We obtained married on October 17, 2009, in Dunlavin Church in Wicklow with the afters in Rathsallagh Country House.
We had visited a couple of venues however this stood out. It’s so pretty and, as an inside designer, I beloved all of the totally different bedrooms — they every had their very own names, just like the Buttercup Room, for instance. It was autumn time, too, so they’d pretty fires within the rooms and it made the entire place so cosy and homely.
It was a sufficiently big marriage ceremony with 140 visitors. We deliberate the marriage ourselves however I had nice assist from my mother, who was a marriage planner extraordinaire.
My sister truly obtained married three months earlier than me so, once we obtained engaged, the planning for her marriage ceremony was in full swing and my mother was throughout it. She then took on our marriage ceremony planning too.
The three of us had been in full-on wedding-planning land — it was pretty doing all of the bits and items collectively, together with marriage ceremony gown procuring.
We beloved the excitement of marriage ceremony gown procuring. We loved going to all of the bridal boutiques after which going for one thing to eat afterwards. It was like a day trip each time.
But there was a little bit of drama with my gown. After all the marriage gown procuring, I truly determined to have it made.
Sarah Louise Dunne and her husband Cormac share a kiss
It was going to be off-the-shoulder with particular person flowers sewn on. Per week earlier than the marriage, I went into the store to do the ultimate try-on solely to search out that they’d taken it up too quick.
You may see my footwear, and it simply ruined the entire gown. I used to be the bride crying in the midst of the store that they had been attempting to usher into the altering room.
The gown was meant to have an extended, luxurious-looking practice however it was now too quick. It went from dream gown to nightmare.
We wanted a plan shortly. We finally determined to take off all the person flowers and put lace over the gown, which made it longer. The gown utterly modified however I nonetheless beloved it.
I had 5 bridesmaids: my two sisters and three good pals. Their attire had been a deep pink, virtually burgundy color. Then the flowers had been taken care of by my mom in-law. She did all the marriage flowers, all of the bouquets, and every little thing. I left her off with them, and she or he knew what she was doing.
Sarah Louise Dunne and her husband Cormac reduce the cake
I do know it was the center of October however we woke as much as what felt like a summer time day. It was pretty and heat, with blue skies. I loved the morning of the marriage a lot. I all the time say it was my favorite a part of the marriage.
There had been actually horses straight outdoors my window. The room the place we had been preparing was stunning. It was the pink room, and every little thing was actually girly in there. We had hair and make-up stylists arriving, and my sisters had been there, my pals had been coming out and in, my mother and my dad, my brother. It was only a actually pretty morning.
And we each actually loved the ceremony. The priest was a buddy of Cormac’s late dad Peader, and we had been delighted he may come and do the mass for us. After the ceremony, all of us headed to the lodge. It was pretty to see everybody and chat, and there was a great deal of hugging and pleasure.
Sarah Louise Dunne and her husband Cormac after their marriage ceremony ceremony
We had the speeches after the meal. Now I didn’t make a speech however my mother did and had everybody in tears. Her speech was unbelievable. She included the Seamus Heaney poem Scaffolding in her speech and the way in which she spoke was so emotional and beautiful. Then we had the band, and our first dance, which was to Better by Tom Baxter.
The evening was good, everybody actually obtained into it, even my dad was up dancing. I bear in mind my dad coming over to me and my two sisters on the dance ground and giving us all a giant hug — it was a stunning second, all of us collectively.
And then one humorous factor later within the evening. Because my mother was so concerned in planning the marriage with myself and my sister, my husband Cormac actually didn’t should do a lot with the marriage in any respect. But, unbeknownst to me, he had deliberate one thing for when the DJ completed…
So all of us moved right into a room subsequent to the operate room, and Cormac had organized for this man who performed the guitar and sang in his native bar in Rathfarnham, who all his pals would know nicely, to come back as much as Rathsallagh and do a set. He was good.
He had individuals up dancing on the tables and every little thing. It went on until about 5am. It was an incredible shock and actually stored the social gathering going.
When I look again now, I simply bear in mind our family and friends round and simply the sensation of heat and cosiness within the lodge. The day glided by so shortly however I wouldn’t change something concerning the day — it was simply excellent.
- Sarah Louise Dunne is the proprietor of Sarah Louise Interiors, a design studio primarily based in Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin and on-line at slouiseinteriors.com.
