Nestled on the tranquil shores of Lough Leane and at the entrance to the world-famous Killarney National Park, Killarney Oaks Hotel was the stunning venue for the wedding of personal assistant, Nikki Hayes, to electrical instrumentation technician, Kieran Trinder, on August 30th, 2024. Photographed by Studio Lordan, the bride stole the show in her jaw-dropping Essence of Australia gown!
The couple met the old-fashioned way: online. But their first official meeting was over a cup of tea, six cups to be precise; only to find out that Kieran was never a big tea drinker to begin with! "I knew any man who could force six cups of tea down to impress had to be a keeper." From there, the two were smitten and five years later, joined by their two fur babies, the couple made it official.
"All credit to Mr. Trinder, the proposal was nothing short of magical. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a massive Harry Potter fan. When I first met Kieran, he had expressed that he wouldn’t have any interest in “those kinds of movies”. Fast forward three years, and he had planned the most romantic proposal, in the homeplace where the first books were written, which meant the world to me. When we arrived at the hotel, it was far beyond anything Kieran had previously shown me — modern, with an artistic flair, and located right at the top of the Royal Mile. However, I didn’t get a chance to soak in too much, our bags were dropped, and we were off again. I was taken to a staircase, with the impressive Edinburgh Castle as our backdrop, and it was there that he popped the question."
Nikki's beauty journey was a very positive one. With a beautician for a mum, you really can't go wrong, and from skin care to spray tanning, she was perfectly prepped! "I found finding a scent much harder. I had tried the usual favourites – YSL, Jo Malone, but nothing was grabbing me. One day, I came across 'My Way' by Giorgio Armani, and I was sold. The fragrance was subtle but classic – exactly how I wanted the big day to feel."
"I am privileged to say that I found dress shopping relatively easy and really enjoyable. I knew I wanted simple – dare I say, a little plain-no beading, no sequins, something classic. When I first visited Jeutonic Bridal in Kilkenny, I was overwhelmed by how genuinely lovely the staff were. They made the whole experience so special. I tried on eight gowns, from classic to modern and landed somewhere in between. I fell in love with a long-sleeved, partially laced, fitted dress with a train designed for a cathedral. A lot more detail than I had initially planned, but still no beads in sight, and most importantly, perfect to pair with my blue Manolo Blahniks."
"Kieran is very stylish, and I completely trusted him regarding his suit and the groomsmen; he’s the only groom I’ve ever heard of to get TWO wedding rings. One black and one silver so that he can interchange them – to match his watches, of course. We both agreed on a classic look, and to be honest, it was a lovely surprise to see it for the first time at the top of the altar. He had visited various shops to find the right style. In the end, Mr. Trinder opted for a classic black tie, complete with a dickie bow and a tailored waistcoat."
"The bridesmaids - there aren’t words to describe the amazing bunch that accompanied me on the big day that would do them real justice. I met Orla on my 4th birthday, and 24 years later, it would be an injustice to call her anything other than family. Selina came into my life in secondary school, at the age of 13. I am convinced faith brought Sarah and me together on our first day in college at UCC – the two of us wore the exact same outfit, which we didn’t realise would become a frequent occurrence. And Eva, the main woman and the one who showed me what it was like to be a big sister, I’ll be forever grateful. As for the dresses, I knew I wanted gold. As popular as the colour is right now, finding the exact shade I wanted proved to be difficult. Eventually, the same dress popped up on my Instagram ads, and I knew I loved it. Once I made sure all my bridesmaids were comfortable with the style, I made the leap. I went for a classic cowl-neck, silk satin gown from the brand Six Stories."
"The ceremony took place in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney. For anyone who has ever stepped foot inside, it’s beautiful, and the grounds are spectacular. What made it even more special was that the ceremony was performed by a family friend, Fr. Joe Cussen. Fr. Cussen would be the uncle to one of Kieran’s Groomsmen. The ceremony itself was very inviting, warm and personal to us. We had music ranging from The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" to Alicia Keys' "No One"—all the classics."
The venue, The Killarney Oaks, was suggested to the pair by a close friend. And despite visiting six venues in Kerry, three in Tralee and three in Killarney, they kept coming back to the Oaks. "There was something about the space itself that felt so special. There was a luxurious feeling while still being permeable. We could almost picture the celebrations with our friends and family before it happened. Moreover, the staff were all so amazing. They really had a way of making us feel like we were the first and only couple to be married!"
"A wedding is always remembered for two things: the food and the band. We knew the Killarney Oaks weren't going to let us down – now we just needed our front man. We had gone to see numerous bands, and while everyone we visited was great, there was something, for want of a better word, missing? And then it hit me. I lived in Cork for a period while studying at UCC, and there was a band which we would visit every Tuesday night called The Pat Fitz Band. Kieran and I quickly looked up Pat and were delighted to see he played in our home county of Limerick quite regularly. Without too much thought, another date night was added to Kieran’s planner. I am not quite sure if I’m a believer in love at first sight, but the minute we heard Pat sing, Kieran was smitten!"
Regarding the best decision, Nikki said, "Staying in Killarney the night before our wedding was fabulous. There is something so special about being surrounded by the most important people in your life, the night before one of the most important days of your life. That night is one I will forever treasure. Another decision we are glad we made was bringing our two dogs, Dobby and Kobe, to the ceremony. We found the most amazing lady, located in Kerry, who runs a business based around taking care of people's furry friends and bringing them to your big day - Salty Dogs. Kathryn was nothing short of amazing. For us, it was such a special touch."
Regarding the worst decision, Nikki said, "The downside of having such a great night the day before your wedding is that no one ever knows when to say goodnight. Staying up until 2 am and having to be awake for hair and makeup at 5 am has to go down as one of our worst decisions! Thankfully, everyone made the early wakeup call, and it all worked out... Just about."
- Gráinne