If you think organising a wedding is pressurised, then surely sorting the honeymoon has to come in at a close second. Is it any wonder we start to become brainwashed into thinking we can afford the two grand a night beach hut on stilts in Bora Bora? Feck the pressure we say – if you […]

7 years ago

When it comes to weddings, guestlists = headwrecks. Think House of Cards-style political machinations: Who will you offend? What if your parents gave you money towards the wedding and now they want to invite their whole road? Will your colleagues hate you forever if they’re not on the list? Well, it’s never easy leaving someone […]

8 years ago

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. A good vintage dress ticks off at LEAST the first three of these criteria. And here’s where to get the best in Dublin… 1. Cork – Bella Bleu Vintage Bridal Stocking exquisite vintage finds from the 1920s to 1970s, Paris to New York, the gorgeous […]

8 years ago

Brought to you by the Wedding Photographers of Dublin. If you’re currently knee-deep in wedding prep, you’ll probably have come across one piece of advice over and over again: don’t scrimp on the photography. We really have to reiterate that advice. Everyone who’s been married will always say how quickly the big day comes […]

8 years ago

Getting married is one hell of a journey – and not just an emotional one, as you prepare to commit the rest of your life to someone you truly love, but also one of planning, of learning and life lessons that will stay with you for a long time. Whether you like it or not. […]

8 years ago

Before you pop THAT question, or are popped to, there are a few more you should ask first. Now we’re not trying to put the frighteners on you at all – and why would we? This is an amazing, exciting time. All we’re doing is giving you a bit of a heads up so you’re […]

8 years ago

If you want a proper Dublin city wedding, where the city becomes just as much a backdrop to your day as the reception and ceremony venues, have you thought about slap-bang-in-the-middle-of-it-all, Fallon & Byrne? We’ve long extolled the virtues of this brilliant space, which sits pretty in a gorgeous red brick building overlooking Exchequer Street. […]

8 years ago

Being asked to be maid of honour is a lovely, special thing – but let’s not beat around the bush, as soon as the initial engagement celebrations are over it’s time to get the head down and start planning the hen. After all it’s what you were hired to do. READ: Fancy A Session? Here Are […]

9 years ago

As most of us aren’t rich, nor do we have eccentric, childless millionaire uncles who have always ‘seen us as their kids’, we have to do some seriously clever budgeting to get the wedding day we want. “Budgeting?” sez you. “Pah! How’s that any craic?” And when I set about planning my own wedding I […]

9 years ago

With all the talk about the bride’s dress, the poor old groom’s suit often takes a back seat.  But of course it’s just as important that the groom feels amazing in his wedding suit. So get kitted out like the dapper gent you are in one of these fantastic Dublin formalwear shops. Suits you Sir. 1. Aston Formal Aston Formal […]

10 years ago

In the last few years, it became A-OK by the Attorney General to have wedding ceremonies take place outdoors. Which was pretty big news, because al fresco nuptials are pretty fecking fabulous. Fair enough, you’re taking your chances with an outdoor wedding in Ireland, but as long as it’s dry, no matter what time of year […]

10 years ago

Ah the first dance song. The ultimate tune that defines you as a couple, that shows the world (or your 152 guests) exactly how you feel about each other, that compels people to sob between hics, “You… two… are… so… beautiful!” So no pressure then. But you know what? Contrary to what you might think, picking […]

10 years ago

We feel deeply for all the Maids of Honour out there. The poor crathurs have their work cut out organising the perfect hen. If it’s shite it’s all on them. If it costs a fortune it’s their fault. If the bride is devastated by the choice the friendship could very well end up in tatters. […]

10 years ago

Gone be the days when the only backdrop you needed for your wedding photos was a decent bit of hedge in the back garden or a white wall… sure even a light beige would do. Things have changed beyond all recognition in the last few years and modern couples are now seeking out the coolest, […]

10 years ago

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it we say. There’s a reason why paintballing is the most popular activity for stags, and an increasingly popular one for hens – and no, it’s not because the groom learns all about pain and fear in preparation of married life. Anyone in a long-term relationship should already know […]

10 years ago

God we love hen parties. And although we dress them up with ‘genteel’ activities like afternoon tea and… archery, well, the truth is they’re an excuse for us to go wild. Are they tacky? Ah yeah, a bit. Are they booze-fuelled? Most definitely. Would we change ‘em for the world? Not a hope. Stage 1: […]

10 years ago

Lots of modern couples are eschewing the traditional wedding reception hoo-ha these days. None of this massive ballroom and top table stuff for them, thanks very much – they simply want fantastic grub and a great choice of booze in an intimate, cool space. So, if you’re in that have you considered a restaurant? Some […]

