Nestled at the heart of 18 acres of 300-year-old listed gardens and woodland, The Maryborough Hotel is a family-run boutique hotel set in a charming 18th-century mansion. This former stately home was a beautiful venue for Ruth Nagle's wedding to Damien O'Sullivan on July 19th, 2024. Captured by Magda Lukas Photography, we're head over heels for this later summer Cork wedding.
The pair got engaged on November 11th, 2022 (11/11/22 for any numerology fans), on a quiet Friday evening after work. "We went for a walk by the water, near home, and he got down on one knee. I was completely caught off guard! Unbeknownst to me, Damien had gone to my dad earlier that day, and they had champagne and strawberries ready!"
"Kate and Kim were a lot of fun in the morning; we had a great time. We chose to stay at The Maryborough the night before, so we had use of the bridal suite getting ready in the morning. I’ve such great memories from the morning, I’m so glad we started getting ready early and had a slightly later ceremony! Picking your team for hair and makeup that you’re comfortable with and that will add fun to your morning is something I valued. I knew I could trust them 110% and that we could just sit back & have a laugh with them while getting ready." For her wedding day fragrance, Ruth chose Wild Bluebell by Jo Malone.
Ruth only went to two bridal shops, so her dress search was evidently relatively straightforward! In Bella Bleu, she tried on a Made With Love gown she had previously seen and saved on Instagram; suffice to say, it was love at first sight. "Funny how you end up going full circle, coming back to the original vision. I think a bride-to-be needs to go through the process & enjoy trying on all styles. It’s part of the process!" She paired the dress with detachable lace detail sleeves to match her veil.
For Damien's ensemble, the couple headed to Mick Murphy’s Menswear in Cork and walked out with a dark navy velvet jacket and silk bow tie. For the groomsmen, they chose complimentary dark navy double-breasted suits and velvet bow ties.
"My bridesmaids were my three sisters. I chose the colour and we picked the Dessy range. They chose which dress they preferred within that range. We used the same material to achieve an exact match in colour. It worked out great."
"We chose to have a humanist ceremony in the Orangery at The Maryborough. Our celebrant, Sharon Quigley, was personal and informal. I have so many wonderful memories from the ceremony alone, walking up the aisle with my dad is a moment I will cherish forever. Then, walking down the aisle with Damien, just married, was fun! It’s a moment I think we all think about while planning your wedding. I like that we faced our guests, rather than having our backs to them."
Picking the venue was an easy decision, as the couple had attended a wedding there during the COVID-19 pandemic and were blown away. It was the only hotel they viewed! "In West Cork, we are spoiled for choice, with many beautiful wedding venues. However, we wanted something that felt old-worldly and had a ceremony room that we loved. We also wanted a venue that was a distance away from home, one that would bring our families together and allow us to be away for a few days. We loved that the venue incorporated old-fashioned values, while also featuring a newer part of the building, which provided ample bedrooms for guests. It's a perfect blend of old and contemporary."
"We were very lucky to have my brother-in-law, Andrew, take care of the flowers. He is super talented, and it was a special touch to have them arranged by family. I chose blue and purple hydrangeas long before I had chosen my dress or bridesmaid dresses. It was part of the vision!"
"We had The Bentley Boys as our evening band. We wanted professionals who played a variety of genres. Having strings as part of the ceremony and drinks receptions may have been influenced by Bridgerton! We were also lucky to have some of our friends sing during the ceremony and drinks reception."
Regarding the best decision, Ruth said, "Choosing to stay at The Maryborough the night before! We had drinks with family & friends. The sun was shining and we were out on the lawn at the back of the hotel. Both our immediate families stayed. If we had been at home, I know everyone (including myself) would be running around doing last-minute jobs, right up to the morning. This way, we could relax once we arrived, everything was set & ready. Any nerves were shaken, and it felt like the wedding started once we arrived. We chose to break tradition & stayed together in the Bridal Suite the night before the wedding. This was definitely one of our best decisions & felt the most natural thing to do. Who else would I want to be with when feeling nervous & really excited? We went for breakfast together on our wedding morning, and after that, we kicked him out of the Bridal Suite for the morning preparations. Sorry Damien!"
- Gráinne