A Classic and Relaxed Summer Markree Castle Wedding

Today’s actual marriage ceremony set within the ornate surrounds of Markree Castle oozed refined magnificence. Elizabeth and Benny are naturally drawn to a extra basic and conventional model and their celebration was a masterclass in how easy styling can stun! After a superbly heartfelt ceremony the couple partied like royalty within the magnificent Sligo venue surrounded by all these they cherish. There is a lot to swoon over of their summer time celebration which included a timeless-as-can-be lace marriage ceremony costume, all-white blooms, a panoramic ballroom reception, and the dreamiest first dance within the courtyard.

Elizabeth is from Dublin and Benny is initially from Galway the place they reside in the present day. They met whereas they had been snowboarding in Val Thorens in France.

Benny’s proposal spot was such a candy one: Omey Island on the western fringe of Connemara in County Galway the place they go for walks usually.

They adored the character of Markree Castle, it offered essentially the most breathtaking backdrop for his or her celebration that there was no have to overcomplicate issues. “Benny actually chose Markree Castle! We loved how beautiful the castle was and how little we needed to do to it. We didn’t want to go overboard with flowers or decorations, and Markree really speaks for itself. The staff were also absolutely amazing, which made the whole experience so easy and enjoyable. It was exactly the kind of setting we wanted, traditional and elegant without needing lots of extras.”

When it got here to their marriage ceremony day priorities they needed to spend as a lot time collectively as they might in addition to having loads of time with our household and pals. “We’d heard so many couples say their wedding day flew by and that they barely saw each other, so we really wanted to avoid that. We wanted to be present, enjoy the reception and have the chance to chat to everyone, and thankfully we felt we managed to do all of that.”

A timeless magnificence! Elizabeth sourced her off the shoulder lace marriage ceremony costume by Made with Love from Pearl Lane in Galway which she accessorised with Debenans sneakers and jewelry from Ór in Galway.

Something blue bridesmaid clothes could not be sweeter! Her bridesmaids wore delicate blue satin robes from Azazie which completely spoke to the elegant summer time theme.

The couple exchanged vows on the Church of Assumption in Collooney on third August 2026. Benny’s native priest from Galway travelled as much as Sligo to marry them which meant a lot to the couple and made the ceremony really feel much more private.

Music was such an enormous a part of the day and harpist Padraic Collins helped make their celebration completely unforgettable. “Pauric was absolutely brilliant and created such a lovely atmosphere throughout the ceremony. One of our favourite moments was The Voyage by Christy Moore. Pauric actually sang it while playing the harp, and it was absolutely beautiful. I walked down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love, played on the harp, and we walked back out to Runaway by The Corrs, also on the harp. We loved having those songs played on the harp, and the music made the ceremony feel really personal and special. Pauric was absolutely incredible, and the music was definitely one of our favourite parts of the day.”

“Having all our closest family and friends together was definitely the most special part of the day,” the bride reminisces. “With 70 guests, it felt really personal, and we were able to spend proper time with everyone.”

The subtle tuxes had been by Coreless in Galway. So dapper!

Their photographer Paula Donnelly put them proper relaxed as she captured all of the magical moments of the day. “Neither of us is particularly comfortable in front of the camera, so having the right photographer was really important. Paula Donnelly was brilliant. She understood that we didn’t want to spend hours posing for photographs or miss out on the day. She captured so many lovely candid moments, which was exactly what we wanted.”

Elizabeth’s radiant magnificence look and beautiful half-up half-down coiffure was finished by Keira Smyth.

Their marriage ceremony tip is to attempt to not get too caught up in all of the little extras, particularly in direction of the top of the planning course of. “I found myself ordering things online at the last minute and then realising we didn’t actually need any of them! I think it’s easy to get carried away trying to make everything perfect, but you can end up creating unnecessary stress for yourself. Stick to what you originally wanted, and don’t feel pressured to add things just because other people are doing them. You really don’t need to overcomplicate things. For us, keeping everything relatively simple meant we could relax, spend time together and properly enjoy the day. I’d also say to make sure you actually get to spend time with each other. It’s so easy to get caught up in everything that’s going on, but some of our favourite moments were just being together and enjoying it all.”

The Flower Shed in Sligo curated the romantic white blooms which included ruffled hydrangeas and sprays of child’s breath.

Their reception was filled with moments the couple cherish together with glad tears-inducing speeches. “The speeches were another real highlight. They were all amazing, and my sister wrote a really lovely, personal poem, which was such a special moment.”

The couple’s first dance to At Last by Etta James within the courtyard was completely magical and later DJ and Sax crammed the dancefloor into the wee hours.

The couple travelled throughout Tuscany in Italy for his or her honeymoon for 2 weeks visiting Chianti, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Siena, and Florence. “We spent our time visiting vineyards, drinking lovely wine, sightseeing, exploring the beautiful towns and just relaxing. It was a really nice mix of doing things and having time to ourselves. We actually went away straight after the wedding, which was lovely because everything was still so fresh and we could spend ages chatting about the day and reliving all the little moments. Tuscany was absolutely beautiful, and we’d highly recommend it. It was the perfect place to unwind after the wedding while still having plenty to see and do.”

The warmest thanks to Elizabeth, Benny and Paula Donnelly Photography for sharing in the present day’s magical Markree Castle marriage ceremony with our readers!

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