Gary and Tara say 'I do'

Meet Gary and Tara. This gorgeous couple from Fermoy recently wed in St Nicholas’ Church in Castlelyons and then went onto Kinsale for their fabulous reception.

We just had to find out about their special day and caught up with to do just that.

How many different dresses did the bride fit on before choosing the perfect dress?

Three but I had my eye on the dress I got and pretty much had my mind made up before even trying it on.

Where did ceremony take place and why?

St Nicholas’ Church Castlelyons. This is the church our grandparents used to attend, and we feel we both have a strong connection to that church as it’s where we chose to have our daughter Alanna-Julia christened.

Where did reception take place and what drew you to that location?

Kinsale Hotel and Spa. We both fell in love with it after visiting it once. We always thought it was a stunning location with the nicest staff. The function room has a gorgeous view overlooking the sea and woods.

Where did you meet?

We met in school and were friends for years until Gary asked Tara on a date.

How long was the engagement?

Two and a half year.

What was the memorable part of the day?

Walking into the reception was so magical for both of us. Seeing everyone we love in one room together there to celebrate us and our daughter is the most indescribable and unforgettable feeling.

Have you any advice for couples planning a wedding?

Enjoy it and give yourselves time. Try and make a day out of everything that you’re planning for the wedding, like going for a walk or lunch to chat about it after.

We loved going to see bands as a date night.

We definitely made the most of every time we went to organise something for the wedding.

We went to stay in the hotel a few times in the 2 and a half years leading up to the wedding and went into the function room and it brought excitement back into the planning process and made us look forward to the wedding day.

Also...hire Sean Sharpe!!

Was the work divided up equally?

Absolutely not! But Gary was very successful at his 1 job…the DJ and the dancefloor was packed all night!

What was the hardest part to organise?

Finding a florist, there didn’t seem to be many florists locally doing weddings. We were so delighted with Flower Power in Glounthaune who did our flowers, it was such an easy process, and we were complimented on the flowers all weekend.

Did you have anything quirky at it?

Glow sticks and glasses for the dancefloor, they went down a treat. For our wedding favours we donated to charities very close to us and our families.

Was it hard to keep the guestlist down?

Yes, we both have really big families. There are always going to be tons of people you wish you could have invited.

Would you change anything about the day?

We genuinely wouldn’t change a thing. We had the most amazing day. We would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Anything else to tell us?

We just want to give a special mention to our special guest of honour, our daughter AJ.

She is the most special little girl and we both feel so lucky that she was there with us to celebrate our special day. We love you more than anything AJ.

Bridal party

Bridesmaids - Susan Quinn, Gillian Lucey, Mairead Fogarty, Emer Dempsey and Chloe Quinn

Groomsmen - Ian Brennan, Mark McCarthy, Jamie Burke, Jack Burke and Ger Harty

Flowergirls - Jess and Sadhbh Howard

Pageboys - Mason and Ollie Quinn.