Leinster Weddings

Leinster

WEDDINGS LEINSTER’S NUMBER 1 ALL-INCLUSIVE WEDDING MAGAZINE - ISSUE 1 - SUMMER 2019

REAL LEINSTER WEDDING STORIES

FLAWLESS TANNING SUMMER FLOWERS

LILLIAN WEST LOOK BOOK

SARA KENNEDY'S DIY WEDDING

KIDS AT WEDDINGS DUBAI'S THE LIMIT Image Credit: Pawel Bebenca Photography

Alice May Bridal Dublin, Enniskerry Road, Dublin 18 Phone: 01 295 0006 or Email: info@alicemay.ie 2

www.alicemay.ie

Leinster WEDDINGS

A DAY UNLIKE ANY OTHER SHOULD HAPPEN AT A PLACE UNLIKE ANY OTHER

Leinster WEDDINGS

4SEASONSHOTELCARLINGFORD.IE

EVENTS@FSHC.IE

+353 (0)42 93 73530

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Contents 13 Bridal Fashion & Accessories • •

Lillian West 2019 Collection Look Book Choose Your Shoes

33 Mens Fashion

• Right on Time - Sundial Watches

41 Real Wedding Stories • • • • •

Emma & Joseph Nathalie & Gareth Ciara & Mark Shauna & David Hannah & Malcolm

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113 Beauty and Make-up • • •

The Wedding Countdown - Do's & Don'ts for Your Skin How to Get the Perfect Wedding Tan Moira's Favourite Self-Tan Products

123 Bridal Hair • •

Curly Styles to Suit Every Bride Wedding Morning Timeline

129 Flowers • • • •

Sunflowers - You Are My Sunshine Belinda's Sunflower Wall Summer Flowers Flowers Speak

137 Travel •

Dubai's the Limit - Dare to Dream the Impossible

147 Health & Fitness

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7 Myths About Losing Weight Tops 5 Foods: Carb Sources Snack Idea: Blueberry Bombs Exercises for Building Glutes

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153 Hens & Stags • The Secret Garden Spa • Belfast Bound

159 D.I.Y.

• Let’s Talk About DIY Weddings

172 Features

• Entertaining Kids at Weddings Leinster WEDDINGS

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B E A U T I F U L W E D D I N G D R E S S P O R T R A I T S A N D B E S P O K E W E D D I N G I N V I T AT I O N S

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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

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. “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

DESIGN

Adeline Shorten

SALES

Adeline Shorten

info@leinsterweddings.ie 087 9526 007

LeinsterWEDDINGS WEDDINGS

PUBLISHING Publisher

Leinster Weddings

Stock Images

Shutterstock.com

ON THE COVER Image Credit: Pawel Bebenca Photography Bride: Ciara

Copyright © 2019 by Leinster 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.

The magazine is available free to view or download for individuals that subcribe to the magazine, but should not be shared without prior consent from Leinster Weddings.

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This is an Interactive Magazine Leinster Weddings Magazine is an interactive magazine. Throughout the magazine you will find adverts for various local suppliers and venues. If you spot any that interest you, simply click or tap on their advert and it will bring you straight to their website... cool or what! Also, any text that you see underlined is clickable and on our fabulous shoes page (pages 30-31), all you have to do is tap on each shoe and you will be directed straight to the shop where you will get further details.

So, basically we've taken all the work and time of searching online away from you to make your life as easy as possible for planning your wedding. Can a magazine get any better that that!

Welcome

A word from the editor...

Hello and a huge welcome to the very first issue of Leinster Weddings magazine. I couldn’t be more excited to have made it to this point.

The fantastic thing about publishing a wedding magazine is that you are surrounding yourself with happiness, excitement, creativity and love. What a great job!

Leinster Weddings is a FREE quarterly online magazine and as you will see it is absolutely packed with original articles from all our contributors with everything you need to know in the run up to your wedding.

In every issue we will have a section dedicated to real Leinster wedding stories. I couldn’t be more grateful to each and every couple that put their trust in me with photos and the story of their precious day. The results have turned out to be simply gorgeous and so interesting. You are in for a treat. In fact each and every couple featured are all unique in their own way so I’ve no doubt you will find lots of inspiration from all the stories.

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I am honoured to share the work of so many amazing professionals. Please visit our Meet the Experts pages (8 & 9) to see the wonderful contributors and read their bios.

We would love your feedback so check out our social media pages (links below) and let us know what parts of issue 1 were your favourites.

To all engaged couples out there … huge congratulations from all the team here. Enjoy every minute and hopefully this magazine will be a great help to you along the way.

We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of Leinster Weddings magazine.

Happy summer everyone and enjoy the read!

With warmest wishes,

Adeline Shorten. Editor.

Check us out on: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest , Website & Blog - TheWedding Guide Leinster WEDDINGS

WHEN THERE ’S

SOM ETHIN G SPECIAL H APPENIN G.. .

“ Our team prides itself on excellent service & we promise we will go the extra mile to tailor-make your day” Elisabet Diaz, General Manager.

To make an appointment to view the venue, please contact our Events Team on 01 801 3500 or email: events@dunboynecastlehotel.com

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, A86 PW63.

www.dunboynecastlehotel.com

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Bridal Fashion &Accessories

Lillian West 2019 Collection Look Book • Choose Your Shoes

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LOOK BOOK

2019 SPRING/SUMMER COLLECTION www.justinalexander.com/lillian-west/ Leinster WEDDINGS

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Ivory, Soft lining

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6 6 0 31 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 0 31 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Ivory, Stretch lining

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6 6 0 32 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 0 32 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Ivory/Nude, Lined bodice version available as 66035LND, Stretch lining

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6 6 0 35 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 0 35 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Nude/Ivory

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6 6 0 37 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 0 37 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Sand/Ivory, Ivory/Ivory, Lined bodice and lined back version available as 66042LND, Stretch lining

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6 6 042 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 042 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Ivory/Nude, Detachable belt included, Lined bodice version available as 66039LND, Stretch lining

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6 6 0 39 Leinster WEDDINGS

6 6 0 39 Leinster WEDDINGS

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Ivory/Nude, Jacket included, Dress only available as 66040D, Jacket available separately as 66040J, Lined bodice and lined back version with jacket available as 66040LND, Lined bodice and lined back version dress only available as 66040DLND

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6 6 04 0 Leinster WEDDINGS

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r u o y e s o ho

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For further information just click on each image 1. JIMMY CHOO White Suede and Hot Fix Crystal Embellished Sandals with an Ostrich Feather Tassel jimmychoo.com

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2. VALENTINO GARAVANI Rockstud T-Bar 100 Courts Brown Thomas

3. Quiz Shimmer Diamante Cross Strap Low Heel Sandals Next.ie

4. RAINBOW CLUB CHELSEA A sassy high peep toe court shoe with decadent Silver Fine Shimmer overlays rainbowclub.co.uk

5. DUNE LONDON - MRS IVORY Ivory Satin Diamanté Strap Sandal Dunelondon.com

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6. NEXT White Leather Flower Bridal Sandals Next.ie

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View both our spectacular outdoor natural Wedding Rooms and our magnificent indoor ballroom, catering for weddings and civil ceremonies of all themes and sizes.

Creating a very different Irish wedding experience for the happy couple, their families and guests.

Evening ceremonies are also a possibilty for our many couples.

Please contact our wedding coordinator who will be delighted to help.

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Email: weddings.blanch@carlton.ie • Call: 01-827-5600 Leinster WEDDINGS

Men's Fashion

Photo:Audrey Linehan ( Work of Heart Photography)

Right on Time - Sundial Watches

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Photo:Audrey Linehan ( Work of Heart Photography)

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Right on Time

Every groom-to-be deserves a very special gift from his loved one before walking down the aisle. A classic watch can add so much sophistication and completion to your hubby's wedding attire. Time after time this sentimental token will remind him of your love and of the day that you both said 'I do'.

As a groom, be smart, be a gentleman and most of all and most importantly, be on time.

Time is precious. Time is beautiful.

Love MB. x Watches available @ www.sundial.watch / Suits available @ itailor.com

Photo:Audrey Linehan ( Work of Heart Photography)

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Photo:Audrey Linehan ( Work of Heart Photography)

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Photo:Audrey Linehan ( Work of Heart Photography)

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Your Exclusive Country House Wedding Venue, in heart of the Boyne Valley, Co. Meath

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Real Wedding Stories

Emma & Joseph • Nathalie & Gareth • Ciara & Mark • Shauna & David • Hannah & Malcolm

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Photography: John Delaney Photography

Emma & Joseph Date of Marriage: 27th April, 2019

St. John the Evangelist Church, Kilkenny & Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny

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How We Met

“We met on a night out and were friends for a few years before becoming 'friends'. Then we became official... got engaged, had our beautiful boy Corey and the rest is history.”

The Proposal

“During a trip to Mayo in January 2017, we took a drive to my favourite place – Mulranny, looking out at Clew Bay - for what I thought was a cycle along the beautiful Greenway route. We checked into Mulranny Park Hotel and to Joes surprise/shock there was a wedding fair on! We sat down to listen to the band and a couple beside us asked when we were getting married to which I replied, 'I doubt we'll ever get married'!! After a quick lunch, I asked Joe if we could we walk out towards the bay after the cycle to which he replied, 'let’s go now'. During the walk, he gets on one knee with a fabulous ring. The first thing I asked was 'did you ask my dad'! We enjoyed the moments that followed and then after a while, Joe takes out a bottle of nail varnish that he took from home so I could paint my nails!”

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The Style

Emma was very lucky to find her perfect dress so quickly. It was the first dress she tried on in just the second bridal boutique that she went to.

“My dress was mermaid-style with appliqués and thin straps. The exposed boned back was covered in buttons and the hemline was scalloped. I accessorised with a two-tier, cathedral length veil with Swarovski crystals, a hair vine from Debenhams, and pointed toe T-bar strap neutral Carvela shoes. I went for soft make-up with a striking red lip and wore my hair in a textured up-style. My bouquet comprised of ivory roses, raspberry peonies with some wildflowers.

I had two bridesmaids and they both wore ‘Desert Rose’ Mori Lee chiffon dresses, with an off the shoulder draped neckline.”

Joe’s suit was a three-piece plum tuxedo with black tie, while the rest of the men and boys in the wedding party were all kitted out in black tuxedos and black dickie bows.”

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The Ceremony

“We had a religious ceremony in St. John the Evangelist Church, Kilkenny. I broke tradition slightly by arriving to the church with both of my parents. We travelled in style in an Imperial car in storm-grey and liquid-silver. Caroline Kelly was our singer for the ceremony, performing Ellie Goulding’s - How Long Will I Love You - for my walk up the aisle – I love the words of it, in particular ‘How long will I be with you...as long as the sea is bound to... wash up on the sand’. We had the church decorated with beautiful cherry blossom trees and large entrance lanterns.

Our priest, Fr. Moran, was so welcoming and guided us through every step, with a laugh along the way. He suggested some very meaningful ideas, for example, to add a candle into our unity arrangement for our son Corey. Unfortunately, my godfather couldn’t attend but he was able to watch on the webcam and Fr. Moran also welcomed him to the mass which was a special moment.”

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The Reception

“We chose Lyrath Estate as our reception venue because of the stunning grounds, the manor house and hotel but, above all, because the staff are amazing. They are so warm and welcoming right from the moment you pick up the phone to when you walk through the front door.

On arrival we had a Champagne reception in the manor house, along with bottled beer, dressed scones and canapés, and Lyrath provided a two-piece band for us.

We didn’t have a specific theme however horses run strongly through Joe’s blood and I love rose gold, so we incorporated that into the day by doing the table plans as his horse’s names. We also spray-painted horseshoes in rose gold as a favour for guests.

Amongst more of the DIY elements, I also had photos printed of me and Joe all the way through our journey in life so far - from birth to recent times - and I attached them to twine string around the table which proved to be very popular with the guests.

We made a donation to St. Francis Hospice in remembrance of some loved ones that are no longer with us due to cancer, including my aunt who passed away just seven weeks before the wedding. The hospice provided us with beautiful cards recognising the donation on behalf of our guests. I also created, with the help of staff at Lyrath, a memory table that had framed photos of both sets of grandparents on their wedding days with the remembrance candle we brought from the church.

After dessert we had Love Shack Singing Waiters which were a huge hit, giving all the guests a huge lift after the meal. Everyone still raves about them!

For our evening entertainment we had Gossip band, who are a five-piece band with a sax player. We chose The One by Kodaline for our first dance. When the song was released, we loved the words of it and always said it would be our wedding song.”

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Photography

“I found John Delaney through a Kilkenny bride on HIGM. We had our photos taken on the grounds of Lyrath Estate by the waterfall, lake, gardens and then the Manor House.

John was very relaxed and easy going but made sure he got all the shots I had asked him to, in particular natural ones with our parents and siblings, our son Corey and Joe’s granny. He provided lots of laughs along the way and we managed to get fabulous sunshine despite Storm Hannah looming. Chris and Dominic from Sky Eye Wedding Films were also lovely to work with, so polite, professional and non-intrusive with their cameras and drone.”

Favourite Part

“There were too many to pick one!! We had the most amazing day with all our nearest and dearest.”

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Advice

“Spend time researching your suppliers, I did and got excellent service from everyone that I booked. I let them know what I wanted and then put all my trust in them to deliver on the day, with no stress or worry.

Just before I walked up the aisle, I took a few moments to take a breath and enjoyed every moment of that walk with my dad.

Enjoy the build-up and ask your nearest and dearest to help out with getting things done.

Just relax, go with the day and make memories!�

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Our Suppliers Reception Venue: Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny Venue Wedding Coordinators: Gill & Iona Ceremony Venue: St John of the Evangelist Church, Kilkenny Celebrant: Fr. Lorcan Moran Photographer: John Delaney Photography, Kilkenny - www.capturedbyjohn.com Videographer: Sky Eye Wedding Films Bridal gown designer: Madeline Gardiner - Mori Lee Bridal Boutique: My Fair Lady, Monaghan Bride’s shoes: Kurt Geiger - Carvela (House of Fraser Dundrum) Veil: My Fair Lady, Monaghan Hair Vine: Debenhams Bridesmaids: My Fair Lady, Monaghan Flower Girls: Lidl Hair: Vow to Wow - Leanne Nolan Make-up: Robyn Corr Make-up (travelled from Dublin) Groom’s Wear: Protocol, Swords, Co. Dublin Groomsmen: Protocol, Swords, Co. Dublin Kids suits: CT2, Blanchardstown Transport: TLC The Limo Company, Waterford Cake: Maria’s Cakes, Kilkenny Bridal Party Silk Flowers: All About Weddings, Arklow.

Unity candle & Venue Fresh Flowers: Flowers by Colette, Kilkenny Church Décor: Little White Chapel, Kilkenny Venue Décor: Flowers by Colette, Kilkenny Fairy-Light Drapes: Finesse Weddings, Co. Kildare Balloons: Blooming Balloons, Kilkenny Invitations: Invitations Malahide Ceremony Music: CK Ceremonial - Caroline Kelly Band & DJ: Gossip Band Rings: Gear Jewellers, Dublin Selfie Mirror: Carolyn’s Sweets Tayto Packs: Carolyn’s Sweets Singing Waiters: Love Shack Singing Waiters Day 2 Entertainment: Mush Molloy (musician)

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Leinster WEDDINGS

A place of understated elegance

Lyrath Estate, Paulstown Road, Kilkenny, R95 F685 Leinster WEDDINGS

LYRATH.COM

T: (056) 7760088 E: weddings@lyrath.com 55

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Photography: Happy Memeories Photography - Irina

Nathalie & Gareth Date of Marriage: 23rd March, 2019 St. Peters Church (Little Bray)

& Glenview Hotel & Leisure Centre

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How We Met

“We met through work; both of us worked at Gareth’s uncle’s café / bakery back in 2007.

We hit it off instantly and became great friends over the years we worked together.

We both moved on to different jobs but kept in touch and then finally got together 5 years later, in 2012.”

The Proposal

“Gareth proposed on 26th February, 2016 in the restaurant we went to on our first date. He got down on one knee after the main course, but I was so shocked I thought he was joking and made him get up. It was a quite some time later before I got over the shock and said ‘yes’!”

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The Style

“Dress shopping was one of the most stressful parts of the whole planning process but when I found the dress; it was love at first sight. It was a fitted style, in a very pretty but simple lace and had quite a long train at the back. I had rose gold jewellery to match my engagement and wedding rings and wore a veil that had little sparkles throughout. The bridesmaids had teal dresses with a lace back to match the lace of my dress. The girls and I had up-styles on the day and our makeup was done in quite a natural look.

The boys all wore grey three-piece suits which had a light grey fleck through them. Gareth’s tie was ivory to complement the colour of my dress, while the groomsmen sported teal ties to complement the bridesmaids.

The bridesmaids and flower girls accessorised with silver jewellery and the groomsmen wore silver cufflinks and engraved watches. All of the flowers were pastel colours which looked lovely against the dark suits and dresses.”

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The Ceremony

“We got married in St. Peter’s Church in Bray with Fr. Dan as our celebrant. It was quite a typical ceremony but with modern songs for walking up and down the aisle. My dad walked me up the aisle to Beautiful in White

by Matt Johnson and the bridal party walked out to Westlife’s Hello my Love - both sung by our fabulous singer, Laura O’Neill. Our mode of transport for the day was a brandnew Bentley Continental GT which was borrowed from a family friend and doubled as our something new, borrowed and blue.”

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The Reception

Nathalie and Gareth had their reception in The Glenview Hotel & Leisure Centre and were joined by a mix of mix of family, friends and colleagues. “We chose the hotel as it was very close to home and the scenery around the venue is stunning. The location was a beautiful backdrop for the day.”

On arrival, the newly-weds had prosecco and canapés for all their guests, along with a Heineken tap and a Slush Puppy machine which was filled with vodka slushies. Their church singer also sang at the drink’s reception, providing a lovely atmosphere.

“We didn’t have a theme as such, but we had cherry blossom trees in the church and hotel and the cake was also decorated with cherry blossom flowers. The cherry blossoms on the tables really brought the wow factor into the décor of the room.” Opting for some DIY elements, the couple did their own table plans, menus and welcome signs which they designed to match with their wedding invitations. “Due to a special connection with the Glynn family, we made a donation to the Gavin Glynn Foundation (local charity for children battling cancer) as the wedding favours for our guests. All guests wore the gold pins on their suits/dresses for the day.”

“We had our first dance to Boyzone’s I Love the Way You Love Me. We chose it for the lyrics mainly. Our band, The Moogs, who were followed by their DJ, had everyone on their feet all night – they were fantastic!”

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Photography

“We chose Irina as we loved the style of the photos that she took, and we were looking for good quality on a budget – she more than exceeded our expectations! She was so professional but also very relaxed and created a calming environment for us while efficiently getting things done. She really understood what we wanted from our photos and she captured the day perfectly for us. Photos were taken throughout the day, but our main photos were taken on the hotel grounds as the gardens around the hotel are stunning.”

Favourite Part

“The band was definitely the best part of the wedding, not only did all of our guests stay on the dancefloor for the whole night, so did we!

People are still talking about how good the band were and we know some of our guests even went as far as to book them for their own weddings after seeing them at ours!”

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Advice

“In the run up to our wedding someone told us to enjoy the day, have fun and not spend the whole day checking on people and worrying about things that were out of our control.

We took this on board 100% and we honestly had no stress throughout the day, we danced all night and we had so much fun with our friends and family. It was the best advice we received and the best advice we could pass on to another couple.�

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Our Suppliers Reception Venue: The Glenview Hotel & Leisure Centre, Delgany, Co. Wicklow Venue Wedding Coordinator: Rachel O’Riordan Ceremony Venue: St. Peters Church (Little Bray), Bray, Co. Wicklow Celebrant: Fr. Dan Nguyen Photographer: Happy Memories Photography www.happymemoriesphotography.org - Irina Videographer: Pixel Flick - www.pixlflix.com – Rob O’Ceallaigh Bridal gown designer: La Sposa Bridal Boutique: Embrace Bridal, Gorey, Co. Wexford Alterations: Anne Gregory Bridal, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow Bride’s shoes: Guess Bride’s Veil: Kate Spade Bridesmaids: Debenhams & ASOS Hair: The Powder Room Girls - Michelle Make-up: The Powder Room Girls - Helen Groom’s Wear: Dublin Formal Wear Groomsmen: Dublin Formal Wear Transport: Family friends Cake: Aoife Shortt & Sandeep Pandey Flowers: Vita Floral Venue Décor: Vita Floral (Room draping, cherry blossoms trees, flower wall, candles, centrepieces etc.)

Invitations & Stationery: WeDoHoney (On www.

Etsy.co.uk) Ceremony & Drinks Reception Music: Laura O’Neill Entertainment: band / DJ: The Moogs Rings: Weldons Jewellers, Dublin Travel Agents for Honeymoon: Tropical Sky Wedding Favours: The Gavin Glynn Foundation

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Our Gardens are the perfect location for your wedding celebrations.

Call Rachel, our dedicated Wedding Co-ordinator to find out more.

Megan & David

“A fabulous venue. We couldn’t have picked a better place and would be delighted to recommend the Glenview Hotel to anyone.”

Glenview Hotel a n d l e i s u r e C lu b

Glenview Hotel & Leisure Club Glen O’ The Downs Delgany Co. Wicklow Tel:: +353 (01) 274 0000 www.glenviewhotel.com sayido@glenviewhotel.com

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Photography: Pawel Bebenca Photography

Ciara & Mark

Date of Marriage: 17th November, 2018 St Patrick’s Church, Kilquade, Co. Wicklow

& Tinakilly Country House, Co. Wicklow

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How We Met

Mark: “We met on an online dating website called Plenty of Fish. A week later we went on our first date, and in the space of another week we had been on four."

The Proposal

Mark: "We went to Monart Spa in Wexford. A friend of mine had recently gone and told me that out the back at night there was a walk under arches wrapped in fairy lights. I knew Ciara loved those types of lights and thought it would be the perfect place. After dinner I popped the question on the walk. Ciara's first response was to ask me if I was sure. I told her I had never been so certain of anything in my life."

Ciara: "Mark gave me the biggest surprise of my life. It was absolutely perfect."

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The Style

Ciara: “Wedding dress shopping took a lot longer than I had imagined it would. I had a style in mind that I thought I would’ve loved on me but when that didn’t work, I was totally thrown. I searched in loads of shops. Finally, in Ophelia Bridal in Drogheda I found the one. I ended up going for an Essence of Australia dress. It was a simple, off the shoulder, sweetheart neckline, fit and flare, with buttons all down the back. The extremely talented owner Aoife did all the alterations in-house. I had some of the train removed, a belt attached and filled in some of the neckline. I had my younger sister’s wedding veil as my something borrowed.”

Ciara opted to wear her hair down in loose curls and went for full coverage, natural make-up look. “Between Jane (hair stylist) and Michelle (make-up artist), I felt the prettiest I’ve ever felt.”

Ciara: “The bridesmaid dresses I chose were navy, knee-length, wrap dresses. I wanted to go a little different from full-length and I thought navy was a nice deep colour for autumn.

