Order the perfect edible centrepiece for your special event. Regular or mini cupcakes, cake pops and French macarons are also available in matching styles. T: 087 063 1225 E: cakelandbyanitavenczel@gmail.com

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WEDDING CAKES Wedding Belle Bakery Bespoke Wedding Cakes Thoughtful design, precision baking, elegant finishing and stunning decoration by Carol Murphy carolgillianmurphy@gmail.com www.weddingbellebakery.ie

Tel: 087-6734753

M P /weddingbellebakery SUPPLIER PROFILES

Wedding Belle Bakery When it comes to planning the perfect wedding, factoring in a creation that’s as elegant as it is mouth-watering can prove to be the icing on the cake. This is where Wedding Belle Bakery comes in. Combining thoughtful design and precision baking with elegant finishing and stunning decoration, Carol Murphy – the brains behind the brilliance of Wedding Belle Bakery – has built up a sterling reputation for her exquisite bespoke service. Working one-on-one with brides and grooms-to-be, Carol adds a generous measure of passion, skill and unrivalled flair into each of her beautiful cakes to ensure they make a lasting impression. T: 087 419 0421 E: carolgillianmurphy@gmail.com

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S W E E T T R E AT S

T: 087-0972645 E: info@indulgence.ie

www.indulgence.ie

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Indulgence - Ice Cream & Sweets We here at Indulgence believe very strongly that each and every wedding is unique and individual. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve attended hundreds of weddings and are always amazed at how different each one is. Our carts reflect this, designed to complement the theme of each event and we are always willing to go the extra mile. Couples want to treat their guests but also want their wedding day to stand out, be talked about, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why our award winning carts are different and always stunning.

T: 087 097 2645 E: info@indulgence.ie

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B R I D A L W E A R & A LT E R AT I O N S NESSA GOGGIN

Style... Elegance... Grace t en tm n i po Ap

Bridal Alterations Specialist

ly On

Stockists of: • Enzoani • Blue by Enzoani • Beautiful by Enzoani • La Sposa • White One by Pronovias • Callista Bridal • Nicole Spose • Kate Parle

Bridal Gowns - Bridal Accessories - Bridesmaid Dresses 5 Maylor Street, Cork City T: 021 4949900 E: info@diamondbridal.ie Web: www.diamondbridal.ie

- Irish Award Winning Bridal Designer - Can customize any bridal gown, vintage or modern - Personal Service guaranteed

Nessa Goggin Bridal Alterations Phone: 087-9456692 Email: nessa.goggin@gmail.com Facebook: nessagogginbridal Located in Watergrasshill

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Nessa Goggin Bridal Alterations Born and bred in Cork, Nessa is an enthusiastic, creative minded person. After graduating from Cork College of Fashion Design she became the only graduate in Ireland and the U.K. that year to receive the City and Guilds silver medal of excellence. Now working from her studio in Watergrasshill, Nessa is the expert to call if you need to have your wedding dress altered or modified. Brides can be guaranteed a very warm personal service.

T: 087 945 6692 E: nessa.goggin@gmail.com

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S TAT I O N E R Y & F I N A N C E

W CC Tel No: 086-828 6427 Email: hello@coutureweddingcards.ie Website: www.coutureweddingcards.ie

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Couture Wedding Cards “Unwrapping your wedding invitations should be a joyous and magical occasion “ I love seeing couples get so excited about their wedding stationery. The clients that come to Couture Wedding Cards are very detail orientated and want something extra special for their wedding day. Avril O’Sullivan started her bespoke stationery business in 2016 with the dream to create beautiful wedding stationery made from the most premium quality materials for couples getting married in Ireland. Since then her wedding stationery has gone wordwide.

T: 086 828 6427 E: hello@coutureweddingcards.ie

Ballincollig Credit Union Plan your BIG day, the way you want it with a loan from Ballincollig Credit Union. From the engagement ring, to the wedding day & onto the honeymoon, BCU will look after all your financial needs! Studies show that one in four couples will borrow for their big day. At Ballincollig Credit Union, we will only offer wedding loans with realistic terms & conditions, which can be paid back in a way that works best for each couple. BCU has loans with repayment plans to suit every individual’s needs & circumstances. A Ballincollig Credit Union loan is the perfect choice for your perfect day. T: 021 487 2305 E: info@bcu.ie

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Cork WEDDINGS

FLORISTS

Ballinagaul, Glanmire T: 0871636899 E: Iris@corkweddingsandevents.ie @corkweddingsandevents @corkweddingflowers www.corkweddingsandevents.ie

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Cork Weddings & Events Welcome to Cork Weddings and Events. We are a family run business and Iris and Michael McCarthy are the owners. We have vast experience in the Wedding Industry. Iris is a Wedding and Event Planner and also a Wedding Florist. Cork Weddings and Events offers a Bespoke Wedding Flower Service. We always try to work within your budget. Let us create your perfect flowers. A quotation will be emailed to you within 24 hours. We Offer Free, No Obligation Consultations at my office in Glanmire By Appointment.

