Offaly couple who were born in the same ward get married after 10 years together

Now husband and wife Emma Kerrigan and Steven O’Connell, both from Offaly, said "I do" after ten years together but the pair go way further back and were even christened together

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Life

Kathy Prendeville

16:47, 6 MAY 2023

Emma and Stephen's wedding (Image: Eden Photography)

THE HAPPY COUPLE

Emma Kerrigan and Steven O’Connell from Co. Offaly

THE RECEPTION

Our reception was at Killashee Hotel, a fabulous hotel just outside Naas Co. Kildare.

From reception to the wedding team, not to mention the brilliant banquet staff on the wedding day, it was just fabulous and overall an absolutely beautiful hotel inside and out from the decor to the gardens.

We researched wedding venues and Killashee was on the top of our list. We knew it was the one the moment we drove up the driveway and caught a glimpse of the gorgeous gardens and original house. We met with Gemma and were given a tour of the hotel and we instantly fell in love.

The snug pub was the cherry on top of the cake, something we hadn't seen anywhere else. It was the one to beat and it simply couldn’t be beaten for us, it was a no brainer, we had to have it as our venue!

THE PROPOSAL

After 10 years together I was beginning to think his knee didn’t bend! However, on a rainy New Year's eve in 2020, he brought me to the site where we were to build our forever home and got down on one knee. We are now living in our forever home so it’s a place of very special memories already.

THE DRESS

I got my wedding dress from Folkster Bridal in Kilkenny, it was by Anna Kara and it was the ‘Jude’ dress. My experience of Folkster Bridal in Kilkenny was second to none. I was lucky to have Sarah as my bridal stylist and from the moment I walked into my appointment she had me at ease and was so lovely. She was so helpful and her styling advice was excellent.

Thanks to Sarah it was a really enjoyable experience, something every bride should encounter. I had a dress in mind and Anna Kara's design style was right up my street. The minute I put the dress on I knew it was the one. I simply didn't want to take it off.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

My photographer was Tanya Colclough of Eden photography. Tanya was absolutely brilliant. We wanted a relaxed vibe for the day and not to feel stressed about photos and we most certainly did not. Tanya was fabulous to work with and the proof is in the pudding on how talented she is with how beautiful the photos turned out.

THE BAND

Our wedding band was The Cosmonauts from Galway. Nicola and the band were brilliant. Their setlist was so versatile it suited us and our guests down to the ground. We were on the dance floor all night.

THE FIRST DANCE

Our first dance song was ‘Grow old with me’, by Tom Odell. We chose this song as we constantly listen to it at home, we both found it to perfectly sum up how we felt about each other - it's a lovely mix of a love and an upbeat song as well so it fitted perfectly into our day.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Getting married was our highlight!

Thankfully nothing disastrous happened on the day but something funny had to have been the fact two of the groomsmen were left to dance with each other for the first dance as my maid of honour and one of my bridesmaids missed the first dance.

It was a laugh to see their faces as they walked into the room to realise they had missed it and it'll be great to hold it over their heads for a little while!

THE STRESS FACTOR

It wasn’t overly stressful. We knew what we wanted and our aim for the day was a relaxed get together with friends and family to eat drink and party so we focused on that rather than getting too bogged down and stressing!

THE HONEYMOON

We went on honeymoon a couple of days after the wedding in America. We visited San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York. It was a trip of a lifetime.

THE FIRST GLANCE

Steven was born two days before me and our parents are actually friends. Our mothers ended up in the hospital next to each other when we were born and we were also christened together so you could say we have known each other our whole lives! We grew up in the same village but it wasn't until 2009 during our final year in secondary school that we became friends through a mutual friend and well, by 2010 the rest was history.

THE ADVICE

Go with what you want, not what you think others will want and remember to enjoy all of the things you have organised, paid for and dreamed of on the day."

Would you like to have your wedding featured in RSVP Magazine and on our website RSVP Live? Get in touch with kathy.prendeville@reachplc.com