Overlooking the Irish Sea, Tinakilly Country House offers peace and tranquillity amidst 14 acres of mature landscaped gardens. Steeped in history and oozing charm and sophistication, the country house was the perfect venue for Emma Horgan and Jack Cleary's wedding on the 9th of September 2023. Captured by Livia Figueiredo, this stunning wedding is a beautiful start to the summer wedding season!
The pair met in 2015, where all great romances start, PC World. They were both working there part-time during university and found out that they actually lived very close to each other. "Jack kindly started offering me lifts to and from work and from there we kicked off a great friendship which turned into a great romance not long after." After college, the two decided to go travelling and live abroad. Starting off in Bangkok and travelled southeast Asia for a total of three months before settling in Melbourne, Australia where the pair lived for just under two years.
Jack and Emma were living in her parents' home after just returning home from Melbourne, Australia. It was the weekend of her birthday and they headed to the east pier in Dun Laoghaire for a walk. "This is where we shared our first kiss back in 2015, however, and is somewhere we would often go for a walk so I thought nothing out of the ordinary on this particular day. However, Jack had other plans; armed with a beautiful token ring, champers and a letter he wrote to me he sat me down on a bench and proposed. I was so surprised but knew instantly that it was a yes! Jack had asked my parents for their blessing earlier that week, so everyone was absolutely thrilled!"
Emma knew she wanted to be glowing on her big day, so started off the beauty journey with a few facials. "I went to Elegance Beauty clinic in Cabinteely where I got Environ Hydraboost treatment. I would have sensitive skin so didn’t want to ‘disrupt’ it too much." The first vendor that she booked after securing the venue was her makeup. "I had been following Ruth Bergin on Instagram and knew I had to get her for the big day. Thankfully she was available for my date – she perfected my bridal look. Her style is glowing/glam so I knew she would be the perfect MUA for me. She also made my bridesmaids look absolutely beautiful, all in their own individual ways." For her signature wedding scent, Emma wore a combination of Jo Malone Dark Amber & Ginger Lily and Malone Blackberry and Bay.
Emma had been researching online for the type of dress style she would like. Eventually coming across the Australian brand ‘Made with Love’, Emma fell in love with the styles and silhouettes that they offered. She found a stockist in Irelan, Bella Bleu Vintage Cork, and booked an appointment as soon as possible. "As soon as I tried on the Loui flowy gown I knew it was the one. I am usually an indecisive person so didn’t think the process would be so easy, however as soon I met Lucy in Bella Bleu I was at ease. She made the process such a positive experience from start to finish. She was such a wonderful person to deal with, I would highly recommend paying her a visit if you are looking for your dress."
Jack found his suit in Simply Suits. He knew he didn’t want the typical groom style of black or navy so the pair thought it would be a challenge to find something a big different. "We worked with Charlene, and from start to finish Simply Suits were absolutely fantastic, pulling many suits/ styles for him to try on. He tried on a lovely moss green tweed style suit and instantly knew it was the one for him. There were many compliments in the shop from other shoppers, the colour suited him so well. The process was a very positive shopping experience – as Jack doesn’t usually love shopping. He was thrilled! We also got the groomsmen suits in Simply suits."
For the wedding party, Emma had her sister Claire as maid of honour, her niece Lana (10 years old at the time) as a mini bridesmaid, her best friend Holly and Jack's sister Aoife. All the girls have their own individual style so she wanted to find a colour that would compliment them all. "I decided on the multiway style dress so that they can all style it how they want/what feels comfortable on them. Also, I had picked the colour before Jack's suit but it actually turned out fabulous having both in green! My niece Lana wore her communion dress, which looked beautiful and a perfect style for the day."
"Our ceremony was exactly how we wanted it. We really wanted it to be outside the front of Tinakilly's house however we were reminded that ‘It's Ireland’ and you need to have a plan B. But, of course, the child of Prague was put out and I manifested months for a sunny day and boy did we get one. 27 degrees to be exact, We couldn’t believe our luck!" For their celebrant, the couple chose Marry me Mindfully Susan Delaney. "Susan made our ceremony so personal to us as a couple and captured exactly who we are together and who we are as individuals. From the very first meeting, we knew she was just perfect for our special day."
The pair booked an appointment to view Tinakilly Country House as a potential wedding venue and knew as soon as they arrived that it was a special place! "The beautiful house and grounds were exactly what we were after when planning our dream day. It was perfect! The team are lovely and really care about everything. We felt very well looked after from the start of planning our day to check out the day after." For the entertainment, Emma & Jack hired Springbreak. "We chose them as they looked like a super fun group that brought energy to the room. We wanted everyone up dancing and that’s what we got."
Regarding the best decision, Emma had to say, "Picking our stunning venue, without this decision, our wedding day would have looked different. Also, our fabulous photographer Livia Figueiredo, captured the day so well. We are so grateful to have such beautiful photos of us, our family and friends on the day. She put us all at ease from the minute she arrived to the moment she left."
Regarding the worst decision, Emma had to say, " Not buying enough paper fans for our guests for the ceremony, 27 degrees was bloody hot. But we can't complain."
- Gráinne