"My suit was a three piece tweed grey suit with a white shirt and a dark blue bow tie. The groomsmen wore a dark grey suit with the same bow tie. We're a bit of a nerdy bunch so we added a twenty sided dice lapel to represent our Dungeons and Dragons group that we all play."

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The Ceremony

Mark: “The marriage took place in Kilquade Church. My favorite thing about it was how relaxed and at ease the whole ceremony felt.

Our priest, Fr. Dan Joe popped a joke at the very start and it broke all of the tension in the room. I was nervous the whole morning but as soon as I saw Ciara walk down the aisle I couldn't help but smile and I didn't stop smiling that whole day.

Ciara: "The church is quaint and simply beautiful. My father and I travelled to the church in a silver 1962 Vintage Bentley S2.

Claire Mulholland was our wedding singer and she played guitar. She has a stunning voice and wonderful musical talents.

The church was beautifully decorated with stunning flowers by the fantastic Melanie from Fussy Peacock. She was an amazing woman to work with. She really listened to us and gave us exactly what we wanted and more. Working with her was truly a pleasure.

We were blessed to have Fr. Dan Joe O'Mahony perform a truly memorable wedding ceremony for us. We involved our close friends in the readings and prayers."

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The Reception

Mark: “Our reception took place in Tinakilly House in Wicklow. We couldn't speak highly enough of the staff there. As soon as we stepped out of the car we were made to feel like royalty. The house and the grounds were beautiful but what made the venue was the pavilion. It was a large open room, surrounded by windows which let the light in during the late afternoon and made for a lovely black backdrop at night."

Ciara: "We hosted our reception drinks and nibbles in the house with music again from the amazing Claire Mulholland, this time on piano...her talents are endless. Dinner and dancing took place in the stunning pavilion where there were views of the sea and woodland from all the windows. That - combined with the size of the space, the fairy lights and the chandeliers - made it just perfect.

Our cake was a delicious three-tier creation including: chocolate biscuit, caramel biscuit and red velvet. We wanted to keep the cake simple enough and have a personalised cake topper. Mark enjoys playing computer games and we thought it would be a fun idea to incorporate that into our cake topper.

Our band and DJ on the night were the Beat Boutique. They are fantastic guys to work with and kept us dancing all night long. Our first dance song was to City of Stars from the movie La La Land. This was a movie we saw while we were dating and the song stuck with us. On many occasions, we would dance in the kitchen to it while cooking dinner. My dad and I did a father-daughter dance to Fathers and Daughters by Michael Bolton. This dance meant the world to me and I will never forget it.�

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Photography

Mark: "Pawel Bebenca was our photographer and he was incredible. We were blessed with the weather with beautiful sun rays piercing through the leafless trees on a November afternoon and Pawel was the perfect photographer to capture that beauty. It was also one of my favorite parts of the day as Ciara and I got to actually spend some one on one time together which was in short supply that day."

Ciara: "Pawel had previously photographed my younger sister's wedding and when I saw their stunning wedding album, I just knew that he was the photographer for us. Pawel organised for us to have a second photographer, Kevin. He was a fantastic addition.

Pawel and Kevin were fun, full of energy, unintrusive, relaxed and an absolute pleasure to work with. Our main photos were taken in the beautiful gardens of Tinakilly Country House."

Favourite Part

Mark: It's hard to pick out a single moment, I know it's a cliche but I genuinely enjoyed the whole day. If I had to pick one moment it would be seeing Ciara walk down the aisle. I was caught off guard with the wave of emotion that sprung on me. I felt so tense that entire morning but as soon as I saw her, and she smiled at me it all washed away and that tension never came back."

Ciara: “I loved our wedding ceremony - this blessing meant a lot to us. Also, when having our photos taken, it allowed us to have some space and time together. I can honestly say I’ve never smiled so much.”

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Advice

Mark: "My advice to any groom is to get involved early in the wedding preparations.

One of my biggest regrets is not helping out enough in the planning. In terms of the day itself, it's to try to roll with the punches. Some things will go wrong but in the end it really doesn't matter. You'll enjoy it a lot more if you let yourself."

Ciara: “Spend your money on things you actually care about and not on things you think you should have at your wedding. Most importantly of all, don't waste time stressing enjoy every moment of your big day."

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Our Suppliers Reception Venue: Tinakilly Country House, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow Venue Wedding Coordinator: It was a team effort from all at Tinakilly Country House Ceremony Venue: St Patrick’s Church, Kilquade, Co. Wicklow Celebrant: Fr Dan Joe O'Mahony Photographer: Pawel Bebenca Photography www.pawelbebenca.com Second Photographer: Kevin Kheffache Videographer: Film Company of Ireland - Thady Kavanagh Bridal gown designer: Essense of Australia Bridal Boutique: Ophelia Bridal, Drogheda Bride’s shoes: Dune, Grafton St., Dublin Bridesmaids: ASOS Hair: Red Velvet - Jane Walsh Make-up: Mrs Makeup - Michelle Regazzoli Stone Groom’s Wear: Marks & Spencer Groomsmen: Marks & Spencer Transport: Vintage Wedding Cars, Julianstown, County Meath Cake: Sweet Planet the Home Bakery, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath Flowers: Fussy Peacock, Bray, Co. Wicklow Melanie Invitations: Reads Design & Print Ceremony Music: Claire Mulholland Band & DJ: The Beat Boutique Rings: John Brereton Jeweller Balloons: Confetti Balloons

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W E D D I N G S IN THE HE

FALL IN L

R T O F E V E RY T H I N G D U B L I N

VE WITH US

The Morrison Hotel Dublin offers two stunning wedding venues. Printworks which can seat up to 180 people and a more intimate space Halo which can seat from 30 to 85 people. We offer a choice of packages with prices starting from â‚Ź

77 per person and are also a registered venue for

Civil Ceremonies. Request a brochure by logging onto www.morrisonhotel.ie/weddings or contact our Wedding Co-ordinator personally at 01 887 2458 or by emailing on weddings@morrisonhotel.ie @ M O R R I S OND U B L IN

i @MORRISON-A-DOUBLETREE-BY-HILTON l @ M O R R I S OND U B L IN f @ M O RR I S O N H OT E L D U B L I N The Morrison, Ormond Quay, Dublin 1, D01 K5X5 t: 353 1 887 2400 e: info@morrisonhotel.ie www.morrisonhotel.ie

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Photography: Mike Curran Photography

Shauna & David Date of Marriage: April 13th, 2019 St Colmcille’s Church, Swords

& Clonabreany House, Co. Meath

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How We Met

“David and I met through our mutual friend Stephen, who I grew up with and David went to college with. We met at Stephen's house, David was cooking his famous chicken wings and I was invited around to join. Without knowing, neither of us were pushed on going that evening as I had been working and Dave was out golfing. Thank God we changed our minds!”

The Proposal

“Shortly after the birth of our second child, David proposed on the top of the stairs. I was busy cleaning the house in my pjs and Dave called me to come out to him. The kids got in the way of the proposal and I knocked them over with the huge bunch of flowers, twice!

So, there was plenty of tears, happy and sad.

After a few minutes of calming the kids down, I said ‘YES!’”

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The Style

“A year before the wedding, I booked an appointment with Bridal by Nikki Kavanagh.

Prior to my appointment, I chose six dresses online but there was one dress in particular that I kept looking at. On the day of my appointment, I tried on that dress, amongst several others. When I tried on the original one that I loved a second time, we added the veil and I knew straight away this was it. It was light, elegant and comfortable. It is an off-white, high neck, sheath dress, with a V-shape back. The fabric is lace and crepe.

I wanted to keep my accessories simple, so I had a cathedral-length veil with satin piping. My shoes were my something blue from Dune and received so many compliments on them. I wore drop earrings that were my something new and a tennis bracelet as my something borrowed.

Oh, my hair and make-up... take me back! I had my own hairdresser - Amy, do my hair and the bridesmaids. I recommend having a hair trial and dress fitting on the same day as it can give you more of an idea. My make-up was the key detail for me to tie it all together. I wanted to look like me on the day and to feel my best. Lisa highlighted all of my features (I didn’t know I had) and Dave even said I looked like me.

The main thing for me for my bridesmaids was that they felt comfortable and beautiful on the day, which they did, WOW! Their raspberry colour dresses came out amazing in the photos against the groomsmen's black suits.

David knew he wanted a three-piece suit in black, finding the right one was harder than you think. Thank God he found Dublin Formal Wear and got himself and the groomsmen sorted. They all had bow ties, but the groomsmen had braces instead of waist coats. Dave’s mam gave him his grandad’s pocket-watch to wear which was so special.”

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The Ceremony

“We got married in St Colmcille’s Church in Swords. Our priest, Fr. Gabriel Flynn, was David’s lecturer in college. He made our ceremony so special and personal, along with plenty of laughs. Guests mentioned it had been the best ceremony they had been to.

Our ceremony music took us a good year to pick as we wanted music that meant so much to us both (David has a background in music too). We both decided that we just wanted instrumental music. My dad and I walked down the aisle to the organ, a piper and a drummer playing Highland Cathedral. Two of our friends, kindly and flawlessly, played the flute and violin. Then, the piper and drummer played David and I down the aisle. One of our reflection songs was Grace…. after communion we all broke out into song and sung alone. This was one of my favourite moments from the ceremony.

The only church décor we had was pew-end flowers. David’s aunties used these flowers on family graves which was a nice way to include them in the day. As our venue did the rest of the flowers, we didn’t need to do much for the church.”

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The Reception

“We chose Clonabreany House as our venue because it is simply beautiful. I cried when we first viewed it. From the minute we met the staff, they were so friendly and attentive that we felt like we knew them. What won David over was the Sibin residents bar. David plays trad music so this was the perfect spot for us to gather all our family and friends around with their instruments.

We wanted our wedding to be personal and focus on the love around us. We had a table with photos of our grandparents and parents on their wedding days, and photos of Dave and I with our kids. I made three hula hoops, two of them had photos on them and the other had a ‘welcome to our wedding’ sign. David’s mam, sister and I all made the table names, we picked The Dubliners songs as names.

My friend also lent me her polaroid camera which captured amazing photos of the day and night, our guests stuck the photos into a message book for us as well.

For our favours, we had a paper fortune-teller game. There were four different types on the tables; 1. How did Shauna and Dave meet?

2. How did Dave propose? 3. Where was there first holiday? and 4., the last one, was an action one so it had things like, take a selfie, take a sip of your drink and sing your table name song. We also had mini packets of love heart sweets and a thank you note attached to the forks.

Our cake was Krispy Kreme donuts, which went down a treat at 11pm with the curry chips and burgers. Our band were the FANTASTIC - Jo Petit and the Dream Band. If you want your guests to really enjoy themselves and have a fun filled dance floor for the night, these are the perfect band!! Every single guest commented on our band and could not believe we found a one that good.”

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Photography

“Mike Curran was recommended to me by my dad’s cousin who is also a photographer.

Mike very kindly came out to our house and went over everything with us. He showed us wedding albums he had done which was great to see. The majority of the photos were taken at Clonabreany… the views are amazing there!

Mike was great in the day. We didn’t feel like he was on top of us taking the photos and yet he was very attentive and so friendly. Our guests also remarked on how nice of a man Mike is.”

Favourite Part

“So many memories to choose from… Definitely getting ready the morning of the wedding with my girls and family. Walking down the aisle with my dad, singing to Grace during the ceremony and our ‘I Do’s’. Clonabreany was an hour drive from the church which was lovely for Dave and I to have time together and reflect on the ceremony. The speeches absolutely blew us both away. I knew a part of Dave’s dad’s speech, which was the hardest secret to keep for four months… Dave was presented with his grandad’s banjo mandolin, which is over 100 years old. To see Dave being handed with it on the day meant so much.”

