How to plan the perfect wedding: Brides and grooms of 2022 share their top tips
"Celebrate every win — no matter how big or small."
Their stories held us spellbound, so pay attention if you’re planning to walk up the aisle in 2023: The brides and grooms who starred in some of our most popular Weddings of the Week over the past 12 months are here to share their planning secrets.
First off the mark are Mary Ellen Creedon and Noel Moynihan.
She and Noel, from Kilcummin, Killarney, have this to say to anyone getting engaged: “Book vendors and the hotel as soon as you know the date as popular vendors book out quickly!”
Use an Excel sheet to compile your guest list, adds Mary Ellen. “You can check off when you send an invite and when an RSVP is received so as it’s easier to follow up if people haven’t responded, it can also be used for gifts and thank-yous,” she says.
Do what you want, says this bride: “It’s your day at the end of the day.
“Before we cancelled our wedding due to Covid, we had 250 guests because people were telling us, ‘You have to invite this person and that person.
“When we had to cut numbers due to Covid it worked out much better as we had our close friends and family.”
Lastly, she says: “Just enjoy the lead-up and the big day it’s over before you know it!”
Another Kerry couple, Marie Morris and Garry Tangney, postponed their wedding no fewer than five times due to the pandemic but when they finally got to exchange vows on Saturday, April 23, it was “worth the wait”.
The bride and groom, who were wed in Killarney, travelled by horse-drawn carriage and had the world-famous Gap of Dunloe as a backdrop.
“We learned a lot: We planned it five times so by the end we were just so happy to have the day go ahead with all our nearest and dearest,” says Marie.
“I know this sounds cliché but we honestly wouldn’t change a thing. We were so, so happy with our venue and all our suppliers. They were all so accommodating during the whole Covid crisis and rescheduling dates.”
A relaxing lunch together on the eve of the big day is a good way to unwind, says this bride.
“The week leading up to the wedding can be very busy so book lunch somewhere really nice the day before the wedding,” says Marie.
“It was so lovely just to soak up the moment and have some time out together before the big day.
“Check in with all your suppliers two months before the wedding to confirm dates, and meeting points,” adds Marie.
“My final tip would be just to enjoy the whole planning process and the day itself. It really is the best day of your life and just goes so quickly. Everything eventually falls into place and they may be certain things that you just can’t control. We were finally able to get married and celebrate our day with all our family and friends which was magical.”
‘Wedmin’ was what it was all about once Niamh Breen and Graham Murphy got engaged.
Niamh, from Kenmare, Co Kerry, and Graham, from Grove Place, Derry city, live in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and exchanged vows in Holy Cross Church in Kenmare.
“Soon after we got engaged we used to sit together and do ‘wedmin’ which is really enjoyable when you have time dedicated to planning the big day,” says Niamh.
“We learned you can plan almost everything well in advance,” says the bride.
“We found this not only helped financially but it also reduced stress and allowed us to enjoy the week leading up to the wedding and spend time with our guests.
“This is based on having very trustworthy suppliers who you know and you can depend on to do a good job.”
Turn up and enjoy the day “without micromanaging every detail”, says Niamh: “That was our approach. If we were to do it again we would have a list of ‘must have’ family photos,” she adds.
If the bride “has any inkling at all about making a speech on the day prepare it in advance”, says Niamh.
Invest time and money in your venue and music, says Niamh.
Hold a low-key welcome party for the guests in a local bar or restaurant the evening before so guests can meet and mingle before the big day, adds the bride.
Mary O’Sullivan and Paul Lingwood met and got engaged in Australia and returned “home” to their native Cork to celebrate their big day in the Trident Hotel, Kinsale.
Mary, from Parklands, and Paul, from Ballinlough, are based in Sydney, with their son, Ollie.
Start planning early, says, Mary. “This way, you have more options when it comes to organising the big factors like the venue, band, photographer and florist,” she adds.
Another lovely idea from Mary and Paul is to “have some alone time” on the wedding day.
“We had our photographs taken at Charles Fort [Kinsale], just the two of us and that was a nice break to enjoy and live in the moment before heading back to join the wedding party,” says Mary.
“Having our nearest and dearest together to share our special day with us — it was third time lucky after postponing our date three times,” adds the bride.
“We didn’t have enough sleep the few days beforehand. It’s such a big few days in your life, and so are the days immediately after, so I wish I had had more sleep!” she says.
“Create a spreadsheet and tick items off as you go,” says Mary. “And don’t sweat the small stuff, everything works out in the end.”
Kerry couple Gillian Healy and Thomas Dineen first met on the school run — and Tom even proposed at the school gates.
Their daughters also played a key role when Gillian and Thomas exchanged vows last November — Alexandara, Heather, Abi and Robyn MacNamara were the bridesmaids while Vivienne Dineen was the best person.
Gillian, from Tralee, and Thomas, from Ballyheigue, were wed in The Boathouse at the Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare.
“The important thing we learnt was including all our children in the wedding ceremony made them feel very important on the day as the children were the link that brought us together in the first place,” says Gillian.
“We also learned that having the wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue made it so easy on the day of the wedding.
“Also because we had the wedding at The Sheen Falls it made the photographs absolutely fabulous.
Having both a great photographer and videographer was so important as it allows you to look back afterwards and see everything all over again including things you may have missed,” says Gillian.
“As a tip for anyone for 2023, we would definitely recommend keeping your numbers to a minimum as you will be able to meet and greet all your guests on the day and they will all feel welcomed.”
Cork couple Hansey Sexton and Gary Power could not have wished for a better wedding backdrop to let everyone know they meant the world to each other.
Gaia is the name of the seven-metre-wide rotating sculpture of Planet Earth that was suspended from the vaulted ceiling of Cobh’s St Colman’s Cathedral as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival.
It was in St Colman’s that Hansey, from Glanmire, and Gary, from Blackrock, exchanged wedding vows, on Friday, June 17, having had to postpone the event due to the pandemic.
“We finally got married on our fourth attempt after postponing three times due to Covid, so it’s fair to say we learned that things can go wrong when planning,” says Hansey.
“We had to change vendors and find new people to help us with our big day, but thankfully it all worked out well for us.”
“People can get caught up in all the planning, but at the end of the day once your family and closest friends are there nothing else really matters,” she adds.
“We had a lot of family and friends travel from all over the world to be at our special day so we were very grateful.
“Luckily we really don’t think there would be anything we would change about the day! It was like the stars aligned for us on our special day.
“The addition of the magnificent ‘Gaia’ globe in Cobh Cathedral was just spectacular and we feel very lucky to be able to say that we were married under such an iconic, once-in-a-lifetime setting.
“Having our daughter there was the best thing about the day and it was special, with her name being Gia, which was so close to the name Gaia.
“Celebrate every win — no matter how big or small — as a team. We had a long road to our big day, but we made up for it by celebrating every step of the way — when we collected the rings, we celebrated; when we collected the suit and dress, we celebrated! It made the build-up more exciting and the run-up to the big day even more special.”
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