{"id":310688,"date":"2026-02-22T01:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T01:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/310688\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T01:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T01:05:10","slug":"we-wanted-our-wedding-to-be-personal-romantic-and-funny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/310688\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We wanted our wedding to be personal, romantic, and funny\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Croatia to Clonakilty, and from Dalmatia to Dunmore House Hotel, Cork couple Judy Collins and Graham Smith were spoilt for choice when it came to stunning backdrops for their romance.<\/p>\n

Judy, from Carrigaline, and Graham, from Crosshaven, have known one another for 14 years and became an item a decade ago. \u201cWe got engaged on the top of Mount Srd in Dubrovnik at sunset in August 2024,\u201d says Graham.<\/p>\n

Just as picture-perfect was the oceanside Dunmore House Hotel, where they exchanged vows at the end of 2025, in a ceremony led by celebrant Thomas Harty (@thomashartycelebrant), with the reception at the same venue.<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins and Graham Smith. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

That windswept but dry December morning, the bride and groom experienced \u201ca mix of nerves and anticipation\u201d, says Judy: \u201cAs soon as I saw everyone I knew, prior to walking down the aisle, the nerves just changed to excitement! We wanted our wedding to be personal, romantic, and funny \u2014 which our celebrant captured perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple\u2019s friend Caoimhe Barret sang Judy down the aisle. \u201cShe performed Fleetwood Mac\u2019s Songbird; she was unreal,\u201d adds Graham.<\/p>\n

\"SealedSealed with a kiss: Judy Collins and Graham Smith. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

Congratulating them were both sets of parents, Amy Busteed Collins and Kevin Collins and Jacinta and Michael Smith, along with Judy\u2019s grandmother Pat Collins and Graham\u2019s grandmother Margaret Griffin.<\/p>\n

The bride\u2019s friend Tara Nolan was her maid of honour, and the groom\u2019s brother Ian Smith was his best man.<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins and Graham Smith, Ian Smith Barry Ryan, Cian Byrne and Rob Shanahan. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

Caitriona Kelly, Casey Smith, and Hannah Dineen were the bridesmaids and Barry Ryan, Cian Byrne, and Rob Shanahan were the groomsmen. Judy\u2019s cousin and Graham\u2019s friend Mikey Collins was the ringbearer. \u201cIt was one of those surprises where we had placed it under his chair ahead of the ceremony,\u201d says Judy.<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins with Tara Nolan, Caitriona Kelly, Casey Smith and Hannah Dineen. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

Judy looked ultra-elegant in a gown sourced in The White Ivy, Kenmare, and Graham was kitted out in Savilles Menswear, Cork. Graham adds: \u201cIt was an amazing day, Peter Barrett from Dunmore house was so calm in the build-up, which eased our nerves big-time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe food was incredible, the music and the general atmosphere were top-notch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins with Tara Nolan, Caitriona Kelly, Casey Smith and Hannah Dineen. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

Judy adds: \u201cThe musician for the ceremony and reception was amazing, Peadar O\u2019Callaghan (@peadar_music), and the band for the dinner and night were spectacular, The OffBeats Band (@theoffbeatsirl).\u201d The bridal hairstyling was by Dawn Monaher (@dawnhairyfairy), and the makeup artist was Nikki Burke (@nikkiburkemakeupartist).<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins and Graham Smith. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

Photographer Dylan Clifford (@dylancliffordphotographer and dylancliffordphotography.com) captured the occasion for posterity with cameras also
rolling thanks to content creator Emi Laguna (@roxyweddings) and Daragh Twomey (@dtweddingfilms). The floral d\u00e9cor was by Flicks Howe (@howehillflowers).<\/p>\n

The weather gods also played their part. \u201cWe got very lucky, considering the time of the year. It was beautiful the day after the wedding \u2014 we all went swimming in Inchydoney!\u201d says Judy.<\/p>\n

\"JudyJudy Collins and Graham Smith. Pictures: Dylan Clifford <\/p>\n

August is earmarked as the Crosshaven-based newlyweds\u2019 honeymoon month. \u201cWe\u2019re going to Canada to drive the Rockies,\u201d says Graham.<\/p>\n

Judy is an assistant manager for Vodafone Ireland and Graham is a retailer in Smiths SuperValu Kinsale.<\/p>\n

If you would like your wedding to be featured in Weekend, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From Croatia to Clonakilty, and from Dalmatia to Dunmore House Hotel, Cork couple Judy Collins and Graham Smith…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":310689,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[93,61,60,19930],"class_list":{"0":"post-310688","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-this-much-i-know-column-shape-i"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310688\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}