Annmarie & Peter

We rode our luck with the weather on Saturday and got away with it.... just. As we left the church in Crossna to head for Cromleach Lodge, the rain started, and by the time we got to Lough Arrow it was a downpour. Luckily, the saying "if you don't like the weather in the West, wait five minutes", held true. The rain stopped, the black clouds began to clear, and a couple of moments later the sun emerged.

Though many of the guests travelled from England, this was a very local wedding. Fr Brian Conlon performed a lovely ecumenical service in St Patrick's, Crossna. Gráinne from Enhance did the girls' make up, Áine's provided the flowers and the photographer was from Killaraght. Christy, Deirdre & Nicholas were as warm and welcoming as ever in Cromleach.

It's good to see that I have some literary couples this year. Last week, Olivia & Peter's reflection was a Walt Whitman poem, while Annmarie and Peter included a quotation from Louise De Bernieres - "Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two."

As you'll see from the photographs, Annmarie's smile lit up the day, even when the weather was gloomy.

Olivia & Peter's Wedding

Great day on Saturday back in the Landmark. The sunny weather had ended, but the promised showers held off all day. The ceremony was in Mohill, and we went back to Olivia & Peter's beautiful house and gardens for some pictures before going on to Carrick. Olivia looked graceful and elegant, with a hint of Grace Kelly, Peter was very smart indeed wearing Ted Baker. It was a really relaxed day, and it always helps having a fantastic laid-back couple to work with.

This was the first occasion where I was really able to give my new Nikon 70-200 VRII lens a proper run out, and it hasn't disappointed.

Olivia & Peter

Tomorrow is the big day for Olivia & Peter - we'll be in Mohill for the ceremony and then it's back to The Landmark in Carrick for the reception. The excellentLate Nite Radio are playing later, so it promises to be a great night.

Talkin' Turkey

No wedding this weekend, but a busy spell coming up, with weddings in the Landmark, Cromleach Lodge, Kilronan Castle and Knockranny House. This week I took a few shots of some of the new arrivals at Lough Gara Riding Stables & Country Pursuits for their website. As well as the Harris Hawks, Jimmy now has a Redtail Buzzard and Barn Owls for flying. For younger visitors, there's a pets corner with goats, rabbits, ducks and hens. The star of the show though is definitely Brutus the turkey. He struts around like he owns the place, showing off his feathers, making weird noises and trying to scare unsuspecting visitors. Despite acting the hard man, as the last picture shows, he's a big softy really.