Wedding of the Week: Student politics led to love for Rebecca and Ian

Their paths first crossed through their involvement in student politics and they met when they entered a Young Fine Gael debate. “Rebecca won and I lost,” says Ian. But friendship grew. “We were both running for the [party’s] national executive at the time and continued to meet each other throughout this period,” says Rebecca.

Months later, following a conference, Ian asked Rebecca out and their first date was at Christmas 2018, in Dublin, where Rebecca was based at the time.

Ian popped the question at the couple’s new home in Clonlara, Kerry Pike, in June 2021. “We had recently moved in and planning the house had kept us going during lockdown. Ian proposed in our back garden at the picnic table my father had made,” says Rebecca.

Rebecca, a pharmacist in Horgan’s Pharmacy in Mallow, and Ian, a parliamentary assistant to Colm Burke TD, had their pals by their side when they were married by Fr Ignatius McCormack, Ennis, Co Clare, with Rebecca Clancy as chief bridesmaid, and Deirdre Livingston, Genevieve O’Mahony and Sinead Ronan as bridesmaids, while Ian’s friend David Power took on the role of chief groomsmen and Rebecca’s brother Gareth Gregan joining forces with Ian’s friends, Brien McCarthy and Shane O’Mahony, as groomsmen.

The bride’s parents, Geraldine Lane Gregan and Gabriel Gregan, and the groom’s mother and father, Eileen O’Leary and Donal Hutchinson, led the toasts at the reception, at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa. “Our day was absolutely amazing. The weather was incredible, with blue skies and very few clouds,” says Rebecca. 

“UCC and Inchydoney were incredible venues and allowed our wonderful photographer Dermot Sullivan and videographer Greg Mulcahy to capture some amazing moments. It was so nice to be able to spend the day with our family and friends and we were so grateful that so many were able to come.”

Rebecca looked super-elegant in a Stella York design bought in Jeutonic Bridal Boutique in Kilkenny and The Powder Room Girls ensured the bridal hair and makeup were picture-perfect.

But there had been worries that one family member would not be ready for her close-up: “Our cat, Truffles, who we are totally obsessed with, got stuck down a 10ft deep storm drain three days before the wedding and was stuck there for over a day. There were multiple attempts to rescue her with people from all over our estate — many of whom we’d never met — coming out in freezing temperatures lending us tools and advice and support.”

It was thanks to the ingenuity of one of these new friends that Truffles was preened, purring and pouting once the cameras started clicking on December 10.

“One of our neighbours came up with a device involving rope and three bamboo sticks and fished her out of there much to our relief,” says the bride.

The groom and his party were kitted out by Morleys Suit Hire, Grand Parade Cork and the floral arrangements were by Elizabeth Cott, Wonderous Weddings.

Rebecca and Ian honeymooned in Orlando, Florida, and Hawaii.

• If you would like your wedding featured, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie