A timeless Palladian mansion is set on 1,100 acres of sweeping Kildare parkland. Carton House Hotel was the awe-inspiring venue for the wedding of marketing executive Catherine Malone to the director of Michael Kelly Joinery Works, Niall Kelly, on the 30th of May 2025. Captured by Anna G Photography and Valentina Gassiy, it was love at first sight for the bride and her Jesus Peiro dress, and just the same for us with every frame of this beautiful day.
The pair had been somewhat removed friends for years, primarily knowing each other through mutual friends. Eventually, though, Niall plucked up the courage to ask Catherine out on a date, and their love story began!
"We got engaged in Adare Manor on 2nd December 2022. Niall had booked a surprise getaway for the two of us. I was expecting a relaxing pre-Christmas staycation, but he had something much bigger planned. He had organised a private tour of the fabulous grounds of Adare Manor in a horse-drawn carriage. We took a stroll around some of the gardens, and there, after a few heartfelt words, Niall popped the question."
Catherine wanted a very natural look on her wedding day, and didn’t want to wear much makeup, so she put her complexion in the hands of Floraison. She had a consultation with Dawn, who built a customised skincare regimen consisting of Biologique Recherche, Deviant Skincare, and Skinbetter Science, coupled with a course of micro needling. The day before the wedding, Catherine and her bridal party indulged in a facial to leave their skin glowing and hydrated.
"I did a makeup trial with my wedding makeup artist, Aisling, and a hair trial with Annemarie of Tie the Knot bridal hair. Both were an absolute dream to work with and brought such a positive energy to the wedding morning. My signature scent for my wedding day was Gioiosa by Profumum Roma, which I sourced in Parfumarija in Dublin. With tones of amber, bergamot and vanilla, it's such a special scent which will always remind me of our special day. Niall wore Oud Wood by Tom Ford, which we both love."
The wedding dress was from Jesus Peiro, sourced in The White Room bridal boutique in Mullingar. It was one of the first dresses Catherine tried on, and she was instantly in love. "I did browse in other popular bridal boutiques in Dublin, but nothing came close to the Jesus Peiro." Catherine's veil was her ‘something borrowed’, having been initially worn by her sister Leanne at her own wedding in 2023.
"Niall got his tux from Louis Copeland & Sons. As a man who does not enjoy shopping and tries to keep his time spent in stores to a minimum, Niall found the process of finding his wedding tuxedo rather enjoyable as the team were so professional and helpful."
For her bridal party, Catherine asked her two sisters, Aisling and Leanne. The girls had quite a specific vision for the dresses, Spanish pink column gowns with matching scarves, so it only made sense to have them brought to life by Geraldine O’Meara Designs, the same designer who created the mother of the bride's dress.
"We got married in my local church located just outside Tullamore. It is a traditional, quaint church, and so the wedding ceremony felt very intimate. The French Touch did our wedding flowers, and their beautiful floral arrangements blew me away. We chose a stunning floral arch over the church door, and the interior was adorned by the most gorgeous arrangements of pastel colours. Niall plays traditional music and is in a band called Ruaile Buaile, which he does part-time, and so it was important to us that music was a key part of the wedding ceremony. We had the very talented Emily O’Dwyer as vocalist, accompanied by Maple Strings and Harpello. There was a lovely mix of hymns and current music throughout the wedding ceremony. Niall’s sister, Laura, sings with a classical choir. She did a fabulous rendition of Nella Fantasia during the ceremony. A group of our musical guests came together after the communion reflection to play an instrumental cover of Flat Water Fran. The music was amazing in the church, and it meant so much to us to have our family and friends be involved. It was a favourite moment for us."
The couple's wedding reception was held in Carton House Hotel in County Kildare. Having both attended the University in Maynooth, the area held a special meaning to Niall and Catherine. "I’ve always loved the old-world charm of the Manor House and the fabulous grounds. We knew from the moment we viewed Carton House after our engagement that it was the venue for our wedding."
"Harpello, a two-piece made up of Ellen on cello and Fiachra on harp, played during our drinks reception. They do a mix of both traditional and contemporary music. They are a fantastic duo and an excellent choice for anyone looking for this vibe. We chose The Secrets as our wedding band, and they played a great mix of music - the dance floor was packed all night."
"Our best decision was every supplier that we chose. From the flowers, to the photographers and videographers, wedding stationery, wedding cake, hair and makeup, the list goes on, we couldn’t have been happier with our choices."
"I don’t think I have a worst decision; luckily, everything went according to plan. However, if I were to have my day over again, I think I would have had a wedding content creator join us for day two celebrations. I didn’t have time to be on my phone at all during the wedding weekend, as I was busy enjoying my time with our family and friends. It would have been great to have someone capture snippets of our day two."
- Gráinne