Louise married Ronan in Redcastle Hotel, Donegal on one of the hottest days of the year in April of this year. They fell in love with the ocean suite with floor to ceiling windows and breath-taking views of the water. Photography by Donal Doherty.
Dublin-born Louise met Derry-Ronan in UCD when they were both studying medicine, but didn’t get together until after a class ski trip to Austria in 2006 when they really got to know each other. “That June, Ronan invited me up to visit him in Derry. There, he planned a trip to Ballyliffin in Donegal and introduced me to a part of the world he loves so much. I can recall him officially asking me to be his girlfriend there.”
Ronan popped the question at the start of July, 2014. “In hindsight, no prizes for guessing where – Ballyliffin!” Louise and Ronan went for a relaxed meal in a local restaurant and went back to the family holiday home with Ronan going a bit ahead to turn on some romantic background music. After some dancing, Ronan asked Louise to play a game of scrabble. “Ronan and his family are somewhat scrabble fanatics and we would have played on many occasions over the years.” When he lifted the box, the scrabble tiles were pre-arranged to spell MARRY ME. Naturally, Louise accepted.
“In the lead up to our engagement, we had so many weddings and knowing we would get engaged at some point, I was sort of scouting for potential venues in my head.” Louise remembers being at a wedding in Redcastle Hotel in Donegal and thinking that the venue had the ‘wow factor’. “We knew we would be having a big wedding and this venue was perfect for our needs. It ticked all the right boxes for us. The hotel itself is gorgeous and the staff are friendly and hospitable. What we loved most about it was its setting overlooking Lough Foyle with stunning sea vistas.”
For the dress, Louise was very decisive and sure about what she liked. “I loved the Pronovias label and limited my search to shops that stocked that line.” She only went to three shops in total and loved a lot of the dresses she tried. “However, when I stepped into the Laharie gown in the second shop I felt there was something really special about it. I couldn't get this one out of my head. The addition of the Swarovski crystal embellished veil completed the look and I had a custom-made headpiece to add some sparkle for when the veil was removed.”
Louise and Ronan went with a Redcastle recommended photographer, Donal Doherty. He was also the photographer for a friend’s wedding they previously attended. “He was professional, warm and friendly and the pictures we were left with from the day are stunning. The only difficulty we are going to have is condensing them down to a selection for our album.” Louise and Ronan left it to the last-minute before deciding if they were going ahead with a videographer. However, after Sean O’Donnell from Timeless Productions came highly recommended they made their decision. “We have no regrets. Sean is an absolute gem! He brought so much fun and craic to the day and family and friends really enjoyed him. He was totally unobtrusive throughout the day.”
When choosing the colours, Louise wanted them to complement the sea setting and the spring season, opting for a duck egg and gold colour scheme with some blush and peach tones mixed in. “By chance when passing through Coast one day I stumbled upon the duck egg Fernando maxi dress, which fit the bill perfectly. With its gold neckline, it looked a little Grecian-inspired. The three girls loved them and they looked sensational in them on the day.” Louise accessorised her bridesmaids with gold glittery shoes and a simple gold bracelet from Monsoon with Swarovski crystal earrings.
Louise managed to get crafty for the wedding, taking inspiration from various sites and getting help from her crafty sisters. “I found inspiration for DIY tasks online via sites such as Pinterest and Etsy. S&P was a favourite of mine of course.” The DIY touches included old milk bottles sprayed gold at the bottom for table centrepieces and filling them with flowers that matched the bridesmaid bouquets. “We had little tags made to tie around each of them which said 'A pint of love' Louise & Ronan 9.4.15. It was lovely to add some personal touches ourselves and satisfying to see them come together on the day. To bring a bit of scrabble into the days in terms of the story of how we got engaged, I had a custom-made cake topper, which I ordered from Etsy.”
“Our florist Patricia McCormack was absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond the call of duty on the day, fixing my veil before I entered the church-carting things to and from our home/church/venue and helping to organise the centrepieces. I really enjoyed the process of choosing the flowers. I looked to Pinterest for ideas for the bridesmaid bouquets and brought the images to Patricia. The end result was just a beautiful combination of blush, peach, pink and blue/green tones. I particularly loved the succulents, which worked well with the colour of the bridesmaid dresses. The pew ends and ribbons in the church which Patricia also did were the most beautiful I've seen.”
It was hard for Louise to pick the most memorable part of the day. “But I have to say that moment when I was standing outside the church ready to walk down the aisle with my dad at my right hand side the wind blowing my veil the sun warming my back and Gabriel's oboe playing was very emotional. Then seeing so many family and friends gathered together all beaming with smiles of happiness and joy for you is something really special and truly remarkable. Meeting Ronan at the top of the aisle was a surreal beautiful moment.”
“Other highlights for us were the craic we had getting our photos taken with the bridal party. We were blessed with beautiful weather the day of the wedding so we opted to go down to the beach and golf course right by the hotel for our photos I have wonderful memories of being with friends and family on the outdoor terrace with sunglasses on and in wonderful form.” The beautiful food and heartfelt and entertaining speeches were also highlights for the couple.
Looking back at her wedding, Louise would encourage couples getting married to enjoy the day as much as possible and everything leading up to it. Take the time to add some personal touches to your day, and on the day itself, try to take it all in and don’t sweat the small stuff. “Also, a bit of practical advice for brides: Have your hen party well in advance of the wedding. I never expected to injure myself but I did hurt my knee at my hen two weeks before the wedding, which needed physio – something you could do without in the final run up to your day. Thankfully, all was okay just in time for the big day for me.”
“Also, if you get post wedding blues, which I admittedly did, remember that it’s to be expected and a testament to what a truly wonderful time you had. You will have your photos and video. Also, if you’re thinking about doing it without a videographer, I would think again. It was a last-minute decision for us and we’re so delighted we have it now.”
Vendors: Venue: Redcastle Oceanfront Golf & Spa Hotel | Photographer: Donal Doherty | Bridal wear: La Boda Bridal | Hair stylist: Margaret Johnston, Honey Hair & Beauty | Make-up: Rosemary Wright, Ashburn Image | Groomswear: Different Class Menswear | Florist: Patrica McCormack | Cars: Mcllwaines Car Hire | Cake: Cake Love | Band: Pure Fresh | Room Decor: Look Crafty | Videographer: Timeless Productions NI