Belinda O Keefe & Brian O Shaughnessy - Castle Oaks Hotel, Castleconnell, Co. Limerick

Belinda and Brian met in secondary school. Brian was running a lucrative business at the time of making fake ID cards for people trying to get into over 18s discos. Brian told Belinda she had to provide him with 2 passport pictures and £5 which she duly did which was the start of their childhood romance….Belinda is still waiting on her ID card!

They went out together for about two years in secondary school, but when it was time for Brian to go off to college they parted ways. Despite living only 3 miles away from each other their paths never crossed for seven years. Then one night they were out on St. Stephen’s Night and they started chatting and the rest they say is history….

Brian was under pressure on the proposal. A few years ago he thought it would be really funny to pretend to propose to Berlinda in Rome at the Trevi Fountain with about 1,000 tourists watching! After realising that no man should EVER pretend to propose especially in a large crowd of people, he promised her that when he actually was proposing it was going to be worth the wait! Belinda told him he better make it a good one!

So one Thursday night about 2 years later, Brian asked Belinda to walk their dog Buddy with him. They did their usual route around the Grand Canal Basin. Next thing as they rounded the wall of Boland’s Mills a huge green (for Limerick) heart with ‘Belle will you marry me?’ projected across the water about 20 foot high on the gable end of the Mills! Belinda firstly thought it was for someone else until she saw Brian down on bended knee with a ring in his hand!! It was totally unexpected and she was blown away by the gesture! Obviously she said yes.

The happy couple got married at a civil ceremony in The Castle Oaks hotel, Castleconnell, Co Limerick and a stunning reception in the same venue. They had a mini moon to start off, which took them to the beautiful Sheraton Suites Hotel in Madrid. Then a month later they travelled around South America taking in places such as Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

Belinda's favourite memory of the day was the moment before she walked up the aisle, the doors at the back of the room opened up and 200 people were looking down at her and waiting for her to enter. Belinda had been told that everyone could hear her take a sharp intake of breath. Belinda can remember that moment very clearly as she didn't think she had ever been the centre of attention like that before and it made her so nervous. 

Belinda really enjoyed the ceremony. They had a Spiritualist Ceremony and had written it from scratch and it was very much about Brian and herself. They loved being able to involve all my family and friends in readings and singing. Most of their guests had never been to a non-religious ceremony so they found it very different and unique and they got a lot of positive feedback on it.

Here is a few things I loved about Belinda & Brian's wedding:

• The brides unusual brooche bouquet
• Going up Ballyhoura mountain the morning of the wedding for a photoshoot
• Been greeted at the front door by the 4 Jack Russells
• I loved the wedding cake it was really different and uniquely represented the bride and groom
• The Ceremony was very special

Here is a few of my favourite images of their wedding day: