Wedding of the Week: Tinder match led to a great romance

“EVERYTHING fell into place better than we ever imagined.”

So said bride Shaynah Faul, of Youghal who wed Niall O’Leary, from Midleton, in a very special ceremony this year.

The couple who are now living in Ardmore, feature in our Wedding of the Week.

Recalling how they first met, Shaynah said: “Considering we actually lived close enough to each other, we actually met on the good old Tinder.

“I cancelled a first date numerous times - in his words, he didn’t expect me to arrive on the said night and had a back-up plan to meet one of the lads for pints!

“I guess it was faith that our first date actually ended up being the date of my late aunt Marie’s anniversary, I always say she sent him to me and I’m forever grateful now.”

They got engaged on Shaynah’s birthday in July, 2019, in Garryvoe Hotel.

Shaynah said: “We pretty much got planning straight away and our date was set for March 26, 2021 - which was postponed due to Covid.

“Thankfully, all our suppliers fell into place with the same date in 2022, so that took some of the stress of postponement off.”

The couple were married in a church ceremony in Mogeely Church followed by a reception at the Raddison Blu in Little Island.

“After a couple of venue viewings, we knew the minute we walked into the Raddison that it was the one.”

The bride wore a dress from Amore bridal in Youghal. Hair was by Go Wild hair salon in Youghal town, and make-up was by Juliette Morrow from Dublin.

Their first song was to Can’t Help Falling In Love by Lick the Tins.

Shaynah said: “Quite apt wording of ‘only fools rush in’, as we were only a few months together when I got pregnant with our first boy Harry, who’s almost six. our other little boy Alfie is just three now, and they were a huge part of the day and loved all the attention of pictures.”

Flowers were by Elizabeth Cott, of Wonderous Weddings in Donoughmore, and the arch outside the church got huge compliments.

“The most memorable thing of the day really is how we just didn’t stop smiling once the nerves shifted for me. 

"Once I’d walked down the aisle everything else was just incredible, we were absolutely blessed to have all our incredible friends and family with us and our two boys on the day. 

"My advice to everyone planning a wedding is to not stress the small things,enjoy every moment because I guarantee the minute it’s over you will want to do it all again. We can’t wait to get the video back from Colin Hickey, just to relive all the magic again.”