I had never photographed at Clara Vale Church before so when Bronagh & Tommy described it as a small quaint church nestled in the Wicklow Mountains accessible over a small stone bridge with a river that runs by it, well I was sold. They showed me some images on their phone and I crossed my fingers hoping they’d go ahead and book me there and then. It really is a magical little church for a wedding ceremony and I hope the photos do it justice. It was almost too nice as guests sipped prosecco and ate strawberries after the ceremony on the church grounds. (Talk about a thoughful bride & groom eh?) People had forgotten there was still Clonwilliam house to attend, again, another venue I had never had the privilege of photographing before. It had been on my radar but for one thing or another I was either booked or unavailable to be a Clonwilliam House wedding photographer.

With regards to Clonwilliam house itself, what an amazing venue, as soon as you enter the gates there are sprawling fields on either side, then at the top of a long uphill drive is the Georgian Country house itself. I hadn’t even reached the front door when I had already completed a photo shoot in my mind. It’s overwhelming how spoiled with beauty and splendour you become within a few moments, marble floors, exquisite stairway, antiques on contemporary surfaces, I’m sure there was a tv somewhere but it was probably hidden behind a rare painting. The internet was probably carried through the air by doves. It was all very beautiful yet unlike most venues, it’s a habitable abode and so only does a set amount of weddings per year and I can only imagine what it must be like for kids to grow up in such a lush setting of the Avoca Vale and the luxury of Clonwilliam house – “Daddy, I’m just going to the sauna, call me on the intercom” “Junior, you don’t have time, creche is at 9 darling”.  Ahhh to dream…