Wedding of the Week: Mamma Mia! Local wine, music and dancing in a taverna

James and Seán were married in Naxos and brought the Child of Prague statue and two Irish sixpences with them to ensure good luck and good weather

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann. Pictures: Georgia Gilroy

Sun, 13 Nov, 2022 - 18:02

Eve Kelliher

I'm not sure a wedding on a Greek island could be complete without the couple and their guests bursting into song and dance routines to the soundtrack of Mamma Mia! in a taverna on the eve of the ceremony.

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann were married on Naxos, on September 7 — but not before the grooms and their friends and family took time out to channel Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth and other stars of the musical hit.

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann with their parents and wedding party

The night before they exchanged vows James, from Kells, County Meath, and Seán, from Dundrum, Dublin 14, enjoyed a rooftop dinner at sunset in the old town area. “After, we met with the wedding guests in a taverna. There was so much excitement (and local wine and beer) that the staff put on the 'Mamma Mia!' soundtrack at the insistence of one of Seán's aunts,” says James.

“The locals got up and joined the wedding guests for a brilliant night of dancing.”

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann were married in Naxos

The couple had also unpacked some Irish traditions when they reached their accommodation.

“We had brought a Child of Prague statue and left it in the flower pot on our balcony the night before the wedding,” says James. “As for our ‘something old’: We asked my father if we could borrow two of his old Irish sixpences. Years back, Irish brides and grooms would wear a sixpence in their shoe for both luck and good weather. Coincidentally we rescued a greyhound puppy from Dogs Trust in June. Unfortunately, we weren't able to bring her with us — but the old Irish sixpences have a greyhound on the back, so we had her with us in spirit on the day.”

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann were married by their friend Niall MacAllister

The couple exchanged vows in Santana Beach Club on Agia Anna Beach in Naxos where their friend Niall MacAllister was the celebrant, and the reception took place in the same venue.

The ceremony took place on the beach under a wooden arch. “It was adorned with olive leaves to match the groomsmaids' bouquets, our mothers' corsages, and the gents' boutonnieres,” adds James. “Our fathers and groomsmen wore rainbow pins on their shirts.

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann with Ronan Hederman and Steven Ingle

“Our groomsmen presented a handfasting cord made by my mother and our rings in a handmade presentation box made by my father that we filled with sand from the beach.

“Throughout our ceremony, people gathered along the edges of the venue on the beach. They drank and watched in silence as we exchanged our vows, and when everyone cheered at the end of the ceremony they joined in.”

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann and their guests

Afterwards, the grooms and their guests toasted to their happiness at a G&T reception. “Seán works for The Shed Distillery and the team were kind enough to gift a case of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin to us for the big day,” says James.

The newlyweds and their 70s guests feasted on an eight-course meal. “After the speeches, we made our way to the beach for our first dance in the sand under fireworks. We cut our cake, and then the dancing began and didn't stop until early morning,” says James.

Their honeymoon took the newlyweds to Santorini. Among those raising a glass to the newlyweds were both sets of parents, Marie and Eddie Mitchell and Anne and Joe MacGabhann.

James' groomsmaid was his sister Louise Sheppard, who celebrated her 30th birthday also on the big day.

By his side as his best man was his friend, Ronan Hederman.

Seán chose his sister Méabh MacGabhann to be his groomsmaid and his friend Steven Ingle to be his best man.

James and Seán first met one another on an online dating app. “We communicated for the first three or four months of knowing each other through messages on WhatsApp and Instagram,” says James.

They got engaged during pandemic times. “Seán took me for our usual lockdown walk up to Walker's Wood in Stepaside on a misty October Sunday morning back in 2020. We got to a clearing where we'd normally stop for a rest and Seán got down on one knee!” says James.

“We had been to Greece together the summer before and fallen in love with Naxos — the scenery, the people, the weather, the energy. It just made sense.”

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann got engaged in October 2022

Two of James' classmates from DCU's Multimedia programme, Georgia Gilroy and Aisling Larkin, were their photographer and videographer, respectively.

“Two of our best friends, a married couple named Shannon and Ciara Murphy-Howard, were our wedding singers,” adds James. “Shannon was a finalist on 'The Voice of Ireland' many moons ago, and we were best men at their wedding last year.”

James Mitchell and Seán MacGabhann had Shannon and Ciara Murphy-Howard as singers at their wedding

The grooms took a sustainable approach to the wedding planning. “With Seán having a master’s in Marine Biology and we decided to avoid any rubbish, waste, or plastic on the beach. Our confetti was made from olive leaves that one of Seán's Marine Biology classmates and best friends (who lives on the Greek mainland) brought to the island via ferry a few days before the wedding,” says James.

James and Seán had an eight-course meal, fireworks and plenty dancing at their wedding

James is a graphic/multimedia designer and Seán is a marketing manager. The couple live in Meath. “We hope to have our mortgage and our home within the next year,” says James.