Meghan & Kevin's Castlemartyr Resort Wedding

A grand 18th-century manor House sitting adjacent to the ruins of an 800-year-old castle, Castlemartyr Resort in Cork, was the fabulous venue for the wedding of advertising sales executive, Meghan Breen, to technology consultant Kevin Jennings, on the 5th of July 2025. With guests travelling from near and far and Sarah Kate Photography there to capture every moment, this bright summer wedding was one to remember.

"We met in Dublin in October 2018 when Kev moved from Cork to take a job at EY. Little did he know, I was looking to shake things up and moved to Dublin (From New York) for a job in the same year. A few months after I had settled into Ireland, we matched on a dating app, and a few pints at Toner’s led to many more dates in Dublin, weekends away to various spots in Ireland, trips around Europe, trips back to New York and Cork to meet family, etc. Kev transferred to work at EY’s NYC office in 2021, where we have lived together for the past 4 years."

It started like any other lazy Sunday in November of 2023, the pair went for a little walk, grabbing coffee and breakfast around their neighbourhood. As soon as they got back to their apartment, Kev popped down on one knee, totally catching Meg off guard. The two celebrated with their families (his had flown over from Ireland to celebrate Thanksgiving) over a lovely dinner in the city before Kev’s parents flew back home after a beautiful weekend!

"We both got fun new scents for the wedding! Something different and fun and not our everyday-to-day scent. Now, when one of us puts it on, it’s a nice reminder of the big day!" Meghan wore Eau des Sens by Diptyque, a happy and cosy summer scent with bitter and punchy notes of orange, softened by airy and soft base notes of angelica. Kevin wore Aventus Creed, with complementary citrus head notes of bergamot and lemon enriched by hearty base notes of birch and cedarwood.

In a wonderful break from the usual wedding stress, Meghan had fun shopping for her dress! It certainly helps that she was spoiled for choice (almost to the point of overwhelming) in New York City. She knew the general style she was looking for, simple and elegant, and most importantly, something she could wear all night long and dance in! "My mom came along with me for all the try-ons. She used to work in fashion, and her opinion is one I knew I always valued for something like this."

"I ended up finding my dress at a small boutique in Soho and knew it was the one right when I put it on! The staff were extremely friendly, which made my decision all the easier. I ended up not doing a veil because I never found one I absolutely loved. I think that’s the beauty of getting married in this day and age, you can really do whatever you want, anything goes! I ended up wearing a simple bridal scarf for the ceremony and loved it!"

Kevin chose black tuxes for himself and his groomsmen, elegant and straightforward, and they really fit the venue well.

Meghan had four bridesmaids in her bridal party on the day. "I gave my girls a colour to choose from (yellow), but I wanted everyone to look and feel confident and comfortable in a dress and style of their own choice. Everyone's dresses really suited them."

With Kev being from Ireland and Meg from New York, the couple were stuck on where to have their wedding. "We booked a trip to Ireland a few months after we got engaged to check out some venues. We knew it would have to be in Cork if we were going with Ireland, since that’s where Kev is from!" They toured a few options, but it was the stunning grounds and gardens that sold the couple on Castlemartyr. Thankfully, they had the beautiful weather to enjoy them!

"The staff were so friendly and accommodating, we just got a good feeling leaving Castlemartyr. With the planning happening from New York, we needed to choose a venue that would give us peace of mind and ease, and Castlemartyr did just that. We then prayed for over a year to have good weather so we could have our ceremony outside!"

"We went with the Bentley Boys. They came highly recommended by Castlemartyr as they regularly perform weddings there. Planning from New York made it a little difficult for us to pop by a bar and hear them play, so we just trusted online reviews and took a chance on them, and they did not disappoint! From the start of the ceremony to the very end of the night with the DJ/saxs, they kept the party going and our guests dancing all night long."

"Our best decision was hiring a magician for our drinks reception. Game changer! We kept it a surprise for our guests, and everyone still talks about how great he was. It was something fun and different, and a great way to get groups of our friends laughing and engaged in something different!"