Lizzie & Steve - Lough Rynn

As regular readers of the Blog will know, I'm a fan of peoples' dogs taking part in their weddings. Unlike in Britain or the US, our faithful friends don't often get much of a look-in here. That certainly wasn't the case with Honey, who as well as participating fully in the hair & make-up preparations, also took a front-row seat at the ceremony. She fitted in perfectly with the dash and glamour of the wedding day - she's a cosmopolitan Manhattan Lady, currently residing in London. Lizzie is a cosmopolitan Monaghan Lady, who looked stunning in a non-traditional bodice & skirt finished in Parisian lace, by a famous designer whose name escapes me right now. Steve is an exotic mix of Australia and Ireland - be warned - if you take him on at Aussie Rules Footy, you may require his services as an orthopedic surgeon.

With four Smyth sisters in attendance, it was lively in the house at Lough Rynn. I always enjoy a bit of banter with the bridal party, and it didn't take long for me to realise I'd met my match in Amy, who had an answer for everything, and came back with more. No doubt working as an engineer in the macho mining industry in Perth has sharpened her slagging skills. She even demonstrated how miners stand for photos, before reverting to a more Xposé girl pose. Luckily, I had another man to engage with. Walshie denied being a newcomer following in the footsteps of nouveau mods like Bradley Wiggins and Leighton Baines - he's been a dedicated follower of mod fashion since Paul Weller hit the scene in the 80s apparently. As (former) Off The Ball Presenter and Irish Times Columnist Ken Early was also in attendance, it meant we had two extraordinary men's barnets to admire and envy.

It was a fine day for a stroll in the walled gardens at Lough Rynn, the summer colours emerging again after the long winter. Also colourful and extremely detailed, was the three-tier cake made by Lizzie's sister Claire, which it was rumoured Steve was going to cut with a scalpel rather than the traditional silver knife. Before a honeymoon proper, the happy couple were heading for a Paris for a few days before Lizzie had to jet off to Chicago for work and then back to Killaraght to check out her photos. The social whirl, eh?