Jean Moran and Jonathan Clarke celebrated their wedding on 22nd December 2025 after nine years together at Ballymagarvey Village, photographed by Emma Russell Photography. Despite both having lived in Australia for over a decade, the couple’s story began on the island of Gili Trawangan near Bali, where they met through mutual friends while on holiday. The twist? They had actually grown up just ten minutes down the road from each other outside Mullingar.
Jonathan proposed in Paris on 22nd December 2023, exactly two years before their wedding day. He arranged for a photographer to capture the moment along the River Seine, complete with candles, champagne and the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the background. The couple then flew home to Ireland the following day, making it possible to celebrate their engagement with their families over Christmas. "Jonathan is a lot more romantic than he lets on to be!"
In the lead-up to the wedding, Jean kept her skincare routine simple, adding regular HydraFacials for an extra glow. She also focused on staying hydrated and keeping her skin well moisturised ahead of her spray tan, with Essence Beauty Mullingar getting a special mention for creating her perfect wedding-day glow. Her signature scent was Burberry Goddess. "Special mention to the ladies in Essence Beauty Mullingar who gave me the best spray tan glow of my life for the day!"
Jean had always imagined wedding dress shopping with her mum and sister, so finding her dress while living in Melbourne was one of her biggest worries. After getting engaged, she started by visiting a few local boutiques, initially with no intention of choosing a dress. At Belle Marie Bridal, however, her sister picked up the Ronald Joyce gown that would eventually become the one.
Jean later found a Melbourne boutique stocking the designer, which let her order, fit, and alter the dress locally before bringing it home to Ireland. "I completely fell in love with the detailing on it – lots of sequins, sparkles and glitter."
Jonathan’s suit was created from scratch at YSG Tailors in Melbourne, giving him the chance to choose everything from the fabric and stitching to the overall design. The couple also chose dresses from Dress Code for Jean’s sister, her Maid of Honour, best friend Emma and sister-in-law Vivienne, with each dress offering plenty of flexibility for alterations and different designs. "The material, quality and the way the dresses sat on the girls were just beautiful, and they absolutely loved them."
The couple married in a traditional Catholic ceremony at The Franciscan Friary in Multyfarnham, with family friend Fr Mark English officiating. The beautiful church was a particularly special setting, and Fr Mark helped guide the couple through the process while keeping things relaxed, with plenty of laughs along the way. "He was a fantastic help and guided us through the process with ease and lots of laughs along the way."
Ballymagarvey was the first venue Jean and Jonathan viewed after getting engaged, and they knew almost immediately that it was where they wanted to celebrate. An open evening gave them the chance to experience the house, from its cosy fireplaces and welcoming staff to the banquet hall filled with décor and sparkling lights.
With the couple planning everything from overseas, the venue team’s service and attention to detail made the process much easier. "Honestly, we both knew just driving up the stunningly lit driveway we wanted to have our wedding there."
Music came courtesy of Lauren Tynan Music during the ceremony, Celtic Breeze for the reception and Eden Wedding Band for the evening celebrations. All three were recommended by Ballymagarvey, giving the couple a mix of live music and lively entertainment throughout the day.
"We had the wonderful Lauren Tynan Music sing at our Ceremony, Celtic Breeze played some lively trad music at our reception, and Eden Wedding Band brought so much fun and energy when it came time for dancing."
For Jean and Jonathan, the biggest wedding decision was also the one that brought them back to Ireland. Although they had considered other destination wedding options, they ultimately knew they wanted to celebrate at home. Planning from Melbourne did mean leaving some details until they returned to Ireland, which added a little pressure in the final weeks.
"Best decision- deciding to actually get married in Ireland. We had debated other destination wedding options, but ultimately, you cannot beat an Irish Wedding on Irish soil!"
- Gráinne