For two centuries, this Dublin city centre staple's effortless elegance and superior service have placed The Shelbourne Hotel at the centre of life, love and incomparable celebrations. One of these heartwarming celebrations was the wedding of Kate Coleman and Kevin Mannion on the 4th of September. Photographed by Studio Brown and featured in the Spring issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS, this stunning city celebration is packed with dreamy shots that will leave you swooning!
In May of 2022, the couple planned a weekend in Kerry to take part in the Ring of Beara Charity Cycle. Kevin hid the ring in a tissue in his bike repair kit and had planned to ask the big question at the top of the last mountain climb, however after 8 hours of cycling behind him, Kate suddenly took off at speed and cycled ahead of Kevin on the final decent into Kenmare town, and the moment he had planned for, was gone! On reflection, Kevin confirms it turned out even better than he could have hoped for the following day. "On a beautiful Sunday evening, Kevin suggested we explore the gorgeous grounds of our hotel, Sheen Falls Lodge, and he directed me to the secluded Queen’s Walk on the stunning estate, overlooking Kenmare Bay. Kevin’s doubts about whether I would like the ring shifted to nerves about whether I would say yes, but when I gave his hand a loving squeeze as they walked, it was the encouragement he was waiting for to bend on one knee to ask the big question."
Kate invested in the best skincare she could find, "I think a consistent approach to a focused skincare regime, including a vitamin C and a retinoid, is essential!" In the run-up to the wedding, she took full advantage of the guilt-free splurging and had regular HydraFacials in the months before for some extra rejuvenation and glow, she also invested in good haircare, lash extensions, teeth whitening etc. Thanks to her glam team, Ailbhe Lynch for make-up and Gemma who styled her hair, Kate felt like the best version of herself on her big day. "My wedding perfume was so important to me. I was lucky to attend a bridal masterclass with a Jo Malone Fragrance Expert at a Wedding Workshop with Brown Thomas in The Westbury Hotel. I chose the Jo Malone Poppy and Barley Cologne, it’s a lively but earthy floral scent, and I adore it. I also bought a Jo Malone scent for Kevin, the Cypress and Grapevine Cologne. I’d recommend choosing a new perfume or cologne for your wedding, when I smell our scents now I am vividly and fondly reminded of our happy day."
Although typically quite decisive, Kate found the dress shopping a little less straightforward and by the time she found her dream gown, must have tried on over 100 wedding dresses! "I wanted to feel comfortable and like myself in an appropriate dress for an intimate city centre wedding. I went to many initial bridal boutique appointments solo, and if there was something I liked my Mom and sister Sarah would attend a second appointment with me." In the end, she chose a timeless gown with clean and flawless sculptured lines by Catherine Deane. It has a slim fit over the hips and a flare-cut into the skirt, perfected with a thigh-high left slit. The keyhole back and delicately buttoned-up skirt creates a waist-defining silhouette. "I love hairbands and adored my ivory pearl hairband, and custom order two-tier ivory veil, both by Aura Bridal."
"I think it’s hard to beat a classic dinner suit, and Kevin looked so sharp in his quintessential black tuxedo from Louis Copeland." The dress code was black-tie, and the male members of both couple's families rented their respective suits. Kate's two-year-old nephew Oscar also wore a romper-style tuxedo with black shorts and black patent shoes, and looked so cute he nearly stole the show!
Kate's sister Sarah was her only bridesmaid. They found out she was going to be approximately 6 months pregnant for our September wedding, so for obvious reasons, had to bear this in mind when choosing her dress! "We both knew that we didn’t want her to have a traditional bridesmaid-style dress. She found her beautiful Hobbs dress in Kildare Village: we both loved the oyster satin, fit and flare, midi-length dress which I bought in a larger size and Agnes altered it to perfection to fit her bump two weeks before the wedding. I adored Sarah’s elegant and classic look, she looked sensational on the day."
The ceremony was meaningful and moving, everyone was overcome with emotion, but especially Kevin and Kate who were both crying once the processional music started and they saw each other in City Hall. "I put a lot of time and effort into its planning, and we both loved so many individual elements of the romantic ceremony." Under the beautiful stained glass dome of the impressive rotunda of Dublin City Hall, on the grounds of Dublin Castle, is a striking location to have a wedding ceremony. It’s a large, bright and open space, but it felt so intimate and a very special and aesthetically stunning place to exchange vows. The humanist celebrant Emer Dillon worked hard to ensure both bride and groom were happy with their very personal ceremony. "My Dad Declan died in 2011, and remembering him on our wedding day was particularly important to me, my Mom and my sister. We included him in every way possible, I ordered an extra boutonnière for him. We had photographs of my Dad in City Hall and The Shelbourne, so although his presence was greatly missed, he was remembered with love throughout the day. Lighting a remembrance candle for my Dad as the Dublin String Quartet played one of my favourite pieces, Clair de Lune, was an especially emotional element of the ceremony."
Kate is from Cork and Kevin is from Galway, but it was lovely to marry in the city in which the two fell in love, Dublin. The Shelbourne was an easy choice for Kate & Kevin as the hotel has become their go-to spot for a treat and to mark special occasions. The Constitution Suite, the hotel’s most historic room, with an elegant crystal chandelier and views of St. Stephen’s Green, was ideal for a delicious candle-lit dinner for such an intimate celebration. "Siobhan and Angie from Total Flower Designs did a beautiful job with the floral styling of the room, we had gold calligraphy place names by Studio Marie-Claire. Sofie from Solo Bake made our vanilla bean and berry roulade cake with meringue shards and fresh berries which was a statement feature in the room on its antique cake stand. The attention to detail by Cathy O’Shea the wedding manager, and service from all the team at The Shelbourne was impeccable and made the planning and the day so easy and enjoyable for us. Our photographer Claire Brown deserves to be singled out for capturing so many beautiful moments and turning them into real memories of our wedding day. We’ll forever be grateful to her for our wedding photographs!"
The only entertainment was the Dublin String Quartet who played during the ceremony. They played a very important role in creating the highly emotive and romantic atmosphere. The couple chose all classical pieces to punctuate the ceremony, and the acoustics in City Hall were simply breathtaking. For the rest of the day, the wedding party entertained themselves!
Regarding the best decision, Kate had to say, "Flying away on honeymoon the very next day! We were so excited and very happy, and loved that we got to spend so much time away together in Kenya and Seychelles, after such a momentous life event!"
Regarding the worst decision, Kate had to say, "Not sharing or delegating any of the planning or jobs i.e. not trusting Kevin to make any decisions! I planned it all, including the honeymoon, by myself. Their wedding party may have been small, but I put a lot of effort into planning a personal and special day wedding."
- Gráinne