An Edwardian banking hall situated in the heart of Sligo and donated to the Yeats Society in 1973; the Yeats building was the venue for Shannen Hurd and Kienan Gill's romantic civil ceremony wedding on March 15th 2024. Captured by Eimear O’Donnell Photography and featured in the Summer issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS, a precursor to their fabulous destination wedding, this intimate ceremony is so perfectly personalised that we couldn't wait to share it!
The couple met in 2014 at the start of a new college year while both studying in Sligo. "I was introduced to Shannen through a mutual friend, and after that meeting, I hoped to make a good enough impression to secure a first date. That first impression must not have been too good as I woke up the next morning to see a social media story where she had called me Joe! Joe was an old friend I was living with at the time. Coincidence, I guess. After that, we had some nice but brief conversations when we would meet while she worked at a bar in Sligo town. Eventually, we met by chance (or fate) a few weeks later after a night out. She had just finished work, and we chatted for the night until it was time to go home. I gave her my jacket as she left with her friends. It kept her warm and gave me an excuse to see her again. I guess it worked in the end!"
Seven years later, on the 23rd of October 2021, the couple got engaged. "I had just returned from 2 years abroad in Australia. My family and I were having our usual Saturday night soiree in my family home in Leitrim. Kienan had told me earlier that he and his brother, Evan, would join us later that evening. It was about 7 pm when they finally arrived at the house. As usual, I kissed him, only to receive what felt like a frosty reception. I didn’t even think much of it, assuming he was probably tired after his two-hour journey from Westmeath. Inside, I was standing at the counter, about to fill a glass of bubbles, when everything changed. I turned around to find Kienan on one knee. To say I was flabbergasted would be an understatement! It wasn’t until a few moments after I fathomed what was happening. And with that, I knew that this was the moment. A perfect moment surrounded by my nearest and dearest, and of course, with the man I was SURE I would spend the rest of my life with."
Despite being a self-professed 'very high-maintenance woman', Shannen didn’t overthink or put too much pressure on herself concerning the beauty journey. "I started to get regular facials about six months before the wedding, which immensely helped my overall skin health. I also consciously decided to focus on my hair during the months before the wedding – simple strategies like reducing harsh dying, using good quality products, and applying the odd hair mask helped." For hair and makeup, less was more. "I tend to wear makeup daily, so I completely stripped that back for my wedding. I wanted both hair and makeup to look timeless and glam. I was over the moon with how it all worked out!"
When choosing the perfect wedding dress, Shannen knew she wanted a mini dress with a bow. "I find this style chic, with a side of sexy!" Finding the perfect one took a while, but as soon as she spotted it on ASOS, Shannen knew it was the one. "From the moment I tried it on, I knew it was totally me." For accessories, Shanne wore a beautiful pair of earrings that her nan had gifted her. "I always knew I wanted to incorporate something meaningful and personal to her - so this is what we picked together! They are simple drop-pearl earrings that matched beautifully with a pearl clutch bag that Kienans mother, Sheila, gave me."
When deciding on the suit, Kienan had a particular image in mind. "I wanted to find something with a classical look. So that’s what I went for. I got the shoes, shirt & dickie bow from Zara, while the suit jacket & trousers were from River Island. Shannen’s mother handmade a corsage that added a layer of elegance and personality to the appearance."
The ceremony itself was fantastic. We chose to have a civil ceremony with a small number of guests. It was a uniquely intimate experience, and the registrar made us all feel very relaxed throughout. Siobhan, Shannen’s mother, exceeded our expectations with the wedding décor. She had the room looking amazing, with a beautiful floral arrangement and candles illuminating the space. Together, we chose the music which really captured and compounded the romantic ambience of the event. "My favourite part of the ceremony was when I saw Shannen for the first time as she walked up the aisle. It was a moment that I’ll never forget. She chose the song ‘At Last’ by Etta James, which, in many ways, perfectly described Shannen’s personality while also announcing the bride's arrival to the congregation. I wouldn’t have changed a thing."
There were a number of reasons that the couple chose the Yeats Building in Sligo as their wedding venue. "We had a few non-negotiables in our search for the perfect venue. Firstly, it had to be accessible to my grandmother, Josie (Queen of the West). We also wanted a place different from the rest, that suited our personalities and had a slight city feel. The Yeats building was warm, intimate, bright, and absorbed an abundance of history that instantly grabbed Kienan’s attention! The staff at this venue were also a huge deciding factor. From the moment we stepped into this building, we were welcomed with open arms."
Despite having a low-key wedding, the pair were eager to incorporate a cake-cutting moment. "Kienan was in charge of the cake and opted for a lemon and raspberry filling, which went down a treat. I am not a big cake eater, but Kienan did a good job of covering the two of us!" After the cocktail moment, the couple took a few pictures with their guests and then headed to a local pub called Thomas Connollys for a pint of Guinness here and 20 minutes alone before meeting back up with their guests at the Glasshouse Hotel for the night. "I would recommend this for any couples getting married in the future. If you can, try to carve out 20/30 minutes of your wedding day alone with one another - it gives you a chance to relax, reset and cherish the once-in-a-lifetime moment that it is!"
Regarding their best decision, Shannen said, "The best decision throughout this entire experience was taking a laid-back approach to the day and not falling into the trap of typical pressures that come with planning a wedding. In doing this, we felt that the entire day was saturated with love, fun, and memories that we will hold in our hearts for a lifetime!"
- Gráinne