Wedding of the week: Laura and Podge say 'I do' on the double
Laura Welch and Podge McSweeney. Pictures: Bismark Wedding Photography
Planning your big day in the time of corona can lead to some silver linings. For Cork couple Laura Welch and Podge McSweeney, it meant the loved-up pair got to celebrate saying ‘I do’ on the double.
Laura, from Currabinny, and Douglas native, Podge, exchanged vows on March 17, as Covid-19 restrictions started in Ireland. The ceremony, led by Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross Paul Colton and Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson, took place before immediate family only, with 12 people gathering in St Michael’s Church of Ireland, Church Road, Blackrock.
Laura, a primary school teacher, and Podge, a health and safety officer, met in Rearden’s Bar in Cork in June 2014.
He popped the question at home in Currabinny on Sept 21, 2019. “Laura had just started a permanent job in St Michael’s NS in Blackrock (next to the church where we were married),” he said.
They describe their wedding as “a crazy time”.
Podge said: “Our original date was December 28, 2020. We decided to move the date forward as a family member is unwell and we wanted to make sure they were able to celebrate with us, so we moved it to March 21, 2020.”
Then, as we all know, lockdown happened. “We had to call off the 230-guest wedding we had planned when the announcement was made by Leo Varadkar on March 12,” said Podge. “Laura was in school trying to pack up the kids to send them home with activities and schools were closing that day!”
The couple then got a call from Bishop Paul Colton on Friday, March 13, to tell them they could go ahead with the nuptials on St Patrick’s Day, as churches were closing.
Podge left work in Carlow and met Laura in the registry office in Cork to get their marriage licence date changed. Laura said: “I didn’t want to wear my proper dress as we knew we wanted to have a big day as we had dreamed so I ordered a dress from Next and it arrived on the Monday!”
“I did my own hair and makeup at home but the electricity cut that morning when I was doing my hair! All the neighbours in Currabinny lined the roads for about two kilometres with flags and bunting as we drove out leaving for the church — it was a St Patrick’s Day parade in Currabinny! My mum drove my dad and me, and we met our immediate family at the church. We had a 25-minute service and headed back home and had a roast dinner! We were so glad we went ahead and decided the party would happen eventually."
Sheenagh Morley from Bismark Wedding Photography and Wedfilms documented the day.
As restrictions lifted during the summer, they decided to celebrate the wedding at their original reception venue, the Maryborough Hotel & Spa, booking July 25, and cut the guest list — but on Wednesday, July 15, it was announced that indoor gatherings were to remain at 50. “So, we decided to split the day in two and have a wedding lunch, wedding dinner, and drinks reception at both, for with 45 guests at both events! It was just amazing!” said the bride.
“We had two parties of 45 guests at each party, one at noon-4pm, and the next guests arrived at 6pm.”
Toasting to the newlyweds’ future were the bride’s parents, Amanda and Neil Welch, and the groom’s mother, Avril McSweeney, along with Laura’s grandmothers, Alice Welch and Vivienne Barber.
Laura’s friends, Grace Sweetnam and Sorcha O’Brien, together with her sister-in-law, Erin Welch, were by her side as bridesmaids while her buddy, Amy Schiller, in England at the time, joined via an iPad.
Podge’s friend, Steve O’Donovan, was his best man while his brother-in-law, Mark Welch, was groomsman along with another friend, Mark Horgan, while a cousin, Chris O’Sullivan, was in a similar situation to Amy, and joined the fun online from England.
“The Maryborough staff were outstanding — they were so fantastic with all the changes and ensured our day would be just as were had planned!" said Laura.
“My junior and senior infant class were due to sing at the wedding and had been practising all year and had all bought new outfits. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen but someday when we can we will have a performance!”
Laura looked picture-perfect in a Jesus Peiro gown sourced in Say I Do boutique in Midleton.
They had originally planned to honeymoon in LA and Mexico but instead headed to the Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry, for six days after their wedding party.
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