Our wedding story: magic moments

“Just happier overall.” That’s how Mark and Sarah feel since their wedding last December.

The couple, both from Dublin, were students in UCD and started dating in January, 2013. “Almost four years to the day that we first met each other at a Saw Doctors gig in the UCD student bar!”

On December 8th, Sarah was escorted to the registry office in Dublin city with maid of honour Rebecca and Rebecca’s mum Margaret.

There they met Mark who was waiting with both families including his parents Eva and Bryan, his grandmother Elizabeth, sisters Emma, Alice and Ellen, best man Mark and the bride’s three brothers.

The newlyweds were later joined by more loved ones at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire for champagne.

"The most memorable part of that day for me was when we all drove from Dún Laoghaire to Redford Cemetery in Greystones to visit my mother's grave and leave flowers, remembers Sarah.

“It was so important to me for her to be part of our wedding in some way.”

After dinner in Avoca, the wedding party travelled on to the Glendalough Hotel to prepare for the next day's humanist wedding ceremony which was celebrated by Sarah's brother Cónal.

“He has a special way with words that no one could match,” says his sister. “So he was the obvious choice.

“He and my brother Rob also sang while my sister-in-law Phoebe performed a hand fasting ritual, which my youngest brother Dan as well as Mark’s parents and grandmother Elizabeth were also involved in. It was really important to me that my brothers were so involved as we’re a very strong unit.”

Another memorable part of the day was a joint speech by parents of the groom.

"Eva and Bryan's speech is still being talked about. They performed a sketch from Letterman about marriage and relationships – both funny and inspiring."

The next day, Eva’s skills came to the fore once again for a treasure hunt she had been planning for 6 months.

“It was a mix of orienteering, riddle solving and a scavenger hunt,” says Mark. “We got our jackets on and all headed out around Glendalough – including the monastic site and the lakes – at noon. We finished up with a table quiz afterwards and later that night we brought a guitar up to the old cathedral and had a sing song under the stars. Magic.”

Photographer: Wild Things Wed Photography – Caroline McNally