With its elegant 18th-century architecture, Dublin City Hall was the fabulous venue for barrister Olive Mather's civil ceremony to barrister David Colgan on December 19th, 2024, followed by a reception at the 19th-century Regency-era Kilshane House on December 28th, 2024. Captured by Claire Byrne Weddings and Anna G, this multi-day winter celebration was stylish, elegant, and a delight to share!
The couple met while studying at the King’s Inns in 2015/16. The two were in the same small class, so they spent a lot of time together, both in class and during lunch breaks, although David was in a relationship at the time, and Olive had her heart set on moving to New York for two years before her pupillage. It wasn't until a night out in Christmas 2018 that a now-single David confessed his feelings to his future bride, and the pair shared their first kiss under the Christmas lights on Grafton Street.
"We had discussed getting engaged before the actual proposal. I knew a proposal was on the cards when he started asking about the kind of rings I liked or looking in jeweller's windows. I wanted to pick the ring, I wanted to enjoy the process of trying on rings and figuring out what I liked. After a thorough search, I found the ‘one’ in Appleby’s. The actual proposal took place in Taormina, Sicily. We were travelling around Sicily for two weeks, and I had a suspicion it would happen on the trip, as I had picked the ring the day before we flew out. David had planned to propose in the amphitheatre in Taormina, but bottled it as there were too many people around. I was very grateful for this! Later that night, we were cooking dinner in our Airbnb, and I turned around, and he was down on one knee." 
For Olive's beauty journey, she adhered to her usual skincare routine, supplemented with the expertise of Dr Suzanne at the Ora Skin Clinic for Secret RF (microneedling) and a BBL laser treatment to give her skin an extra glow. "In relation to my hair, I was pretty low-maintenance, sticking to my same routine. Michelle Kearney from Peter Mark was my usual hairdresser; however, I started going to Jade in Wildflower when I couldn’t make it home due to work being busy. At my trial with Aisling Hamill, she recommended some highlights for texture if I was going for an upstyle." 
Olive found her wedding shopping experience to be challenging but a fun journey. Like many brides, she went into her search with a clear vision in mind: a Carolyn Bessette Kennedy-style slip dress. However, she walked down the aisle in the exact opposite. "I left it pretty late by Irish store standards (6 months), so on a whim, I decided to go to London with my mum. We visited Brown’s Brides, and I completely fell in love with an Elie Saab dress from the previous season. My mum teared up immediately and we both knew that was the dress. It was lightweight, with a silk slip and a lightweight organza skirt with POCKETS! It was so different from anything else I had tried on, and it was incredibly comfortable!"
"David got his suit in the Groom’s room at Diffiney. As he wears a suit and waistcoat for work, he wanted something that didn’t feel formal. He went with a black velvet jacket, which worked perfectly for the Christmas wedding. Most of the guys from his friend group had purchased their wedding suits there and had recommended Gary at Diffiney. As he had come directly from work, he wore his work suit to the City Hall ceremony."
Olive had four bridesmaids in her bridal party. Her sister, Nicky, her school friends, Cathy and Sarah, and a friend from college, Aoife. "I wanted a dress that would suit each of them and that they would feel glam but also comfortable in, as the wedding was just after Christmas. I decided on the colour green as it felt complementary to the venue's festive Christmas décor. I ordered the dresses from Lace & Beads through ASOS." 
"We had an intimate civil ceremony in Dublin City Hall on December 19th, where we were legally married. I was very excited for City Hall, as I was eager to see my sister, who had just arrived home from Whistler for Christmas and the Wedding with her boyfriend (whom we were meeting for the first time). After the ceremony, we went to the pub across the road for a few drinks and on to Cleaver East for dinner. We wanted everything to be within walking distance, which was a blessing, as David had a bad flu but managed to rally for the ceremony and dinner. It was also a nice reminder not to take things too seriously, there are things you can’t control, you have to enjoy the moment."
"I always thought that if I were to get married, I would prefer a low-key ceremony at City Hall. I am the oldest of my family, and David is an only child, so I think we knew we wouldn’t get away with an elopement-style wedding. In hindsight, we got the best of both worlds. We had a very intimate civil ceremony on December 19th, 2024, in City Hall, and ‘the big day’ on December 28th, 2024, in Kilshane House."
For the ‘big day,’ the pair wanted something old and historic, but not stiff – a laid-back glamour kind of vibe, like a house party in the country with a bit of glam. When it came to picking a venue, their one requirement was that they didn’t want the space to feel like a function hall. "I wanted people to feel comfortable wandering into different spaces for cosy chats by a fireplace, exploring the nooks & crannies of the place." This was extra important to Olive as her brother has additional needs, and she wanted to make sure the venue was accessible with spaces where he could ‘step out’ of the crowd for some quiet time if the party became overwhelming. "I think Kilshane is the perfect venue for this, there were beautiful open fireplaces with comfy armchairs for cosy chats and a sitting room at the front of the house for people who want a ‘breather’ from the crowd. The 200-year-old Manor House sits on over 300 acres of private parkland, making it a perfect spot for a stroll."
"The Munster String Quartet played during the ceremony and during the drinks reception. I had seen a clip online of a candlelight performance by the group playing Adele's "Skyfall" and immediately wanted them. The Bridgerton playlist also influenced me. Wow, Wedding Band played after dinner, they had played at a friend’s wedding, I loved their sequinned jackets and high energy!"
Regarding the best decision, Olive said, "Not taking it all too seriously and buying into trends, we both really enjoyed the day, our suppliers were all brilliant, and our friends (the bridal party& our Mams were the best), I think that took away any stress. We only decided the song we were walking into the reception to as we walked down the hall. I think the second-best decision was having the civil ceremony with our families; it was really intimate and got us more excited for the big day after Christmas. David will say the best decision was not having a Day 2! We invited the wedding party to stay the night before the wedding for pre-wedding tapas & drinks, and this was lovely. I think it settled everyone in and has a nice, relaxed feel for the wedding day."
- Gráinne