Built in the 18th century and surrounded by fifty acres of lush green estate, Kilronan Castle is a picture from a fairytale. The castle seamlessly mixes the elegance, sophistication and tradition of the past with the luxury and comfort of the modern era. It's no wonder Niamh Flanagan and Simon Doran chose it to be the location of their wedding on the 9th of September 2023. Captured by Anna G, you will be obsessed with this beautiful day!
Simon and Niamh met on the dating app, hinge in 2019. The mad thing about it was at the time they were working in the same hospital but had never bumped into each other! Simon messaged his future bride on a Sunday night and they had our first date the following Wednesday, they've spoken every day since!
Simon organised a surprise trip to the Cliff House in Waterford, the setting was beautiful and the sun was shining for the stay. On the day of the proposal, the two had a gorgeous breakfast, followed by a dip in the pool and outdoor jacuzzi and then the infamous cliff walk. When they reached the top Simon got down on one knee and proposed, Niamh was blown away and overcome with joy! "We couldn’t stop smiling, we then rang our families, mine were waiting by the phone as Simon had asked Daddy for my hand in marriage in the days leading up to the very sweet trip." That night the two celebrated with champagne and a fabulous tasting menu. "It was one of our best days together to date!"
Niamh visited Eavanna Breen Skin Clinic, recommended to her by a friend at work who has very good skin! She started using Eavanna’s products one year before the wedding date, and her skin had a marked improvement. "I treated myself to a monthly facial in the short months before the wedding, again I did notice the difference in my skin and the facials were so relaxing, this was great amidst the busyness of the wedding planning!" For her wedding scent, Niamh chose Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and every time she wears it now it reminds her of the wedding day!
Niamh got COVID-19 in July 2022 just after she got engaged, she used the isolation time to look at hundreds of wedding dresses online and fell in love with Suzanne Neville dresses. She visited Sharon Hoey's boutique in Dublin and had it narrowed down to two of her dresses quite quickly. "I ended up buying my wedding dress on my birthday which I felt was a good sign!"
Simon always wanted to wear a tux for our wedding. He sought advice from his friends who recently got married, and based on this the couple visited Abrahams Tailoring in Dublin. Their suits are of the highest quality and the service was brilliant, the guys know their stuff!
"I chose my two sisters as my bridesmaids; they are both stunning so I knew it would be easy to find a dress for them both!" Niamh knew what style of dress she wanted and the colour, sage green. A good friend recommended Dresscode. "The staff are really helpful and the dresses are very good quality! We visited only once and got everything sorted, the whole process was seamless and stress-free!"
The pair got married in the church in Niamh's homeplace, this was very special for her. They had spoken to the priest a couple of times and got on well with him. He delivered a lovely, individualised ceremony. Their florist decorated the church beautifully and the string quartet were amazing! Niamh & Simon loved having family and friends take part in the ceremony.
The two wanted to get married in Niamh's home church, but as she lived in a rural area this narrowed venue options! They wanted a castle venue, and from the moment they drove up to Kilronan Castle the pair knew it was their wedding venue. "The staff are incredible, the food is amazing and the setting is decorated beautifully. I would highly recommend Kilronan Castle as a wedding venue. We had our day 2 in the dungeon bar, it was great fun!"
It was easy to pick a wedding band, Simon and Niamh had been to their friend’s wedding the May before their engagement and loved their band, Wow Party Band. They are so energetic and fun, they keep the dancefloor full all night long! In terms of the church and reception music, they always loved the idea of a string quartet. "Glas Quartet exceeded our expectations, and all of our guests commented on how beautiful the music was! It was one of the highlights for us."
