| On the search for a church…
Picking up from my previous instalment, there were three
options available to us
(a) Get married in Dublin, reception in Dublin
(b) Get married in Dublin, reception in Wicklow
(c) Get married in Wicklow, reception in Wicklow
As I had started a thread on WOL, I asked the good posters
of the boards to assist in the decision making process. Little
did they know how their replies would influence our choice.
The time of the year that we plan to marry (October) would
be a huge factor in the decision making process. If we were
to go for option B above, timing on the day would be paramount
and normal daylight would play a huge factor in the photographs
we would like and be able to take. If we were to go for option
C, there would be additional costs involved by staying an
extra night in the hotel. This extra cost would be not only
for me but for my mother, sisters and bridesmaid (who I still
have to decide upon) as well, so this was less of an option
looking at the bigger picture.
It looked as though getting married in Dublin and having
the reception in Dublin was becoming the sole option for us.
From a list of possible venues that began with over twenty
we were down to two; The Shelbourne and Roganstown.
I didn’t like the option of our guests having to park
in the Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre car park, or
nipping out every couple of hours to top up the meter. Also
around the time of our decision, a story broke in the Sunday
Business Post about the future of Le Meridian Shelbourne being
unclear. I wasn’t taking any chances. This hotel wasn’t
rating very highly on the brideometer.
That left Roganstown Golf & Country Club. I discovered
this hotel while searching the internet one lunchtime at work.
The picture on the website of the old house was very appealing
to me. There were old trees and it just looked like somewhere
I wouldn’t mind having our reception. The only problem
was that the hotel was still under construction. However,
after purchasing our first home, this type of thing didn’t
faze me as much as it probably should have! I contacted Elaine
in Roganstown and made arrangements to view the floor plans
of the hotel. Christy O’Connor Jr is designing the golf
course attached no less.
There will be a Japanese garden for photographs, some of
the 54 bedrooms will overlook the golf course and others will
overlook the gardens. There will be a gym and a pool and it
all seemed too good to miss. I was still undecided about whether
or not to forgo our provisional booking in Arklow Bay and
work out some schedule that would have to be followed with
military precision on the day.
After much discussion with Joseph, we came to the conclusion
that having the wedding in Dublin and the reception would
work out best for all concerned and that ended my train of
thought about Arklow Bay.
Another trip out to Elaine and the cheque was written. We
had booked our reception. I was sorely tempted to open a bottle
of bubbly that evening as I thought it deserved to be celebrated.
We had made a substantial decision.
So began the search for a church.
I had grown up on Dublin’s south side and Joseph was
from the north side of the city. I would have liked to get
married in the Church of the Assumption in Booterstown but
it didn’t make any practical sense seeing as how we
live on Dublin’s north side, the reception was north
side and the majority of the families were based north side.
Joseph’s family church (Iona) was too big in my mind
for what we had planned.
As I wasn’t fussed over having a church wedding versus
a registry office wedding, I left that choice entirely up
to Joseph. You’re still as married after either, unless
of course you happen to be Peter Barlow in Coronation Street.
Getting back to the matter at hand, Joseph said he wanted
a church wedding so I handed over all arranging of that to
him.
We took a drive out to St Margaret’s (which is located
via the backroads to Dublin Airport) and popped into the chapel
there. It was ideal! Joseph thought so too. So he was to contact
the priest and book the date and gather all the paperwork
required. It was in a lovely location and it was reasonably
close, about midway to our house and to the reception.
In my next instalment, I’ll pick up from there and
keep you posted as to any progress made in the meantime.
Till then,
Lynne
|
