Wedding of the Week: Sparklers, music and magic for Cork couple's big day in Kerry castle
Mairead Golden with her dad Pat Golden and Gavin O’Donovan. Pictures: Sarah Kate Murphy
January will always be a special month for Mairead Golden and Gavin O’Donovan.
Mairead, from Kilcorney and Cobh native Gavin first met on New Year’s Day two years ago. “We matched on Tinder and had our first date a week later — in Soma in Cork city,” says Mairead.
It was a case of love at first sight. “We went looking at engagement rings two and a half months after meeting, on March 23,” says Mairead. “We waited until December of that year (2023) to make it official but I think we both felt engaged from about two months after we met."
The couple, who now live in Rathcoole, were wed recently in a humanist ceremony in The Belfry at Ballyseede Castle, Tralee, Co Kerry, by Edel O Flynn, and held their reception at Ballyseede Castle.
Arriving in style in a luxury vintage car (Christy Buckley Vintage Hire) was the perfect way to get the party rolling. “Even if we hit every roadwork and red light from here to Tralee, luckily we had left in plenty of time,” says the bride.
Their photographer, Sarah Kate Murphy, was behind the camera, with videographer WedFilms also capturing the occasion for posterity. “We did a ‘first look’ before the ceremony and took most of the photos then, it was great to see each other for a while before all the madness started,” says the bride.
Mairead’s parents, Martina and Pat Golden, and Gavin’s mother and father, Patricia and Kevin O’Donovan, also led the celebrations, as did the bridesmaids, Helen Murphy, Carol Dillon and Kate O’Donovan, the best man Gavin Minihane and groomsmen Kieran O’Donovan and Daniel Golden.
The couple wanted their big day to be “relaxed and full of joy and love”, adds the bride. “We had 100 guests and one (incredibly well-behaved) baby — which was perfect,” she says.
“Gavin is a Gaeilgeoir so we wanted to bring in as much of that as we could so we had some readings and songs done in Irish.”
The bride wore the wedding ring that belonged to her grandmother, Peg Golden. “This was very special to me,” she says.
Mairead looked elegant in the dream wedding dress she sourced in The Moderne in Cork city and Gavin was dapper in a suit by Morley’s, Cork.
The bridal hairstyling was by Eurostyles in Millstreet and Georgina Mackessy was the makeup artist.
Maura Sheehy of Maura’s Cottage Flowers created the floral décor. “Maura also provided fresh flowers for my hair which were beautiful,” says the bride.
Artist Rachel Leahy painted live photos of guests as wedding favours and music was a real highlight — particularly the band Truly Diverse. “The dance floor didn’t empty for the night!” says Mairead.
Mairead strolled down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love, sung by Niamh Murphy — who also provided music for the drinks reception.
“I was also emailing our DJ, Bryan McDonnell, at 5.30am the morning of the wedding listing my favourite Taylor Swift songs to play and he was replying before 8am which was great service!” she says.
“We also had sparklers for that evening and Sarah Kate managed to get some wonderful photos of it.”
- If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
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