The lovely Grace & Shane married in understated elegance on March 14 2015 at the Lough Rea Hotel & Spa in Galway. Their completely raw images of the sunshine filtering through spring foliage are simply breath-taking. David Olsthoorn Photography captured each tender embrace between these sweethearts.
A surprise proposal over the Christmas season at the Lodge at Ashford in Cong, Co Mayo, caught Grace completely off-guard! “Shane had been working overseas for Christmas and we hadn’t had an opportunity to exchange gifts or spend time together so I booked the night away last minute as my treat before he headed back working overseas again in mid-January. The start of that day went from bad to worse as I had a fall in the bad weather, we were very late leaving and when we arrived at the hotel they didn’t have our reservation – due to the weather their systems were down.”
“It could have been a complete disaster but after giving me my Christmas presents when I looked up he was down on one knee. He completely caught me out. I am usually a step ahead of him and see things coming a mile off, but it was the last thing I expected. I was in complete shock, we drank lots of champagne and enjoyed the time just the two of us before telling anyone!”
The blushing bride was complimented by pretty pink bouquets and simply stunning bridesmaid dresses. Grace looked effortlessly chic with minimalist make up to highlight her dark tresses and flawless complexion. Her cascading veil looked divine as it flowed in the gentle breeze while the pair stood for photos out on the water. But Grace praises the amazing Beata at Trendy Threads in Liosbaun Industrial Estate in Galway for helping her avoid a major wedding day disaster!
“My wedding dress was Pronovias La Sposa, which I bought in Thistles in Tuam, Co. Galway. I had a very last minute change of heart on the dress, literally a week before the wedding. The talented Beata came to my rescue and she re-styled the skirt of the dress in a couple of days. She was amazing!”
“A few things really stood out for us. Firstly the amazing staff, the service they offer and their incredible attention to detail. They were superb in the run-up to the wedding, offering so much support. Secondly the Ballroom, we loved it immediately! It has a great layout, with its own reception area and the hotel has a roof top bar which is a great photo shoot location and also a lovely place to grab a few minutes out with your new husband.”
“Shane and I were lucky to be involved in two bridal parties in advance of our wedding where David Olsthoorn had been the photographer. We both loved his relaxed approach and the way he put everyone at ease and didn’t interrupt the flow of the day. We were in awe of the amazing pictures we saw of those weddings afterwards. David comes and captures the magical moments of your special day, he doesn’t dictate it. That’s what we loved about him and we were thrilled when he was available for our day as we felt we had already built a relationship with him.”
And Grace has some fabulous advice for newly-engaged couples who are starting their own adventure of wedding planning! “Try and get as much of the work done as far in advance as possible so you have the week before the wedding to chill and spend time with family and friends. That week is a very special time that you will never get again. When picking suppliers, go with your gut feeling and trust in them. This is what they do for a living and they have the experience and the knowledge. Drink lots of champagne, have a party and don’t forget to arrange to have your wedding dress cleaned while you are on honeymoon!”
Congratulations to Grace and Shane and a very special thank you for sharing your beautiful wedding day with us. Also to Rose Finn at the Lough Rea Hotel & Spa and the very talented David Olsthoorn for allowing us to showcase his spectacular images. The Lough Rea Hotel & Spa Wedding Event will take place on Sunday September 13th from 1:00-5:00pm. Call 091 880088 for more information.
