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For Jessica and Shane, they knew from the beginning that there was only one place they wanted to marry: Newpark Hotel in Co Kilkenny – here they recap their special day.
THE COUPLE
Jessica O’ Brien, nurse and midwife, and Shane Tiernan, engineer.
THEY LIVE
In Cavan.
THE VENUE
PHOTOGRAPHY
The supremely talented Ben Power was our photographer, and we also had Declan Gleeson of SES Digital as our videographer. We started the day laughing with both of them and never stopped. They both put us at ease and made the day so easy.
THEY MET
We met during Rag Week in Waterford in 2014, when I was doing my nursing training, and Shane was doing his apprenticeship. He managed to bag himself tickets to the event that night, and that’s when we met, and the rest is history.
THE PROPOSAL
We got engaged on August 1, 2020, in the height of the first summer of Covid. We had planned to move to Australia the previous April, and both of us left our jobs and were ready to go when the pandemic hit. Shane planned a trip to Wicklow that weekend (and I was completely oblivious as to his plans, even though I would tend to make all the holiday plans) and got down on one knee, taking me completely by surprise. He designed, engraved and made the ring box, which is such a special part of our engagement.
THE WEDDING ATTIRE
I bought my dress in Cleo Bridal in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. It was always my dream to wear a typical princess dress for my wedding, yet I ended up in a slim, fitted dress, which I never expected to do. Donna in The Zip Yard in Nenagh, who specialises in bridal alterations, helped with making sure my dress was perfect. She was amazing throughout the whole experience.
We bought the boys’ suits in The Grooms Rooms at Diffneys in Dublin and dealt with Brian O Mahoney for the experience. He is so talented. His attention to detail is exceptional, and the lads loved the whole experience from start to finish.
THE CEREMONY
We married in the Cathedral of the Assumption in Thurles, which has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. Fr Joe Walsh was our celebrant and made the whole experience so special and enjoyable. I grew up knowing Fr Joe, so having him marry us was so special to me.
Our Alaskan Malamute, Mia, met us outside the church after the ceremony, so we have some gorgeous family photos with her!
THE RECEPTION
From the first day we visited Newpark Hotel, we knew we would have our wedding there. St Patrick’s weekend just fit in perfectly in 2023. We got married on Thursday, March 16 and had our photos in the insanely beautiful Kilkenny Castle, followed by the perfect evening in the Newpark. Of course, we continued our day two celebrations on Paddy’s Day, where we booked the ballroom out again and had a fabulous BBQ, music and danced the night away. The staff in the hotel on our wedding day were sensational. We had Aga look after us on the day.
What stood out most was how calm the hotel made us feel on a day that could have been stressful. Whenever something was needed, the staff handled it smoothly, allowing us to be in the moment. The atmosphere, the service, and the small, thoughtful touches all came together to turn the hotel into more than just a place to stay; it became part of the memory of our wedding day itself. Our friends and family still talk about our wedding being one of the best they’ve ever been at!
THE ENTERTAINMENT
The Waxies Wedding Band were our music for the whole day, including our church music. What made this extra special was that they played in the college bar on the night we met at Rag Week nine years prior.
THE DECOR
The Newpark Hotel itself is so stunning that we didn’t change any of the decor. We just added small touches to our top table glassware for a different style.
THEIR TOP TIPS
I love to be super organised and do a lot myself, but when it came to planning a wedding, the professionals know what they are at. That was why I chose so many local suppliers that I already knew and loved. Trust the process but enjoy every second. There is not one single detail about the day I would change; I just want to do it over and over again.
THEY WISH THEY HAD
I honestly wouldn’t change a single thing from the whole day! It probably sounds ridiculous, but it was literally perfect.
THEIR BEST MOMENTS
Having every single person you love spend the day with you as you marry the love of your life. It has to be one of the best things ever about the day. I will never forget meeting Shane at the top of the aisle, both of us trying to keep it together (especially me, so I didn’t ruin my make-up). There’s a fabulous photo that Ben took of that moment that we cherish forever.
FIRST DANCE SONG
The Voyage by Christy Moore
THE CREW
Photographer & Photo Booth: Ben Power. Videographer: SES Digital Declan Gleeson. Florist: Thurles Flower Club. Band/DJ & Church Music: The Waxies Wedding Band. Cake: Zina’s Cakes Templemore. Make-up: Tara Power Make-Up. Hair: Anne Marie Fitzgerald @ Tie the Knot Hair. Suits: Diffneys Mary St, Dublin. Dress: Cleo Bridal.
JOYFUL NEWS
In March, we celebrated our three-year wedding anniversary, and we actually welcomed our second baby, Caoimhe, to our family on that special day.
See more photographs from Jessica and Shane’s wedding here.
Photography by Ben Power.
Want to see your Real Wedding on IMAGE.ie? Email shayna.healy@image.ie with the subject line ‘Real Wedding’.