Wedding of the Week: Passion for Harry Potter cast spell on Cork couple

Their passion for the adventures of JK Rowling’s famous wizard cast a love spell on Cork couple Triona Horgan and Eoin Cronin.

The paths of Triona, from Ballyvolane, and Eoin, from Fairhill, first crossed in June 2014.

“We clicked straight away,” said Triona. “We both really like Harry Potter and found we had so much in common straight away.

We became serious very quickly and started saving for our own house after a few months and got engaged after less than a year-and-a-half together.

They’ve since visited the Warner Bros Harry Potter studio in London twice together and their romance story took them from Hogwarts to Blackrock Castle, where Eoin proposed in December 2015.

“He brought me out to Blackrock Castle as I love history and had not been there before,” said Triona.

“We both like astronomy and after we did the tour he got down on one knee in front of the fireplace and asked me to marry him. I didn’t hesitate to say yes.”

Triona Horgan and Eoin Cronin with Mary and Tadhg Horgan and Mary and John Cronin. Pictures: Breda Daly.

Now based in Mallow, they were married in December in St Michael’s Church in Blackrock, where the bride’s parents had exchanged vows 45 years before.

Fr John O’Donovan, parish priest, Ballyvolane, led the wedding Mass after which the newlyweds celebrated with a reception in the Midleton Park Hotel.

Leading wedding photographer Breda Daly captured the magic of the entire occasion on camera.

Also helping ensure the day went to plan were both sets of parents, Mary and Tadhg Horgan and Mary and John Cronin.

Lucy Horgan and Sarah Deloughry. Picture: Breda Daly.

“Our wedding party was made up of my sister and best friend Susan Deloughry and Eoin’s brother Ian Cronin,” added Triona.

“We had my nieces Lucy Horgan and Sarah Deloughry as flowergirls and my nephews Thomas Deloughry, Andrew Horgan and Peter Horgan were the ring and coin bearers.”

The bride added:

It was such an amazing, fun, relaxing and love-filled day from start to finish. It was a good get-together with everyone before Christmas.

And benevolent weather gods were definitely at work.

“We were so lucky: It was dry when I was going into the church, it lashed while we were in there and we had blue skies when we arrived back outside for the photos,” said Triona.

Another otherworldly special guest was Santa Claus who appeared at the drinks reception with gifts for the children present.

Siobhan Oliver hit all the right notes as the wedding singer and taking up the music baton at the reception was wedding band The Stars. “They were out of this world,” said the bride.

Triona Horgan and Eoin Cronin with Susan Deloughry, Ian Cronin, Lucy Horgan and Sarah Deloughry. Pictures: Breda Daly.

“The dance floor was full the whole night they had everyone up dancing and jumping around.”

Triona sourced her dream wedding dress in the Vows bridal boutique in Blarney, while the hairstyling on the big day was by DH1, Dublin Hill, with make-up by Ruthanna Crowley.

Sinead Dwyer created the floral arrangements and bouquets.

“We had a good few Disney and Harry Potter references throughout the wedding,” said Triona.

Triona Horgan and Eoin Cronin. Picture: Breda Daly.

“I walked up the aisle to I See The Light from Tangled and had a piece of music from the Harry Potter movies. Our cake was half traditional and half Harry Potter-themed.”

As for their honeymoon highlight?

As if you had to ask! The newlyweds set off last week on the trip of a lifetime that will take in Disney World, Florida, as well as a cruise to the Bahamas and — of course — a visit to Harry Potter World in Universal Studios.

The bride is a member of staff at Glenheight’s Pharmacy in Ballyvolane and Eoin works in the Bank of New York at Cork Airport Business Park.