‘Our joyful wedding’: Cork couple's first date was at Nando's

Isabel Rossiter, originally from the parish of Ballycullane, and Ryan Makepeace, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England, both moved to Cork in 2001.

It wasn’t until more than a decade later that their paths first crossed, with the couple sharing their first date in Nando’s in 2012.

“We chatted for hours, although chatting is definitely my strength and Ryan can be typically quieter, so the chats were probably 70/30,” recalls Isabel.

Today, the couple live in the Blarney area with their children.

They were wed on March 27 at The Greenhouse at The Anglers Bar & Restaurant. “Niamh was the co-ordinator there and was fantastic,” the couple said.

“Our two kids were the VIPs. Isla, now nine, was in charge of the flower petals and read a beautiful poem for us. Our six-year-old, Brady, was in charge of the rings and the ring warming ceremony. Our eldest kids, my son Lee and Ryan’s daughter, Jade, were our witnesses. Lee also coordinated the music and Ryan’s kids Jade and Eli also participated in the sand ceremony which was a symbol of both our families coming together,” said Isabel.

The couple remembered Isabel’s sister, Chris, and Ryan’s mum, Elaine, at the ceremony with a special remembrance candle.

After the nuptials, they held a reception for their guests at the Kingsley. “We gathered a couple of our favourite cakes from across Cork, instead of one large cake,” the couple said.

The Aristocrats kept the wedding party on their feet, with BMJ Sound keeping the party going into the evening with their DJ and selfie mirror. James O’Donovan, from Clonakilty, did live caricature drawings of the guests.

“The entertainment was a massive hit and we have some really fun keepsakes of our day.”

The couple said that being “super organised with the right suppliers paid off,” adding: “We prioritised what was important to us, so we were relaxed and not rushed. Starting hair and make-up at 11am allowed us to sleep in and not run out of steam before the end.

“Maria from Allure Makeup and Amanda from Amethyst Hair were cool and calm and chatting with us like old friends. Everyone was at ease from the start.

Photos on the day were by Anna Groniecka.

“Anna was specially selected years ago as she is super at what she does, but is also a friend and a lovely person. As we were doing a small and intimate ceremony, I wanted a warm familiar person,” said Isabel.

Asked what was most memorable about their wedding, the couple said it was “the relaxed and joyful feel of the day”.