Sunny Summer Wedding at Ebrington Hotel in Derry

My featured wedding on my real wedding journal is the stunning summer wedding of Cailíosa & Oisín from sunny Claudy in County Derry in Northern Ireland. Cailíosa & Oisín are making their second appearance on my wedding journal. Their fantastic engagement shoot was earlier in the year. You can see it here.

Luxury Wedding Photography in Ireland

Photographed at the beginning of July, the weather was out of this world! (Slight exaggeration.) From memory, I think it was sitting at 26°C. That’s about 11°C hotter than what I’m comfortable with. This genius photographer thought it was a good idea to suit up with trousers, waistcoat, shirt and tie. If you remember, we were in the middle of a heatwave. It was insanely hot and the sun was out in full force. I was tempted to dress more casual but wanted to do the best I could for my couple, even if I was melting!

Wedding Planning in Northern Ireland

When booking a wedding for July in Ireland, you hope for nice weather but what Cailíosa & Oisín got was beyond belief. I’m guessing, not in their wildest dreams did they expect weather like this! I was chuffed for them as I know how rare it is to get spoiled with this kind of weather on a wedding day. I’ve seen my fair share of sunny during the week and then a rainy Friday/Saturday July wedding! All I’ll say is, thank heaven for air conditioning in the car. I was able to cool down between the preps, before and after the ceremony. I could not be a destination wedding photographer in the hotter climates!

Groom Prep Wedding Photography From Greysteel

Photography began with Oisín at his family home outside of Greysteel in County Derry. I say this all the time, I love starting the day with the groom! It eases the groom into the photos and Oisín was no different. It’s a great chance to get some nice pictures before I get to the bride and I think it goes a long way to giving some confidence to the groom for the day ahead. I have to say Oisín was a pro! So good and I love how his pictures turned out. I’m sure everyone will love them.

I spent around half an hour with Oisín. We got some fab images, some nice prep shots and some fun ones with his nephew / pageboy. Oisín was great, a really nice fella.

Bride Prep Wedding Photography From Claudy

Next up was Cailíosa! Back to my hometown of Claudy and to meet up with the bride to be, her family and friends. Cailíosa’s dad was at the front door waiting for me to arrive, he said he was over the moon that it was another fella coming. He was a bit outnumbered with all the women inside his house. Charlie from Simba Star Weddings would also soon arrive so another couple of boys to backup Cailíosa’s dad. In saying that, the boys were still very outnumbered!

The morning preps for Cailíosa went really well. Like Oisín, Cailíosa was a pro and was great in front of the camera. Maybe a little nervous in the beginning but she was really amazing throughout. One of my favourite brides, that’s saying a lot as all my brides are amazing.

Cailíosa’s hair and makeup team were fab and on time. I preach all the time for the bride to be on time with hair and makeup, it makes life so much easier for the bridal party. Nobody is rushing and it’s a far nicer experience for everyone. Big shoutout to Seanin from Hair by SD (Great initials!) and Jade from Jade Spillane Makeup.

Also at the bride’s home and part of her bridal party was the cutest flower girl. This little one stole the show! Last week, I posted the sweetest BTS video featuring her and her mum on my Instagram. Go watch it. It’s so good!

After some gorgeous pictures at Cailíosa’s home, it was time to pop down to Saint Patrick’s Church in Claudy to meet up with Oisín.

Being from Claudy, it’s always so nice to photograph a wedding on my home turf. Fair play to Cailíosa & Oisín for choosing me. I hope I’ve repaid their faith in me.

Behind our cameras we photographers and film makers take part in plenty of banter between each other, Charlie and myself are no different. He kept asking, “Shea Deighan!” (He calls me by my full name. Every time.) “Why don’t you have a Claudy accent?” And gasping, “Shea Deighan - You’re like a celebrity here!” It’s great having Charlie working alongside me on a wedding. Such a nice fella and his work is class! I’m sure Cailíosa & Oisín will love what he delivers.

