A magnificent 18th-century Georgian house perched along the banks of the River Boyne, Bellinter House was built for entertaining, and with over 200 years of iconic parties, it made the perfect venue for the wedding of global supply planner Mary Quilligan to HR generalist Tomás McMahon on the 12th of April 2025. Capture by Signature Photography, with such beautiful details, you wouldn't guess that this wedding was planned from the other side of the world!
Tomás & Mary met in Toronto, having both emigrated years prior. The two weren't total strangers; Mary’s brother Tadg was already friendly with Tomás, so the couple's paths had crossed before in bars, camping trips, and the usual Irish abroad events. However, it wasn’t until almost a year later that Tomás asked her out. At the end of their first date, Mary broke the news to Tomás that she was moving permanently to Vancouver in only two weeks’ time. They kept in contact throughout that summer, and after a few months, an opportunity arose for Tomás to move to Vancouver, so he packed up his guitar and headed for the West Coast. Luckily, the pair rekindled their connection immediately, and it wasn’t long before they moved in together.
"We got engaged on November 12th, 2023, during a trip to Los Angeles. As we were walking along Malibu beach, Tomás stopped at an area he had secretly picked out and asked me to marry him. What made the moment even more special was that he had two rings. One was his grandad Eddie Guilmartin’s proposal ring, an heirloom with great sentimental value, and the other was a ring he had thoughtfully designed himself in Vancouver over the previous months. Saying “yes” was the easiest decision I have ever made. Afterwards, we stayed in Malibu and called family and friends back home in Ireland to share the wonderful news."
When it came to choosing her beauty vendors, Mary didn't waste time and booked Aisling Byrne almost immediately. "I knew from the beginning that I wanted Aisling to be part of the day, as she had done my sister-in-law’s hair for her wedding a few years earlier and kept appearing on my Instagram feed. I was absolutely thrilled when she was available for our date!" For makeup, she hired the incredible Nicola Weldon. "One of the most special moments for me was seeing how she cared for my mom, Catherine. My mom doesn’t usually wear makeup and was quite apprehensive, but Nicola was so kind and patient with her." For her fragrance, Mary chose the ever classic Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. "It’s a scent that’s held sentimental value for me since I was a teenager. A close friend of mine had it growing up, and I remember telling her that if I ever got married, I’d want to wear it on my wedding day."
"On the morning of the wedding, I received the most beautiful surprise gift from Tomás in the form of a necklace and bracelet from Tadgh O’Flynn Jewellers in Ennis, Co. Clare. It was such a thoughtful gesture and added even more meaning to the day. My earrings were a last-minute find from Blackbird, a lovely local jeweller in Ennis. The ladies there were so kind and helpful, especially as I was feeling a bit overwhelmed picking them up just days before the wedding."
Mary started her dress shopping journey in Vancouver with her bridesmaid, Deirdre, by her side, and while she didn’t find the perfect dress that day, it helped narrow down the style she was drawn to. After returning to Ireland, she and her mum continued the search together. "Many brides imagine an immediate 'ah-ha' moment when they try on their dress, but for me, it was a more gradual journey. We visited several bridal boutiques, which turned into a beautiful bonding experience I’ll always treasure. On our last appointment of the day at Memories Bridal Shop in Cork, I tried on a dress by Australian designer Madi Lane and absolutely fell in love with it."
"We knew we wanted classic black tuxedos because they matched the vibe of our venue, and decided quite quickly that we’d get them from Patrick Bourke’s Menswear in Ennis. They run an exceptional business, and the level of care and service is truly second to none. We worked with Jason in the lead-up to the wedding; he dressed Tomás, the groomsmen, and both of our dads. Tomás wore a black velvet tuxedo jacket paired with a dipped waistcoat, which looked beautiful and elegant."
For her bridal party, Mary had her childhood best friend Avril acting as he maid of honour, and her best friends from her life in Canada, Deirdre and Pamela, as bridesmaids. "We found the perfect dresses from Six Stories, elegant, off-the-shoulder, silky black gowns that looked stunning. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the dresses were delivered to Mary’s house. She posted them out to the girls, and that’s when things took a turn. The packages never arrived. After a bit of panic and many phone calls, we found out from the post office that the dresses had been mislabelled and, believe it or not, ended up in Portlaoise Men’s Prison! We were completely stunned. Thankfully, they were eventually returned to us, just three weeks before the wedding. So now, we like to say the dresses were let out of prison on good behaviour!"
"We held an intimate ceremony at the nunnery on the grounds of Bellinter House, officiated by Kelly Hunt, who created a bespoke and heartfelt experience tailored specifically to us. For our entrance, we chose “The Voyage” by Christy Moore, and for our exit, we chose “I Only Want to Be with You” by Dusty Springfield. Our favourite part of the ceremony was taking a minute to appreciate that Tomás' parents, Michael & Majella, and Mary’s Parents, Gerard & Catherine, were sitting front row, happy and healthy, a dream of both of ours since we became engaged."
The couple were living in Vancouver while they chose their venue, so had to book it before ever seeing it in person! Mary’s parents kindly visited on the couple's behalf and gave them a virtual tour via FaceTime. Even from afar, the two were drawn to Bellinter House; the intimate atmosphere, beautiful Georgian architecture, and the option for full exclusivity made it exactly what they had been looking for. "The food was exceptional. We had a wedding tasting and wine pairing beforehand, and we were so impressed; it was a real highlight of the day. The bridal suite was stunning, and the team at Bellinter House went above and beyond—a special thank you to Tina and Ciara, who were both absolutely incredible. On the morning of the wedding, Tina made sure everything ran smoothly and that we had nothing to worry about, which allowed Tomás and me to really relax and enjoy every moment."
"We wanted to do something a bit different, so we kept a secret for months, which was tricky. We had a surprise singing waiter who pretended to fall to the ground in front of the top table, then suddenly burst into song. The whole room was shocked, then in stitches! It was such a fun, unforgettable moment that really reflected our personalities. Later, our band Electric Circus kept the energy going all night. My best friend recommended them, and they absolutely blew everyone away."
"My favourite part was the singing waiter! He pretended to fall in front of the top table and then burst into song; no one saw it coming. It was such a fun, light-hearted moment that totally reflected our personalities and got everyone in the mood to celebrate. Guests still talk about it, and it was worth every penny."
"Our worst decision was not hiring a content creator. Our photographer and videographer were absolutely brilliant, but I really wish we had someone capturing the candid, in-between moments, especially later in the night when the dancing kicked off and the craic was flowing! So much fun happened on that dance floor that we’d love to look back on, including my husband Tomás bringing the roof down when he performed N17 by the Saw Doctors with the band!"
- Gráinne