T: 087 163 6899 E: iris@corkweddingsandevents.ie

Jill Wild Flowersmith At Wild we specialise in innovative botanical design and styling for Weddings, Events and Editorials. Our florals are an artistic expression, elegant and sculptural, yet evocative of Nature in all her glory. Beautiful and unusual is our trademark, whether dramatic or understated. We are dreamers, lovers, creators, makers. We are inspired by nature, motivated to love it, save it, nurture it. We are a team of individuals, each having their own skills and their own precious life stories but unified in our uniqueness. We want every job to be different and, yes, we do it for you, but we do it for us too! T: 086 066 7298 E: wildworkshop@gmail.com

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M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

THE COASTERS Guitar, Vocals, Percussion

The Buachaills Wedding Band

Providing Music Entertainment For Your Wedding Drinks Reception

www.thebuachaills.com 087 252 4060 info@thebuachaills.com

Email: thecoastersbandcork@gmail.com Facebook: @thecoastersbandcork Phone: 085 834 7065

SUPPLIER PROFILES

The Buachaills Wedding Band The Buachaills have been providing high quality wedding entertainment for over eight years and every year gets better and better. As well as the wedding band we supply, DJ’s , Ceremony music, drinks reception music, LED dancefloors, photobooths to weddings all over the country. We even supply a 1972 VW camper as your wedding car. From the reviews we constantly receive from brides and grooms we can see that we must be doing something right and it always helps when you love what you do.

T: 087 252 4060

E: info@thebuachaills.com

The Coasters Rían Shorten (guitar & vocal) and Conor O’Regan (drums) are a pair of professional musicians providing an upbeat and friendly atmosphere perfect for any wedding’s drinks reception. As Degree students at the CIT School of Music, we are both very passionate about what we do. We play a range of styles and genres, with music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and also a few more modern tunes. Our play list includes Pop, Rock, Folk and Blues, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We still have dates available for 2020, so don’t hesitate to get in touch. T: 085 834 7065 E: thecoastersbandcork@gmail.com

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M U S I C & E N T E R TA I N M E N T fionakennedy Award Winning Singer & Guitarist Ceremony Music (Church/Civil/Humanist) Drinks Reception Entertainment

www.fionakennedy.ie Tel: 087 2403160

To Harp & To Hold Jennifer O’ Sullivan (BMus MA) Concert Harpist

www.toharpandtohold.com T: 086-124 5113 E: toharpandtohold@gmail.com

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Fiona Kennedy Singer & Guitarist “An extraordinary voice. Our guests were blown away by Fiona’s music!” Fiona Kennedy is an award-winning singer & guitarist who has performed many times on television and radio and in leading venues including The National Concert Hall and Cork Opera House. She is one of Ireland’s leading wedding performers for Church and Civil Ceremonies and Drinks Reception entertainment. Fiona has a huge repertoire that includes popular/ contemporary, classic and traditional songs. Ceremony and drinks package available. Travels nationwide.

T: 087 240 3160 E: fionakennedymusic@gmail.com

To Harp & To Hold Jennifer O’ Sullivan is a professional harpist providing elegant, personalised music for wedding ceremonies and receptions throughout Ireland. She holds a Bachelor of Music and Masters in Music from CIT Cork School of Music, specialising in Performance. Jennifer can play music from a variety of genres, allowing couples to choose music that means something to them personally. Jennifer is committed to working with you to create the musical background of your dreams for your big day.

T: 086 124 5113

Cork WEDDINGS

E: toharpandtohold@gmail.com

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DĂ&#x2030;COR & STYLING

Ballinagaul, Glanmire T: 0871636899 E: Iris@corkweddingsandevents.ie @corkweddingsandevents @corkweddingflowers www.corkweddingsandevents.ie

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Best Balloons Cork Welcome to Best Balloons Cork. We pride ourselves on offering high quality affordable products to our customers. We supply balloons for all occasions, including weddings and bridal showers, and we can help you to make your special occasion even more memorable. We supply beautiful wedding balloons to match your bridal party colours. Our packages include balloon bouquets for your tables, a variety of styles of balloon arches, balloon entrance pillars, cloud nine clusters with tulle, ceiling balloons, and much more.

