Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of northern Portugal, Quinta Lago dos Cisnes—meaning "Swan Lake"—combines timeless charm with modern sophistication. It offers stunning gardens, serene lakes, and breathtaking architecture and was the perfect venue for actress Ciara Bailey and ex-Waterford United player Kevin Waters' wedding on the 3rd of May, 2024. Captured by Miguel Cunha and featured in the Autumn issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS, we adore this star-studded destination wedding!
The pair have known each other since childhood, with Kevin growing up next door to Ciara's cousins in Clonmel. Over the years, the families have become friends and have been on many holidays around Ireland. "As adults, our paths crossed again when I was Miss Waterford, and he was playing for Waterford United. Several years later, at my cousin's wedding, he finally mustered up the courage to ask me out!"
"Initially, Kevin planned a trip abroad, but everything was cancelled due to the pandemic. He then had a couple of failed attempts at organising a weekend trip to Kerry. On one occasion, he booked the Europe Hotel, then on another, he booked the Lake Hotel, but both were cancelled due to the COVID-19 guidelines. Luckily, Kevin didn’t take all these failed attempts as a sign! He had to wait several months until hotels opened again, wanting to make it special. Eventually, he booked a weekend away in Killarney and, knowing my love for dolphins, planned to bring me to see Fungie and propose at a picnic afterwards. Unfortunately, Fungie disappeared a few weeks before our booking, and we had torrential rain on the day! (Again, some more signs he chose to ignore!) So, our picnic turned into a romantic dinner at Aghadoe Heights, which was perfect!"
In the lead-up to the wedding, Ciara upped her routine with regular hydra facials. "A few products I swear by for that extra glow and rejuvenation for any upcoming bride include taking a daily collagen drink, using ASAP Liquid Platinum, and, finally, my godsend: my friend's eco-luxury natural skincare brand ‘NINI’ which is a staple in my beauty regimen." She was fortunate to have her talented friends Sarah Swift and Louise Walsh, who owns Willow Hair Boutique in Waterford, to look after her hair on the day. "They knew exactly what I wanted: loose, natural, and elegant, which you could still pin a veil to. My makeup artist, who is also a great friend of mine, Lyndsey Waring, did an incredible job keeping my make-up natural, dewy and soft."
After modelling at wedding fairs for years, Ciara had a fair idea of the style of dress she wanted. "Surprisingly, I chose the first dress I tried on at ‘La Boda Bridal’ in Banbridge. My mother Anne was with me and had always dreamed of buying my wedding dress for me, just as my grandmother did for her, so it was extra special. I opted for a stunning Milla Nova dress with a beautiful plunging V-neckline, an open back with semi-transparent lace, and a long train. I paired it with a long cathedral veil to match. Its romantic and elegant style perfectly complemented our venue."
"I left the suit entirely up to Kevin, which I was slightly nervous about! Thankfully, he agreed that a black tie would suit our venue. Kevin wore a fitted dark navy and black tailored suit with a black-painted shoe from Fitzgerald’s in Waterford. Fitzgerald’s is a family-owned business in Waterford for years, so we wanted to support local where we could."
"My bridal party consisted of my childhood friends Lynda and Lyndsey, my sister-in-law (who's practically like a sister to me) Aoife, and my friend from London, Priya. Although I should mention the three most important people who were also in the Bridal Party that stole the show – my nephews Cein and Joe and Kevin’s niece Amelia!" Unlike finding her wedding dress, Ciara found the process of picking bridesmaids dressed very difficult. "I asked my bridesmaids to share styles they would be comfortable in, and I didn’t mind what style; I just wanted them all to feel beautiful on the day." After a lot of searching online and in boutiques, she eventually found the perfect bridesmaid dress, a beautiful burnt orange floor-length dress with a cowl neckline, from Chosen in a boutique in the UK.
"Our ceremony was simple, relaxed, and incredibly personal. We were fortunate to have my very good friend John Mason, who flew from America to be our celebrant for the day. Having him there made both Kevin and I feel at ease. John shared humorous and personal stories about us, including moments that made us all laugh, which added a special touch to the ceremony. As a seasoned presenter, John handled everything easily, but having him up there with us meant the world to Kevin and me. My favourite part was probably walking down the aisle with my father, Liam, as he was so proud, and seeing Kevin’s face at the end made walking down all those steps worth it!"
The pair had toyed with the idea of going abroad for their wedding and had looked at a few different venues. Still, when Kevin and Ciara saw pictures of Quinta Lagos dos Cisnes, they immediately booked a flight to Braga, Portugal, to see it in person. "From the unique décor and picturesque surroundings that included the most stunning lake to the exceptionally kind staff, every detail felt like a dream come true. Our favourite part of the day would have to be the wedding cake ceremony after dinner. Our guests were escorted outside to the fountain area, where music played. In the centre of the fountain after cutting the cake, we raised our glasses for a toast, and this signalled a spectacular fire cascade behind us—it was incredible!"
"For our special dances—the first dance and the father-daughter dance—we were thrilled to have my good friend Avril’s husband, Stephen Carter, perform. Once part of the ‘Carter Twins, Stephen gave us a performance that meant so much. Having someone we know so well sing for us was incredibly special. I even asked Stephen to sing my first dance long before I was engaged, so thank him for keeping his word!"
On the second day of celebrations, the couple rented a late bar called Setra in the heart of Braga. "We flew in Simon Phelan, a talented musician from Waterford. There was also a GAA match on the day between Tipperary and Waterford, and since most of our guests were from here, it added to the excitement. The venue had a large screen for everyone to watch the game! Simon played on until the early hours, and many guests joined in to sing with him throughout the night."
Regarding the best decision they made, Ciara said, "Choosing Quinta Lagos Dos Cisnes for our wedding was the best decision we made. It completely blew us away and made our dream wedding a reality. The venue was stunning, and the entire weekend was magical."
- Gráinne