Bride and Groom: Angela Duigenan, a Personal Assistant at Hewlett Packard, and John Larkin, an IT Systems Engineer with Eircom.
Wedding date: September 16, 2011
Wedding Ceremony: Lady Chapel Church, Maynooth, Co. Kildare | Reception: Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa, Co. Meath
Our photographer… David McClelland Photography
Even the pouring rain couldn’t dampen the high spirits of Angela and John’s wedding day in Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa. What’s evident in David McClelland’s images is that love, laughter and happiness were also very present on the day, and that joy can be seen on the face of every guest, and in the couple themselves… We even detect a little twinkle in the eyes of their two adorable little doggies!
We met… We met in October 2004, I was working in Eircom and was waiting on a new placement when I was asked to train in two new employees, one of them was John and the other, our now good friend Graham, and as they say, the rest is history!
My first impressions of John… It was all bit strange because I met him in a working environment, but I thought, ‘Nice dark hair, lovely brown eyes and a lovely smile.’ We used to stay late in work just to chat to each other!
Our favourite part of the day… Walking up the aisle and seeing John. It felt like the start of our new lives together. The atmosphere was beautiful, we had gorgeous music and vocals from Maria Fitzgerald and Irish Tenor Kenneth O’Regan.
The proposal… It was in Muckross House, Co. Kerry during the October Bank Holiday weekend in 2010. The weather was really bad and I couldn’t understand why John wanted to go for a walk. He insisted on bringing his camera bag and I was getting annoyed he was not taking any pictures. After a few minutes we arrived at possibly the only beach in Killarney on the lake in front of Muckross House and it was still so stormy. John turned around to me and said he had a present for me but said: “It comes with a question!” All of a sudden, a ring box was handed to me and as I opened it he asked me to “Marry him?” My reply was, “Are you serious?” To celebrate John produced two plastic champagne glasses from the camera bag and a medium bottle of Moet to toast. It was only after the ring was on the finger and I was sipping the champagne that I remembered my important response “Yes”!
Our ceremony… It was perfect! We were married in Lady Chapel Church, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. It’s a very small, but beautiful old stone church set in the countryside but also close to the N4 for guests to make their way to it! It was perfect for fabulous photographs. Even the rain added to it in a funny way. When we arrived at the church in our Bentley with my father beside me, the heavens opened up. We spent about 10 -15 minutes sitting in the car not being able to move, I could only just laugh! The priest came out to see what the holdup was. I believe it’s good luck for it to rain on your big day, well so they say, so I’m sticking to it!
My dress… It was beautiful, strapless gown that I fell in love with! The designer was Demetrio’s Bridal Wear and it was bought in Classy Lass in Clane, Co. Kildare
Our venue… We had our reception in Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa. The staff was excellent, they even played the background music we wanted for the reception. On the day they really brought out the big guns, especially having a representative waiting to open and help me out of the car and congratulating us. They went beyond the call of duty a number of times, like the girl behind reception that opened at least 15 packets of hotel bathroom kits to get some needle thread and safety pins to pin back my dress that tore during the celebrations. I felt that if I forgot something or I was about to ask someone for help, there was always someone ready at my side to assist me, they were truly amazing. They are true experts on managing a big day! 
My advice for other brides… There will be times when you’ll be sleeping, eating and breathing your wedding, after all it is a huge project, it will become like a second job to you.
When this happens remember two things:
1. There is always someone willing to help if you need to delegate some of the workload.
2. Get some time out together, when you can be yourselves to remind each other of how much in love you are and how perfect you are together!
Vendors:
Wedding Dress: Demetrio’s Bridal Wear from Classy Lass, Co. Kildare
Photographer: David McClelland Photography
Make-up: Claire Noonan as seen on WeddingOnline.ie – she was amazing and very talented
Cake: My fabulously talented aunty, Maire Flynn who is our very own master baker
Bridesmaid dresses: Kelsey Rose gowns from Classy Lass, Co. Kildare
Flowers: Absolutely Fabulous Flowers, Co. Kildare.
Stationery: A family friend
Wedding Car: Instyle Wedding Cars
Wedding Singer: Maria Fitzgerald Wedding Singer – fabulous voice and a great accompaniment was Kenneth O’Regan
Music: The Bentley Boys
Groomswear: Fair Brothers, Crumlin