10 years ago

Best men, if you’re looking to organise a stag in Dublin then all we can say is you’re pretty feckin’ lucky. With its brilliant pubs, amazing restaurants and top-class activities, it’s the perfect playground for the lads to get together for one last hurrah before the groom becomes a sober and respectable pillar of the […]

10 years ago

All of a sudden, without warning, our pesky friends are getting engaged. Honestly, they’re being picked off one by one, and while we’re happy for them, our bank balances are begging for mercy. Cash that used to go on important stuff like rent and loans and ASOS binges is now being earmarked for weddings – […]

10 years ago

Brides and grooms-to be, could there possibly be a city more perfect, more glorious than Dublin for a Christmas wedding? Yep, we’re coming over all soppy, but how can we help it? It’s pure Christmassy magic. The feel in the air, the lights on streets Grafton, Henry, South William and George – it just can’t […]

10 years ago

You often hear the usual stereotypical stuff about an Irish wedding: the rock the boat, the dodgy music, the beef or salmon. Well we’re sidestepping all that and drilling even deeper into the psyche of the wonder that is a wedding in Ireland. The take home? We’re awkward, everything is ‘stunning’ and we are about […]

10 years ago

If you’ve always wanted to get married in a proper castle, but haven’t wanted to make the trek ‘up the counthry’ you’re in luck. There are heaps of palatial piles within a few minutes’ drive of Dublin city with more turrets, posh carpets and mad ornamental woodwork than you can shake a jewelled spectre at. […]

10 years ago

Okay, so you’ve just got engaged (congratulations!) and like it or not, for the next year or so your life is going to change. Like a lamb to the slaughter you have now entered the ‘wedding bubble’ and only those who are in it or have went through it before will ever understand. ‘Weddingy’ words and […]

10 years ago

Listen up ridey bridies (and groomies), have you been looking at swoonsome wedding blogs and thinking: ‘God that’s exactly what I want for my big day’ – and then swiftly following that thought with ‘but I haven’t a creative bone in my body’? Or conversely, are you super creative and so-and-so who can’t wait to get […]

10 years ago

As any veteran best man will tell you, planning a stag isn’t a walk in the park. Planning where you’ll all be staying, eating and wetting the whistle is tough. Then you have to sort out timings, deposits and make sure your chosen venues are close to each other and within budget.  And you have to […]

10 years ago

Choosing where to get married can be a toughie – and in this case we don’t even mean the venue. After all, there are feckloads of things to consider. Where are the bride and groom from? Where’s easiest for family and friends to get to? (Don’t forget your nanny has bad knees.) Where has the best […]

10 years ago

Afternoon tea is quickly becoming a massively popular hen party activity. Granted it may not quite as physical as zorbing or as creative as making your own nipple tassels – but you’re quaffing champagne, having heated debates about the consistency of the scones and trying out ‘mad’ sandwich fillings. And on top of all that you get to […]

10 years ago

A spa hen party is always a winner – especially if the thought of the likes of off-road driving or archery makes you want to lock yourself in a press until it’s all over. And to be fair, what’s not to bloody love? Hens get to chill like the proverbial villains – a massage here, […]

10 years ago

You’re engaged – ARGH! And while planning your wedding is going to be more fun than stressful, we promise (well, we hope), by the end of it you WILL have an honorary qualification in event management. Now, you know the way when you’re trying to cook a Sunday roast and it’s not the individual parts that […]

10 years ago

Picking your bridal party might seem like no-brainer. Sure I know yer man years. Ah I’ll have to ask Brenda; didn’t she visit me in the hospital when I had me appendix out? And anyway, does it matter – sure what do they really do. Well now, we’re here to tell you not to be too hasty, […]

10 years ago

If you’re after a shit cool, alternative and ridiculously Instagrammable wedding venue, prepare to fall madly in love with Co. Westmeath’s Mount Druid. Christ this place – if you were to imagine the best location to throw the biggest, most important party of your life, we have a feeling it wouldn’t be too far off […]

10 years ago

If you’re just engaged (congrats!) and are on the hunt for wedding reception, have you considered a swanky Lord and Lady of the Manor-type pile for your reception? Guaranteed to be luxurious, peaceful and situated on beautiful grounds – you just can’t beat a country house. And there’s no need to drive deep into the […]

10 years ago

One of the trickiest things about choosing a civil ceremony is the fact that you pretty much have to design the whole thing yourselves. The only parts you really have to do are the vows and the signing of the register – the legal bits basically – so if you don’t create a longer ceremony it’ll […]

10 years ago

As soon as all the major wedding stuff is sorted you can finally get going on the fun bit: getting creative with a bit of savvy DIY! Now there’s no need to be scared of the thought of DIY. We’re not suggesting you go out and buy a Black and Decker workbench and matching power […]

