Real Weddings

One of the biggest draws to Kinsale Hotel & Spa was its proximity to water, fulfilling the couple’s dream of a scenic, coastal wedding. The venue’s seclusion and spacious grounds offered a safe and fun environment for the 25 children in attendance, allowing them the freedom to enjoy the day while their parents relaxed. For Tara and David, the hotel’s staff, including Karolina and Sarah, went above and beyond, making the planning process smooth and stress-free.

Family played an essential role in Tara and David’s celebration, with their loved ones at the heart of the day. The couple had over 120 guests, including many children, and ensured every detail was thoughtfully planned with them in mind. A fun kids’ games table, complete with bubbles and board games, kept the little ones entertained, while personalized touches like a Tayto wall and foam glow sticks brought laughter and joy for all ages.

Their ceremony was filled with sweet, unexpected moments. Tara remembers their three flower girls, especially two young ones who ran joyfully down the aisle hand-in-hand, bringing smiles and laughter to all in attendance. “We were both nervous, but once we sat down and held hands, the nerves disappeared. The love we felt from everyone was overwhelming,” Tara shares.

The intimacy of the function room was a highlight for the couple. “The view from the room was amazing, and even though it was large enough for all our guests, it still felt intimate. We could see everyone and really felt connected to the room,” David notes.

Tara and David were particularly impressed with how smoothly their day unfolded, thanks to the attentive Kinsale Hotel & Spa team. From the handover of duties between staff members to ensuring the couple had food ready during the photo sessions, the attention to detail never wavered.

One standout moment for Tara was when, just before cutting the cake, Sarah from the hotel brought out food for the couple. “We were starving after a busy morning and it was such a thoughtful touch,” Tara laughs. The couple also appreciated how the hotel catered to dietary needs, ensuring their vegetarian and celiac guests enjoyed their meals as much as everyone else.

“Linda and Gary’s love story started back in 2006 when a mutual friend introduced them, and it certainly was love at first sight. After eight amazing years together, including the birth of two beautiful children, Gary decided to complete their family (and Christmas celebrations) and got down on one knew, the rest … is history!

By the summer of 2015, wedding planning was well underway, the date was set, St. Patricks Church, Bandon was booked, now all they needed was a venue for their reception. After visiting the Kinsale Hotel & Spa for events held by friends and family, Linda & Gary knew that the attention to detail was fantastic, and after a visit with the wedding team, their minds (and date) were set!

While the Kinsale Hotel wedding team were busy looking after everything for their reception, social media directed Linda to a local event planner Epiphany Weddings and Events. After discussing her vision with Kelly, whose imagination and work ethic was second to none, Linda decided to leave the church décor to Epiphany, and completed the elegant theme with songstress and friend Angela Ryan who performed in the church.

Leading up to the big day, Linda & Gary made sure that they had all their personal touches in place, picking up smaller items to add those finishing touches to make their day the unique, elegant occasion that they had envisioned. Elegance and simplicity were also reflected in their colour scheme, choosing to go with an ivory on ivory timeless theme, perfect to look back on in years to come.

The couple wanted everyone to feel comfortable on their big day, so it was important to them to find a wedding photographer who would not only capture the beauty of their wedding day, but who could also engage with their guests. After meeting with Adrian O’Neill, and looking through his collection, they decided that he just had to be booked! One of the easiest decisions for Linda & Gary was their wedding cake, which was designed by the amazing Baker Boy Cakes.

Another huge decision to make your wedding, is your evening entertainment. Linda and Gary were lucky enough to attend a wedding in Killarney and were introduced to the popular wedding band Arklight, they were so impressed with their performance that less than 24 hours later, they were booked!

One of the final (and more important) decisions for Linda was where to go for her wedding dress. Like every bride, Linda wanted to feel glamourous on her big day, but also comfortable and able to enjoy a dance along with the rest of her guests. After looking through several bridal gown stores, Linda fell in love with a dress supplied by Diamond Bridal in Maylor Street, Cork, and simply knew this was the dress for her.

Once the bride was taken care of, it was time to look after the bridal party, with the ladies all in agreement when it came to style and colour, it was easy to find the right gowns from ASOS.

The focus was now on the men and he experts in Morleys were Gary’s first and last company of choice, with over thirty years of experience in tailoring and fitting, he was sure that his groomsmen would feel great throughout the day and evening celebrations.”

A word on the wedding coordinator:
“Having two young children doesn’t make any type of planning easy, especially planning a wedding with hundreds of guests, but the team at the Kinsale Hotel filled us with confidence and reassurance every step of the way.

From the moment we stepped out of the wedding car outside the hotel, to the moment we reluctantly left, we felt like we were the most important people ever to stay there!

No request was ever too much, and our expectations were exceeded time and time again.

We just can’t wait to stay again.”