Cailíosa was fashionably late (five minutes) and I spent two extra minutes getting some nice pictures of Cailíosa and her daddy before their big entrance.

When Cailíosa arrived with her daddy at the top of the aisle to meet Oisín, I took one of my favourite pictures of the three of them. It’s just as Cailíosa lets go of her daddy and for a split second, her daddy looks so gutted to be letting her go. A moment in time captured in a split second. Something all fathers can relate to. Isn’t that what this gig is all about? Capturing precious memories like this?

St. Patrick’s Church in Claudy

Doing the ceremony was Father O’Kane in his last year as the parish priest of Claudy. He’s a really nice man and I’m glad I get to photograph in Claudy while he is still here. Nothing is ever a bother for him and all my couples say he is the best.

During the ceremony, there was a second or two where Oisín’s ring wouldn’t go on much to everyones amusement. Father O’Kane looked on nervously and I got a nice picture of the moment.

After the ceremony was the family formals inside the church. We decided to do the family photos inside the church to avoid the heat and direct sun outside. It was nice and cool inside the church. I figured we’d give everyone as easy a time of it prior to doing the bridal party shoot which was a short drive away in the same direction as the venue. The weather was getting hotter by the minute.

Oak Gardens Bridal Photo Shoot Location

Soon after, we arrived at the stunning Oak Gardens for the bridal party photo shoot. Have you ever been? It’s a fab place to do your wedding pictures and it’s in a great location convenient to couples travelling to Derry and Donegal. Great if you are a couple getting married from the Claudy and Dungiven direction as it’s on the way. Shoutout to Adrienne, the owner. Always on hand to help and is so nice.

Oak Gardens is fab, I visited twice in the lead up to Cailíosa & Oisín’s wedding to do a bit of scouting and to find my favourite spots. With a location like this, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and you don’t end up exactly with what you wanted.

Cailíosa & Oisín along with their bridal party had the best time at the garden. They had such a laugh doing their photo shoot. Charlie and I would occasionally swap in and out to do the bits we needed each for the couple. It worked well and we both got some brilliant bits. I did photos with the bridal party first and after that sent them on to the hotel leaving the couple behind. I think this works well as the bridal party can enjoy a little more of the hotel experience while leaving the couple behind with me. It also lets the hotel know the couple aren’t far behind.

Derry Wedding Venue The Ebrington Hotel

After the shoot at Oak Gardens, it was off to the luxurious Ebrington Hotel in Derry for the drinks reception. I got some nice details and lots of nice guest candids. Not always at the top of priorities for couples but nice to have as part of your wedding photography as the years fly by.

Soon after, it was time for the bridal party entrance to the ballroom and then the speeches. The speeches were before dinner which I think for most venues is the norm. So much better than having them after the dinner in my opinion.

So to the speeches. After the wedding, looking at photos of the speeches are different to looking back on a video. I think a photo will bring you back to the moment of how you felt when living it. Something a bit more romantic about the whole experience. Cailíosa & Oisín’s speeches were fab and so heartfelt. All very personal to everyone who heard them. Big shoutout to Oisín who thanked myself (and Charlie) in his speech, totally not needed but glad to know he and Cailíosa appreciate everything I’d done so far as their wedding photographer.

Shea Deighan Wedding Photographer

The rest of the night was party time with lots of guest photos in the mix. I always hope to deliver as many nice pictures of all the guests at my weddings as well as all the other nice pictures you’d expect. Do you see yourself in any of them? The guests were so much fun! What a brilliant night.

Hopefully in a generation or two, Cailíosa & Oisín will have such a good time reliving their wedding day through the many photographs I’ve delivered.

Cailíosa & Oisín, you are the best! Thanks so much for having me as your wedding photographer. From booking me to your engagement shoot, to planning your schedule and then your wedding day, it’s been such a pleasure to be your wedding photographer.

Congrats again and enjoy your (many) pictures. For reference, this is around 20% of the delivered images and the rest are as good if not better!

Loved Cailíosa & Oisín’s wedding story at the Ebrington Hotel in Derry?

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