For over two centuries, The Shelbourne Hotel, nestled in the heart of Dublin City, has offered effortless elegance and five-star care to countless couples hosting their special day. This iconic venue was no different for events manager Nicola McConnell's wedding to commercial real estate director Richard Scott on December 28th 2024. Captured by Niamh Smith Photography and featured in the Summer issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS, we're delighted to share this elegant winter wedding with you!

The pair met through a mutual friend in London. A good friend of Nicola's and a colleague of Richard's had been encouraging the pair to meet for a drink, certain that they would hit it off. But it wasn't until months later, when Nikki hit her up to go out for a drink, that Anna, who was already out with friends from work (I'm sure you can see where this is going), encouraged her to join. The two met, felt an instant chemistry, and after a £10 taxi ride, many drinks, and lots of bad dance moves (on his part), the rest, as they say, is history. 

"It’s March 18th, 2023, and Ireland is playing England in the Rugby Six Nations final. Scotty and I are rooting for opposite teams. England looks strong, but after 80 tense minutes, Ireland has secured the win! As my brother and sister-in-law subtly celebrate by jumping on our chairs and dancing up and down, I give out to Scotty for being a sore loser. Two minutes later, a touch of his hand on my shoulder, I turn around to see him down on one knee with THE Ring (the ring I previously told the lovely Paul Burke at Paul Sheeran Jewellers to keep on file for when Scotty decided to propose). We left the Avia, knowing this venue was now part of our history."

"I have always loved Hydrafacials, so I committed to having regular sessions every 6-8 weeks. For me, the consistency of the treatment provided the best results. I would be lying if I said that my beauty journey was all natural. I also incorporated Botox, Profhilo, and Polynucleotides under my eyes. I made sure to use high-quality shampoo and conditioner for my hair, was diligent about applying the K18 hair mask (this is a Desert Island product for me), and tried to minimise the use of heated tools on my hair as much as possible. For our wedding day, I decided to wear the perfume I wore at the beginning of our relationship, Jo Molane Lime, Basil, and Mandarin. Every time I smell it, I’m brought back to the excitement and happiness I felt when we first started dating."

Having dreamed about her wedding dress since she was a child, Nicola wasted no time in her search for the perfect gown! "I booked three wedding boutiques in London on the same day, and my mum flew in to attend these with me. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted, and in the first two boutiques, I was determined to only try that particular style (Simple, long-sleeved, high-neck, and backless). After trying on many ‘nice’ dresses, I hadn’t found anything that gave me that WOW feeling." It wasn't until the third (and final) boutique, Sassi Holford in Kensington, that she found the dress. A shock to Nikki and her mum, it was the polar opposite of what she was looking for. "It had a big skirt, and lace was the main feature (Two things on my NO WAY list). But a voice in my mind said, ‘Try it on.’ It wasn’t until the lovely assistant buttoned it up at the back that I realised how beautiful it was. As I walked out, the waterworks started—the dress felt perfect."

"Scotty knew there was only one place he wanted to go for his suit, and that was Susannah Hall. She created the most beautiful tuxedo for Scotty, a double-breasted midnight blue jacket and perfectly fitted black tuxedo trousers."

For her bridal party, Nicola had a big group of her best friends, school friends, friends in their 20s, and her two stepdaughters. "Picking their dresses was far more straightforward than I expected. I am a big Reiss fan, and I came across a black velvet gown with a floor-length cape while shopping for myself online. Thankfully, I received an enthusiastic YES from everyone."

"My late grandmother, Daphne, attended church regularly, and I wanted to honour her by getting married in the church she enjoyed so much. Therefore, Christ Church Taney was booked for December 28th. The ceremony was beautiful and more emotional than I expected. There is something magical about standing in front of your nearest and dearest in a sacred place, pledging your love and devotion to each other. I adored walking down the aisle with my dad. Our favourite part of the ceremony as a couple was saying our vows; I was overcome with emotion as I recited them, and it was a feeling I will never forget."

When the pair decided on a Christmas wedding in Ireland, there was only one venue that Nikki wanted, and that was the Shelbourne Hotel on Grafton Street. "For me, the Shelbourne is an Irish institution steeped in local history with an understated grandeur and elegance. The venue is at its absolute best over the Christmas period. After meeting with the lovely Cathy O’Shea, the hotel's wedding manager, it was a no-brainer that this was the perfect place for us."

"For the church and our drinks reception, we went to the fantastic Harp Duets. I am a massive fan of the look and sound of the Harp. There is something so elegant about the music it creates, and the instrument itself is firmly associated with Ireland. I discovered the incredible duo that makes up harp duets online and knew they would be a perfect fit for our day when I saw them play. We decided on an Irish Dance company called Dance Fusion, led by Fergus ‘Fast Feet Fay,’ for our evening entertainment. Given that half of our wedding guests were English, I thought the dance troupe would be a fantastic after-dinner surprise. Not only did they perform some iconic dances, but they also got our guests up dancing and kicked off the party we had hoped for. For the band, we wanted no one else but the ‘Event Band’. I had seen them perform at a friend's wedding, and in my opinion, they are the best of the best."

Regarding the best decision, Nicola said, "My gorgeous Makeup Artist, Anne Marie Doherty, was the best decision for me as a bride. I met Anne Marie when she did my makeup as a bridesmaid for my friend Lauren’s wedding. When she did my makeup as a bridesmaid, I told her that if I ever got married, she would have to do my wedding! I also would have to say; going that little bit extra on our flowers for the day. I went a little over my budget to bring the flower vision to life, and it was so incredibly worth it. I will never forget the awe I felt when I walked into the ballroom of the Shelbourne and saw the most beautiful display of flowers I had ever seen."

- Gráinne