Being able to say "I do" in a venue of their choice and surrounded by their friends and family made "a huge" difference to the first couple in Ireland to hold their civil marriage outside a registry office, writes Anne Lucey.
At about 3.15pm yesterday, Fergus Burke (38), Ballyvolane, and Michelle Owens (30), a dress designer from Carrigaline,both Co Cork, signed themselves into the history books in the garden conservatory of the 17th century Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Overlooked by a cloudless sky and the mountains and autumnal woods of Killarney, the bride wore one of her own designs: a cream dress studded with pearls. She arrived on the arm of her father Declan.
The conservatory was the nearest thing to open air one could get, as weddings must be held in safe buildings.
The couple's main reason for an out-of-office wedding was size. Registry offices were too small to accommodate all guests - they had invited up to 70 people to the stylish black-tie wedding.
The ceremony was officiated by Kerry registrar Mary Teresa O'Shea. Billy Ramsell, superintendent registrar, HSE South and Kieran Feely, registrar general, also attended.
The new procedures allowing weddings to take place outside registry offices only came into force on November 5th, after the marriage provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 were commenced. The civil ceremony could not have taken place today because solemnisers and registrars do not work on Saturdays.
A HSE spokeswoman said yesterday this was because there has been no great demand.