{"id":533636,"date":"2026-07-05T03:25:23","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T03:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/533636\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T03:25:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T03:25:23","slug":"wedding-of-the-week-limerick-couple-wed-with-the-wind-at-their-backs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/533636\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding of the Week: Limerick couple wed with the wind at their backs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coastal cool added a frisson of fabulousness for Limerick bride and groom Ciara O\u2019Shea and Mark O\u2019Connor.<\/p>\n

Ciara, from Dooradoyle, and Mark, from Corbally, got engaged on Diamond Beach in Iceland and, on their wedding<\/a> day, posed for the camera on Ireland\u2019s Wild Atlantic Way.<\/p>\n

Ciara, a paediatric doctor, and Mark, a physiotherapist, spotted one another six years ago while both were working in University Hospital Limerick, when Mark was on his hospital placement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had known each other prior, but not very well, as Mark is the uncle of one of my best friends, Rayna O\u2019Brien,\u201d says Ciara. \u201cMark and I went on our first date in December 2020 in House Limerick right before another [pandemic] lockdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CiaraCiara O\u2019Shea and Mark O\u2019Connor. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography<\/p>\n

Mark popped the question four years later, on December 3, 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wrote a series of notes on post-it stickers that he slipped into my pocket,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

They were married in April 2026 in Our Lady Star of the Sea in Quilty, Co Clare, by Fr Chris O\u2019Donnell and held their reception in the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, Co Clare.<\/p>\n

\u201cFr Chris made the ceremony very memorable by delivering his sermon using the game of 30 Seconds and making us answer the clues,\u201d says Ciara.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt pure happiness and joy on our wedding day and are so grateful that we received such a lot of love from everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eve Stafford sang during the wedding ceremony, and Tea For Three Music entertained at the drinks reception.<\/p>\n

\"CiaraCiara O\u2019Shea and Mark O\u2019Connor. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography<\/p>\n

The bride\u2019s neighbour was their chauffeur, says Ciara: \u201cA shoutout to Mark Benson, who drove the wedding car for us and made it to the church on time in the middle of a fuel strike!\u201d<\/p>\n

By her side as bridesmaids were Ciara\u2019s best friends Aoife Gallagher and Rayna O\u2019Brien, and her sisters Fiona and Laura O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n

\u201cFiadh, Rayna\u2019s daughter, was our altar server and also sang a song during the ceremony,\u201d says Ciara.<\/p>\n

Mark had two best men, Mark Shine and Kesh Blinov, with his childhood friends Ciaran O\u2019Regan and Alan Kennedy as his groomsmen.<\/p>\n

Ciara looked elegant in a Madison James wedding dress sourced in Memories, Cork, and the groom and his party were kitted out by Esquires, Limerick. Martina Garrihy (Instagram: @mimistina<\/a>) was the hairstylist, and Lauren Sexton was the makeup artist.<\/p>\n

Kaspars Sarovarcenko Black Diamond Photography (blackdiamondphotography.ie<\/a>) was behind the camera, as was the content creator team LoveLens.<\/p>\n

\"CiaraCiara O\u2019Shea and Mark O\u2019Connor. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography<\/p>\n

Ciara says: \u201cThe wind on the day was insane! As a lovely sentimental touch, I borrowed my veil from my best friend Aoife. It blew straight off, but thankfully not into the sea and off the cliff!\u201d<\/p>\n

Top of the Popz ensured the dancing continued after the newlyweds led the way onto the dance floor to Coldplay\u2019s Feels Like I\u2019m Falling in Love.<\/p>\n

Celebrating with them were both sets of parents, Mary and Paul O\u2019Shea and Mary and John O\u2019Connor, as well as Ciara\u2019s grandmother and godmother Breda Leahy, and grandmother Nora O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n

\"CiaraCiara O\u2019Shea. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography <\/p>\n

\u201cMy granny Breda, who is 89 and has been through a lot of late, was wearing blue so she was my \u2018something blue\u2019,\u201d says Ciara. \u201cBreda is a queen. Not only did she make the wedding, but she was there until midnight and was up on the dance floor with her grandchildren and us. She even had a pornstar martini!\u201d<\/p>\n

The Flower Den, Ennis, devised the floral d\u00e9cor, and Deborah Guerin (@cakesbydeborah<\/a>) baked the wedding cake.<\/p>\n

\u201cBernie, a close family friend and wife of Ciara\u2019s godfather, made a ton of cupcakes for the reception, which was a lovely personal touch,\u201d adds Mark.<\/p>\n

The couple, who are based in Limerick, will honeymoon in Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore.<\/p>\n

\"CiaraCiara O\u2019Shea and Mark O\u2019Connor. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography