Emily & Mike’s Dunmore House Hotel Wedding | West Cork Wedding Photographer
Emily and Mike’s Dunmore House wedding was a beautiful celebration of family, friendship and the West Cork landscape. As a Cork wedding photographer, I loved documenting their relaxed wedding day, from Emily getting ready with her friends at Dunmore Ocean Club and Mike enjoying a quick pint with his lads in Union Hall, to their emotional church ceremony and portraits overlooking the Atlantic at Dunmore House Hotel.
With family and friends travelling from the USA to celebrate with them in Ireland, this was a wedding filled with meaningful moments, personal touches and plenty of emotion.
Getting Ready at Dunmore Ocean Club
The morning began at Dunmore Ocean Club, where Emily got ready surrounded by her bridesmaids and friends who had travelled from America. There was such a lovely atmosphere as everyone prepared for the day ahead, with plenty of laughter, excitement and those quieter emotional moments that make getting-ready photographs so special.
Emily even wore a beautiful robe made from her mum’s wedding dress, adding another personal connection to the morning.
Meanwhile, Mike headed back to his hometown of Union Hall to meet up with his lads for a quick pint at Dinty’s Pub. It was a wonderfully relaxed start to the day and a little glimpse into Mike’s roots before the celebrations began.
A West Cork Church Wedding in Union Hall
The ceremony took place at Union Hall Church, with guests arriving by bus from Dave Long as the excitement built.
The church was beautifully decorated with flowers by Flicky from Howe Hill Flowers, who had an especially meaningful connection to Emily. Emily had been working and learning alongside Flicky, helping to grow and prepare flowers for her own wedding while gaining experience with Howe Hill Flowers.
But Flicky had one very special surprise up her sleeve.
As Emily arrived at the church, she was greeted by a stunning floral archway at the church doors. It was a gorgeous surprise and an incredibly personal detail, made even more special by the time and work Emily and Flicky had shared growing the flowers together.
Inside the church, the ceremony was full of emotion, with plenty of tears and some very special moments between Emily, Mike and their families.
Dunmore House Hotel Wedding Photography
After the ceremony, guests made their way back to Dunmore House Hotel, one of the most spectacular wedding venues in West Cork.
We took some time for family photographs and photographs with friends, making sure to capture the people who had travelled such a long way to be there. Emily and Mike were particularly keen to have photographs with their extended family, their Cornell friends and professors, and the people who had made the journey from America to Ireland.
Once the important family and group photographs were finished, we had time to explore the grounds of Dunmore House for the couple portraits.
And what a backdrop.
The sun was shining, the sea was sparkling and the cliffs and tall grasses surrounding Dunmore House created the perfect setting for natural, relaxed Dunmore House Hotel wedding photography.
Emily and Mike love the landscape around Dunmore, so it was important to them that their wedding photographs captured not just the two of them, but the incredible West Cork landscape that surrounded their day.
We photographed them overlooking the Atlantic, amongst the grasses and around the cliffs, keeping things relaxed and allowing plenty of space for natural moments and genuine connection.
A Wedding Filled With Family, Flowers and Irish Landscape
One of my favourite things about photographing weddings is seeing all the different pieces of a couple’s story come together.
For Emily and Mike, that meant American family and friends travelling across the Atlantic, Mike celebrating in his hometown of Union Hall, Emily’s connection with Howe Hill Flowers, a church ceremony filled with emotion, and finally a beautiful celebration overlooking the Atlantic at Dunmore House.
It was a day that felt incredibly personal to them.
From the morning preparations at Dunmore Ocean Club, to the pint in Dinty’s Pub, the emotional ceremony at Union Hall Church, the surprise flowers at the church doors and the golden portraits overlooking the West Cork coastline — every part of the day had its own story.
As a West Cork wedding photographer, these are the weddings I love to photograph: days that feel authentic, relaxed and completely unique to the couple.
Emily and Mike, thank you for allowing me to document your beautiful wedding day. It was an absolute pleasure to photograph you, your families and all the wonderful people who travelled to Ireland to celebrate with you.
Wedding Suppliers
Venue: Dunmore House Hotel, West Cork
Ceremony: Union Hall Church, County Cork
Flowers: HoweHill Flowers
Dress: Lovely Bride, USA
Dress alterations: Urata Designs, Ballincollig
Hair: Christine O’Sullivan
Makeup: Rebecca O’Donovan
Band: Ian Hendricks Band
Rings & Jewellery: Keane’s
Guest Transport: Dave Long
If you are planning a Dunmore House Hotel wedding, a West Cork wedding or a destination wedding in Ireland, I would love to hear about your plans and photograph the story of your day.
