One of the last great Irish Castle estates still in the hands of its founding family, Castle Leslie Estate boasts a rich history dating back to the 1660s. It was the breathtaking venue for the marriage of compliance & governance associate Niamh Isidore to actuary Jonathan McGoldrick on November 30th 2024. Photographed by Jude Browne Photography and Hannah McKernan Photography, you'll be hard pressed to find a more joyous bride!
Jonathan and Niamh met in Dublin at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. "During the lockdown, we had a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other, and the travel restrictions allowed us to enjoy many outdoor walks and coffee dates."
"We got engaged in June 2022 during a hiking trip to Norway. We rented a car and explored many of the amazing Fjords that Norway has to offer! We were staying in a remote treehouse overlooking the mountains near a village called Sandane, and the views were incredible! We were enjoying the views, relaxing with a coffee & playing around with our drone when Jonathan got down on one knee to propose inside the treehouse, it was so magical and peaceful & he managed to sneakily capture some footage of it!"
The beauty journey was simple; Niamh had regular treatments focusing on skincare in the lead-up to the wedding and in an effort to reduce planning stress, partook in reflexology sessions. "Definitely make sure to look after your mindset as well as your beauty routine."
The wedding dress experience was quite as straightforward as Niamh had hoped, finding it difficult to find a dress that was complementary to her body type in the style she wanted, timeless, elegant and something a little different. After visiting numerous wedding dress shops, she soon came to the realisation that it might be easier to start from scratch and design her own wedding dress. Enter Kathy De Stafford and her amazing seamstress, Patricia Tierney! "The process from start to finish was great, although I will admit a little stressful at times, as you really have to trust the process! I had a total of six appointments. The initial appointment was the most exciting one, as I discussed my vision with Kathy while she sketched it out. It was the best decision I’ve ever made - the dress was made to fit me, rather than me trying to fit it. I got the dress of my dreams & couldn’t be happier!"
"We were so lucky to be looked after by Tommy Clarke at EJ Menswear in Sligo. Jonathan knew Tommy personally, and all the main men were well taken care of. Tommy had a great eye for detail; he listened to our vision, and we put all our trust in him. Each suit was tailor-made & turned out perfectly!"
Niamh's bridesmaids were three of her close friends, Ciara, Sarah & Amy. She was eager for the girls to match the Christmassy decor of the castle, so she opted for a one-shoulder velvet burgundy dress from Folkster in Dublin.
"Our ceremony took place at the amazing St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral in Armagh. It probably was the most special part of our day. We had the privilege of having our local parish priest, Father Paul Casey, celebrate our Mass with us. My favourite part has to be seeing Jonathan standing at the top of the aisle waiting for me – this feeling was like no other feeling in the world."
The pair chose Castle Leslie as it was an exclusive wedding location, and luckily enough, it wasn’t too far down the road! "We absolutely loved everything about Castle Leslie; it is spectacular! We got married just before Christmas, and it was a true winter wonderland wedding. Each room in the castle has its own setting and tells its own story."
"We had a singing waiter from Singers Sercreto to start off the entertainment after the meal; everyone was on their feet before dessert was even served, and the atmosphere was electric. Our band was Addiction the Band, and they played for a few hours before DJ and Sax came on at midnight, where we all danced the night away! We wanted a good mix of music that catered for everyone, from jiving to raving."
Regarding the best decision, Niamh said, "Selecting the end of November as it gave the Christmas feels without being too close to the holiday season, the Cathedral for our ceremony as it was breathtaking, and our guests were blown away and Castle Leslie."
- Gráinne