We recently welcomed Stephen O’Callaghan and Rachael Crilly to tie the knot at Killeavy Castle.
The couple enjoyed a magical start to married life after Stephen proposed to Rachael by one castle in Disneyland Paris and then celebrated his wedding day in the castle on Killeavy Estate. Rachael and Stephen enjoyed an idyllic wedding day at Killeavy surrounded by family and friends with the historic 19th-century castle as a striking backdrop to their wedding photos.
The games-loving couple entertained 210 guests at their Monopoly-themed wedding, the table names were based on Monopoly locations like Mayfair and Liverpool St Station, and the cheesecake was displayed on a Monopoly board. “Monopoly is hands down our favourite game as a couple,” Rachael explained. “We are kids at heart, very competitive and no game of Monopoly ends happily, hence our Monopoly vows!”
The Newry couple, who met at Lacey’s Nightclub when they were just 16, started dating a year later and were together for 11 years before their wedding. As they were from the area, it was important for the couple to tie the knot at Killeavy, “We didn’t get a chance to see the venue open until a few weeks before our wedding. We felt part of the progress and it was really exciting to see it completed,” said Rachael.
The couple said that waiting for the new Killeavy Castle to open and visiting the venue regularly was the most exciting aspect of planning their big day. The most stressful was the guest list.
Rachael’s wedding dress is from La Marie the Bride (Newry), the third dress shop she had tried. Rachael had four bridesmaids, Danielle, her sister who was Maid of Honour, along with her cousins Leanne and Natalie and her friend Kimberley. Their dresses came from Coast, while the flower girls’ dresses were from Monsoon. The groom’s party wore suits from Next, and Stephen was supported by his brother and Best Man Adrian, and by groomsmen, his brother Patrick and friends Tony and Robby.
The wedding service was held in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Cloghogue before the party moved on to Killeavy Castle Estate. “It was an absolutely amazing day from start to finish. Everything was all we could ever have wished for and more,” said Rachael. “We honestly cannot pick one highlight. It was all incredible. But if forced to pick, I would probably say walking down the aisle seeing my very-soon-to-be husband at the bottom.”
* Article originally by Getting Married NI.