Once in a while a couple comes along that sends a thunder strike into our hearts here with the OFD team, leaving us overwhelmed and with butterflies circling our stomachs. Today's Real Wedding of Mikey and Conleth are one those couples. For Mikey and Conleth it was undoubtedly love at first sight, and a little over a year after they first met they decided to make it official with this fabulously stylish Bellinter House wedding. Mikey and Conleth incorporated a clever mix of on trend additions combined with their own personal tastes and vintage loves - and I know you're just going to love it...
Like a scene from your favourite romance, Conleth and Mikey met on the side of the street, just by chance: "I, Conleth, had just come out of a building on South William Street in Dublin in November and was a bit sleepy and spaced-out after a full body massage and I literally crashed into Mikey! In retrospect, that could have been the end of it but in fact it was the best thing that ever happened to me, as I might never have met him. During the incident I dropped my diary and became more and more flustered. Clumsily, we banged heads as Mikey helped me pick up my debris but even in my embarrassment I noticed how handsome he looked. I guess there was a bit of a flirting and spark going on, so I asked him for a drink around the corner (just the one mind as we both had plans that night) – I guess they say the rest is history!
A year later, for Conleth's birthday, Mikey surprised him with a secret holiday and an even more secret proposal, "We had spoken about tying the knot but I had wanted to wait until the marriage referendum had passed, but in Mikey’s true romantic style he simply couldn't hold back. So here's me blindfolded and being whisked off to the airport, and landing in Edinburgh at the Missoni Hotel (which I think is gone now) as I was big fan of Missoni fabrics at the time." Once at the hotel, Mikey nervously proposed to a gobsmacked Conleth, who of course, said yes.
For Mikey and Conleth, their number one priority was to make sure that all of their best friends, from home and abroad, could be with them on the day. Luckily everyone made a special effort and joined together over the Christmas holidays at Bellinter House, Co Meath for their wonderful celebration.
They chose Bellinter House not only for it's gorgeous architecture, but also because it resonates as a particularly special place for Conleth. "Bellinter House was always very special to me as I had friends and colleagues that were instrumental in setting it up as a hotel and I had seen the house before it was a hotel (owned by the nuns). Then to see it blossom after all the hard work had been complete, it seemed like an obvious choice of venue as it felt like a home from home."
Don't you just adore both Mikey and Conleth's style? Both grooms opted for stunning Vivienne Westwood suits which Conleth accessorised with his grandfather’s rose gold chain and fob and a vintage silk tie, while Mikey kept things that little bit simpler.
To compliment their stunning suits, the bridesmaids wore on trend black bridesmaid dresses, with a simple corsage instead of a bouquet. Gorgeous!
After the formalities and some gorgeous sun soaked portraits, Mikey and Conleth and their guests retreated back inside Bellinter House for a party complete with disco tunes by DJ Kelly Anne Byrne, a tower of colourful macarons, mojitos and a surprise performance by drag queen Davina Devine.
Advice-wise, Mikey and Conleth are all about keeping the focus on the marriage rather than just the wedding day... "Do what you want to do and stay true to who you are – on a practical note, keep budgets tight as you have whole life ahead of you to experience the pleasures of the world and if you want a great big day out it doesn't need to cost a fortune to have fun – your friends and family are there to make the perfect celebration."
Huge congratulations to you both, and thank you so much for sharing your heartwarming wedding with us all. A big thank you also goes to the lovely Aga of White Tea Photography, always a pleasure. To see more from White Tea Photography head over to www.whitetea.ie