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Advice

“Plan, plan and plan!! It’s never too early to start planning, get as much done early as you can because the two weeks leading up to the wedding will be hectic. I worried a little too much about certain things before the wedding and on the day I didn’t even care. So, breathe and relax. Live in the moment, make sure plenty of photos are taken and take time out throughout the day to soak it all in together. Also, ask for help - if family and friends have talents, ask them to be part of your day.

It meant so much to us having everyone involved where they could. Oh and one more thing, we didn’t go on honeymoon straight after, we waited two months and we are so glad that we did because we were so exhausted and run down after it all that we wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as we will in June."

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Our Suppliers Reception Venue: Clonabreany House, Kells Venue Wedding Coordinator: Dearbhaile and Laura.

Ceremony Venue: St. Colmcilles Church, Swords Celebrant: Fr. Gabriel Flynn Photographer: Mike Curran Photography www.irishweddingphotos.ie Videographer: Sarah (Dave’s sister kindly did it for us) Bridal gown designer: La Sposa Bridal Boutique: Bridal by Nikki Kavanagh Bride’s shoes: Dune Veil: Bridal by Nikki Kavanagh Bridesmaids: Virgos Lounge Hair: Amy Marshall Make-up: Lisa Shannon Groom’s Wear: Dublin Formal Wear Groomsmen: Dublin Formal Wear Transport: AT&T Chauffeurs Cake: Krispy Kreme Donuts, Dublin Flowers: VP Flowers, Dublin Venue Décor: DIY (I made most of the décor) Invitations: Vista Print Ceremony Music: Flute & Violin (friends) Church Organist, Piper & Drummer Band & DJ: Jo Petit and the Dream Band Rings: Fields Party Favours: We made with help from friends

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Photography: Photos by Annie

Hannah & Malcolm Date of Marriage: 22nd July, 2016 Wells House & Gardens, Gorey

& Bride’s Parent's Garden in Wexford

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How We Met

“I was working for a summer in Crete with two friends and met Malcolm on a night out while he was on holidays for a week with his friends. We kept in contact and Malcolm decided to visit me again at the end of the summer. We began a long-distance relationship which would see us take many flights and trains over the years, before I eventually agreed to move to Somerset and start a life there with Malcolm after six years of only seeing each other at weekends.”

The Proposal

“We both knew after eight years of being together that we wanted to get married so while on holidays in Antigua we decided to look for an engagement ring. We found the perfect sapphire, diamond and white gold ring in one of the many jewellery shops in the Heritage Quay area. Malcolm knew he still had to officially ask me though, so he waited until the last day of our holiday, which by this stage I had given up on him asking! We walked up to a beautiful little gazebo overlooking the bay by our hotel, where Malcolm got down on one knee to ask for my hand in marriage.”

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The Style

“I always knew I wanted a princess style wedding dress with a tulle skirt. However, I was open to trying on all styles of dress while searching for the right dress in case something different suited me better. In the third shop I found my dress – a beautiful caramel coloured tulle skirt with a lace bodice. As I am quite pale and did not plan to wear fake tan so white and ivory did not suit my skin colour. I tried on a veil but it just didn’t feel like my style so I decided to look for a floral head piece instead. My shoes were mostly going to be covered by the dress so when I found tropical print ones in Jones Bootmakers, I knew they were the perfect fit for me.

We had two bridesmaids who are both quite petite, so a knee length dress seemed fitting for the summer wedding. I managed to find the perfect style dress in exactly the right colour on Coast’s website. We then added a tulle underskirt to add some volume and a sash around the waist in a floral print that had I designed for the wedding. As my background is in textiles, I design a print which ran through lots of different elements of the wedding day.

Malcolm and our groomsmen all wore blue three-piece suits. They had matching brown brogues and a bright pink tie which I found online. They all then had matching pocket squares in the wedding print, and beautiful buttonholes provided by our florist.”

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The Ceremony

“I always knew I wanted an outdoor wedding and my parents garden is just so beautiful in the summer I knew I wanted that to be where I got married. To make our marriage official we decided to have a civil ceremony at Wells House & Gardens in front of just our immediate family and bridal party. After some photo opportunities we travelled to my parent’s house and got ready to do the ceremony all over again but this time in front of all our family and friends. This ceremony was a blessing celebrated by my cousin’s husband Ian Horner who is a Minister. We used haybales as seats for our guests and my mum and her friends decorated the gazebo with colourful fabrics, flowers and greenery from the garden to set the scene. We had live music from Craddóg to walk down the aisle to and to serenade our guests during the ceremony. I wanted to follow with the Celtic tradition of handfasting and used the same print I had created for the wedding invites to print a beautiful silk fabric for the occasion.”

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The Reception

“We followed on from our blessing in my parent’s garden to have drinks and canapés on the patio before heading down the field to the most stunning tipi set up by Tipi Faoi na Réaltaí.

My mum’s friend’s daughter, Clare Brady, helped us coordinate the day. She had worked on coordinating music festivals in the past and as that was the sort of atmosphere that we wanted, she seemed like the perfect fit. Clare’s help meant that the day ran smoothly and efficiently.

We provided all the décor ourselves. I sourced tissue paper pompoms online and we shopped in Ikea for candles and vases, which we filled with flowers from the garden.

I had my wedding design, that I mentioned earlier, printed on to table runners and seating plans as well as hundreds of meters of bunting. My dad made sign posts my mum painted up fun and quirky signs for all around the garden to direct people where they needed to go. Tipi Faoi na Réaltaí also provided us with the tables and benches as well as thousands of fairy lights which wrapped all the poles of the tipi’s interior adding to the great atmosphere. The tipis really looked amazing in the garden.

My sister took on the challenge of creating a delicious chocolate biscuit cake for us and decorated it beautifully with fondant icing flowers which mirrored the flowers in my bouquet and the print design.”

After the hog-roast evening meal, the band Craddóg performed again with a great mix of music. Hannah and Malcolm even had a Céilí which was enjoyed by all the guests and it got everyone up dancing. The couple’s first dance was Queen’s – You’re My Best Friend – which was perfectly apt for this happy pair.

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Photography

“Following a recommendation about Photos

by Annie, I did a quick search online and I instantly knew Ann was the photographer for us. Her style was relaxed, and she really focused on all the little details of the day which was important to me.

We had our main wedding photos taken after the civil ceremony in the grounds of Wells House and Gardens. This meant that after our blessing at my parents’ house we could spend time with our family and friends rather than being away from them for hours having our photos taken.

Taking a combination of posed photos and natural images, Ann was ever the professional and noticed little details like not having drinks glasses in photos. She fitted in perfectly with all the guests, with just the right level banter and direction, and was fantastic with the kids. She captured some very special moments.”

Favourite Part

“I loved the whole atmosphere of the day of our wedding. All the hard work in selecting and creating all the little details really came together. The fact the weather stayed dry and warm meant we could have the outdoor wedding we always wanted. Of course, marrying my best friend, not once but twice, was really special and neither of us could stop smiling all day.”

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Advice

“I would advise anyone who is looking at having a wedding in their own home/venue to have a wedding coordinator. We really wouldn’t have had the day we did without the help of Clare. Equally you need to consider all the practicalities such as how to get electricity and water to the venue for the band and caterers and where you will have toilets and a bar etc. Equally if you plan to have DIY decorations make sure to give yourself twice the amount of time you think you need to source and put everything together.”

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Our Suppliers Reception Venue: Tipi from Tipi Faoi na Réaltaí set up in bride’s parents’ garden, Wexford.

Coordinator for Reception and Blessing: Clare Brady Ceremony Venue No. 1: Wells House & Gardens Registrar: Noeline Long Ceremony Venue No. 2: Bride’s parents’ garden Blessing: Ian Horner Photographer: Photos by Annie (Ann Thompson) Bridal gown designer: Mori Lee by Madeline Gardiner Bridal Boutique: Embrace Bridal, Gorey, Bride’s shoes: Jones Bootmaker, UK Bride’s Headband: Rock ‘N Rose, www. notonthehighstreet.com Bridesmaids: Coast (Sashes designed and printed by the bride) Hair: Daisy Do’s - Fionnuala Make-up: Mini Makeovers - Hazel Groom’s Wear: Moss Bros Groomsmen: Moss Bros Transport: Friend of Family Bus Hire for Guests: John Roche Coach Hire, Gorey Cake: Made by bride’s sister Emily Flowers: Helena’s Flowers, Gorey Venue Décor: Bunting, table runners, printed fabric, seating plan and menus all designed by bride and digitally printed / Sign Posts created by bride’s father and hand painted by bride’s mother / Flower Pom Poms – Ebay / Flowers and greenery for gazebo and tables - picked from the garden / Fairy lights, tables and benches in Tipi supplied by Tipi Faoi na Réaltaí / Lanterns -Dunnes Stores / Candles & Vases – Ikea.

Wedding Planner: Clare Brady Catering: Andrew Holmes Catering, Greystones Invitations: Designed and created by the bride Ceremony Music: Craddóg Band / DJ: Craddóg Rings Michael Spiers Jewellers, UK Travel agents for Honeymoon: Virgin Holidays Other Extras: Instax camera for guests to take photos for guestbook.

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and so the adventure begins...

Begin your adventure together at Wells House & Gardens surrounded by beautiful woodland and spectacular gardens, full of colour. Your guests will be enchanted and your photos that of a fairy tale.

We understand how important it is to make your dreams come alive and so, here at Wells, we are dedicated to turning your dreams into reality. A majestic country house, with choice of venue and choice of menu for your wedding day, offering only the most exceptional service. Our carefully crafted, sumptuous meals, from gourmet BBQ’s to

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traditional four-course fine dining, will delight your guests.

Tucked away in a private courtyard are four quaint cottages available to book for you and your wedding party. With log burning stoves and cosy loft bedrooms, they are a retreat from the everyday hustle and bustle.

We are open for viewings seven days a week, so get in touch with us and discover the magic of Wells House & Gardens, creating a lifetime of memories with you.

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B

Beauty & Make-Up Contributed by Moira Fox

The Wedding Countdown - Do's & Don'ts for Your Skin • How to Get the Perfect Wedding Tan • Moira's Favourite Self-Tan Products Leinster WEDDINGS

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THE WEDDING COUNTDOWN ONLY A FEW WEEKS TO GO

Do's and Don'ts for your Skin 114

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WEEKS LEADING UP TO YOUR WEDDING What To Do & What Not To Do

1

Be good to your skin, use good products and if you have been getting facials follow your beauty therapists advice on how close to the date you can have your last facial treatment.

2 3

Don’t start a completely new skincare regime close to your wedding, stay with what you know. Using new products can cause allergic reactions, which you don’t want.

Don't completely change your makeup look. If you're getting your makeup professionally done it will be flawless, just make sure to stick to your natural style - you want to look your very best on the day, not like somebody else.

4

5

You want to avoid toxins and anything that will cause you to retain water and leave you swollen. So you need to avoid alcohol and salt. Salt can hold as much as fifty times its weight in water. So if you intend to shed off some pounds, simply cutting down your sodium consumption can give you great results.

6 7

Don't get any major cosmetic treatments just before the wedding.

To be safe, get your first pre wedding wax done three months before the wedding, don't get your first wax just before the wedding. Your last wax should be about a week before the big day.

If you're planning a facial, peel or something more intense book an appointment at least 3 months before to avoid any allergic reactions.

WHAT TO AVOID THE WEEK OF THE WEDDING

1

Don’t risk a break out. Look after your skin daily on the weeks running up to the wedding day. Don’t do any big changes to your routine too close, as it could lead to spots.

