Old World Love: Catriona & Cathal's Sunflower Wedding

Inspired by the wild sunflower-filled fields of Italy, this vintage wedding at Castletroy Park Hotel is classically beautiful…

The bride’s elegant yet simple birdcage veil is just perfection – and it created tonnes of delicate photo opportunities that we fell head over heels for.

Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal

Catriona and Cathal met on a night out in Limerick – filled with craic and typical Irish banter. But, after finishing college, Cathal made the big move to Perth in search of employment. While courting a long distance love, it wasn’t long before Catriona made the decision to join her other half down under. After six months living in Australia, the pair enjoyed a whirlwind three-month trip around Fiji, New Zealand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Dubai.

They finally settled in Shannon and the rest is history…

Cathal proposed in seriously romantic fashion on a trip to Florence in 2014. After travelling Italy by train and passing fields upon fields of breath-taking sunflowers, they knew this very special memory would play a part in their wedding day.

Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal

The brightly coloured walls of the church, where they exchanged vows on 1st August 2015, matched the happy vibes of their floral decor.

“After being inspired by the Italian landscape, from there we went with a vintage theme. A vintage High Nelly bicycle, old milk churns and jugs decorated the outside of the church. We continued this to the reception by using an old world map as our seating plan which showcased all the countries we visited.”

Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal

“We knew the Castletroy Park Hotel was ‘The One’ the minute we walked in the door. The lobby was modern and bright, there was a beautiful sun room and connecting bar. It was important to us that everyone felt connected. The Wedding Coordinator, Frances, was just so nice and nothing was too much bother.”

“The staff were absolutely wonderful. The Manager, Fiona, was there all night and ensured everyone was looked after. The Banqueting Manager, Mark, was also amazing. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. People were commenting on the food and how brilliant the staff were all day. We had a big wedding, but everything ran seamlessly.”

Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal

“Our photographer Yvonne Vaughan was wonderful. We were fairly laid back, so we were glad Yvonne wasn’t pushy and just blended in. We were thinking of going to UL to get our photos taken but about three nights before the wedding, we met Yvonne and she had a fabulous album from Cratloe Woods. We knew we wanted to go there instantly. We were so glad we did, as we got some great shots. Yvonne was just lovely to work with – we couldn’t have been happier!”

Catriona and Cathal Catriona and Cathal

“The most special moment was at the church, seeing all our friends and family as I walked up the aisle to the song A Thousand Years, getting to the top and seeing Cathal’s smiling face.”

Catriona and Cathal Castletroy Park Hotel

Huge thanks to Cathal and Catriona for sharing their special day with us and to their photographer Yvonne Vaughan for allowing us to publish these stunning shots. You can see more of her work at www.yvonnevaughan.com

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