Wedding of the Week: Fun and glamour as Lillian and Niall say 'I do'
Woodard Lillian Niall Morrell Pictures: Evelyn Mccourt And
Their paths crossed in an Irish bar in Singapore when Lillian Morrell and Niall McCourt were attending a The Coronas concert.
That was soon after Lillian, from Brosna, Co Kerry, had moved to Malaysia, in December 2017.
“We then arranged to go on our first date and Lillian was four hours late as the traffic was so bad,” says Niall, from Delvin, Co Westmeath.
Lillian adds: “He did wait — but when I turned up he was after a few beverages as it was 11pm. Niall bought me a Jägermeister and Red Bull as my first drink.”
They need not have worried — the evening was a success. “When Niall offered to buy me chicken nuggets and chips at the end of the night, I knew he was a keeper,” she says.
A gourmet meal set the scene for their engagement. Niall surprised Lillian by popping the question after dinner in celebrity chef Neven Maguire’s restaurant MacLean House in Blacklion, Co Cavan.
The couple are now back in Ireland and are based in Clane, Co Kildare.
They were married on August 19 in a civil ceremony in the Dunraven Arms in Adare, Co Limerick, by celebrant David Allman, Life Ceremonies Ireland.
Their photographer, Evelyn Woodard (evelynwoodardphotographer.com) led them on a photoshoot that took in the local Augustinian Friary.
Both sets of parents, Breda and Bill Morrell and Catherine McCourt and Liam Buckley, and Niall’s grandmother May McCourt helped them celebrate.
“Having Niall’s Nana present on the day was just so special to us both,” says the bride.
“Our guests travelled from all over the world to be with us — Sydney, New York, Singapore, Dubai, Perth, Malaysia, Mexico, Holland, Portugal and Spain as well as the whole island of Ireland. We felt so loved.”
Sara Moor and Mairéad Finnegan were Lillian’s bridesmaids. “We’ve been friends since our days in St Joseph’s [secondary school], Abbeyfeale; Mairéad flew back from Perth for the wedding,” says Lillian.
A pal from their time in Malaysia, Dominic Rollo-Walker, was the best man and Niall’s brother John Buckley arrived home from Tokyo to take on groomsman duties.
Their wedding was “simple, full of fun, and relaxed with a bit of glamour”, she adds.
“The food was incredible, and we had a sweetheart heart table to ourselves which meant we almost had a fly-on-the-wall experience at our own wedding. We danced the night away to the wedding band The Papa Zitas who were just brilliant.”
A storm on the eve of the wedding blocked Adare’s entry and exit roads. “The best man produced a Child of Prague statue during his speech the next day, comparing the wedding-day sunshine to the heavy storms of the night before and saying it was all down to the statue.”
Lillian wore a Rosa Clara gown she sourced at The White Ivy Bridal Boutique in Kenmare, Co Kerry.
Niall and his party were dapper in Louis Copeland suits.
Hairstylists Fiona Sheehy and Kerry Stack Style Post, Moyvane, Co Kerry, and makeup artist Georgina Mackessy, Killarney, Co Kerry, ensured Lillian and her attendants were camera-ready. “My hairpins were designed by Carol from Saora Design in Cork,” adds the bride.
Maurice O’Carroll, Wedding Stories by Maurice, was behind the camera as the videographer and Maura Sheehy of Maura’s Cottage Flowers created the floral arrangements. “They were just incredible; I love flowers and Maura’s talent just blew me away,” says Lillian.
The newlyweds honeymooned by going on safari in Kenya. “We then had a week to chill out in Zanzibar, Tanzania,” adds Niall.
Lillian is a finance business architect for Pebble and Niall is a purchasing and supply chain project manager for the Mater Private Network.
- If you would like your wedding featured email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie
