A love like no other. Newlyweds, Karen and Ryan tied the knot earlier this year in a magical castle wedding surrounded by their nearest and dearest.
Here we chat with the new Mrs McArdle as she shares her #JMJLOVESTORY with us…
Firstly, we’ll take it back to the beginning of your exciting journey together. We’d love to hear how Ryan popped the question?
“Our engagement took place 4 days into our holiday to Rhodes in 2019. (Unknown to me, Ryan had been carrying the engagement ring around in his wallet for most of the week.) On the day of our engagement, we rented a car and drove up to Rhodes Town. We explored the old town, took a spare of the moment boat trip and then ended the day back on dry land with cocktails at sunset. We were walking back to the car, enjoying the view of the water and castle walls, when I decided to stop and take a photo. As I turned to show Ryan my photography skills, he spun me around and got down on one knee. To say I was shocked would be an understatement but it's safe to say, for the rest of the holiday, the smiles never left our faces!”
After much planning and preparation, when and where did you get married?
“I had been to my sister's wedding in Darver Castle a few years ago and suggested to Ryan that he and I go to the Wedding Fayre to take a look at it for our own wedding. As soon as we walked through the doors, we both knew it was exactly what we wanted. We booked our date there and then for July 2021 and it was the best decision we could have made!”
We’re sure there’s too many to count, but what is your favourite moment from the day?
“My favourite moment from the day has to be the drinks reception music by the Parcel of Rogues. We had very little expectations for the wedding, (restrictions didn't seem to be budging very much and things were still very unsure) so we were completely blown away by the effect a little bit of live music had on our guests, especially so early on in the day. The atmosphere was brilliant; I remember looking around, seeing everyone we both love in the one place at the one time and thinking it couldn't have been more perfect.”
Are there any suppliers that you would recommend to couples currently planning their wedding?
“I would obviously have to start by recommending Jack Murphy's Jewellers. If it wasn't for them, there wouldn't have been a ring or a wedding so it's safe to say, Ryan couldn't have done it without their help!
“There isn't one supplier who didn't go above and beyond to make our day as special as it was.
“Darver Castle were a dream to work with and made us feel so welcome.
“Whiteblossom Bridal with Danielle was such an amazing experience and the shop is just stunning.
“Perfect Day had such an wide selection of Bridesmaid Dresses and were not only able to direct me straight to the style we wanted but also allowed the girls to try on so many different dresses without any fuss.
“McCartan's Menswear helped us to sort the boys out and were so accommodating, especially when it came to our Pageboy.
“Tara Doran and Mary Maguire were the best glam team we could have asked for and made sure we were all looking our best on the day.
“Lifting the Veil Photography and FilmIt Videos captured every moment of our day perfectly.
“Donna Griffen Florist made my dream bouquet and really took the stress out of the morning by going above and beyond for us.
“Parcel of Rogues were simply unbelievable at getting the craic going and really made sure everyone was having a good time.
“Unity Wedding Cars were such lovely people to work with. They settled everyone's nerves that morning and were wedding experts.”
Last but not least, what advice would you share with newly engaged couples?
“The advice I would give any newly engaged couples is to enjoy the build-up and not to stress about the little things. On the day, you really don't care what the sweetie table looks like or what people think of your Mass booklets. People always say your wedding day is the best day of your life and if you're marrying the person you love, surrounded by the people who you care about most, how could it be anything other than perfect!”