Watch your intake of chocolate and foods that cause blemishes.

2

Exfoliate your skin, body and face, but Try not to exfoliate your skin too much.

Over-exfoliation or doing aggressive skin treatments close to your wedding day could create skin dehydration and make it difficult for make-up application.

3

Try to stay out of the sun. It is Ireland I know , but this summer was nice and we do get some bursts of the odd sunny day, so just make sure you have SPF on face and body to avoid the lobster look or the bad tan/ burn lines on the skin.

4

to get a spray tan for the first time the day or two before wedding. Make sure to book an appointment with a professional for a trial spray at least a month before, so you could get done again to maybe try lighter or deeper or even choose a different tan. Get the tan done two days before the wedding so that the excess solution can be washed off and the tan has a chance to settle on the skin. In the event of any patchiness, there will be time to fix them.

5

Don't get your nails done too early! Nobody wants a chip at the last minute so book an appointment 1 or max 2 days before the wedding and don’t be doing any big jobs that could wreck the nails after. Or a better option can be, get a Gelish manicure which will last for a couple of weeks. ( Good tip: buy the chosen nail varnish colour just in case you need a top up last minute, you will be glad you did!)

While having a bit of a glow of colour on your wedding day can be nice, especially if you're as pale as me, don't be tempted

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How to get the perfect wedding tan...

Wedding days and tans! So many options, for so many different brides! Let me take you through some of the options out there.

Tans are a much-loved subject of mine. I have typical Irish, pale skin and red hair. I love to fake my tan as I just do not get a tan - the closest I would get is if all my freckles joined together!

Anyway, it’s better for my skin to avoid the sun and so I do. I go with the save my skin option and fake it! I have been faking it for years! I love a good tan, but so many times a fake tan is obvious for all the wrong reasons on people; the dirty orange/ dark brown hands, wrists, ankles, elbows and underarms. Disaster!!! You want a tan that makes people just go “Oh wow you have a lovely colour/glow” and especially on your wedding day you want a nice natural glowing skin.

I, like most, in my earlier days, had some not so good tan days, so I know first-hand how much you definitely do not want any such problems with tanning on your big day. You will be looking back at your wedding pictures for decades to come, so make sure you look the best version Leinster WEDDINGS

of you. You don't want to completely clash with your groom or appear tangoed against a white/ ivory dress. Nightmare!!!

Planning tan for your big day is a major factor towards you looking perfect, so choose wisely and get trials done beforehand to see the colour and how it also wears on the skin. My top favourite spray tans are Bronz’ Express and Vani-T tan. For many years fake tans were deemed a “no-go” for brides, as they were just not as advanced as they are nowadays. They didn't want to look back at the wedding photos and see an obvious deep spray tanned look. Now a bride has a much bigger selection of tans with different colour finishes on the skin that complement all complexions and occasions. Tanning has evolved and I feel is essential for brides who need just that little helping hand to make the skin glow.

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Tanning Trials

You absolutely must have a trial, if not even two, of your chosen tan. If you’re a tanning virgin, then in the months leading up to the wedding try a few tan trials of a few different tan options available to you. This will give you a better idea of what tan colour may be best for you. A lighter colour is best to go with rather than a deep colour, as it just will work better again against an ivory/white dress, unless the bride is naturally dark.

I always find that day two of my tan is my best day, as the colour has balanced better with my skin on this day. Therefore, this is a great day to get your make-up trial done, as the makeup artist can blend better to the skins tanned colour and make note of this then to use for your big day.

Tan Prep

Your tan is only as good as the canvas it is put on. If your skin is not smooth and soft and flake free, then the tan will catch on any dry areas. Your tan is only as good as your prep. It is a crucial part of the tanning finish result. Waxing or shaving should be completed 24-48 hours before to enable the pores to close. Another key point for people when applying tan at home or getting a spray tan - do not shower beforehand, or within four hours of your appointment. This heat on the skin opens the pores and the tan catches in the open pores. Then, when the pores tighten back up, you will be left with darker more obvious pores, as the tan is lodged inside.

To stop tan catching in open face pores, apply a cold face cloth to the face for a few minutes first. You must always clean the skin of any older self-tan, dry or rough skin patches and any remnants of any oil-based products. You can buy body exfoliating mitts and lather them up with a moisturising body wash. I use Soap & Glory super exfoliating scrub gloves (€6) and Clarins Moisture rich body lotion(€37). If washing the skin the day before, you may moisturise, but nothing oily, just a good nourishing body moisturiser. Avoid putting anything on the skin in the hours or even days before tanning, as it may act as a barrier and the tan won’t take to the skin. The tanning therapist will apply a light layer of lotion to areas of skin that may be dry before she starts application to avoid it sticking too much to the unwanted areas. Make sure your skin is free from any lotions, potions, deodorants, perfumes or creams on the day of tanning.

Always wear loose, dark clothing after tanning to avoid it rubbing off too much on clothes. Also, always remember you don't want to get your tan wet for at least eight hours, so be careful with it. It is usually best to get it done in the evening when you can just go home to bed.

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Application Tips

Some people are confident with applying their own tan, so if you are that tan confident person, or you want to improve your DIY skills in the lead up to your wedding, then these are some helpful tips. Tie your hair fully back and apply a small amount of a barrier cream carefully over areas you don’t want tan on or a lighter barrier cream to avoid the tan sticking too much to certain areas. Apply Vaseline or petroleum jelly to your finger nails, your eyebrows and even the hair line for blondes to avoid staining. Then for areas like the knees, elbows, hands, wrists…any areas that tan sticks to, use a lighter cream as a little barrier to the tan. This will just allow a lighter amount of the tan to stick to these trouble areas, giving a much more natural look. Examples of barriers creams you can buy for home use are Aqueous cream (you can buy cheaply in any chemist) or cocoa butter, for example Palmers Cocoa butter. I know lots of people that love this as a moisturiser. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the strong cocoa smell, but it is amazing as a barrier cream for tan. So, what I do first is get a nice fluffy sock, yes one of my lovely Christmas fluffy socks and put it on like a glove; add a little of the barrier cream and rub it in to the sock with my palm. I then buff with the moisturised sock around my fingers, front of wrists, elbows and underarms; swap the sock over to other hand, apply more moisturiser and repeat. Then with one more squirt of moisturiser on the sock I scuff it over the back of ankles, sides, up around toes and finish with the knees. I apply my tan and then lightly using the fluffy sock again, gently polish these areas again.

Your tan will thank you for all this attention.

I apply my tan with my favourite Cocoa Brown tanning Mitt (€6), this is a great mitt, nice and soft and tan doesn’t seep through onto my hands. My top pick favourite tan and the one I will be wearing for my own wedding day in January 2018 is Bronz’ Express. It just works great on my skin, not much smell, and I can wear it out the minute I apply it; it develops nicely as I get about my daily chores. Now of course for my wedding I will not be doing any chores while my tan is developing, just in case I got the tan wet with any water!

Many brides feel more confident and comfortable about using a gradual tanner to gently build up the colour.

With gradual tanners you can layer up until you have the colour you desire. Opt for a gradual tan to build up to a subtle golden hue. My top choice product for gradual tanning is Vani-T tan bronzing custard. Again with applying gradual tanners, some people forget it is still a tan, so be careful it can still stick to unwanted areas.

Use my tips above for using very little barrier cream to dry areas firstly and then apply your gradual tanner.

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Preserving the Tan

You want your tan to be a good on the skin for as long as possible, and to fade as naturally as possible. Stick to cooler showers and press the skin dry with your towel, do not rub with the towel, as this rubs off the tan. Always moisturise with an oil free moisturiser. If you leave the skin too oily, the tan rubs more easily off onto clothes.

Contouring

Contouring your tan on the body is a must, basically you want to show off in the best light some features. For example if you will be showing arms and shoulders in a strapless gown, these are the areas you want to glow.

Apply a small extra layer of tan on top of your existing colour. This should be applied sparingly from the top of the shoulder and drawn down along the upper arm. Practice this on trial days, well before the big day.

Erasing Mistakes

Mistakes happen with tan, so if by any chance there are any unwanted signs like on the palms, wrists, heels etc - a great tip is to use a little coconut oil on cotton wool. This will help to fade the colour.

Natural Tan

If you are lucky to have naturally sallow beautiful skin I am jealous; but for you of course there is the natural tan option for your wedding. Maybe you have the time and money to jet off to the sun pre-wedding or maybe we get blessed with an amazing summer in Ireland. I do, however, always recommend being sun smart and wearing a high sun factor when out in the sun. I do suggest being careful with strap mark/ tan lines from the sun, as these can be a right pain to cover up on your wedding day. Always, always, always wear a high SPF on your face all year round, the sun is one of the very top factors in the aging of our skin. A short term tan is not worth long term wrinkles!!!

Sunbeds

I cannot lie - I really do not agree with the use of sunbeds, they are too dangerous, but some brides choose to use sunbeds for their wedding day. This is a personal choice. If you choose this tanning option, please ensure you use them as safely as possible and that you choose a reputable tanning salon with modern, up-to-date sunbeds.

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SELF-TAN...

Products that I love...

Bronz’ Express Tan My all-time and long-time favourite, for flawless, easy to use application – Bronz’ Express Tan Tans in a minute, lasts for days. With this tan you can go out with it on, as from the start you have a light golden colour. It’s a must try.

I swear by it. I just put it on and head about whatever I need to do and see myself with an instant tan, that gets a little stronger as the hours pass.

Vani-T Tan A must try tan, for those who love a golden bronzed colour and not an orange tanned look, is Vani-T Tan range. My favourite is to start with the Brazilian Bronze Mousse. It’s easy to apply, just apply, get into your PJ’s , have a shower in the morning and love your glowing skin. Then what is great to keep it lasting longer is to moisturise with the Bronzing Custard. This helps to top up the tan's life, keeping it glowing for longer.

My Favourite Product

Easy to Apply - A Must Try

BELLAMIANTA - Tanning Mousse Premium, high grade tan, Odour neutralise technology, delicately scented with Bergamot essential oil, mild to skin. Signature ‘Ready to Wear’ colour is kind to skin without pores.

Free from Parabens

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Vita Liberata Ten Minute Tan 150ml Vita Liberata's Ten Minute Tan delivers a perfect, natural, golden tan within 4 - 6hrs, with no risk of transfer.

Doesn't Transfer

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Body For subtle soft bronzing, this concentrated self-tanner is designed with a dropper to be added to your usual moisturiser – anything between four and six drops depending on the colour you want to achieve.

Add it to Your Moisturiser

M&S Autograph TAN Instant Tan Velvet Touch Gel for Face & Body- €10 At an amazing price that won’t bust your wedding budget, this is a great buy for tan novices as it’s transfer-resistant formula washes off with soap and water, and gives a lovely natural glow to the skin. Practice before the big day, but it has a lot of people talking.

L'oreal Paris Sublime Bronzer Overnight Elixir Fake tans are constantly evolving, and L'oreal Paris' latest tan is very practical and a real time-saver. Wear this at night with no bedsheet problems and wake up to the perfect subtle tan.

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Budget Buy Great Instant Tan

Great Budget Buy Tan 121

BESPOKE WEDDINGS IN A TRULY MAGICAL, EXCLUSIVE WEDDING VENUE. The Millhouse is a romantic haven in a wonderful garden setting.

At dusk when the river has a golden glow and the Orchard lanterns and fairy lights illuminate our garden pathways The Millhouse has a magical atmosphere, one that you and your guests will remember forever.

