Emma & Kieran

While the rest of the country was heading for the polling booths to give Fianna Fail a kicking, I was heading for The Claddagh in Galway for Emma & Kieran's wedding. It was a nice bright morning, and I arrived to a very mellow, relaxed house a couple of hours before the ceremony. There seemed to be lots of time for a change, and I even got to the Church before Kieran and his Groomsmen showed up.

The relaxed theme continued for the ceremony, conducted by Fr Diarmuid Hogan, Chaplain of NUI Galway, where both Emma & Kieran work. The priest or celebrant of a wedding can make a huge difference to how the couple and the guests enjoy the experience, and Diarmuid is one of the very best I've come across. Add to that the brilliant playing of Ronan Browne and it made for a wonderful occasion. Ronan played uilleann pipes, low whistle, tin whistle and a range of other flutes and whistles that resounded around the Church and touched everybody present.

It's often in the moments before and after the ceremony that you really see peoples' emotions come to the fore though. As the bride stands in the Church doorway, or reaches the top of the aisle. Or the giddy excitement of walking back down the aisle together to applause from the guests as you realise for the first time "I'm actually married now!"

After the ceremony, we had a quick walk along a very blustery Silver Strand as the sun began to set before heading back to The Meyrick. There was one important stop to make on the way though, for Emma & Kieran to cast their votes in Galway West, which are still being counted now, four days on. I stayed to photograph the speeches, which included a very entertaining one from Kieran, who may be considering a new career as a Wedding Suit Consultant. Not to mention Eoin the Best Man's new direction as a male model...