Wedding of the Week: Kelly and Martin returned from a land down under to say 'I do' in Cork

The couple’s one-year-old son, Tommy McGregor, was a star of the show, sharing pageboy duties with Kelly’s nephew and godson, Noah Kavanagh, and the bride’s twin nieces, Lucie and Lillie Kavanagh, were the flower girls.

Sat, 15 Apr, 2023 - 21:00

Eve Kelliher

Cork couple Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor touched down in Ireland for the first time in three years to exchange vows.

Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor with Ciara Kavanagh, Janet Cummins and Aaron McGregor and Shane Cullinane. Pictures: Dermot Sullivan

Kelly, from Model Farm Road, and Martin, from Parklands, have been living in Sydney, Australia for the past six years.

“We came home to get married after we had to postpone the event due to the covid pandemic,” says the bride.

Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor. Pictures: Dermot Sullivan

They were wed in a ceremony led by celebrant Rose Mummery in the Kinsale Hotel & Spa on December 30, with the reception taking place in the same venue.

Helping them celebrate were their parents, Pamela and Tom Kavanagh and Lynda and Tony McGregor.

Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor with their guests. Pictures: Dermot Sullivan

“My nan also travelled from Birmingham for the wedding,” says Kelly.

The bride’s sister, Ciara Kavanagh, was her maid of honour while her friend, Janet Cummins, was her bridesmaid.

Martin’s brother, Aaron McGregor, was by his side as his best man while his friend, Shane Cullinane, was his groomsman.

Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor with their son Tommy McGregor. Pictures: Dermot Sullivan

“Tommy made the day extra special as it was also the first time all our family and friends got to meet him,” says Kelly.

Their photographer, Dermot Sullivan, captured the big day, including a shoot at Charles Fort, and Brian Guilfoyle from Two Paws Video filmed the occasion.

Kelly and Martin’s paths first crossed in Rearden’s Bar on Washington Street in Cork.

Kelly Kavanagh and Martin McGregor with their wedding party. Pictures: Dermot Sullivan

“We had our first interaction in June 2016 the day of the Ireland and France Euros game,” says Kelly, “I am 5’ 2” tall, and I was struggling to get the barmaid’s attention when Martin stepped in and waved her over to me. I thanked him and that was it — we both went our separate ways.”

The following week, they spotted one another in the nightclub of the same venue.

“We were in the Voodoo Rooms and we bumped into each other again. Martin gave me a smile as I walked past and asked me to dance. We shared our first kiss outside the famous Hillbilly’s fast-food restaurant and the rest is history,” says Kelly.

Fast-forward two years and nearly 13,000km across the globe and Martin surprised Kelly with a candlelit proposal.

“We got engaged in Bali on September 16, 2018,” says Kelly.

“Martin had booked a holiday. I had thought it was for his birthday which is September 17 but that wasn’t the case. He organised a beautiful dinner in the restaurant in the Ayana Hotel. It was set up for just the two of us. Martin went down on one knee and popped the question.”

Kelly looked stunning in a Ronald Joyce dress bought in Sydney and Martin and his party were dapper thanks to Morleys Suit Hire, Grand Parade, Cork.

Three Degrees Hair Salon created the bridal hairstyling while Christine O’Connor, Ballincollig, was the makeup artist.

The bride’s mother, Pamela, created the floral arrangements. “She picked up a flair for flower arranging during the pandemic so she offered to do the flowers and our centrepieces for the wedding and they were out of this world,” says Kelly.

“My ‘something old’ was my headpiece — it belongs to my aunt Viv who wore it 20 years ago on her wedding day.”

Martin, a bricklayer who is also studying to be a quantity surveyor, and Kelly, a hairstylist, plan to honeymoon in Greece. “We will stay in Sydney for the time being, but Ireland will always be home and we will be back someday,” says Kelly.