VIEWINGS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

The Millhouse, The Old Mill, Slane, Co. Meath. Tel: 041 9820878 Email: information@themillhouse.ie Web: www.themillhouse.ie

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H Bridal Hair Contributed by PJ Foley

Curly Styles to Suit Every Bride • Wedding Morning Timeline

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This look is elegant and will suit most brides with very curly hair. It is sophisticated and classic.

CURLY Wurly Fabulous curly styles to suit every bride

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They say less is more but when it comes to your hair I say go big or stay at home. This style is perfect for brides with very long straight or curly hair.

This beautiful up-style is fantastic for brides with mid -shoulder length hair. A full head of tonged or GHD'd curls are pinned back low on the neck backcombed slightly on the crown. To finish off this style add some beautiful bridal accessories or flowers.

For the summer brides, here is a beautiful simple curly updo - very soft.

Mermaid glamour!! This is divine on long hair great for extensions too.

For all the Barbies out there here is a gorgeous style with loose curls.

For all the vintage brides out there I love this vintage faux curly bob with this magnificent head dress.

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HAIR ADVICE

IN THE LEAD-UP TO YOUR BIG DAY

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WEDDING MORNING TIMELINE As most Irish weddings start around lunchtime, here is my perfect timing for hair and make-up.

8:00a.m.

Bridemaid No.1's hair and bridesmaid No. 2's make-up (at this stage your mammy should be making me a cup of tea)

8:40a.m.

Bridesmaid No.3's hair and bridemaid No.1's make-up (Mammy should be making more tea)

9:20a.m.

Bridesmaid No.2's hair and bridesmaid No.3's make-up (Mammy should be organising all flowers for bridesmaids and flowergirls and don't forget Daddy's cuff links).

10:00a.m.

Bride's hair and Mammy's make-up.

10:45a.m.

Bride's make-up and time for Mammy to sit down and have her hair done.

11:30a.m.

Time for the the flowergirls - this is so important as they will be so excited at this stage

11:50a.m.

Time for final touch up's and photographer.

12:00p.m.

All hair and make-up complete. Wedding party photos are taken

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F Flowers

Contributed by Belinda Rahman

Sunflowers - You Are My Sunshine • Belinda's Sunflower Wall • Summer Flowers • Flowers Speak Leinster WEDDINGS

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You are my Sunshine The sunflower is the king of summer flowers and is in bloom from the beginning of the season right through to September. There is something very jolly about sunflowers. With their bright sunny heads, you nearly feel like they are smiling at you and they certainly make you smile back. For this reason, they are a perfect choice for your bouquet or as table centre pieces for your summer wedding, creating a vibrancy and cheeriness that would be hard to equal.

You could of course grow your own and sunflowers are easy to grow from seeds from the month of April, but you need to be aware that the ‘yellow snow’ of the pollen falling on your dress may not be quite in keeping with the look you planned on achieving if you are planning on using these home-grown versions for your bouquet. However, fret not, varieties have been developed without pollen and most florists will be able to source these for you. These pollen-free varieties may not be exactly bee-friendly, but they are definitely bride-friendly!

Many artists of the Renaissance were wowed by the sunflower’s natural beauty and the perfection of the patterns formed by the tubular florets found within the ring of petals. You will find many paintings by world renowned artists which feature this flower in all its sunny glory.

Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ is probably one of the most famous paintings that springs to mind. The sunflower paintings had a special significance for Van Gogh: they communicated ‘gratitude’ (Source: Van Gogh Museum). If we are to take Van Gogh’s symbolism of ‘gratitude’, then having a flower that symbolises gratitude for your wedding day couldn’t be more apt. After all, you were lucky enough to find your true love – you must be grateful for that!

When it comes to your bouquets, you could opt for a sunflower-only bouquet, but I think mixing in purple or blue flowers are a stunning combination with the striking yellow of the sunflower. You may have read my article in the last issue of Cork Weddings, about Ultra-Violet being the Pantone Colour of the Year. If so, you’ll know that incorporating purple/blue into the mix, not only looks gorgeous, but means that you are a very on-trend bride. Probably one of the most iconic purple flowers of the summer is lavender. Like the sunflower, it is robust and hardy, looks fabulous in bouquets and has the added bonus of smelling gorgeous too. What’s not to love. If you’re going for a vintage style wedding then a bouquet of sunflowers and dried lavender, incorporating some wheat stalks, will really set off your theme. For the gents, sunflowers look superb in boutonnieres and really make a statement.

If you want to soften the vibrancy of colour of the bouquet, then just add in some greenery and some cream or white blooms and voila, job done.

Table arrangements can be very simple and easy to orchestrate. Just pop a single sunflower in a tall glass vase or place a few in a jug. Add some greenery if you wish. Sunflowers really do speak for themselves and don’t need to be accompanied. They are perfectly beautiful all on their own.

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Belinda's Sunflower Wall

Here are some images I have chosen to help you with with ideas to incorporate sunflowers into your sunny summer wedding day. Even if it rains, sunflowers can be your sunshine!

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Summer Flowers Below is a list of flowers that are in season during the summer months. 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 benefits of choosing flowers that are in season is that they are cheaper. If you find any that you like, talk to your florist and see how they can be incorporated into your wedding flower arrangements.

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Delphinium (Delphinium centurian white)

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‘Dr Alexander Fleming’ peony(Paeonia)

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Flowering mint (Mentha longifolia)

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French lavender (Lavandula dentata)

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‘Globe’ thistle (Echinops ritro)

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Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

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Lisianthus (Eustoma grandfIorum)

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‘Lizbeth’ sweetpea (Lathyrus adoratus)

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Lupin (Lupinus aboreus)

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‘Sarah Bernhardt’ peony (Paeonia)

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‘Sunrich Lemon’ sunflower (Helianthus)

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‘Yunita’ spray rose (Rosa)

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Cornflower (Hydrangea macrophylla)

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Veronica (Veronica clea diana)

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Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena)

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Freesia (Freesia hybrida)

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Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

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English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

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‘Aqua’ rose (Rose)

Flowers Speak The Real Meaning behind your Big Day Blooms

Peony

Romance, Prosperity, Good Fortune, A Happy Marriage, Riches, Honour & Compassion

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YOUR

DREAM WEDDING www.newbayhouse.ie

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GOSSIP

gossipband.ie

Gossip is a 5 or 6 piece professional events band based in Dublin with both male and female singers. The band has a large song repertoire and is fronted by a former singer from The Stars from The Commitments. Sample Songs and Music Videos can be found on our website at www.gossipband.ie . Our aim is to ensure that clients have the perfect wedding entertainment and we deliver a top class performance every time.

Come and see us live in action at any of our residencies in Dublin.

Check out our website at www.gossipband.ie for music videos and sample songs and enquire about Gossips availability today for your wedding! Mobile : 087 9195525

Check out Claire Malone’s Ceremony Music:

www.clairemalone.ie

The Word is Out!

Gossip band have become one of the most sought after party bands on the Irish wedding band scene. They are a 5 piece band with both male and female vocals.

This gig is a show – full of energy and theatrics throughout keeping dance floor's full all night long. They have a huge repertoire from all eras to suit all tastes in music.

Gossip have performed all over Ireland at hundreds of weddings, parties and corporate events including international football matches at The Aviva Stadium, The Galway races, The Irish restaurant awards, The Irish print awards. They have also performed at many company corporate events for Google, KBC, KPMG, BWG Foods, The Merrion Hotel Christmas parties, The Shelbourne Hote parties and Christmas nights and many more. Don't miss out on booking this electric act NOW!

Gossip Band – The Word is out!! Book now – 087 9195525 or www.gossipband.ie 136

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T Travel

Dubai's the Limit - Dare to Dream the Impossible

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Dubai's the Limit

Dare to Dream the Impossible Written by Adeline Shoten

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Introducing Dubai With direct flights from Dublin, and an average flight time of 7.5 hours, Dubai is an ideal starting point for your honeymoon. Located on the Persian Gulf coast, you will be able to take a short flight transfer to other popular honeymoon destinations such as the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Bali or Thailand for the second part of your holiday.

An emirate of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is traditionally a Muslim country with both Islamic and Arabic influences obvious throughout the city - in the architecture, clothing, food and presence of many beautiful mosques, from where you will hear the call for prayer at sunset each evening. However, despite its strong Islamic roots, Dubai has very much evolved as a fast-moving, cosmopolitan city due to the influx of, mainly wealthy, immigrants from all over the globe. Around every corner you will witness opulence and luxury to the extreme. In fact, almost everything about Dubai is to the extreme and this will be what you either love or hate about it.

When visiting a large city, a common concern for tourists is being mugged of robbed. Luckily, this isn’t much of a worry in Dubai, as it has one of the lowest crime rates in the world for a city of that size.

Taxicabs are plentiful and if you see one with a pink roof – this means that the driver is female. You do need a car to get to different places in Dubai but luckily taxis are very cheap - which is understandable when you consider that the cost of petrol there is cheaper than water!

There are always festivals and quirky events on in the city and you certainly won’t be bored. An example of some of the peculiarity that you can expect is Cucumber Day. On a certain day each year you leave your wallet at home and instead hit the town with a bag of cucumbers which you can exchange in bars and restaurants for a drink. Yes, you read that right… you pay for your drink with cucumbers!

Irish publicans - take note…

Speaking of money, the currency in Dubai is the Emirati Dirham (AED). 1 Euro = 4.09AED approximately. The US dollar is also widely accepted.

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Dubai is often dubbed as being fake or artificial, but instead of taking this glass-half-empty approach, why not enjoy the endless things it has on offer and wonder in amazement at the people who had the vision and boldness to design and create such a unique and nature-defying landscape. You only have to look at the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building) or the Palm Jumeirah (an off-shore, man-made, development of an island, in the shape of a leaf from a Palm tree) to see that Dubai strives to be the first, the biggest, the best and the future.

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Top things to do and see in Dubai Fountain Show For the most amazing night out head to downtown Dubai where you will find The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain, situated in front of the Burj Khalifa.

Spectacular fountain shows take place every half hour at night and you could enjoy dining in one of the many restaurants located opposite the fountain and the Burj creating the most amazing backdrop to your romantic meal.

Following this you could head up to the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa for a nightcap in the At.mosphere lounge which has panoramic views of the Dubai skyline.

IMAGINE Show IMAGINE is Dubai Festival City’s record-breaking new attraction, which offers a unique sensory experience, harnessing the power of light, water, and fire combined with giant aqua screens, 30 fountains and surround sound to produce a show like never seen before. Boasting the largest water screen projection and largest permanent projection mapping in the world – both a Guinness World Records breaker. Not to be missed.

Brunch You can’t go to Dubai and not do brunch. Brunch is a big thing in the city with many hotels and restaurants offering a wide variety of dishes and beverages for a set price, in an all-you-can-eat fashion. The Atlantis 5* hotel have taken this a step further with their Thursday brunch – at night!

For around €145 each, if you book online, you can eat and drink in a choice of 8 of the hotel’s fabulous restaurants from 7.30pm-10.30pm, while being entertained by street performers. If you don’t want the night to end there, your ticket includes entry into an after-party in the famous N’Dulge club. This isn’t on every Thursday, so be sure to check in advance to avoid disappointment.

Boat Tour There are many boat tours to choose from around Dubai but we would definitely recommend that you take a boat tour which takes you from Dubai Marina around Palm Jumeirah.

Ladies’ Night Tuesday night is Ladies’ Night in Dubai where the beautiful bride can avail of all sorts of freebies and special offers.

From free bubbly and meals, to free entry into various attractions, this is definitely something to watch out for.

Watersports Fancy some activity on your honeymoon? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Watersports are hugely popular in Dubai with a choice of hiring jetpacks, jet-skiing, kayaking, wind-surfing, paddle-boating, snorkelling amongst much more. You will often find offers for many of these activities on groupon.ae so check it out before you go.

