“After all the planning, it’s so lovely to have all your family and friends with you when you exchange your vows.”
The couple: Caroline Keogh & Michael Dwan
Length of engagement: 15 months | Wedding date: 17th September 2017
Wedding venue: BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Co. Wicklow
Photographer: Konrad Kubic Photography
We met… at university in Aberdeen in 2006, however, we were friends for many, many years before we started going out!
Our proposal… Michael took me totally by surprise and proposed to me in the grounds of Kilkenny Castle in May 2016. He had put a huge amount of thought and effort into preparing a scrapbook for the occasion and I was so shocked I said ‘Thanks’ instead of ‘Yes’ when he asked me to marry him!! He had arranged for us to go to Antwerp the following day to get my engagement ring. It was really amazing.
My hair and makeup… Anita from Honey Blonde, Wexford did our hair. She had previously done Michael’s sister Emma’s wedding so I knew I was in good hands and she did an amazing job on the day. My good friend, Louise Flynn who is based in Waterford did my makeup and again it was reassuring to know I was in such capable hands on the day so I could relax and enjoy the preparations.
My dress… I got my dress in B Couture in Arklow. The ladies there are fantastic to deal with. It is a Ronald Joyce dress and I had tried it on originally in another store in ivory and I loved it. When we went to B Couture, they had it in the champagne colour and when I saw it hanging on the rail among all the other lovely ivory dresses I thought it looked awful. I only tried it on because it was my size but once I put it on I loved the colour. It just shows not to judge or discount any dresses until you try them on as they can look totally different on the hanger.
What our bridal party wore… I only had one bridesmaid and she had free reign to choose whatever she liked. Her dress came from Phase Eight and I loved how it complemented the colour of my dress in the photos.
Our ceremony… we had a humanist ceremony in BrookLodge. Billy Hutchinson was our celebrant and made the ceremony very personal. The music was provided by Michael’s sisters Emma and Mary-Rose and Paul Fagan accompanied them on the piano. Aside from the food, the ceremony was our favourite part of the day.
Our videographer… We weren’t sure whether to get a videographer or not. However, I came across Little Bear Films online and loved Kevin’s style so we contacted him and he was a pleasure to deal with from our first email to receiving the video. Your wedding day is such a special day, you absolutely need a video and I would have no hesitation in telling everyone to book Kevin. He captures all the emotions of the day and I love watching our video.
His suit… Michael went to Louis Copeland on Wicklow Street and got sorted from head to toe.
We chose our photographer because… I actually came across Konrad (Konrad Kubic Photography) on a real wedding story on online which encouraged us to share ours. We loved his style and how natural his photos were. On meeting Konrad initially, we knew that he was the right choice. He is very professional and his work is of a very high standard. He captured moments that I never even noticed on the day and our photos are fabulous. They are a great memory to have of a wonderful day.
Our wedding theme/colours… we had a small wedding of 40 guests. We knew from the start that was what we wanted and we have no regrets. We had everything exactly how we wanted it which I think is really important for all brides and grooms to remember. Local florist, Sharon Keogh, did a beautiful job with the flowers and decorated the chapel and the bridge for us along with doing the bouquets. I was delighted with them on the day.
We chose our venue because… we had been to BrookLodge several times for breaks and we love it there. The setting is beautiful but more importantly for us, the food is always top class. This was the main reason we chose this venue and we were not disappointed on the day.
Our menu… our meal was slightly unusual in that we had a ‘Big Table Experience’ in the Strawberry Tree restaurant. We all sat around one table and it was a banquet. It meant that you didn’t have to make a choice and everybody got to eat all of the courses. Although some guests were a little anxious about the prospect of ‘sharing’, they got over this when they saw the quantity of food!! Initially we had an elderflower sorbet. The starter courses included smoked salmon, goats cheese and cured meats. The main courses included roast chicken, beef tenderloin, wild halibut, venison and home-made gnocchi with root vegetables and potatoes as sides. Finally, there was the most amazing chocolate dessert pot. It really was a feast and the food was exceptional.
My favourite part of the wedding day… it’s really hard to pick one! For us it was the ceremony. It’s a really special part of the day and after all the planning, it’s so lovely to have all your family and friends with you when you exchange your vows. The meal was also a highlight and a very close second place!!
My piece of advice for other couples… to plan your day exactly as you and your husband want it to be. I wouldn’t change a thing about our day and we have such happy memories. It is easy to get caught up in the madness when planning but stay true to what you want as a couple. We are so happy with our photographs and our wedding video (Little Bear Films). They are the two things that I would advise any couple to spend their money on. You will get back so much from what you invest. When the day is over, it is your photos and video that will remind you of what a wonderful day it was.
Suppliers
Venue: BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Wicklow | Photographer: Konrad Kubic Photography | Videographer: Little Bear Films | Wedding Dress: B Couture | Groom’s Suit: Louis Copeland & Sons | Invitations: Hazel at Coill Design | Flowers: Sharon Keogh from Blossom Hill Florist | Headpiece: Willow & Wild by Bonzie | Piano: Paul Fagan – Pianomaster.ie | Band: The Hitmen Trio
