Wedding of the Week: Boho-luxe celebration at Fota for Cobh couple Paula and Darren
Colleran Colin Dennehy Darren Pictures: Meade Paula And
It was love at first sight when Paula Meade and Darren Dennehy’s eyes met in a Cork nightspot.
That was over a decade ago, in March 2013, in Havana Browns on Washington Street.
Soon after, Paula, from Cobh, Co Cork, tweeted while attending a Beyoncé concert in Dublin. “Darren saw the opportunity and slid into my DMs,” she says.
Darren, from Tralee, Co Kerry, was playing soccer at the time for Cork City but moved to Dublin for a two-year stint with the St Pats club.
Paula and Darren now live in Cobh with their three daughters.
They got engaged on December 23, 2021, when they checked into Fota Island Resort with their daughters for a festive visit to Santa Claus. That evening, Darren popped the question in the Smith Barry Suite.
They returned to the five-star resort to say “I do” on August 3 of this year.
Alison O’Driscoll of Bespoke Words led the spiritual ceremony, which was followed by a reception in the suite in which the romantic marriage proposal took place.
Paula’s parents, Eleanor and Adrian Meade and Darren’s mother and father Mary and Willie Dennehy helped them organise the perfect celebration.
Paula’s sister Suzanne Meade was her maid of honour and her friend Louise McCormick was her bridesmaid.
Darren’s brother Billy Dennehy was his best man and his friend Theo Diggin was his groomsman.
The couple’s three daughters, Robyn, six, Isla, one, and Demi, eight months, were their flowergirls.
“Celebrating the day with our three daughters was very special for us. Everything we do is for them. To have these amazing photos and video memories of our family will become our most treasured keepsakes,” adds Paula.
The bride aimed for a “boho luxe vibe" within the Smith Barry Suite and hotel gardens. “This was achieved by curating a muted colour palette of champagne, ivory, blush nude and gold tones,” she says.
Sax Appeal ensured the dance floor was "packed all night long" adds Paula. “We decided to have Sax Appeal, play for the full night which kept the dancefloor packed all night long. This was something so important to us as a couple. We wanted to bring the party!”
Paula looked super-elegant in a Milla Nova design, which she purchased in Verona Bridal, Co Derry.
The bridal makeup was by Rebecca O’Donovan Make-up and with hairstyling by Audrey Cashman, Upstyle Junkie.
The groom, groomsmen and both fathers wore black tie attire from Morley’s, Cork.
Colin Colleran, photographer, and Lukas Diga, videographer, captured the big day on camera and Bloomsday Flowers added to the décor.
The newlyweds enjoyed a minimoon at the five-star Europe hotel in Killarney and plan a “family-moon” with their children in the near future.
Paula works for Dell Technologies in Cork and Darren works for PepsiCo.
The family live in Cobh.
- If you would like your wedding featured email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie