Wedding of the Week; Cork school teacher and mechanic recall their special day

CELEBRATING with family and friends all together was the highlight of this couple’s wedding day.

Cáit O’Donovan and Podge (Padraig) Kelleher live in Newcestown with their one- year-old daughter, Eada. 

Cáit works as a preschool teacher at home in Kilbrittain and Podge is an agricultural mechanic for Lynch and McCarthy, in Little Island.

The couple feature in this week's Wedding of the Week.

They got engaged on Christmas Eve, 2021.

“I was pregnant with Eada so it was a proposal at home that morning that included Peggy our dog,” the bride said.

They were married on Saturday, December 2, in St Patrick’s Church, Kilbrittain.

The bride’s dress was bought in Cinderella’s Closet in Blackpool. Cáit recalled: “It was actually the dress my mam had picked out for me to try... when I walked out my mam and sister burst into tears. I instantly knew it was ‘the one’.”

Hair was by Debbie McCarthy, of Bridal by Honey Bee, and the make-up artist was Maria Coleman.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were bought in Folkster Kilkenny. The lads were kitted out by Catherine Deasy at Deasy suit hire, Rossmore.

Recalling the ceremony, Cáit said: “Our daughter stole the show. Being 18 months, her little character and personality is coming out. She pottered around the church during the ceremony, gathering mobile phones, watches and handbags as she went.”

They were delighted to have family there on the day, especially their two grandmothers.

“After them both dealing with health issues in recent years, it was so special to have them both with us on the day,” Cáit said.

The brides’s three cousins, Lisa, Clodagh and Siobhan O Donovan, did the music, which meant a lot.

The wedding reception was hosted in Fernhill House Hotel. “Ann, Neil and the team are unbelievable. The attention to detail is second to none. Everything was absolutely perfect,” said the bride.

The cake was made by the bride’s two aunties. The band were the Irish Weavers, who had the floor packed all night. The couple’s first dance was to I Love You by the Waterboys.

As to the most memorable thing about the day?

“Just having our daughter with us and all our family and friends around us,” Cáit said.

“Another special part was my dad driving me to the church in his dad/my grandfather’s jeep, a 1999 Pajero. It was sold to a local farmer years ago but he sold it back to my uncle recently. It was so special to go to the church in that.”