Galway Weddings

Galway Wedding Day Background

Levi and Paula are two amazing people and it was a treat to witness their wedding day in Galway and all the emotions that unfolded at close quarters.
I know Levi’s dad, Bernard pretty well…..indeed we were in a band over 20 years ago and shared a few trips to the Middle East together and had very memorable times. It’s unfortunate that i probably didn’t cherish those moments as much as I should’ve back then, but it was great to be in his company and share the life event that was his daughter’s wedding.
The Levi that I knew over 20 years ago was a mischievous and fun little girl…a lot of her dads traits in actual fact. We met up again for the first time since way back then a couple of weeks before the wedding day…..I was taken aback at not just the beautiful beautiful woman that she has become, but also the fantastic persona that she exudes….a simple gratitude for everything she has in life and indeed a wisdom that you would expect from a far older person….such a wonderful person to be around. Paul is very similar to Levi in that family is high on his priority list and he also exudes a calmness that makes him a bloke that you’d like to have a pint with!
I always have a bit of nerves before a wedding…always hoping I get the most from a day. Levi and Paul’s wedding was heavily reliant on good weather….it was taking place in the Commercial Boat Club which is in Woodquay Galway…right on the banks of the river Corrib. It’s a majestic wedding….and with Levi & Paul’s vows and ceremony taking place in a Marquee outside on the riverbank, I was hoping and stressing that the weather God’s would play ball with us. Well, somebody was looking down on Levi in that we experienced a superb summers day….the setting for the wedding was like something from a Mediterranean film set…simply awesome.

Wedding Morning

Levi was getting ready in Bernard’s home on wedding morning and it was great to bump into Nicola Belton who was looking after the make up side of things….a great person to have around you on wedding day. Laurie from Heads Up was looking after everything “hair” and it was also great to meet Conor from CMP Productions who was looking after the video side of things for the big day…a good guy and we had plenty of chin wags!
As i mentioned earlier, I was in a band with Bernard many years ago and it was cool listening to him lash out a tune in the back yard as Levi was getting ready…one of the many “Bernardisms” I enjoyed on wedding day.
I made the trip to the boat club a few minutes before Levi so I could catch some images with the gentleman Paul before she arrived. Paul’s a great guy… a team player and showed no signs of nerves despite thinking he would when we chatted previously. The setting was truly majestic……vows were taken place in an outdoor marquee and with the weather so hot and no wind, the sides of the marquee were drawn back to we could avail of the most wonderful of landscapes on the banks of the Corrib.

Ceremony & Bridal Shoot

The ceremony was a pretty emotional one (and not just for the guests)…plenty of personal and overwhelming moments that make you so happy to be there and have a first class seat to such a wonderful life event.
After the ceremony and family portraits were completed, we hopped into Levi and Paul’s Volkswagen Campervan supplied by Walsh Volksweddings and headed off to sunny Salthill for some photos. Love shooting there and indeed hearing all the good wishes that are bestowed upon brides and grooms on their big day from the Galway public. We grabbed some nice candid shots too…possibly getting too close to some bathers while they were getting changed!
Our next port of call was the the Claddagh…and indeed the exact spot where Paul had proposed to Levi. Nice sentimentality to their photos and we then took a stroll up Quay Street where as usual there was plenty of good will and wishes expressed to the newlyweds. Before returning to Woodquay to their wedding reception, Levi and Paul nipped into Fallers of Galway…the shop where they purchased their engagement and wedding rings. I think this gesture sums up to the two wonderful people that they are. They built up a relationship with the staff there from their visits and when asked if they’d call in on wedding day to show off the dress (and rings), they duly obliged….what a wonderful gesture!
We arrived back to the Boat Club for a wonderful meal among a happy out group of guests. Another guest that I was chuffed to meet up with again was James….Levi’s Uncle and possible the funniest guy I knew in school. Always up for a bit of craic and without doubt he had the best poker face when it comes to pranking teachers and looking innocent of misdemeanors at all times…such a treat to chat again James!
I mentioned earlier how there was plenty of emotions during the ceremony…equally the speeches were something else after the meal……I must admit to having some dust caught in my own throat when they were taking place…and again, very humbling to witness all of this.
The guests didn’t need much cajoling to take to the dance floor for the rest of the evening…..indeed a “dance off” was initially what got everyone to their feet….followed by “congo train” led by Levi and Paul which had everyone…and I mean everyone involved!
Thanks Levi and Paul for trusting me with your photography….I had a truly memorable day and truly felt blessed to witness your life event at such close quarters.
Please God it won’t be another 20 years before we bump into each other again and I wish you both the very best back in Australia!
Mind yourselves x

Images from the day below and a photo slideshow can be viewed at the bottom of the page.