10 years ago

Sod the detractors that say it’s a lot to spend on a dress you’re only going to wear once – we’re talking quality over quantity here, people. Be that as it may, you don’t have to go too crazy when it comes to your outfit for the big day. And these suggestions might just help […]

10 years ago

Wedding invitations have moved on a LOT from the pearly gold paper and a black calligraphy scrawl of old. Now invitations are one of the best ways to inject who you are as a couple into your nuptials. Whether it’s a cool custom drawing by one of Ireland’s many talented designers, a punchy-coloured modern graphic or a […]

10 years ago

We Irish like to think we’re cool as cucumbers when it comes to spotting celebrities. We have this whole defiant, “Yes that was Nicolas Cage, so feckin’ what? Who’s he when he’s on the toilet?” thing going on. But I reckon we’re not at all as nonchalant as we make out. Deep down we’re only […]

10 years ago

Prior to looking for a wedding dress, it’s normal not to have a notion where to start. Sure they’re all basically white and long – how in the name of God is it possible to whittle them down to THE dress?   So if you’re tentatively dipping your toe into wedding dress shopping, you won’t know the […]

10 years ago

While we’re not saying you have to buff yourselves up like Sly Stallone in his Rambo days, it’s pretty much guaranteed that if you look after yourselves – both mind and body – in the lead-up to your wedding, you’ll enjoy the experience a hell of a lot more. And jaysus, if there was ever a time […]

10 years ago

Gone are the days when buying a wedding dress online conjures up those (hilarious) images of cheap knock-offs that look nothing like the pictures. Nope – now there are heaps of unreal online bridal designers way ahead of the game in terms of cool, modern styling. Sure, many people might shy away from the idea of buying a […]

10 years ago

Hen parties don’t have to be all pink hummers and L-plates – why not use yours as an opportunity to indulge in a spot of pampering in one of the many fancy pants venues all across the country? We’re thinking champagne on the terrace, afternoon tea in a luxurious period dining room, and outdoorsy excursions exploring parkland, […]

10 years ago

We are living in a technological world (and we are technological girls and boys) – so we might as well make the most of it. And while we’re never going to call wedding planning easy, there are heaps of brilliant apps that make it a hell of a lot less daunting. From table planning to photo sharing, […]

10 years ago

If you’ve always had notions (no not those notions; we mean nice ones) of getting hitched somewhere with a bit of impact, history, gravitas even – have you considered one of Ireland’s amazing heritage sites? The sound lads at the Office of Public Works (OPW) obviously realised loads of its iconic sites would make whopper ceremony venues, so a couple of years […]

10 years ago

Before you pop THAT question, or are popped to, there are a few more you should ask first. Now we’re not trying to put the frighteners on you at all – and why would we? This is an amazing, exciting time. All we’re doing is giving you a bit of a heads up so you’re […]

10 years ago

Okay, okay the Maldives might have sun and clear azure waters and Thailand fresh coconuts and soft white beaches, but think of it this way – for many couples all around the world, Ireland is a dream honeymoon destination. From rugged coastal lighthouses, to medieval castles, to swanky spa hotels overlooking the Atlantic, it’s all here on our doorstep, […]

10 years ago

With such a huge choice of incredible castles all around the country available for weddings, it’s easy to take them from granted.  But make no mistake, we are very lucky indeed to have the option to throw the biggest party of our lives in a venue fit for royalty. Don’t believe us? Check out these […]

10 years ago

While it’s a given that shopping for your wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, kitting out your bridesmaids can be just as much fun – maybe even more to be honest. For one thing, it’s (obviously) way more relaxed, and for another, you can have a bit of fun with colour and pattern, the bride’s ‘palette’ being a tad […]

10 years ago

While the lovely and romantic parts of your wedding day are all well and good, there’s one bit that the whole congregation is really looking forward to – the PARTY! The dinner’s been eaten, the cake’s being wheeled out the door for later and the guests are getting nicely pissed, so of course everyone is […]

10 years ago

As you’ve probably learned by now, planning a wedding in many ways is akin to grabbing handfuls of money and throwing it all from a great height shouting dramatically, “Take me, take me for everything I’ve got!” Part of this is making an allowance in your budget for gifts for your groomsmen. Generally small(ish) and sentimental, […]

10 years ago

After the initial engagement excitement has calmed down a bit, you’re going to start thinking about what getting married actually entails. We’re talking the legal stuff people. So whether you’re opting for a humanist, a religious – we’re going to look at Catholic, as they’re the most common in Ireland – or a civil ceremony, this is […]

10 years ago