A Glittering, Glamorous Four Seasons Carlingford Wedding by Kathy Silke

Real Weddings

“…Another dress was selected without trying on anything else – this wedding organising was easy peasy!”

The couple: Lisa Callan & John O’Sullivan
Length of engagement: 2 years | Wedding date: 1st July 2016
Wedding location: Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford, Co. Louth
Photographer: Kathy Silke Photography

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We met… John and I met when I first arrived at UCD to start college. We discovered a few weeks later he had actually given me my keys for my apartment. I was staying on campus and he worked as a residential assistant while he was in his final year. So after several coincidental meetings we had our first date in Stillorgan Leisureplex… (classy) I had wanted an active date and this is what he came up with. He also forgot his wallet so I paid which he later passed off as a strategic plan that meant he owed me a second date.

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Our proposal… After four fantastic years in UCD, I headed off to Aberdeen to study pharmacy which meant a long four years apart. We made the most of it with trips back and forward, counting down the days, hours and minutes until our next time together. To celebrate the end of my studies we planned an amazing trip to Thailand for three weeks before I started working. But while I thought this was our next holiday, John was planning something else. We spent a fab night in the fabulous Longueville House in Mallow where John had it all planned with rose petals on the bed asking the all-important question!

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My hair and makeup… My hair was done by Rita of Rita’s Mobile Hair Dressing. Makeup and the rest of the glam package was done by the fab girls at Beauty on the Loft. Both only required one trial in the days leading up as these girls are such pro’s!

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My dress… I had been creating boards etc. on Pinterest for a few months, and as my best friend and I were getting married just eight weeks apart and were each other’s bridesmaids, there was plenty of chat about dresses etc. Then one day she sent me a pic of dress she thought would really suit me and it was on sale. I had realised it was one I had Pinned a few weeks before. So chatting to my mum I said “oh this sale is on, should we take a look?” Mind you this was a full 18 months before the wedding so it really was just for a look. However, we came, we saw, we conquered! That day it just seemed everything was meant to be, we got parking so easily in Belfast city centre, there was no queue at the doors (we had seen scary pics on their Facebook) I tried on a different one first – just because – then I tried IT on and that was that! We left the shop with my dress under my arm! I absolutely loved it and knew it was just so me!

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What our bridal party wore…
The bridesmaid dresses were one of my favourite elements of the wedding. As mentioned above, the glamorous theme took off in my mind and after lots of Pinning and searching the internet I came across these most amazing dresses. I HAD to see them in the flesh. Searching stockist of Sorella Vita in Ireland I came up with The Town Bride in Powerscourt. I popped in to see them, and knew they were exactly what I wanted. Thankfully my wonderful bridesmaids were the perfect models for this style and could see what I had in my head. So another dress was selected without trying on anything else – this wedding organising was easy peasy!

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Our ceremony… Was at St Michael’s Carlingford. A family friend of John, Fr Sean McDonagh officiated our wedding which made it a very personal ceremony. Keltic Rhapsody provided the music which we kept very lively and upbeat. So many people commented on how great they were.

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We chose our photographer because… Kathy (Kathy Silke Photography) really cared and was passionate about our day from the moment I first emailed her. She engaged with me straight away about what we wanted and the kind of wedding we were planning. I just knew she would be so professional, easy going and that she would capture all of the important parts of our day.

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We chose our venue because… Carlingford is very picturesque and has so many options for people to stay, we knew people would make a staycation of it. The Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford was the obvious choice as it could accommodate our numbers and this is the main stay of their business so they really know how to deliver. Megan, the wedding coordinator at the Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford, was amazing from the minute we met her until we checked out of the hotel after our wedding. Actually the whole team were. From keeping in touch in the weeks before to embracing everything we asked for, right to me handing her a tiered cake made of cheese the night before, asking would she build it… not a bother!

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Our honeymoon… We took off two days after the wedding for an amazing three weeks travelling all over Italy from the mountains north of Milan to the stunning scenery along the Amalfi Coast. It was the perfect accompaniment to our fabulous day with all our family and friends.

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My favourite part of the wedding day… The speeches! Our parents and the boys were so kind with their words. We had so much fun and I was even coaxed into doing an impromptu one!

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My piece of advice for other brides… Don’t stress, things will go wrong but you won’t give them a second thought. All of your family and friends have made the effort to see you and your perfect partner get married, they won’t know about a small detail that has been missed out. Take it all in, don’t allow it to go too fast.

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Suppliers

Wedding Dress: Pronuptia Bridal Belfast | Flowers: Mille Fiori, Wedding Bespoke Florist | Bridesmaid Dresses: The Town Bride, Powerscourt | Junior bridesmaid: Drumross Designs | Suits: Louis Boyds Menswear Newry | Hair: Rita’s Mobile Hair Dressing | Make up: Beauty on the Loft | Mazda Car: Mazda Ireland | Venue: Four Seasons Hotel Carlingford | Church: St Michael’s Church, Carlingford | Photographer: Kathy Silke Photography