The ancestral home of the O’Briens of Dromoland, whose lineage dates back 1,000 years to Brian Boru, one of the last High Kings of Ireland, Dromoland Castle has been welcoming guests since the 16th century. We're in love with Emma Jane Rea and John Canny's wedding on May 11, 2024. Photographed by Anna G, this is a wedding you don't want to miss out on!
John and Emma Jane met in 2013 at a mutual friends party. "We immediately hit it off, and after chatting for a while, realised that we had a ton in common. We met again a week or two later at another mutual friend’s 21st birthday. Many friends thought we would be a great match, but as they say, ‘it is all about timing’! We became good friends and stayed in contact over the years. I was teaching here in Ireland, and John was working in London. He moved home from London during the pandemic, and we met again in 2021 at a friend’s wedding. The rest is history!"
The pair got engaged on the 17th of December 2022. A few weeks beforehand, John suggested that they go away for a weekend before the Christmas rush. "I loved the idea, but he kept the location a secret, making packing for a getaway a rather difficult task! Once we got on the road, John told me we were going to Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg Co. Clare, where his family are members. He also suggested we stop in Lahinch Co. Clare for a walk and some sea air. Lahinch is an exceptionally special place for me; I think I described it to John at one point as being ‘my favourite place on earth’, which shows that he does listen to me! The roads were frozen from the night before, and I was a bit sceptical, but I went with his romantic plan. While walking on the beach in Lahinch, John got down on one knee and proposed. We were the only two on the beach; it was such a magical moment. It was a very easy yes from me! As an extra surprise, John had actually booked for us to stay in Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare. We have such unforgettable memories together there, so returning to celebrate our engagement was very special. I think we both knew that night that Dromoland Castle was where we would hold our wedding reception."
When it came to the beauty prep in the run-up to the wedding day, Emma Jane stuck to her usual skincare routine to avoid any drastic changes to her consistently good skin. "My wedding scent was Libre by Yves Saint Laurent. John bought it for me while in Dublin one weekend over Christmas. We had such a lovely day, and I wanted to attach another lovely memory to that scent, so I kept it for my wedding day. Whenever I spray that scent, beautiful memories flood back."
As with many brides, Emma Jane had quite a journey before finding her dream wedding dress! "I visited five bridal shops over three or four months but returned to the first one I visited, Sharon Hoey on Merrion Square. It was there that I found my dream dress. I loved the atmosphere in the shop and Sharon's selection of dresses. I tried on six dresses and chose the sixth one, the beautiful and elegant Gabrielle gown from Suzanne Neville."
John’s suit was custom-made by Louis Copeland on Capel Street, Dublin. "It was such a fun and exciting process. His suit was a classic and timeless tuxedo with the personal touch of his initials added to it. Paddy and Louis in Louis Copeland were such a joy to work with it. John only had to have three fittings, which is remarkable considering it was a custom-made suit." The groomsmen and Emma Jane's dad, Jack, and brother wore tailored tuxedos from Mike O’Connell menswear in Limerick.
Emma Jane's maid of honour was her sister Shauna, and her bridesmaid was her soon-to-be sister-in-law Maria. "Both girls are naturally beautiful, and picking their dresses was easy. I wanted the dresses to compliment the cream and gold colour scheme of our wedding stationary that Appleberry Atelier and Studio Marie-Claire created. The girls found their dresses in Dresscode in Dublin. They chose a stunning taupe colour that complimented their colourings so well. I loved that their dresses were designed and made in Ireland. I dealt with Aoife; she made the whole experience fun and easy."
John and Emma Jane knew they wanted to marry in St. Mary Magdalene Church in Monaleen, Emma Jane's local church. "It has such a beautiful history and architecture. While it is quaint, it is simply stunning, and we were delighted that they could accommodate us on the 11th of May. The ceremony itself was so special. It was full of love and laughter. Fr. Seamus did a beautiful job and ensured that John’s dad, Séan, who passed away in 2016, was included in a heartfelt and sensitive manner. It was emotional but in a lovely way."
Both John and Emma Jane's families have a long history with Dromoland Castle, so it was a no-brainer where they would choose to celebrate their wedding day. "We didn’t research or view any other venue. We got engaged on the 17th of December 2022, and we met with the Dromoland team just after Christmas. Our wedding was booked for the second week of January! Dromoland Castle is simply stunning and has such a homely feel. John and I share some amazing memories of the times we spent together there while dating. The night before the wedding (after our church rehearsal), we hosted dinner for both of our families in the private dining room at the Earl of Thomond restaurant. The food and wine options in Dromoland are exquisite. We had to remind ourselves that we all needed an early night before the big day!"
"We had The Nova String Quartet for the church and drinks reception, who are also members of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. They are such gifted musicians and were able to accommodate all of our requests. We were conscious of including some religious musical pieces in our ceremony as it was a church ceremony. Still, we also wanted to include some recent songs that had meaning for us. The Nova String Quartet did such an amazing job. Our band was The Pearly Whites, who provided the DJ and sax. They are a fun and energetic band; the dancefloor was full all night!"
Regarding the best decision, Emma Jane said, "John and I really had to think about this question as there were so many lovely parts to our wedding planning journey. Our best decision was to take some time after the photographs to have a drink with our families and the bridal party before we joined the other guests at the drinks reception in the walled garden. Anna G, our photographer, took some lovely candid shots of us during this time. It gave us all a chance to hug and catch up on our day."
- Gráinne