“It was very important to David that we spent our first Christmas together – it was the only part of our wedding plans that he insisted on!”
The couple: Karol-Ann Keenan & David Kenna
Length of engagement: 12 months | Wedding date: 19th December 2014
Wedding venue: Bellingham Castle, Co. Louth
Photographer: David Maury Photography
We met… In 2007 on a ski holiday. We were on holidays with our friends in the same ski resort and we ended up being in the same ski school. Both groups of friends all got talking during some après ski and David and I hit it off and kept in touch after the holiday was over.
Our proposal… was on Christmas Day 2013 on Dun Laoghaire pier. We normally spend Christmas Day with our families but David surprised me by arriving at my parents’ house early that morning which was the best Christmas present ever. He said his unexpected appearance was so he could go to our special family mass which is held in the old schoolhouse where my mum is from. It’s very special to our family as mass is only held there at Christmas and it’s for my mum’s parents. Afterwards he suggested that we go back to Wicklow for the evening so he could still spend Christmas with his mum and family. While we were getting dinner ready, he asked my Dad for permission which even after 7 years together I was really happy he did.
On the drive from Louth to Wicklow he suggested we stop off in Dun Laoghaire, it’s near where we used to live in Dublin and living in Canada we miss having a harbour and sea so close by. David suggested we take a walk down the pier and just as we stopped on the bandstand he dropped on to one knee and took me completely by surprise. It was such a magical night, the bandstand was lit up with fairy lights and I’m delighted he chose somewhere that was special to us.
My look on the day… My hair was done by Linda Lennon, who has been doing my hair for years and knows me so well. I felt so relaxed having her do my hair that morning, I didn’t have much time for trials so it was amazing to have someone who knows you well and she was so lovely to have around the house that morning. She knew exactly what would work for me and did an amazing job. Sarah Murphy Pro Make-up Artist did my make-up. My mum had met Sarah at the Bellingham Castle Wedding Fair and she was so impressed with her make-up looks. Sarah was a pleasure to have around the morning of the wedding, she did exactly what I was looking for and my make-up lasted really well into the late hours of the wedding.
My dress… Was a beaded lace Mori Lee by Madeline Gardner gown, purchased in Canada. I love dresses and shopping so I really enjoyed searching for my dress, but I did find it difficult to find what I wanted. Like most brides I didn’t buy the dress I went looking for, I had pictured wearing a princess style with long lace sleeves but it just wasn’t as comfortable and flattering as I had hoped. Luckily my mum flew over to help me make the final decision and I’m so happy she did.
Our wedding theme/colours… We really wanted to create a festive atmosphere with lots of warmth and keeping with the style of the castle. Our florist Ann was amazing and really brought the whole ‘winter berry’ theme together. She incorporated lots of berries, pine cones, silver brunai and vintage roses. We arranged it all entirely over email, and she did better than I could have ever imagined. The flowers were so beautiful I teared up when they were delivered that morning. She also decorated the church with some berries and lots of candles in tall crystal holders. She really created the magical festive atmosphere we wanted and I was thrilled with the result.
Our ceremony… Was in The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Louth Village. This is my local church where I grew up so it was very special to get married here. It also is very unique in that the exterior is over 100 years old yet the interior is modern and bright. We had beautiful candles to create a Christmas atmosphere, decorated with lots of pine cones and Christmas berries.
We chose our photographer because… We spent some time looking over lots of portfolios and we chose David Maury because we really liked his unobtrusive style and his ability to capture natural photographs. It was also important to us that we get on well with our photographer, as you spend a lot of time on the day with them. It is impossible not to like David, he is so friendly and kind and once we met him we knew he would work well with us. Our families even commented on how nice he was to have around on the day.
We chose our venue because… I was familiar with Bellingham Castle as I am from the area and we had attended family functions over the years. We were aware that there were new owners and that it had been renovated but when we went to visit it, it completely surpassed all our expectations. We were all so impressed, the castle is spectacular, and every single room is decorated so beautifully. There is so much attention to detail and it was perfection for us. We were also so impressed by the professionalism and reputation of Patrick and Ciara that we knew straight away that we had to book it. Also as we were planning a winter wedding it was ideal as we had plenty of opportunity for photographs inside the many rooms of the castle should the weather be bad.
We chose our wedding coordinator because… Ciara in Bellingham Castle was a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. She impressed us from the moment we met with her professionalism and competence. She was amazing to work with in the lead up to the wedding, any questions were answered immediately. On the day both her and Patrick were wonderful, they could not have done enough to ensure that our wedding was perfect and they made us and our guests feel so welcome.
Our honeymoon… We booked through gohop.ie and jetted off to the Caribbean for Christmas and New Years, it was very important to David that we spent our first Christmas together – it was the only part of our wedding plans that he insisted on. It was so nice to spend our first married Christmas together and relax in the sun especially when we would be going back to lots of snow in Canada.
Our menu…
Starter
Bellingham Castle Seafood Plate
Locally Smoked Salmon, Prawns, Crab Claw and Poached Salmon Rondelle
Soup
Creamy Roast Root Vegetable Soup with a swirl of Bellingham Wild Garlic Pesto
Main
Chargrilled Fillet of Irish Angus Beef topped with Sauteed Onions and Wild Mushroom Brandy Cream Peppercorn Sauce
Five Spice Silver Hill Half Duck with Slow Braised Red Cabbage and Fresh Orange Sauce
Supreme of Irish Chicken with Mozzarella, Sundried Tomato and Basil Stuffing with Mushroom and Bell Pepper Garlic Sauce
Dessert
French-Style Glazed Lemon Tart with Crystallised Lemon and Chocolate Dipped Strawberry
My favourite part of the wedding day… I loved every minute of the day from getting ready right up to dancing but the stand out moment for me was walking down the aisle. It’s a little clichéd but it’s a moment that I treasure and it truly was the most amazing feeling as I walked with my Dad. In that moment you realise it’s really happening and all the months of planning aside, you’re about to marry the love of your life, and really that’s all that matters.
My piece of advice for other brides… Have lots of lists to keep track of everything and if possible try to keep the days leading up to the wedding free, it’s so lovely to relax and enjoy all the excitement with your family and friends. It was particularly nice for us to catch up with everyone since we live abroad. Try to delegate, I didn’t but I wish I did, friends really want to help and like to feel part of your day. It will make everything a lot more enjoyable if you let people help you.
Lastly, get a videographer, it was the best decision we made. We almost didn’t book one but we are so pleased that we did, I love photographs but it’s so nice to have our video to watch back, the guys from DC Media captured some lovely moments that we didn’t even notice on the day.
Suppliers
Photographer: David Maury Photography | Venue: Bellingham Castle, Louth | Hair: Linda Lennon | Make up: Sarah Murphy Pro Makeup Artist | Bridesmaids: David’s Bridal | Flower Girl: Debenhams | Florist: Flowers By Ann, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan | Band & DJ: The Temptations | Videographer: DC Media, Irish Wedding Film | Photobooth: Booths of Fun, David Quinn | Honeymoon: Gohop.ie | The Love Story Board: SweetBeeCreates, Etsy
