Roseanne Dennehy and Colm Whelan tied the knot on the 20th of March 2015, which was International Day of Happiness and the solar eclipse. The couple chose the spectacular Springfort Hall Hotel for their big day and the talented Sean Clarke Photography to capture the big occasion.
“Colm and I met many years ago when we were kids, but I was more interested in horses than boys at that stage! When our paths crossed again many years later we had our first date in Kinsale, Cork. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, as the first thing I did was argue about getting on the back of his motorbike! We spent the date laughing and couldn’t believe how much we had in common.”
“Colm and I both share a love for horses so when Colm had a half day from work and he asked if I wanted to go for a trek, but I thought nothing of it. We strolled around the hills overlooking Ballincollig Regional Park and I nattered on about the horses and the beautiful view. Just as I started to head from home, Colm called me and produced the ring out of his pocket. I started crying and laughing all at once and said ‘Of course!’, while also trying to reach over and see the ring, which was quite difficult as the horses had picked up on the excitement and refused to stand still. We just about managed to share a kiss and Colm put the ring on my finger. We were both thrilled and couldn’t wait to get back to the yard to share our big news.”
“Springfort Hall stood out to us from the start. It was only the second venue we had seen and we knew we wouldn’t find nicer. The beautiful driveway to the house, the cosy fire in the lounge, the amazingly friendly staff and the amazing food. Springfort Hall is just a beautiful place and we couldn’t say enough about how perfect it is for a wedding.”
“There are so many things that make Springfort Hall stand out, but if I had to choose one it would be the function room. It is breath taking! It has an amazing rustic charm and cosy feel, yet is very elegant and classy.”
“When we were looking for a wedding photographer, a friend of mine had liked Sean Clarke’s Facebook page and he popped up on my news feed. The pictures Sean had featured were so colourful and really told a story. Sean had captured every wedding with its very own character so I couldn’t wait to book him.”
“So far my favourite photograph is the one of us peering out the front window of the VW camper van because its very us to have that kind of fun. Colm’s favourite is the one of me sitting on the four poster bed in the bridal suite, which was a stunning spot for a picture.”
“The wedding was planned for about a year and a half and although it could be hard work at times I loved the planning. We had lots of special days out with our family and each other and I got to do loads of shopping which is always fun for me!”
“When we had our menu tasting in Springfort Hall, we really couldn’t make up our minds. The food is so delicious. Thankfully Kieran our Wedding Coordinator in Springfort Hall was full of great advice and helped us pick a fantastic menu. In the end, we chose:
Starters:
Goats Cheese Croquette
Confit Duck
Soup:
Chicken & Cauliflower
Mains:
12 Hour Feather Blade of Hereford Beef
Fillets of Seabass
Dessert:
Springfort Hall Dessert Plate (including Strawbeerry Cheesecake, Brownie, Lemon Possett, Ice-cream)
“I had felt under pressure to pick the perfect theme for the wedding, which was such a hard decision to make, because no one theme really reflected our personalities. In the end our wedding was a mash up of rustic glamour, with a touch a shabby chic and vintage.”
“Our vintage bike parked outside the church was overflowing with pink and purple flowers that looked like they belonged in a meadow. Our retro VW camper was the perfectly quirky way to make an exit. Our reception had hand decorated jars dotted around and our tables were simple with elegant horse table numbers and wine cards. Shades of eggplant, lilac and pink gave the wedding a warm, Spring feeling. I loved searching through Etsy to find everything from decorations to my Bolero. I put a huge emphasis on the wedding being child friendly as our little boy is only eight. The fire show gave the evening a cool, festival feel and it was all wrapped up by the amazing Roaring Forties Swing Band who were followed by an upbeat Trad Band called Gaelic Brew.”
“I absolutely adored my dress. I had started my dress search looking for something simple and understated, but I ended up with the exact opposite. It was an Ivory strapless gown with a flattering sweetheart neckline. It was embellished with tiny pearl beads and flowers. The blush coloured ribbon around the waist was a beautiful touch. The dress was corseted at the back, which gave it an amazing fit. Layers of tulle gave it a princess look, but it didn’t feel heavy. It flared out beautifully when I hit the dance floor. I bought the dress in Rochellen, Ballincollig.”
“If I had to give advice to other couples, it would be to slow down! Enjoy the preparation, when you look back you’ll see what a fantastic time it is to spend with your fiancée and your families. Don’t adhere to trends just be you and go with your gut. On the day it will all fall into place. Make sure you pick the right photographer for you – Sean made us feel very relaxed on the day which was so important. Oh and dance until the very last song!”
“Having our reception drinks on the lawn was one of my favourite parts … It was lovely seeing all our family sipping mojitos on the lawn while we had our pictures taken. Another highlight was our fire show entertainment by the Glowmads was an amazing hit!”
“If I could relive just one part of the wedding day, it would it be the walk up the aisle and Colm can’t decide and just wants to relive the whole thing!”
Thanks to Roseanne & Colm for sharing their special day with us! Congratulations from all of us here at WeddingDates. Check out Springfort Hall, Cork wedding venue for your special day and check out Sean Clarke Photography’s website for even more beautiful photography.