T: 087 163 6899 E: info@bestballoonscork.ie

Cork Weddings & Events Welcome to Cork Weddings and Events. We supply wedding flowers, chair covers, venue decoration. We are experts in venue decoration and ceremony decoration for civil ceremonies, church ceremonies and civil partnerships. Our aim is to make your big day extra special. We always go that extra mile for our customers, and if we can make your dreams come true, we will have achieved our ambition. If you want the best wedding flowers and decor at very competitive prices, look no further!!!! We also offer a top class wedding planning service to make your day run smoothly from start to finish. T: 087 163 6899 E: iris@corkweddingsandevents.ie

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TRANSPORT BIANCONI WEDDING CARS

Cork Wedding Cars

T: 087 24 61093 E: bianconilimos@gmail.com W: www.bianconilimos.com

T: 087 275 7025 E: carrttom@gmail.com http://www.corkweddingcars.com

SUPPLIER PROFILES

Bianconi Wedding Cars Our 1964 Rolls Royce Wedding Car is one of a few in Ireland, with its Black over Silver colour levery and baby blue leather interior it is a Classic choice for your Wedding Day. The Rolls Royce is an icon across the world with its luxury and Classic looks. The Rolls Royce is Chauffer driven and comes dressed with ribbons of your choice, fresh flowers on the rear window and a bottle of bubbly to celebrate after the ceremony. Please have a look at our Photo Gallery and see for yourself how good it looks. We Service Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerickâ&#x20AC;Ś..Find us on Facebook @bianconiweddingcars. T: 087 246 1093 E: bianconilimos@gmail.com

Cork Wedding Cars Welcome to Cork Wedding Cars my name is Tom and I am the owner and chief chauffeur. Here at Cork Wedding Cars we aim to bring that extra touch of elegance to your special day through the timeless beauty of a Vintage Rolls Royce. Why not arrive in style. The Rolls Royce wedding car is an excellent choice that is bound to make your day a day to remember. Our unrivaled combination of immaculately presented vehicles, professional and friendly chauffeurs, reassuringly reliable service and attention to all the important finer details, will help to make your wedding day one to remember. T: 087 275 7025 E: carrttom@gmail.com

Cork WEDDINGS

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Resort

UNFORGETTABL V E N MOMENTS UES UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

Contact our wedding team to arrange your private appointment with one of our experienced wedding planners. Contact our wedding team to arrange your private appointment with one of our experienced wedding planners.

Voted 2020 ‘Hotel Venue of the Year Munster’

FORFOR ENQUIRIES ENQUIRIES E events.silversprings@claytonhotels.com

W claytonhotelsilversprings.com/weddings E events.silversprings@claytonhotels.com +353 21 450 7533 Contact our wedding Tteam to arrange your private W claytonhotelsilversprings.com/weddings T +353 21 450 7533

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FOR ENQUIRIES E events.silversprings@claytonhotels.com W claytonhotelsilversprings.com/weddings T +353 21 450 7533

EVER AFTER

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T 021 488 3700

E weddings@fotaisland.ie

T: 021 4646 718 | E: res@garryvoehotel.com facebook.com/TheGarryvoeHotel

www.garryvoehotel.com

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Cork WEDDINGS

VENUES

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; S I M P LY I N C R E D I B L E M A D E I N C R E D I B LY SIMPLE

T 021 480 0500 E events@thekingsley.ie

www.kinsalehotelandspa.ie T: +353 (0)21 470 6000 E: weddings@hotelkinsale.ie

Treat yourself... Youghal, Co. Cork. Tel: 024 92011 Email: info@walterraleighhotel.com www.walterraleighhotel.com

Cork WEDDINGS

www.westlodgehotel.ie

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What to expect online from The Ultimate Wedding Directory CATEGORIES:

The Ultimate Wedding Directory is divided up into clearly defined categories, making it easy for you to find particular suppliers that you need. Please note that the adverts within each category are listed in no particular order. We will be adding new suppliers and categories to our online directory on a regular basis, so keep checking in for updates.

INTERACTIVE ADVERTS:

What does this mean? Well, throughout this directory you will see adverts for various venues and wedding suppliers. The exciting interactive feature means that when you ‘click’ or ’tap’ on an advert you will be redirected straight to the online platform of the supplier that you have clicked on. Most of the suppliers have chosen to link their adverts to their websites and some have opted to link their adverts to a social media business page e.g. Facebook or Instagram. In the instance that the advert is linked to a social media platform that you don’t have an account with, then you won’t be able to access the redirected page... however, don’t worry... you will find the contact details for the supplier on their advert and profile. Only the adverts are clickable so get clicking!!!

MINI-BIO:

You will also find a ‘mini-bio’ for each supplier throughout this directory to give you a brief introduction to them & their business.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

For each category within this directory, we posed questions to some of the professionals in order to help answer some questions you may have whilst planning your wedding. You can see the questions and answers as you go through the directory. If you have any questions you would like to ask any of the wedding professionals, please email your question to: info@corkweddings.ie 128

Cork WEDDINGS

Enzoani 2020 - Omaira