When did your wedding take place?
Wedding date 27th April 2013
What made you choose Dolmen Hotel – was there one thing about them that stood out from other venues?
We looked at a few venues but once we met the team at the Dolmen Hotel we knew it was the perfect place for us. It was the homely feeling in the hotel and the friendliness of the staff that made us choose the Dolmen Hotel.
Did you have any theme and/or unusual or unique touches to your wedding?
We based our wedding around the theme of The Claddagh as this is a symbol of love. We had our invitations printed in Irish and carried the theme through to the meal with the Claddagh image on our menu and table plan.
Tell us about your wedding menu & the cake?
The wedding menu was a 5 course meal, we had a great selection to choose from. Second helpings were freely available & everyone still compliments us on our wonderful wedding meal. Our cake was fun & unusual in that the icing was moulded into our county jerseys (Laois and Kildare). We are both big lovers of rugby so this was also incorporated into our cake as the top tier was our own personalised rugby ball. The lovely cake was made by Sweet Creations.
The gardens and the hotel are both amazing backdrops for photographers – you must have some amazing photographs. What are some of your favourite shots of the day?
The photos in the gardens of the hotel are amazing. It is very difficult to pick a favourite but if forced to choose the ones we love best are our first dance on the candlelight veranda. We also have a lovely picture on the hotel bridge & of our arrival at the hotel. Ohhh and we love the ones taken at the bottom of the great staircase and the one in the courtyard….look I could go on forever! It is very difficult to pick from such the vast choice of lovely photo locations both inside and outside the hotel.
Tell us about your wedding dress!
The dress is a Spanish style. It was called Serena La Stosa. It was purchased in the Bridal Studio, Stradbally, Co. Laois. I would recommend Kay O’Donoghue to anybody looking for a wedding dress. She is most helpful and will ensure that you look amazing on your wedding day.
What about the bridesmaid dresses – what colour were they & where did you get them?
The bridesmaids dresses were navy. The original boutique where I’d ordered red bridesmaid dresses, I don’t want to name it but a different shop than where I got my own dress, let us down at the last minute so we were fortunate to find 2 beautiful and well fitting dresses in Debenhams. When talking to Clare in the hotel, I told her about the dress colour change and she was great and sourced us navy chair bows for the function room so the colour would match the girls. They were so good to be able to change this around for us at the eleventh hour.
What was the best part of your wedding day?
The best part of the wedding day, wow, that is hard to say… everything went according to plan. The sun shone all day, the ceremony in the church was so memorable. Fr. Adrian Carbery put us at ease from the very start. We had some pictures taken in Kildangan Stud and the remainder taken in the beautiful hotel and surroundings. The very intimate and romantic setting of our first dance on the hotel veranda. The music and dancing after the meal which was made extra special when the inflatable guitars were introduced. Both young and old joined in and danced the night away. It really was the best day of our lives, a great time was had by one and all.
What’s the one moment that made your day… that moment you’ll never forget?
Mark- I will never forget the moment I turned around to see Trica arriving at the altar. She was a vision of loveliness.
Trica- I’ll never forget dancing at the foot of the altar as we were about to walk down the aisle as man and wife. The music being played was “Cant help falling in Love” by Lick the Tins and I just couldn’t control myself. I was so happy I just had to dance!
What’s the talking point of your wedding among family & friends – what impressed them most or what did they enjoy most about the day?
The talking point for our family and friends would be the relaxed atmosphere all throughout the day. Everybody felt so at ease at all time. From the speeches and throughout the meal, the party atmosphere lasted right through from day to night. The singsong in the Residence Bar was a great session. Thanks to the hotel staff for looking after everybody so well, making us all so feel so welcome and catering to all our needs.
What advice would you give to other couples about their big day?
My advice to other couples is to relax and enjoy the day. Forget about the world and have a great day. Everything will fall into place. Don’t be afraid to delegate and trust others to do the job for you.
Would you recommend Dolmen Hotel to your family/friends planning their wedding?
We would have no hesitation recommending the Dolmen to anybody planning a wedding. The staff are very helpful and are there at all times to give good advice up to and on the day of the wedding. Never be afraid to ask a question no matter how silly it may sound, the staff will always find a solution. They are willing and able to help you. It is a great relief to know they are there with your best interest at heart. Thanks again Dolmen for a great day to remember.
