Fancy a hardcore DIY treat today missies? Well, that is exactly what we have got for you! Captured by the ever fabulous Julie Cummins, today’s couple packed their wedding with inspirational ideas perfectly tailored to suit them.
Deirdre and Eoin met by chance through a mutual friend during the Stereophonics’ set at Slane Concert in 2002, when they were just 16 and 17 year old teenagers. Ten years later and they were back at that same special venue when Eoin proposed.
“Knowing that Slane Castle held some meaning, Eoin contacted the management of Slane Castle to ask if he could ‘borrow’ it for the big question. A little unorthodox, the request had to be given the green light by Lord Henry Mountcharles who was only too happy to oblige. I arrived home from New York the morning of the engagement and, suffering with jetlag, had to be persuaded to ‘go for a drive’ with Eoin. With a good piece of acting by the Slane Castle staff, and me oblivious to why they were there, Eoin asked me to be his wife in the ballroom of the castle!”
With their wedding day booked for September 2013, Dee and Eoin travelled to many venues across the North-East but kept being drawn back to their special place, Slane Castle.
“The castle has such a special significance to us and it’s a gorgeous venue for a personalised wedding. Having a private venue for our guests was a necessity and the layout of the castle meant we could move between the three floors for various parts of the reception, each room bringing different décor and styling elements,” explains Dee.
To keep the wedding personal, Dee and Eoin drew up a guest list early on in the planning process that totalled 92 of their nearest and dearest. This helped immensely when they were looking at layouts, catering options, budgets and the overall vision for the day.
With strong ideas of how she wanted her wedding to look, Dee went with a theme of pearls, laces and bows and incorporated special DIY elements in the favours, invitations and wedding flowers. Her ‘wedding maestro’, otherwise known as Dee’s mum took sole control of the wedding flowers and the vintage fabric napkins which were individually made and sewn. Each child received a personalised napkin with their initial sewn into the fabric which was added to their personalised gift bags.
“I spotted the drop waist, art-deco style belt and pockets in the gown and the decision was instantly made. As I was a little uncomfortable with the strapless nature of the dress the girls immediately suggested a variety of shoulder and strap options that their in-house seamstress added to my dress. I was so impressed by them that I also ordered my veil and chose my Amsale blush pink silk bridesmaids dresses from The Suite.”
“To maintain the family focus and individuality of the wedding, as well as being as cost-effective as possible, we sought help from friends and family on every aspect. The wedding cake was designed and made by Eoin’s sister, Ciara McCluskey. The pinwheels, outdoor décor and cootie-catchers were made by Eoin’s other sister, Niamh. The videographer was my uncle. The groom hand-made the key table plan and peg-board seating chart. A particularly helpful aspect was having an incredibly talented wedding hairdresser as a bridesmaid, Michelle O’Halloran who was on 24 hour duty throughout the day. The handmade nature of the wedding extended beyond this with vintage inspired invitations and mass booklets provided by Arbee Cards of Belfast, and china and glassware at the drinks reception in Slane Castle was provided by Pearl & Godiva.”
Couple’s highlights:
“It really is too difficult to choose one highlight from the day. From the excitement of the rehearsal and preparations the week before, to seeing all our friends and family on the day, through to our first dance in the Ballroom of Slane Castle, they were all memories that will last forever with us. It really was the most enjoyable day possible for both of us.”
Advice for other couples:
“Take your time in preparing your wedding, making sure you add all the elements that will make it personal and intimate. Buy a scrap book! Any pictures you like, ideas you have, pop them into the scrap book so that you can see your ideas developing. Follow your own likes and interests, at the end of the day your wedding is a reflection of your love and vision for the day, not someone else’s idea of it. And most of all, enjoy every minute. It is a really special and amazing few days in your life!”
Deirdre and Eoin’s Wedding Suppliers:
Photographer: Julie Cummins Photography.
Reception venue: Slane Castle, Slane.
Wedding and bridesmaid dresses: The Suite, Drury Street, Dublin.
Groomswear: Remus Uomo at Bogart Menswear, Newry.
Wedding cake: Groom’s sister- Ciara McCluskey. Additional cupcakes: Brown Hound Bakery, Drogheda.
Flowers: Bride’s mum.
Bridal cars: Dixons Wedding Cars, Dundalk.
Videographer: Tom Carolan, Monasteraboice.
Lighting: MG Audio, Navan.
Entertainment: Ceremony – Nicolas Puyane. Reception- The Suite Music.
Hair: Michelle O’Halloran Hairstyling.
Make Up: Emma Farrell Make Up.
Evening food: Crepes & Craic.
Stationery: Arbee Cards, Belfast.
Teacups: Pearl & Godiva.
