Aoife Murtagh & David Hayes
Limerick Strand Hotel, Limerick
Photos courtesy of Peter Bell Photography and Film
The Meet
The Engagement
Kildysart native, Aoife turned 30 during lockdown. To make her birthday special, David, from Cranny, booked a weekend trip to Bath in the UK. A romantic walk along a canal on July 11, 2020, led to a proposal with a promise ring and a big resounding “yes.” “David proposed on the Saturday, and we didn’t get the engagement ring until the following Tuesday so, apart from our families, we didn’t tell people until then, I was ready to burst with excitement! My actual birthday was on the Wednesday, so it was a week of celebrations,” recalls Aoife. Due to Ireland having harsher lockdown restrictions, they didn’t get to celebrate at home until that Christmas.
The Wedding
On July 9, 2022, Aoife walked up the aisle to “How Long will I Love You” sung by soprano Eve Stafford. Aoife’s dress, from the Lace Boutique in Ennis, was a bespoke gown redesigned from a dress to suit her style. Her favourite memories of the day are: “Of course marrying David! Having all our family and friends in the one place and having the wedding that we wanted as so many people we knew had to change their plans the previous two years. It was a day of a lot of laughter and smiles.”
They chose fillet of beef, baked salmon or breast of chicken as their main course choices at Limerick Strand Hotel and did mini Baileys or Jameson for their guests as wedding favours. Aoife handmade the personalised tags for them which took many evenings of tying them onto each bottle. As a surprise they had Photo Giggles in with a cool photo booth, so everyone has lots of fun later in the evening dressing up and taking pictures.
How was your experience with the Limerick Strand Hotel?
“We did our initial show around and meetings with event coordinator Aishling. On the day itself everything went so smoothly, which was down to Monika and Emmet and their team who looked after us. We were also greeted with some lovely, chilled bubbly on arrival by Stephen, the general manager, which was much needed on the hot sunny day! We had guests travel from outside Ireland and they complimented the hotel on their outstanding five star service which made their stay unforgettable. Thank you, Team Strand, for looking after us.”
Suppliers
Engagement and Wedding rings: Goldsmiths London
Dress: The Lace Boutique, Ennis
Suits: Patrick Bourke’s Menswear, Ennis
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Folkster
Cake: Deluxe Bakery, Ennis
Ceremony Music: Eve Stafford
Photographer and Videographer: Peter Bell Photography and Film
DJ: DJ Fitz
Band: The Patrick Roche Wedding Band
Florist: Vaughan’s Florist, Ennis
Décor Company: Ri Weddings and Events
Photobooth: Photo Giggles Photobooth
Hair: Sinead Fox Bridal Hair
Make-Up: Maureen Considine at The Skin and Make-up Studio, Ennis
Spray Tans: Bare Beauty Ennis
Wedding Car: Bentley Wedding
Bride’s Jewellery: Rosie and Dott
Honeymoon: Trailfinders - Miami, Cancun and New York
