Can you legally get married at Gougane Barra?

Yes — ceremonies take place in the famous lakeside oratory in West Cork.

Is Gougane Barra good for winter weddings?

Yes — Gougane Barra is especially atmospheric in winter with misty forests and dramatic scenery.

Muriel and Paul's Wedding in Garryvoe Hotel - Looking for the Best Wedding Photographers in Cork or Kerry? Sarah Kate Photography

A Garryvoe Hotel Wedding Full of Chaos & a Mild Dose of Constipation:

Muriel & Paul’s East Cork Wedding

Editorial & Documentaryu Photography

And listen… in a world full of scammers, Muriel herself, the QUEEN of calling out scams online, can officially confirm this wedding was absolutely not a scam.

The vibes were legitimate. The craic was unmatched. One could almost say, unhinged, haha.

The laughter was dangerous to my camera's stability.

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I don’t even know where to start with Muriel and Paul’s wedding at Garryvoe Hotel, because from the second I walked into the bridal suite that morning, I genuinely didn't stop laughing and crying all day.

Muriel and Paul's Wedding Details

Morning Prep

The morning at Garryvoe was chaotic in the best possible way. Music blasting, everyone ripping the piss out of each other, prosecco flowing, and an entire bridal party of “CERTIFIED RIDES” as they described themselves in their questionnaire.

Muriel Foley of Simplifying Success fame was so unbelievably chilled all morning. No stress. No diva energy. Just genuinely excited to marry her person and have fucking craic with everyone she loves. Meanwhile, Paul and the lads were nearby in Killeagh, equally laid back and fully embracing the chaos of an Irish wedding morning.

The Ceremony

Their ceremony onsite at Garryvoe was honestly one of my favourites this year. One minute, people were emotional during the family remembrance moments, the next minute, everyone was trying not to howl with laughter. It felt SO them. Relaxed, funny, emotional and completely unfiltered.

They included handfasting cords in black, pink, orange, and yellow, had poems and stories from family and friends, and even had their dogs arrive later for photos because, obviously, icons recognise icons.

And then came the reception… sweet Jesus.

The speeches were absolute carnage in the best way. The kind where your cheeks are sore from laughing. Every table is in stitches. Trad music kicking off. Pints flowing. Guests are absolutely feral on the dancefloor by the evening.

THIS is why I always say the best documentary wedding photos happen when couples actually let themselves enjoy the day. Muriel and Paul weren’t worried about perfection, trends, or spending 2 hours posing away from their guests.

They were present.

They were together.

They soaked up every second, and because of that, their photos feel like them.

The Venue

Garryvoe is such a gorgeous venue for weddings in East Cork, too. You’ve got the sea nearby, loads of space, beautiful light, and it somehow manages to feel elegant without being stuffy. Even when the Irish weather is acting feral, it photographs beautifully.

One of my favourite moments of the whole day was sneaking outside with the two of them later in the evening for sunset portraits. Just the two of them, finally breathing for five minutes together, laughing away, soaking in the fact that they’d just pulled off one of the most fun weddings ever.

Absolute legends of humans.