Wedding of the Week: Gillian and Nicky greeted by Mayfield GAA clubmates' guard of honour
Gillian Fitzgerald and Nicky Kelly walking through a GAA guard of honour. Pictures: Sean Sharpe
A real-life fairytale is how Cork couple Gillian Fitzgerald and Nicky Kelly describe their wedding in Kerry.
Gillian and Nicky exchanged vows on June 12 in St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney, with their reception at the Great Southern Killarney hotel, where Nicky’s clubmates from Mayfield GAA greeted them, hurleys aloft, in a guard of honour.
Gillian, from Glanmire, Cork, and Nicky, from Mayfield, Cork, now live in Montenotte in the city, where they bought and renovated Gillian’s grandmother’s house.
The couple first met on a night out in December 2016 through mutual friends and got engaged in November 2023 in Dubai, at the world’s tallest choreographed fountain at the base of the Burj Khalifa.
Because of their strong involvement in the GAA and large circle of family and friends, they knew from the start they would have “a big guest list”, says Gillian. “Our vision was to create adestination-style wedding in Ireland — something that would span an entire weekend,” she says.
They were married by family friend Fr Michael Keohane. “Fr Michael was the parish priest in Mayfield when Nicky’s hurling team won the Junior All-Ireland final in 2017,” says Gillian.
Helping them celebrate their big day were the bride’s parents, Norma and John Fitzgerald, and the groom’s dad, Jim Kelly. Very much in their thoughts were Nicky’s mother and brother, the late Mary and David Kelly.
“Many of our guests pointed out that the sun shone on Nicky and me during some of the most poignant moments of the day. As we exited the church, guests also spotted a feather on the train of my dress. We truly felt the presence of Nicky’s mum and brother through these moments,” says Gillian.
She visited 10 bridal boutiques in two months in her quest for the perfect wedding dress, starting and finishing at Memories in Cork.
“The moment I tried it on, I knew it was the one I had been waiting for — a beautiful gown by US designer Madison James. I absolutely loved the dress-shopping experience,” she says.
Nicky, his best man, groomsmen, and both dads wore classic black tuxedos from Red Church, Cork.
The bridesmaid dresses were from Diamond Bridal, Cork, while Cathyanne Bridal Hair and Sarah Cummins were the hair and make-up team.
The bride chose her sister Stephanie Fitzgerald as her maid of honour and her cousin Erika O’Donoghue and friend Clare Harrington as her bridesmaids.
The groom’s brothers, Shane and Stephen Kelly, were his best man and groomsman respectively, and his nephew Darragh Kelly, son of his late brother Dave, was also his groomsman.
Nicky’s nephew Cillian Kelly was the pageboy, while his nieces Aisling Kelly and Mary-Kate Kelly were the flowergirls. The newlyweds travelled in style in a chauffeur-driven 1958 Bentley from Pristine Classic Occasions.
“Our wedding day was truly magical — like a real-life fairytale,” says Gillian. “We didn’t stop smiling for a single minute. The love, joy, and energy throughout the day were palpable.”
Photographer Sean Sharpe and videographer DG Video, as well as content creator And Something Blu, captured the occasion on camera.
Claire Heffernan was the vocalist for the Mass.
“I have always loved the music from and Claire performed just before the bridal procession. I could hear it from outside the church, and it gave everyone goosebumps,” says Gillian.
Munster String Quartet delivered a selection of the newlyweds’ favourite movie scores at the drinks reception. Band J90, followed by DJ and Sax, kept the musical momentum going until the small hours.
Tie the Knot Weddings created the floral decor and Gary Wells, of O’Carrolls Cakes, baked the cake.
“For day two, we organised buses to Kate Kearney’s Cottage in the Gap of Dunloe, which was so much fun.”
The newlyweds enjoyed a mini-moon in Marbella.
- If you would like your wedding in , email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie.
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