I seemed to spend a disproportionate amount of the weekend looking at the Met Éireann rainfall radar on my phone. For a while it looked like Neasa & Neil’s wedding on Sunday was going to be a rainy day affair – especially on Saturday as I got just a little bit drenched while scouting out the various places we had pencilled in for some photographs after the ceremony. Thankfully by Sunday morning Mother Nature decided to do the decent thing (perhaps encouraged by the child of Prague) and the first drop of rain we saw all day was just as we took the last photograph of the afternoon. So it was a lovely dry day, if a little windy. But a little wind wasn’t going to stop us getting some lovely photographs.
Neasa and Neil had the advantage of having their wedding set against one of the most scenic (and recognizable) parts of Galway (a city that is itself mostly scenic and recognizable to begin with), and when we emerged for the Claddagh church, with a Galway Hooker sailing in the background and the beatifully Long Walk providing a colourful backdrop, we were very glad indeed that the rain had stayed away.
Over the next hour, having taken the requisite family photographs on the steps of the church for logistical reasons, I brought the bridal party and Neasa’s three brothers across towards the water for a quick photo of Neasa lying across her brothers’ arms – a photo that she’d had in mind since the first time we spoke about her wedding photography. As I mentioned at the time, such was the laughter I think the real photo was to be found in the actual lifting as the four of them tried to figure out what way it was all going to work.
From there we left all but the bridal party head to the Glasson Golf and Country Club outside Athlone for the reception as we made our way out along the pier overlooking the Long Walk. It was there that Neil spotted the appropriately named “Claddagh”, which he recognized from the Guinness Christmas ad – a favourite of Neasa’s. And so we found ourselves negotiating stones and ropes to capture yet another waterfront photo, this time with glasses of champagne in hand, alongside what could possibly regarded as Neasa’s favourite boat. ]
The wind battled with the water in an attempt to steal the limelight in many of the photos yesterday, and more than once Neasa’s veil tried to make its escape, but Neasa and Neil were good sports and loved every minute of their stroll along the water, the brief visit to a playground afterwards and their short walk along the beach. Our a final stop before heading for Athlone – leaving the wind and the water behind us – was outside one of Salthill’s amusement arcades and it was a fitting finish to a bridal photoshoot that was more than appropriate for this Galway girl and her new husband.
Recent Comments