Wedding of the Week: 'Pandemic changed our wedding plans but could not stop our love'
Miren-Maialen S. Arias and Gerard McDonald. Pictures: Hu O’Reilly Photography
Their wedding was a celebration of music, dance and their life together as Miren-Maialen S. Arias and Gerard McDonald exchanged vows.
Miren-Maialen, originally from Donostia-San Sebastian, in the Basque region in Spain, and Gerard, from Dublin, were married in an outdoor ceremony in The Marine Hotel, Sutton, Dublin, led by Mike Murray, celebrant.
The bride, a pianist, and groom, who plays guitar, also performed during their wedding, with the bride singing during the ceremony in her mother tongue, Basque. “I sang my vows,” said Miren-Maialen.
Celtic hand-fasting and an exchange of roses completed the ceremony — which also featured 18 songs from across the world. “For us, music was one of the most important parts of the wedding,” said the bride.
"Some of the songs were in Portuguese, Spanish, Basque, Italian, Irish, English and in Swahili."
Miren-Maialen wore a Morilee dress, which she purchased in The Bridal Outlet, Baldoyle, and the wedding flowers were by Irene Delaney, New Life Florist.
Vanessa Cooney from Aisle Do! Wedding Services supplied the ribbons for the hand-fasting.
“Our wedding day was the best day of our lives,” said Miren-Maialen.
“The global pandemic changed our wedding plans twice but it could not stop our love.”
Numerous musicians and singers performed at their wedding, including Luana Matos and Robson Rocha (L&R Project), Louise O’Connor and the Celtic Dance Party, Fabio Rodrigues, Rita Garland and Agnese D’Anna, Charro Dublin, and Justine Nantale.
“Music and dance are very important to us and the restrictions on live music for wedding receptions were lifted just five days before our wedding took place,” said the bride.
"A highlight of the wedding was when all guests stood up to dance as singer Justine Nantale performed my favourite song, Justine’s own composition My African Dream in Swahili and English.”
Among those close to the couple remembered during the occasion were the groom’s mother Mary, who passed away six years ago. “It was her wish for us to get married,” said Gerard.
Miren-Maialen and Gerard had first met 21 years before, on a trip to Glendalough in County Wicklow. “It was love at first sight,” said the bride.
Both Miren-Maialen and Gerard love dance as well as music, and their first date was at a salsa night at the Irish Film Institute days later.
Their first trip together in Ireland was to the Aran Islands, with the couple later travelling to Miren-Maialen’s home town of Donostia-San Sebastian.
They went on to live in São Paulo in Brazil for a year before returning to Dublin in 2004.
Gerard ensured Miren-Maialen’s favourite Brazilian forró song ( by Trio Dona Zefa) was playing as he proposed to her on the dance floor, on October 2, 2018.
Wedding photographer, Hu O’Reilly, captured the big day on camera, with videography was by Keith Malone.
The newlyweds honeymooned in Killarney and plan to visit Lisbon in Portugal this year.
- If you would like your wedding featured, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
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