Wedding of the Week: Welcoming bonfires and a chic summer soirée at Bantry Bay
Andrea Lotty and Johnny O'Sullivan with their wedding party. Pictures: Ian Cronin
A windswept beach, welcoming bonfires and a chic outdoor-indoor summer soirée at home — which just happens to look out over Bantry Bay — just try imagining a more picture-perfect big day.
Andrea Lotty, from Castletownbere, Co Cork, and Johnny O’Sullivan, from nearby Rossmacowen, were married recently in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Castletownbere by Fr Noel Spring.
Because of the pandemic, they changed their wedding date twice. “Living in a small town, the community really got behind us and everyone was so happy for us that we were finally having our day. We were greeted with a few bonfires on our journey home from the church, it was very special to us,” said Andrea.
The newlyweds then dined with family and close friends, following pandemic guidelines, in a marquee at their home in Rossmacowen, next to the residence and farm where Johnny grew up.
“It is at the foot of Hungry Hill and faces out the sea, looking out over Bere Island and Bantry Bay,” said the bride.
They sourced the marquee from A to Z Marquees in Dunmanway which also arranged the bar, draping, lights, tables and chairs. “It was very well secured as we are quite open where we are and the night of the wedding was stormy,” said the bride.
“The meal was by Murphy’s Restaurant, Castletownbere, and the food was fantastic.” Photographer Ian Cronin captured the big day on camera, including a photoshoot at Sandmount beach in Rossmacowen.
The bride’s mother, Mary, walked her up the aisle and she and the groom’s parents, Patricia and Jerry, toasted to their future happiness.
Andrea’s cousin and friend Siobhán Murphy was her maid of honour; while her childhood pals, Gillian O’Mahony, Jennifer Harrington and Sandra Galvin, were by her side as bridesmaids. Johnny’s friend, Patrick Lehane, took on the role of best man and his friends, Gavin Power and Niall O’Sullivan, joined forces with his nephew, Conor Sullivan, as groomsmen.
The bride’s nephews, Jacob and Nathan Lotty, were pageboys.
Andrea, a manager in the local SuperValu supermarket, and Johnny, a farmer and fisherman, became an item nine years ago when they met on a night out. “We got engaged on December 1 in 2018 in Killarney,” said Andrea.
They had originally planned to wed on May 2 last year, and invite 280 people to a reception in their local hotel. “But with Covid we had to change our date to October and changed our date again to May this year and moved it to our home instead,” said the bride.
“We had the most amazing, intimate, fun day. We laughed all day and night through.” The bride sourced her dress in Brides of Eire, Clonakilty, and the groom and his party’s suits were purchased in Simply Suits.
Andrea’s hairstyling was by her friend, Amanda Downey, who owns Onyx Hair Lounge in Cork City and Rebecca Murphy who owns No 3 Nails, Castletownbere, was the makeup artist. Florist Peter Tora from Scent of Tora decorated the church and created the arrangement for the top of the wedding cake.
“Just by luck, our videographer Gordon Falvey [Wedfilms] brought another guy along to assist him for the day. He happened to be Gerard Kearney, the magician. He kindly obliged us and did a few card tricks for us and our guests after the meal which was fantastic and very unexpected,” said Andrea.
If you would like your wedding featured, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
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