September 15 2017, The Haven Hotel in Dunmore East
Philip and Lee chose to hold their nuptials and reception in the family run Haven Hotel in Dunmore East, which fit hotelier Philip’s high standards.
Having known each other for a year through mutual friends, a chance encounter on a night out sparked their romance and Philip popped the question at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, 2015, in his hometown in Carlow under a sky of fireworks. What a fairytale start to the new year!
The Wedding Details
Philip and Lee both found their suits in Detail, Kilkenny. To personalise the attire, Lee wore a burgundy tie and pin, which was complimented by Philip’s navy tie and pin. They bought their shoes from Topman and each was adorned with a family heirloom from their respective grandparents in their button holds.
When it came to floral arrangements, Philip and Lee chose to emphasise “quantity and simplicity”. The flowers, supplied by Petals Flower Shop in Cork, complimented the vintage, rustic elements of their theme. They opted for an abundance of Baby’s Breath, which was featured in their bouquets and button holds, while wild hydrangeas lined their wedding aisle.
Personal friend and Michelin Star chef, Christine Walsh, made their three-tier carrot wedding cake, which according to former wedding coordinator Philip was “by far the nicest wedding cake I ever tasted”. They also had two birthday cakes supplied by Délices d’Ingrid Cakes, Tralee. The first, a lemon drizzle for Philip’s brother, and the second a chocolate flavoured phenomenon to celebrate Lee’s 30th birthday.
For frequent concert goers Philip and Lee, music was essential for their celebrations. During the wedding they played a personalised playlist through the outdoor entertainment system in the hotel. For the reception, music duo “The Frets” entertained their 220 guests until Cork based band “Witless” took over for the rest of the evening. The night of entertainment ended with a show from popular DJ and drag queen; “DJ Charmin Electric” who carried them into the wee hours of the morning.
Shane O’Neill of Aspect Photography worked hard to capture the memories of Philip and Lee’s big day and his efforts were commended by Philip who said; “His photos are like art and he is so professional. I truly can’t recommend him enough.”
Invites for the wedding were designed by Think Print in Wexford, who also created the save the dates, menus and ceremony booklets with a similar theme. The ceremony itself was officiated by Eileen Morris of Spiritual Ceremonies, accompanied by surprise ring bearer Mitch the dog.
The hair and makeup team were provided by the award-winning Hair and Beauty Chalet from Fennagh, Co. Carlow. A team of four styled Philip and Lee’s fourteen strong wedding party, including the happy couple themselves who “couldn’t let girls have all the fun”.
Favourite Memories Philip’s favourite moment happened when he saw surprise ring bearer Mitch being led down the aisle in a top hat and waist coat. Having had to leave him at home that morning, it was a delightful surprise to have the last family member play a role in their nuptials. Lee’s favourite memory came before he even walked down the aisle! For him, “walking down the stairs of the hotel and interacting with everyone before the ceremony began was such a special and emotional moment.”
Special Touches Philip and Lee featured many DIY creations as part of their wedding, but their favourite was the wedding favours. “The favours were a 35mm film reel with personalised messages inside for all guests. Hours of work definitely paid off and they were a talking point at the wedding. Each reel had a personalised message, the guest’s celebrity look-a-like, a joke, a riddle and their fortune. It got people talking at every table. Each reel was in a beige pillow box tied with hessian twine and a wooden heart with our names stamped on them with the date.”
Tell us about your experience with The Haven Hotel? “The Haven Hotel is such a special place and anyone who visits will understand why. It is a family run venue and the family include all their staff who welcomed us with open arms every time we visited. They made the whole process so easy and what is important is they listened to what we wanted rather than giving us a ready built package. They made our weekend and made our family theirs for the weekend. I can’t say enough about the venue, food, details and especially the staff.”
