Wedding of the Week: Bantry couple who went to school together

When Emma Begley and Joseph Flannery first moved into their home in the Mealagh Valley in Bantry in West Cork, they had no functioning heating or furniture.

The couple, originally from Dingle, moved into their fixer-upper just before Christmas in 2022, and over the last three years have worked to make the house their forever home - learning new DIY skills, installing heating, and welcoming their black Labrador Pluto.

Emma and Joseph first met when they were teens and had attended the same school.

They got engaged under the Eiffel Tower in Paris in August, 2023.

The couple were wed by solemniser Kathryn Cashman in an intimate ceremony at Dunowen House in Clonakilty on June 21, surrounded by their closest family and friends.

“We had the whole weekend there with the family of 16 adults and four kids.

“My sister’s boyfriend, Oigí O Sé, sang a beautiful song, Follow The Heron Home. The talented Carys Ann Evans played the harp throughout the ceremony. Joe’s nieces, Maya and Elsie May, were flower girls. Joe’s nephew, Fionn, was page boy and his nephew Liam was ringbearer,” the couple said.

The bride wore a Madi Lane Samson dress from Memories in Cork city, while the groom wore a suit purchased locally in Quills in Bantry with a tweed waistcoat.

Flowers were by Twig and Stem, while the bridal accessories were from Rosie and Dott.

“On my clutch, there was a ‘something blue’ heart pin which one of the kids in my class had given to me,” said Emma.

Make-up was by Annette O’Brien and hair was by Dominica Laureckis.

Emma’s sister Shauna was her “right-hand woman” for the day.

“Everything and anything I needed, she sorted, and I am very grateful to her,” said Emma.

After the ceremony, the couple and their families enjoyed a special banquet.

“Everyone stayed for the two nights and we played board games in the evenings.”

The couple had high praise for Dunowen House.

“They set up the ceremony for us, popped the champagne and kept it flowing, provided all the catering and the most perfect accommodation as well as going above and beyond.”

Pictures of the wedding were by Anna Groniecka Photography.

“She is so talented and everyone is still talking about how incredible the photographs are, we constantly get complimented on them,” the couple said.

The following Saturday, the couple held a ‘happily ever after’ party in Dannos, Dingle, with all their nearest and dearest.

“We felt like we had the best of both worlds, a relaxed, intimate wedding weekend and a chance to celebrate after with friends and family. For the ‘happily ever after’ celebration, Paulie O’Brien played fantastic Irish trad on guitar and sang. After Paulie finished up, various family members stepped up to the mic to sing songs, which everyone sang along to, which was so special. A friend of ours, Katie Fitzgerald, made the wedding cake for the after party in Dannos,” Emma and Joseph said.

What was the most memorable thing about the day?

“For us, it was the house and entire relaxed experience as we had never been to a wedding like it before, so having such a small wedding and venue made the experience all the more intimate,” they said.