This week’s Wedding of the Week couple is Kevin and Lauren Dunne, who celebrated their wedding day in the Mount Errigal Hotel
NEWLYWEDS Kevin and Lauren Dunne are coming back to reality after their beautiful wedding day at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.
The couple got married on July 31 last and are planning their dream honeymoon to America, taking in New York, Miami and Nashville before embarking on a Caribbean cruise.
Lauren and Kevin are both from the rural village of Foreglen in County Derry. Recalling how they met fills Lauren with nostalgia.
“We met on BBM, on BlackBerry Messenger, way back before there were iPhones,” she said.
Despite living about four miles apart, Lauren and Kevin didn’t know each other.
“We both had BlackBerries and somebody added us into a group chat, and then we just started talking on that, and then we went from there.”
While neither are from Donegal, Lauren and Kevin knew they wanted to get married in the county.
“We just love coming to Donegal,” said Lauren. “It’s far enough away from where we are and we wanted to go somewhere a bit further away.”
Kevin and Lauren Dunne at the Mount Errigal Hotel.
The Mount Errigal Hotel caught the couple’s eye straight away and turned out to be the perfect fit.
“It’s absolutely beautiful and it’s just the fact that we didn’t really have to do anything,” said Lauren.
“We just liked the fact they had a package that you just show up on the day and as long as you’ve got food, everything else would be grand. And there were enough bedrooms for everybody to stay. We ended up having quite a big wedding, so we wanted to make sure they’d be able to stay all in the one place if they wanted to.
“Those were the main selling points and the staff couldn’t do enough for us.”
Kevin and Lauren share a home with their beloved dog Fergal, who played a big part in their wedding day, even dressing up for the occasion.
“He’s the best boy,” said Lauren. “He came to the chapel for photos.”
The wedding ceremony was held in St Peter and St Paul’s Church in Foreglen before everyone made their way to Letterkenny.
“We got a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter bus, and it was just the best craic,” said Lauren. “It was so nice inside, our drinks, we were able to stop for photos, have a bit of craic, and just kind of calm down after the formal part of it. It was actually the best fun being able to travel with our closest friends.”
The couple had their wedding photos taken at Oak Gardens in Derry by Elizabeth Naomi Photography and videography by Conor Farren. When they arrived at the Mount Errigal, they were greeted to a reception with folk band Half Cut Music, and even a few napkins featuring Fergal.
There were just under 180 guests, some travelling from as far away as Australia, America and Canada.
“My uncle and his family came from America and his daughter had never been to Ireland before,” said Lauren.
Great Room debut
The couple were the first this year to hold their wedding in the Great Room, which has been newly refurbished.
One aspect of the day that everyone raved about was the food.
“The food was unbelievable,” said Lauren. “We had vol-au-vant, roast beef and the Malteser and toffee meringue, and it was beautiful.”
One of Lauren’s favourite parts of the day was the wedding cake, which featured three tiers of lemon, chocolate and Victoria sponge, complete with two Sylvanian Families figurines.
The newlyweds made sure to document their day well and between pictures from Photobooth by Jo and recorded voice notes, they have plenty to look back on.
“We had an audio guest book, Michael O’Neill provided that. He decorated the room as well, it was absolutely fantastic.”
The audio book was a great success, as guests left authentic messages behind.
“We got our audio back within 24 hours and it’s just the messages getting funnier and drunker as the night goes on,” said Lauren. “It was just like a wee phone sitting at the side, and people just picked up and left a message. We’ll have people’s voices for years to come.”
After the meal, guests were treated to music from The Rare Aul Stuff, and the dancefloor never emptied for the rest of the night as a DJ also got crowds going.
The next morning, Lauren and Kevin enjoyed a relaxed breakfast with their nearest and dearest before they gathered everyone again, this time for a garden party at their home.
As the couple prepare for their Stateside adventure, their wedding is still being talked about by friends and family.
Some have declared Lauren and Kevin’s wedding the best they’ve ever been to.
The newly refurbished Great Room at the Mount Errigal Hotel.