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Waterparks Most people associate waterparks with children but in Dubai they are definitely geared towards adults. If you fancy a bit of fun and want to get that adrenaline rushing through your veins, then a visit to one of the many waterparks is a must. With height and speed being the main ingredients for a lot of the slides, we guarantee that this will set your hearts racing.

Skiing & Snowboarding No…you don’t need to rush off to Specsavers just yet. You can indeed go skiing in Dubai - all year round. The Mall of the Emirates is home to Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort with over 22,500 square metres of snow spread out over several slopes with varying levels of difficulty. For a surreal experience, when you are finished on the snowy slopes, why not head to the beach to sip on a cocktail and soak up the sun.

Shopping If you enjoy a spot of shopping then you won’t be disappointed. With some of the biggest shopping malls in the world, you will be spoilt for choice in Dubai. Every year there is a month-long shopping festival usually between December and January so if shopping is your thing then this might be the best time for you to go. www.visitdubaishoppingfestival.com Motorcity Motorcity is a development in Dubai based on a motorsport theme where you will find Dubai Autodrome and F1-X racetracks. You can even hire out your dream car and take it for a test-drive around one of the tracks. What will it be… a Ferrari or Aston Martin? In fact, if you are a lover of cars, you will be in awe everywhere you go in Dubai with many of the world’s most expensive and luxury cars being a regular sight there.

Aquariums: If you like viewing life under the sea but don’t fancy getting your feet wet there are many aquariums in Dubai, even in some of the hotels and shopping centres and many are free to view.

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Food

Traditional food in Dubai is inspired by Asian and Middle Eastern dishes, usually lamb, beef or chicken, bursting with spices and flavours. A delicacy in Dubai is camel so if you want to try something new, then this could be the gastro delight for you. Don’t despair if you aren’t a lover of spicy food or if roast camel doesn’t float your boat - you will find dishes from all over the world in Dubai.

Where to stay

Residence and Spa at One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai Located on the beachfront, this resort has a private beach and offers free access to Aquaventure Waterpark. It also includes amenities such as three pools, three tennis courts, a water sports centre and eight gourmet restaurants.

Atlantis Hotel This hotel is situated on the famous man-made island, Palm Jumeirah. The luxury resort offers relaxation and thrills. It includes water parks, beaches, spas and cosmopolitan boutiques from a starting price of €287.

Burj Al Arab, Jumeriah This is the world renowned 7* Hotel, the distinctive sailshaped silhouette has become a symbol of Dubai and offers an underwater aquarium restaurant that is reached through a simulated submarine voyage, and also offers a person butler and a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce.

When to go

The summer months see soaring temperatures, often well in excess of 40°C so it’s best to avoid these months as it is just too uncomfortable. The best times to go is anytime from September to April when the weather is still quite hot but at an enjoyable level.

What to know before you go

For more information: http://whatson.ae/dubai/ https://lovindubai.com

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Ramadan: The holy month for Muslims is marked by prayer, fasting and charity. Many restaurants and cafes close during daylight hours for this period. Non-Muslims should not eat, drink or smoke in public, but do so only in private or at specially closed off hotel restaurants.

Language: The official language of the country is Arabic but the majority of people can communicate in English.

Construction: There is construction going on in many parts of Dubai, so if this is something that bothers you then it's better to check in advance that your hotel isn’t on or beside a building site.

Expensive: Dubai is extremely expensive, therefore, unless you are lucky enough to have a whopping budget, four nights is plenty to spend here and enough to give you the experience of what it’s like to live like the super-rich, if even only for a few days.

According to the Gulf Statistics website, the average tourist spends $800 a day in Dubai (including overnight accommodation in a hotel).

How to get there

Ex Dublin with Aerlingus or Emirates

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H Health & Fitness Contributed by Eric Marah

7 Myths About Losing Weight• Tops 5 Foods: Carb Sources • Snack Idea: Blueberry Bombs • Exercises for Building Glutes Leinster WEDDINGS 147

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7

Myths About Losing Weight 1 2 3 4

Spot target body fat*- You cannot do this! For example, if you carry fat on your triceps, all the triceps push downs in the world aren’t going to help you reduce fat in that area, good sound nutrition will!

Foods that burn fat* - There are no such thing as fat burning foods! If you are in a calorie surplus, no food is going to magically make you lose fat!

Eating small and often speeds up the metabolism* - No it doesn’t! Whether you have 5 meals or 10 meals, it does not matter, overall calories matter!

Muscle soreness is good* - No it is not, especially if excessive. Yes, when we first start training or we train for the first time in a while, we can expect to be sore, but if you’re always sore, this could be down to poor nutrition.

5 6

Using weights will make girls bulky* - Not true!!!

You should only use Whey Protein when training* - Whey protein is just a supplement, for example, it can replace a fillet of chicken.

You don’t have to use it on training days or non-training days but it is useful for adherence or if you’re not hitting your protein targets, any day!

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My favourite one! *You can’t eat past a certain time* - Your body does not know what time it is, your overall calories in the day will count, not stopping eating at a certain time! (do try to have last meal/snack 1 hour before bedtime to facilitate with sleep and digestion).

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TOP 5 FOODS CARB SOURCES

First of all I would like to state - carbs are good, not bad.

Carbs will not make you gain fat - too many calories overall will make you gain fat!

1

Fruit – every single one of my clients meal plans will incorporate fruit (unless someone does not like fruit of course!).

It’s healthy and a great on the go snack.

2

White Organic Potatoes – yes you can still have them!

My favourite way to cook potatoes is to cut them up into wedges, cover in spice & fry in some coconut oil. Perfect post workout.

3 4

Rice – brown or white it’s up to you! My preferred option is basmati rice in a stir-fry pre-workout.

Organic Oats – quick and easy to prepare for breakfast or an excellent post workout choice. Add some Whey Protein so you get a good balance of carbs and protein and it tastes great!

5

Quinoa – if you get bored of potatoes and rice quinoa is another excellent carb choice for lunch or dinner!

Snack Idea Blueberry Bombs

Makes 15 servings

• • • • • • • • • •

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2 tbsps. dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsps. acacia honey 4 tbsps. crunchy peanut butter (no added sugar) 100g porridge oats (use gluten free oats if preferred) 50ml light unsweetened coconut milk 3 tbsps. mixed seeds (e.g. flaxseed, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds) 80g pitted prunes 2 tbsps. organic desiccated coconut 75g blueberries

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour several inches of boiling water into a shallow wide based dish. Place over a gentle heat and allow the water to simmer gently.

Carefully sit the heatproof bowl in the shallow dish of water. Melt the chocolate slowly, stirring regularly. Remove from heat.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours.

Roll into 15 balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

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Exercises for building...

Glutes

Cork 150 WEDDINGS

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A B

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D

A. Barbell Hip Thrusts

Place your upper back on a decline bench or a low soft box, rest the barbell in a comfortable position across your hips (use a mat or cushion). Push through the heels & squeeze the glutes throughout the movement, pause for a second at the top. Explode up & control the bar down & do not hyperextend the neck.

B. Walking Lunges (focus on glutes)

Place a dumbbell in each hand, step forward taking a long stride, you will slightly lean forward to focus on glutes & place the dumbbells by the front knee but keep your shoulders back & chest up while keeping your back in a neutral position. Slowly lunge forward & explode back up in a controlled manner.

C. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Before adding load it’s important to learn how to hip hinge. When adding weight it’s important to focus on pushing the hips back rather than lowing the bar downwards. Keep your shoulders pinched back throughout movement, do not round & keep the head in line.

D. Squats

Squats can mainly be a quad dominant exercise but to incorporate your glutes widen your stance & slightly point the toes out. Firstly extend the hips back before lowing into the squat, at the top of the movement squeeze the glutes but don’t over extend the back. The squat is an extremely complex movement so make sure your execution is perfect!

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H Hens & Stags

The Secret Garden Spa • Belfast Bound

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The Secret Garden Spa is Cork’s first exclusive private hire spa cabin.

Situated in a beautiful, tranquil garden setting in West Cork, this exclusive spa is the ideal place to go for a one off beauty treatment or, if you have a special occasion coming up, why not book in to your very own log cabin?

Located in West Cork, just 25 minutes from Ballincollig and 10 minutes from Bandon, The Secret Garden Spa has a range of Spa, Salon and Stay packages which cater for all your relaxation needs. For special events such as birthday parties, anniversaries, girls’ nights away and Hen Parties - The Secret Garden team will decorate the delightful cabin for you completely free of charge.

In the lead-up to a wedding day, there is no occasion more important than a Hen Party and The Secret Garden Spa has developed a Hen Party package which is specifically designed to suit every bride-to-be. This tailored combination of treatments and accommodation includes a personalised sign board on arrival, while fluffy robes and slippers and cosy towels are all provided for your comfort and satisfaction.

Party guests also get to enjoy a glass of nosecco or a mocktail when enjoying their rejuvenating facials, while cupcakes and sweets are provided in the warm cosy cabin that sleeps four. The bride-to-be will also receive a goody bag which includes only the most pampering of products.

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SPA

SALON

The Secret Garden Spa is located in a rustic log cabin, which features a Finnish Sauna and a Relaxation Room, where you can take time out before a treatment or enjoy the calming effects post treatment, all with complimentary refreshments. The covered decking houses a state-of-the art Hydrotherapy Hot Tub with mood lighting and Bluetooth speakers. Use of the spa cabin is included in overnight stays but can also be booked for daytime use.

The Secret Garden Spa has its very own beauty room attached to the spa.

It is run by a fully qualified (ITEC) and experienced beautician. The owner/ beauty therapist has a special interest in skincare which is why MONU Skincare is their chosen brand. MONU use only the purest and most natural of ingredients which contain no damaging chemicals, no artificial perfumes and no synthetic colours - making them the ideal products for delicate skin (and for the environment too!). Treatments can be booked on their own at the salon and include skincare facials, skin peels and body care treatments. Wraps, massage, waxing, tanning, manicures, pedicures, Ms Diva lash extensions and YUMI natural lash enhancement are other treatments that are offered at this one-of-a-kind spa.

F BOOK OR IN ENQU GS OR IRIES MESS AGE F ACEB US ON @the OO secre tgard K: ensp acork PHON E: 085 2 70 07 51

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STAY

BBQ HUT

For a truly unique experience, stay in the charming Hazel Lodge log cabin which overlooks a private garden. You will experience nature first-hand. Sit outside on the decking and listen to the birds singing. The accommodation sleeps four and consists of one bedroom decorated to an extremely high standard with a luxurious king size bed and premium quality bed linen. The bathroom is fitted to a high specification with electric shower, towels and toiletries provided. The living room includes a comfortable sofa-bed and the kitchen is equipped with mod cons.

Chill out in your very own BBQ Grill Hut. Rain, hail or shine, you’ll be kept cosy and dry by the roaring fire. This is the perfect place to kick back, relax and chat until dawn. The hut is equipped with a drinks chiller and Bluetooth speakers. The Secret Garden Spa team can even supply you with a meat pack and marshmallows for the fire!

THE SECRET GARDEN SPA OPEN FROM AUTUMN 2019 ˜ TAKING BOOKINGS NOW ˜ OPENING HOURS: 9AM - 9PM 7 DAYS A WEEK ˜ 20% DISCOUNT ON INDIVIDUAL TREATMENTS & PRODUCTS WHEN YOU QUOTE: LEINSTER WEDDINGS MAGAZINE FOR BOOKINGS OR ENQUIRIES: 156MESSAGE US ON FACEBOOK - @thesecretgardenspacork

PHONE - 085Leinster 270 0751 WEDDINGS

BELFAST BOUND with stagparty.ie

Stagparty.ie are a one-stop-shop when it comes to orgainising the boys trip away. They offer packages that include accommodation, activities, meals and much more. We had a rifle through some of their packages and we thought Belfast had absolutely loads to offer and is the ideal location to have your stag! Everything is all within walking distance!

Check out this great value package starting at only â‚Ź69pp!

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Firstly, they organise city centre accommodation with breakfast included.

They have put together a range of activities to choose from (this is just a small selection in the grey column on the right.

There's much more to choose from on the stag.ie website).

They have also lined up a round of shots in another bar in Belfast. Perfect way to start the night ahead!

Also included is entry into one of Belfast's hottest clubs! So, prepare to party the night away!

Afternoon of Sports: Watch your favourite team play on the big screens for the afternoon of your stag.

Cable Wakeboarding: A bit like snowboarding but on water instead! This is great craic!

Stand Up Paddle Boarding: A new sport where you paddle standing up on a surfboard!

Laser Combat: Something different to try and indoors!

Karting: Another adrenaline pumping activity with a podium finish!

Pour your own pint: Enjoy and learn to pour the perfect pint!

Bubble Soccer: A fun and different way of playing soccer! So much from start to finish lads!

Kayaking: Enjoy a trip along the River Lagan and take in the sights and sounds of Belfast from it's waterways.

Bushcraft: Spend a few hours learning how to build fires from scratch, Shelter building and all the survival skills necessary to survive in the forest.

Skytrek: Spend some time in the air with High & Low Ropes, Climbing challenges on the climbing wall, Zip Lining and Fast Descender. Brilliant craic lads!

For further info check out www.stagparty.ie or call 051 390383 Leinster WEDDINGS

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D DIY

Contributed by Sara Kennedy

Let’s Talk About DIY Weddings

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DIY let's talk about...

WEDDINGS This time four year ago, I was knee deep in glue, a sewing machine, ribbons and twine. I opted to take on the huge task of a DIY wedding and not just any old DIY Wedding.

My husband’s grandmother had an old dance hall in her backyard (as you do!). It was being used by the local boxing club. The grounds were pretty overgrown and the garden was in ok shape but needed some TLC. Before we got engaged, my now husband showed me around this very special place and in the back of my mind I thought that if we got married, this is where I would love to do it. A few years later we under took a huge project to turn this location in to a wedding venue.

I worked in hospitality so had a very good idea of what was needed but the only problem was time, help and budget. We really wanted this to happen so we let nothing stand in our way.

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The Venue As mentioned before, this was an old dance hall and when we were preparing for our wedding, it was being used as a boxing club. Luckily the boxing club painted and added a bar. I had to source a draping and lighting company and that was pretty easy as I had worked with Gorilla Design before.

Next, I had to coordinate tables, chairs, dancefloor, linen, cutlery, plates‌ pretty much everything.

Beside the hall were three out houses. They were filled with rubbish from floor to ceiling. We went through three skips to clear this rubbish. Once cleared, I wanted to bring the history of the house to life and created a shop. The front of the house was a shop and a tailors so we found an old till, hats, order books, tailoring equipment and set up a replica shop in one of the houses. The second house featured perfectly stacked turf and we found some vintage suitcases in the attic and created a stack suitcase feature.

The final out house was converted in to a living room. We brought down pictures of Eoin’s great grandparents and hung them up on the wall. We felt that it was important that Mr Quigley who built the hall and set up the tailors got to be at the party! We took down the old furniture and created a living room. We had an old dresser which was used as a DIY candy table. This room was a huge hit.

One major challenge was creating a DIY wedding team to run the event. I know some of the best in the industry so hired two managers to run the show on the day and then we recruited some local waiting staff. I had to source a caterer and we needed to set up a DIY kitchen and service area.

This was probably one of the biggest parts as if we got the logistics wrong, it would upset the flow of the day.

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The Garden The outer area was in dire need of TLC, we needed to level the ground and re-lay gravel. Our digger fell in to a septic tank. That wasn’t fun. We had to lay all of the gravel by hand with help from our amazing friends and family. The garden required a clean-up and planting of flower, berries, and shrubs. We found some interesting old ammunition boxes that we turned in to flower pots. That was the beauty of using this old venue, there was no shortage of wild and wonderful vintage pieces.

The garden is located at the very end of the yard and you would almost not know that it was there. It is walled so gives a real ‘secret garden’ feel. You have to go through this little door to reach it. When you walk out you are greeted by impressive apple trees and we were lucky that the trees were full of apples. I found a tree that had a branch sticking out and hung an empty photo frame to create a DIY photo booth.

It was a huge hit! I sourced props from amazon. I still see that many of our guests still use the photos from our DIY booth as their Facebook profile picture.

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The Décor We opted for a vintage circus theme and that gave a red and white colour scheme.

The room was draped in a big top style and my tables captured this theme too.

I really didn’t want to use my budget up on flowers on the table. Instead, I got popcorn boxes, filled them with moss and added pinwheels.

Curtains were needed to cover certain unsightly areas around the yard. Material was sourced from IKEA at a super cheap cost. I used this material as runners on the table to tie everything together.

I needed napkin rings, they were so expensive to rent so I managed to source paper funfair tickets and wrapped them around rolled up linen napkins instead.

When we were clearing out the outhouses, we found jam jars from the 60’s! We turned them in to candle holders. I bought lace and ribbon and sterilised the jars. We displayed these jars on tables and around the garden and at night it gave a lovely intimate feel. We also got some outdoor fairy lights from IKEA. I bought many scraps of material and created my own bunting. It was so simple to make. Well after my mammy showed me how to use a sewing machine!

As mentioned earlier, we had a DIY candy station and photo-booth to match the circus theme too.

I was sourcing glassware for the table and the rental cost was pretty high and that was without the breakage fee’s. It was inevitable that glasses would be broken so I decided to take matters in to my own hands and bought all of our glassware in IKEA. I tripled up their usage and used the glasses as place names. I spent 4 nights hand painting all of my guest’s names on to their glasses. I then added a tag saying ‘Take me home’ so it worked out as a favour for each guest too.

As you can see, we took on a lot and it was very stressful at times but it was so worth it.

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DIY Tips •

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Take all of the help offered! We wouldn’t have been able to have the day we wanted without our friends and family. The great thing about DIY is that it brings people together and you have to work as a team.

Set a budget! The problem with DIY is that you need a lot of tools to create different pieces. When you are on Etsy or Amazon, you can get very carried away buying cute craft items but that all adds up.

There are a lot of hidden costs with DIY. I estimated a certain amount but then needed glues, glue guns, sewing machine and so on. That all clocked up. Plus, I used up a lot of pieces testing my creations.

One big hidden cost is the postage from online shopping. More than likely if you are buying craft pieces, they are coming in from China, USA or UK. The UK is fine but China and USA postage costs are very high.

Don’t under estimate the time commitment required. I thought I would get through everything very quickly but the reality is that it takes a lot of time.

Treat it like a project and use some downloadable project workflow templates There are certain things that should be left to the experts. DIY is stressful and the experts are so well versed at their trade. If you feel that you are getting overwhelmed… delegate!

I hope you enjoyed hearing my story and I am looking forward to sharing some projects with you over the coming months.

Sara Kennedy Xxx www.irishweddingblog.ie Photo credits: Elaine Barker Photography & Couple.ie

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Entertaining Kids at Weddings Some of you may choose to have an adult-only wedding, but for those of you that decide to extend your invites to include some little people, then you need to be prepared!

If children get invited to a wedding it is going to be a ‘big day’ for them too. They’ll be picking their special outfit; they’ll probably pay a visit to the local hairdresser or barber shop and they certainly will be extremely excited at the prospect of a day of fun.

The great news is you can sprinkle your fairy dust to give them that magical day without it putting much of a dent into your budget. The sooner you start planning the better, so let’s start now!

First of all, you need to write down the number of kids and their ages as this will influence some entertainment ideas. Secondly… and don’t underestimate the importance of this… you need to find and book at least two responsible teenagers or young adults that will supervise the kids all day and help keep them entertained.

This alone will score you the biggest amount of brownie points with your guests EVER!

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So, here are some ideas for a fabulously fun wedding day for the smallies: If your venue has some decent outdoor area and gardens, then this is great because it will be easy to keep the kiddies busy (and tire them out!).

Hiring a bouncy castle is a no-brainer as they are renowned for providing endless hours of fun and are suitable for all ages too… even the ‘big kids’ might hop in for a sneaky bounce around. Before you consider this option, just check with your venue first that they allow large inflatable objects.

Giant garden games are another great idea and can be gotten cheaply in many discount stores and the likes of Lidl and Aldi, so keep an eye out for them. The majority will enjoy Jenga, Skittles or Connect 4. Again, you’ll probably find certain adults joining in too.

For indoors, and certainly for younger kids up to 10 years, colouring books and crayons are a must and are so affordable. You could even make your own colouring book with wedding-related items to colour in. We like the idea of having a little goodie bag for each child and you could have their colouring stuff included in this. Bubbles are another fabulous item for the G.B. Children love things that are personalised to them, so why not design and print special labels for your wedding with the kiddies’ names on them and stick the labels to the colouring books, bubble containers or any other Items in the G.B. You could also ask your baker/cake designer to ice the names of the kids on to some cookies, or you could even assign that job to a friend or family member.

We thought of a brilliant game that could get some giggles… So, we all know ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’… Well, why not do a wedding version and have ‘Pin the Bow Tie on the Groom’ or ‘Pin the Veil on the Bride’. Either print off a generic picture of a bride and groom or even better still, photos of yourselves, and stick them on to cardboard. Just remember the blindfold!

Everyone loves a good photobooth and children are no different. Do a little research into what cartoons or characters your little guests are into and just print off some props of these characters from online images you’ve sourced.

Kids will also love silly glasses, hats and feather boas.

If you could either borrow or buy a polaroid camera, the childminders could take the photos. No doubt there will be plenty of laughter over the funny and whacky printouts.

A kid’s party is not a party without sugar. We know, we know… their poor little teeth, but you could advise their parents to book them a dental appointment for the day after your wedding and you could always put some toothpaste and a toothbrush in the G.B. too if you are extremely concerned. Anyway, now that that issue is resolved, you can’t go wrong with a sweet table or candy cart. You can make your own or hire some cool items to put the sweeties on - like mini Ferris Wheels that light up. Oh, and of course no child EVER has been known to refuse an ice-cream cone, so definitely get that sorted out pronto.

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Of course, you can do loads of other fun and fabulous things like hire magicians, balloon modellers, face-painters, kiddies entertainers etc.. The list is endless, and what you decide on really does depend on your budget. The point is, you can give the wonderful little guests a truly magical day, no matter what.

Just one last piece of valuable advice… While we agree that having a separate kids table for the meal is a good idea, as long as they are supervised… for the love of God… if one of the ‘kids’ is in the process of filling out their CAO form and applying for the SUSI grant – DO NOT put them sitting with the 5 year olds! They may prefer to be with other people that no longer get visits from the tooth fairy!

Now that you have the ‘small kids’ sorted, it’s time to focus on the ‘big kids’ having a blast.

If you plan for fun and laughter, everything else will fall in to place on the day.

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Fancy a Castle Wedding?

Well look no further...

A.S. Bouncy Castle Hire Keep the little ones entertained on your big day!

Bouncy Castles with themes such as: Frozen, Paw Patrol, Fortnight & LOL, or alternatively, you can choose unthemed regular Party Castles. We also have a Disco Dome.

Phone: 087 397 8432 Email: asbouncycastles1@gmail.com Find us on Facebook Leinster WEDDINGS

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