Wedding of the Week: Fantastic day and another planned for those who couldn't make it
Kate Kenefick and Eóin Tallon. Pictures: Tara Donoghue Photography
Kate Kenefick and Eóin Tallon first met as students at Waterford Institute of Technology.
Kate, from Garryvoe in East Cork, and Eóin, from Dunmore Road, Waterford, went their separate ways when Kate moved to Dublin with work.
“But as fate would have it, we crossed paths again in 2017,” says Kate.
They were married recently in St Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney by Father Tom Rogers and held their reception in the five-star Muckross Park Hotel & Spa.
Killarney National Park was the backdrop to their pictures by photographer Tara Donoghue.
The couple’s decision to get wed in Killarney can be traced back to their engagement.
“As Covid restrictions lifted for the first time, and when the hotels reopened, we booked a weekend away in Kerry in July 2020,” says Kate.
En route, they stopped in Gougane Barra, where Eóin got down on one knee by St Finbarr’s Oratory at the lakeside, surprising Kate by popping the question.
“We then made our way to Killarney where we stayed in the Muckross Park Hotel & Spa. They were so kind and wonderful to us that weekend, we decided to go back for our big day,” she says.
“We wanted a timeless and traditional wedding incorporating our families. Family is so important to both of us.”
Toasting to their future happiness were the bride’s parents, Teresa and John Kenefick, and the groom’s mother and father, Claire and John Tallon. Kate’s parents were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary the same weekend.
Sinéad Wycherley, Kate’s sister, was her bridesmaid, along with Kate’s sister-in-law-to-be, Nicole Landers, who is engaged to the bride’s brother Eugene Kenefick.
The groom’s attendants were all childhood friends of Eóin’s, with Shane O’Sullivan as best man and Rory McCall and Eoin Higgins as groomsmen.
Sinéad’s son, and Kate’s nephew, Noah Wycherley was the pageboy, while Eóin’s niece, Freya Roche Tallon, was the flower girl.
“When we got engaged in 2020, we genuinely thought Covid would have been a distant memory by the time our big day came around on New Year’s Eve 2021. As we all know, Covid hung around. This meant the lead-up was incredibly stressful with the new variant only being identified a few weeks before the wedding. This led to more restrictions being implemented.”
The couple managed to celebrate “despite the chaos of Covid” says the bride. “The hotel and suppliers were wonderful, and we felt propped up by the love and support of our friends and families. Many of our nearest and dearest couldn’t attend, including my sister and her family. This gives us a perfect excuse to plan another celebration with all those who missed the wedding.”
Kate looked stunning in a Lucia gown by Wtoo by Watters from Memories bridal boutique in Cork and her makeup was picture-perfect thanks to Marilyn McSweeney, Killarney. Eóin and his party were dapper thanks to Fitzgerald’s Menswear, Waterford.
Kate designed her own engagement ring which was made by Alan Dalton of Alan Dalton Goldsmith in Dungarvan town who also made both their wedding bands.
Tie the Knot created the floral arrangements.
The newlyweds, who live halfway between both family homes, in Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, honeymooned in Dubai and the Maldives.
Kate is a senior compliance analyst for a pharmaceutical company and Eóin is a secondary school teacher in Waterford city.
- If you would like your wedding featured, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
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