Real Weddings: Olive and Raymond’s seaside wedding in Co Clare
Olive and Raymond tied the knot in a picturesque ceremony at Spanish Point – the same spot where the bride's grandparents met over 60 years ago. Supporting local vendors where they could, the couple had Irish-made accessories and bouquets of native wildflowers inspired by the area's natural beauty.
THE COUPLE
Olive Breslin Dufficy, account manager, and Raymond Dufficy, PIC at Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.
THEY LIVE
in Co Clare.
THE VENUE
Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, Co Clare.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Two Souls Photography.
THEY MET
We met while working in a hotel in Leixlip while I was studying to be a dramatherapist and Raymond was a bit of a rugby star and legend in the town (he still is to this day!). Over the years, many couples have met working there and have had lifelong friendships. Four of our friends from there got married this summer too.
THE PROPOSAL
Raymond proposed in our apartment in Cairns, Australia. It was a very intimate moment, with the song Home by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros playing in the background.
THE DRESS & THE SUIT
My wedding dress was a custom Theresa Atelier dress with detached sleeves by the talented Afra Dillon at Ivy Grace Bridal Tullamore. Afra, along with her mother, Anne Devaney Dillon, tailored a stunning dress for me, adding bespoke sleeves that made the ensemble even more special. Her bridal boutique provided both the dress and the veil, ensuring every detail was perfect.
Raymond’s suit was from Patrick Bourke’s Menswear in Ennis. Raymond, the groomsmen, our celebrant Kevin, and both our dads had great craic with the guys at Patrick Bourke’s during their fittings. They made sure they were suited and booted, from socks to pocket squares; they all looked fantastic.
THE CEREMONY
Our wedding story is one of love, family heritage, and the beauty of Clare. The sun came out at the very last moment, and we made the call to have the ceremony by the sea outside the Armada, with a very special and personal service facilitated by our best friend, Kevin Olphert. It was his first time doing a ceremony and it was so beautiful, filled with humour, poetry and love. He was incredible; he’s even been asked to do another wedding since. I walked down the aisle to the song Home, played by local musician Ali Woodford. Making the moment even more magical, she also sang Dreams by The Cranberries during the Celtic handfasting ritual.
THE RECEPTION
The reception continued at the Armada Hotel. The team at the Armada capture the essence of hospitality. We always feel welcomed and cared for when we go there. Grainne and Robyn, the wedding coordinators, made the whole process enjoyable.
Spanish Point holds a special place in our hearts as my grandmother is from Miltown Malbay, and she met my grandfather in Spanish Point over 60 years ago. This personal connection made the choice of venue, nestled by the sea, an easy one. Our love for the ocean, good food and sustainability further solidified our decision to celebrate at the Armada.
THE ENTERTAINMENT
We loved the band Soul Power, which kept everyone on the dance floor all night. They did an incredible cover of our first dance song, Only Love by Ben Howard, which was extra special as we were first introduced to each other at a Ben Howard concert. The next day, we celebrated at Friels Pub in Milltown with local musician Seamus Murrihy.
THE DECOR
The natural beauty of Clare and sustainability inspired the decor. We used native seasonal wildflowers from The Burren Flower Farm, adding a touch of local charm to the celebration. Then, the Armada took care of the rest!
THEIR TOP TIPS
- Stay true to your vision: Choose meaningful elements that are significant to you both and stay true to yourself. You can’t please everyone, so do what feels right for you as a couple—which is probably good advice to take in married life.
- Plan but stay flexible: Things might not go as planned, and that’s okay. Two years went into planning this day, but I made the conscious decision the night before to embrace whatever happens and enjoy it from that point on.
- Enjoy every moment: The day goes by quickly, so take time to savour it and sneak away to catch a few moments alone together.
- Get a videographer: I was hemming and hawing about getting one, but my god, it was well worth it. Joanna from Bridal Suite Weddings even created reels for us!
THEY WISH THEY HAD
We had no regrets! People often say it will be the best day of your life, and I thought it wouldn’t live up to expectations, but it honestly was the best day of our lives. We consciously spent most of the day and night together and took plenty of moments to breathe it all in. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of getting married, but being by the sea and surrounded by loved ones kept us grounded and grateful. We were lucky enough to have the wedding of our dreams, and it’s not something we took for granted. We will always look back on this season of our lives with just happy memories.
THEIR BEST MOMENTS
- Seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony
- Dancing all night with family and friends
- Taking in the great views and the full moon that night
THE FIRST DANCE SONG
Only Love by Ben Howard. The band did an incredible cover of the song that just blew us away. All our dancing in the kitchen paid off, and it was a beautiful moment for us.
THE CREW
Wedding dress: Theresa Atelier from Ivy Grace Bridal Tullamore. Bridesmaids’ dresses: Folkster. Groom and groomsmen’s suits: Patrick Bourke’s Menswear. Bridal accessories: Cos, Blackbird, and Seoidín Jewellery. Rings: Seoidín Jewellery. Hair: Martina Garrihy. Make-up: Claire Treacy. Band: Soul Power. Ceremony music: Ali Woodford. Florist: The Burren Flower Farm. Shots and guest gifts: Moss Boss from Óir Tonics. Videography: Bridal Suite Weddings.
See more photographs from Olive and Raymond’s wedding in the gallery below.
Photography by Two Souls Photography.
Want to see your Real Wedding on IMAGE.ie? Email shayna.sappington@image.ie with the subject line ‘Real Wedding’.
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