PHOTOS COURTESY OF MRS RED HEAD PHOTOGRAPHY
Having the same flare for life is often a factor in couples forming a special bond. For Canadian beauty Sylviane Leger and Co. Cork native Derek O’Keefe, the offer to meet over a few drinks and celebrate Pride Festival in Toronto was the perfect chance for the free-spirited couple to form a connection. “We continued to drink and laugh into the wee hours of the morning and both woke up with nasty hangovers, but the rest is history!”, Sylviane shared.
Having founded their love for each other in Toronto, Derek decided the beautiful city would be the dream backdrop to ask Slyviane to be his wife. “Derek proposed atop the ledge of a 150 story tower that rotates offering a 360 degree view of the city of Toronto. We had dinner in the rotating restaurant and then finished off the evening with a surprise proposal on the ledge outside. It was my birthday and it was just so magical!”, the beautiful bride said.
Deciding to get married in Ireland was an easy decision for the couple, with the groom coming from the Emerald Isle and the bride wanting her friends to experience Irish culture. “I wanted my Canadian friends and family to experience the beauty of Ireland and because my family is small, it made sense for everyone on my side to travel abroad! Plus – Ireland! The beauty!”, Sylviane said.
Holding their day at Blackwater Castle, threaded with some medieval vibes paired with Rock n’ Roll, blues and classic Irish music, their unique wedding was set for May 21, 2018. The creative bride made their day totally personal and unique to them. “Everything was either hand-made, or personally selected by the groom or myself..Everything had its place. It was important that the décor reflected the authenticity of the venue and really take our guests back in time. How often do you get free reign of a medieval castle to decorate as you wish right? We wanted authentic and delicious food and great tunes! Ireland was the perfect setting!” Sylviane added.
When all of the pieces come together planning a wedding from abroad, it is often helped by the work of some fabulous Irish wedding suppliers. One supplier that the couple couldn’t recommend enough was the extremely talented Olga of Mrs Red Head Photography. “Olga was a real treat to deal with. Informative, collaborative and has a great eye for detail. She was easy going and interacted so well with our guests. She is a real spunky lady! She had our photos back to us quickly and made some beautiful memories for us”, the bride said.
Making sure their guests from both Canada and Ireland enjoyed their time in celebration of their wedding day was top of the list of priorities for the newlyweds. “We wanted a massive party – like celebration! We removed the formality of things, did things backwards and kept guests on their toes. A surprise around every corner! The weather, guests, venue and entire evening could not have turned out better!”, the bride shared.
We wanted authentic and delicious food and great tunes! Ireland was the perfect setting!
Slyviane
