Wedding of the Week: A promise ring to start the wedding planning for Jeffrey and Sarah

Plenty of wedding lists, planning and organisation ensured a great day for all

Sun, 22 Aug, 2021 - 17:41

Eve Kelliher

Jeffrey Godsell put a lot of thought into his proposal to Sarah Cullen.

Jeffrey, from Cork, and Dublin native Sarah met five years ago, in June 2016.

“I was planning to pop the question for a long time but when it happened she was very surprised,” he said.

Considering Jeffrey asked Sarah if she wanted to open her Christmas present a little early last year — on Halloween night to be precise — that’s probably understandable.

“He gave me this big, box all wrapped up, probably the size of two shoeboxes, and inside was a smaller box, and inside that a smaller box, and so on,” she said.

“On the lid of each box there was a picture of us and on the second last box there was a picture of a wedding cake — by then I was starting to twig what was happening.”

In the last box, was a 'promise ring', with which Jeffrey asked Sarah to marry him and the couple went on to choose the engagement ring the week before their wedding this summer.

Sarah Cullen and Jeffrey Godsell first met five years ago, in June 2016

Sarah and Jeffrey were married by family friend Fr Joe Kennedy in St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh in July and celebrated afterwards in the five-star Castlemartyr Resort & Spa.

At the intimate event were both sets of parents — Maureen and Des Cullen and Brid and Des Godsell — as well as Sarah’s friend and bridesmaid, Margaret Cullen, and the groom’s brother and best man, Desmond Godsell.

The bride’s grandmother, Marie Griffin, watched the ceremony remotely, as did many others, due to pandemic restrictions, with loved ones logging in from as far afield as San Antonio, Texas.

Sarah Cullen and Jeffrey Godsell were married in Cobh and had their wedding celebration at Castlemartyr Resort and Spa

The newlyweds swept up to the drinks reception in a Rolls Royce. And capturing the big day on camera were David McAuley, photographer, and Michael Carty, videographer.

Veronica Tadman, wedding singer and musician, performed in the church and their wedding cake was by The Little Love Knot Bakery.

“I absolutely loved organising the wedding, I am a real planner and I adore making lists,” said Sarah.

Jeffrey added: “Jackie Day, our wedding coordinator at Castlemartyr, was amazing, nothing was left to chance, every detail was executed to perfection.”

Sarah Cullen and Jeffrey Godsell visited Kerry and Skellig Michael on their honeymoon

Sarah, a clinical midwife specialist in bereavement who works in The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, and Jeffrey, an engineer with Gas Networks Ireland, are based in Cork.

Also present were some of Sarah’s colleagues from her work as a bereavement midwife. “We have the opportunity to do something positive for people at the worst of times and look after families who have lost their babies,” said Sarah. “It’s a difficult job and it can be an emotional job but it’s extremely rewarding to be able to take care of these families.”

Many of Sarah Cullen and Jeffrey Godsell's wedding suppliers signed up to the #Covid19 Operation Help Our Heroes campaign

The newlyweds, who honeymooned in Ireland, including a trip to Kerry and Skellig Michael, paid tribute to their wedding suppliers, many of whom had signed up to the #Covid19 Operation Help Our Heroes campaign to help frontline workers who were getting married during the pandemic.

“Our suppliers went over and above to make our day special and were so kindhearted,” said Sarah. “Our photographer David was so approachable and nice and made our day.”