Recovering from pneumonia, Claire Hennessy decided to have a go at online dating.
It led her to the love of her life.
Claire, from Ballycotton, County Cork, met Jamie Robinson, from Finglas, Dublin, in December 2013.
“I had moved to Dublin, and while at home in Cork sick with pneumonia decided to try online dating,” she says. “I found Jamie and he was the first and last person I talked to on the [dating] app.
“We went on our first date to Chez Max in Dublin on February 1, 2014.”
Almost eight years to the day later, Claire and Jamie were married in Star of the Sea Church, Ballycotton, by Fr Aidan Crowley, a family friend, and held their reception in Garryvoe Hotel.
They posed for the camera of Laura and Benny Benson of Laura and Benny Photography.
“One of the main pictures I wanted to get was of me pulling Jamie’s first pint in the Blackbird bar as I had worked there for nearly eight years in my 20s,” says the bride.
Jamie had popped the question one Christmas morning at 8.30am.
“He asked if we could exchange presents before we went up to my parents’ house,” says Claire.
When Jamie produced a ring box from Keanes Jewellers, Claire burst into tears of joy. “When I finally stopped crying he had to ask if my answer was ‘yes’ — and it was the easiest yes of my life,” she says.
The couple say they wanted “a wedding that felt like us”.
Both sets of parents, Hazel and Noel Hennessy and Teresa and James, helped organise their big day, along with Claire’s sister and maid of honour Louise Breathnach and Jamie’s sister and best woman Stephanie Robinson.
The elder flower girl, Eva Gleeson, continued a family tradition.
“Eva’s mom, my cousin Ann Gleeson, was my mother’s flower girl so I wanted to keep the title moving down the line,” says the bride.
The younger flower girl was Rose Breathnach, Claire’s goddaughter, while Liam Breathnach was the pageboy.
“We had originally planned to have 160 guests but due to health circumstances we had to cut that to 32 people,” says Claire.
“I made all of the flowers lights and candle decorations for the table. It really made the room feel romantic, cosy and intimate.
“We were especially lucky to have one of my best friends Grace and her mom Mary sing me down the aisle. They were accompanied by her dad Pat and our musician Laura Jean Music. The song was very special to us, , by Caroline Kay.
Claire wore a Pure Bridal dress and veil, sourced in Jeutonic Bridal Wear, teamed with velvet shoes from Asos, and a fur stole from Wedding Belles in Castlemartyr, Co Cork.
Jamie and his party looked dapper thanks to Morleys Menswear, Cork.
The bridal hairstyling and makeup were by Aisling Kelleher, Polkadot Dreaming Weddings, and Regina Core Health and Beauty.
Village Florist, Castlemartyr, created the floral arrangements.
The wedding cake was by Brian Roche of Baker Boy Cakes.
“We were given the cake knife by our friends as our ‘something borrowed’,” says the bride.
The newlyweds enjoyed a minimoon at the five-star Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry.
Claire is a clerical officer with Cork County Council and Jamie is an engineer with Sysco Foods.
“We are currently residing in Ballycotton in my old family home and loving every minute of it,” says Claire.
- If you would like your wedding featured, email [email protected]