Wedding of the Week: Limerick couple wed with the wind at their backs
Ciara O’Shea and Mark O’Connor. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography
Ciara, from Dooradoyle, and Mark, from Corbally, got engaged on Diamond Beach in Iceland and, on their wedding day, posed for the camera on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
Ciara, a paediatric doctor, and Mark, a physiotherapist, spotted one another six years ago while both were working in University Hospital Limerick, when Mark was on his hospital placement.
“We had known each other prior, but not very well, as Mark is the uncle of one of my best friends, Rayna O’Brien,” says Ciara. “Mark and I went on our first date in December 2020 in House Limerick right before another [pandemic] lockdown.”
Mark popped the question four years later, on December 3, 2024.
“He wrote a series of notes on post-it stickers that he slipped into my pocket,” she says.
They were married in April 2026 in Our Lady Star of the Sea in Quilty, Co Clare, by Fr Chris O’Donnell and held their reception in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, Co Clare.
“Fr Chris made the ceremony very memorable by delivering his sermon using the game of 30 Seconds and making us answer the clues,” says Ciara.
“We felt pure happiness and joy on our wedding day and are so grateful that we received such a lot of love from everyone.”
Eve Stafford sang during the wedding ceremony, and Tea For Three Music entertained at the drinks reception.
The bride’s neighbour was their chauffeur, says Ciara: “A shoutout to Mark Benson, who drove the wedding car for us and made it to the church on time in the middle of a fuel strike!”
By her side as bridesmaids were Ciara’s best friends Aoife Gallagher and Rayna O’Brien, and her sisters Fiona and Laura O’Shea.
“Fiadh, Rayna’s daughter, was our altar server and also sang a song during the ceremony,” says Ciara.
Mark had two best men, Mark Shine and Kesh Blinov, with his childhood friends Ciaran O’Regan and Alan Kennedy as his groomsmen.
Ciara looked elegant in a Madison James wedding dress sourced in Memories, Cork, and the groom and his party were kitted out by Esquires, Limerick. Martina Garrihy (Instagram: @mimistina) was the hairstylist, and Lauren Sexton was the makeup artist.
Kaspars Sarovarcenko Black Diamond Photography (blackdiamondphotography.ie) was behind the camera, as was the content creator team LoveLens.
Ciara says: “The wind on the day was insane! As a lovely sentimental touch, I borrowed my veil from my best friend Aoife. It blew straight off, but thankfully not into the sea and off the cliff!”
Top of the Popz ensured the dancing continued after the newlyweds led the way onto the dance floor to Coldplay’s Feels Like I’m Falling in Love.
Celebrating with them were both sets of parents, Mary and Paul O’Shea and Mary and John O’Connor, as well as Ciara’s grandmother and godmother Breda Leahy, and grandmother Nora O’Shea.
“My granny Breda, who is 89 and has been through a lot of late, was wearing blue so she was my ‘something blue’,” says Ciara. “Breda is a queen. Not only did she make the wedding, but she was there until midnight and was up on the dance floor with her grandchildren and us. She even had a pornstar martini!”
The Flower Den, Ennis, devised the floral décor, and Deborah Guerin (@cakesbydeborah) baked the wedding cake.
“Bernie, a close family friend and wife of Ciara’s godfather, made a ton of cupcakes for the reception, which was a lovely personal touch,” adds Mark.
The couple, who are based in Limerick, will honeymoon in Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore.
- If you would like your wedding to feature in email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
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