A CHINESE-IRISH WEDDING AT MARKREE CASTLE
A Celebration of Two Cultures at Markree Castle
Some wedding days bring together more than two people. They bring together families,
backgrounds and traditions, creating a celebration that could only belong to that
particular couple.
Liling and Paul’s Chinese-Irish wedding at Markree Castle was exactly that.
Their day combined a deeply personal first look and private exchange in the Chapel,
a humanist ceremony filled with meaningful rituals and an incredible Chinese Lion Dance
immediately afterwards.
Around all of that were the quieter parts of a wedding day I love just as much:
family, friends, their daughter Roisin, changing Irish weather and a few precious
minutes outside when the rain finally gave us an opportunity.
For couples planning their own celebration here, I’ve also collected more ideas and real wedding inspiration in my Markree Castle Wedding Inspiration guide.
If you’re still deciding whether the castle is right for your own wedding, you can also read my Markree Castle Wedding Review, based on my experience photographing weddings here.
THE WEDDING MORNING
A Wedding Morning in Two Places
Liling’s morning began at Markree Castle, where she got ready surrounded by her
bridesmaids and the energy that slowly builds as the ceremony gets closer.
Paul’s morning was different. He prepared at his family home before travelling
to Markree Castle later in the day.
With Liling getting ready at Markree Castle and Paul preparing at his family home, their wedding morning unfolded naturally in two different places before they came together later in the day.
By early afternoon Paul had arrived at Markree, but before their guests gathered
for the ceremony, Liling and Paul had planned something just for themselves.
FIRST LOOK & PRIVATE VOWS
A Private Moment in the Chapel
We had arranged for Liling and Paul to have their first look in the Chapel at
Markree Castle.
After seeing each other, something happened that made the moment even more personal.
Paul brought out a letter and, instead of immediately moving on to photographs,
they stayed close together and privately exchanged words before the public ceremony
later that afternoon.
There was no audience around them and no need to rush. That little pocket of time
became one of the most meaningful parts of their day.
Rather than immediately moving somewhere else, we stayed in the Chapel for a few
relaxed photographs while they were already comfortable and completely focused
on each other.
From there, we moved into the Billiard Room and were joined by the bridal party.
Because we had allowed time before the ceremony, none of this felt like a portrait
session squeezed into the middle of the day.
THE CEREMONY
A Humanist Ceremony Filled With Personal Meaning
At 2:30pm, Liling and Paul’s guests gathered in the Chapel at Markree Castle for their humanist ceremony. With around 150 people celebrating with them, this was the moment when the intimacy of the first look opened into something much bigger.
Their ceremony was led by Michele Feeney, one of my favourite celebrants to work with in Sligo. I’ve photographed many ceremonies with Michele over the years, and I always appreciate the warmth and personal character she brings to each one. If you’re planning your own ceremony, you can read more in my guide to Michele Feeney or visit her website directly.
The ceremony included personal vows as well as a ring warming and handfasting, bringing several meaningful elements together within one celebration.
Their daughter Roisin had her own part in the day too. As flower girl, she was carried down the aisle, adding one of those small family moments that often becomes just as memorable as the carefully planned parts of the ceremony.
What made the ceremony feel personal was not one individual tradition. It was the way Liling and Paul chose elements that meant something to them and brought them together in a way that reflected their own family and story.
Chinese Lion Dance at Markree Castle
And then the atmosphere changed completely.
Immediately after the ceremony came one of the most spectacular parts of Liling
and Paul’s wedding: a Chinese Lion Dance at Markree Castle.
After the quieter emotions of the ceremony, the colour, movement, sound and energy
of the Lion Dance created an incredible transition into the celebration.
For the guests, it was something to experience. For photography, it was completely
different from everything that had happened only minutes earlier.
The Chinese cultural tradition was not simply a decorative addition. It became a
genuine part of the day and a way of bringing another part of Liling and Paul’s story
into their celebration in Ireland.
Watching the reactions around them was almost as enjoyable as photographing the
performance itself. Guests were laughing, watching and completely absorbed in what
was happening in front of them.
AROUND THE TABLES
Dinner, Family and the People Around Them
Before dinner, Liling and Paul had a chance to step into the Dining Room together and see everything prepared for the first time. The tables were ready, the flowers were in place and their wedding cake was waiting for them.
It gave them a quiet couple of minutes to take everything in before the room filled with their guests and the evening moved on.
Soon afterwards came the speeches, with plenty of laughter, reactions and smaller moments happening around the room. Liling and Paul were even presented with crowns, a particularly fitting little moment for a wedding inside a castle.
After the speeches, everyone came together again as Liling and Paul made their entrance into the Dining Room and continued the celebration with their guests.
AN IRISH WEDDING DAY
Rain, Patience and a Ten-Minute Opportunity
The weather stayed wet through much of the reception, which meant there had been no real opportunity to photograph Liling and Paul outside earlier in the day.
There was no reason to force it. We already had photographs from the Chapel and Billiard Room, so Liling and Paul could enjoy the celebration with their guests while I kept an eye on the weather.
We had already agreed that if a short opportunity appeared later, we would take it.
Sometime after 6pm, during a break in dinner, the rain finally stopped. I went over to Liling and Paul and told them, “Guys, we’re going outside. Just ten minutes.”
That was all we needed.
In those few minutes we made a handful of portraits around the castle and gardens. Roisin joined us for a family photograph, and Fionn, Markree Castle’s Irish Wolfhound, found his way into the photographs too.
The weather never needed to become perfect. We simply needed to be ready when the opportunity appeared.
First Dance on the Terrace
Later in the evening, everyone moved outside again for Liling and Paul’s first dance
on the terrace.
After preparations in two different places, an intimate first look, private vows,
a humanist ceremony, the energy of the Chinese Lion Dance, rain, dinner and those
few unexpected minutes in the gardens, their first dance brought everyone back
together around them.
The terrace gave us one of my favourite photographs from the day.
Once the first dance was finished, the celebration moved indoors and the dance floor
took over. At that point there was nothing left to organise. Just people enjoying
themselves.
ONE WEDDING, COMPLETELY THEIR OWN
A Chinese-Irish Wedding at Markree Castle
What stays with me about Liling and Paul’s wedding is how many different things
could exist naturally within the same day.
A private exchange in the Chapel could sit alongside a celebration for 150 guests.
A humanist ceremony could include traditions chosen because they were meaningful
to the couple. A spectacular Chinese Lion Dance could happen immediately afterwards.
Rain could change the photography plan without taking anything away from the
photographs, and ten unexpected minutes outside could give us some of the most
personal family images of the day.
That is what I want a Real Wedding gallery to show. Not a formula for how another
couple should organise their wedding, but what becomes possible when the day is
allowed to reflect the people actually getting married.
QUICK QUESTIONS
Chinese-Irish Wedding at Markree Castle FAQ
Can we include Chinese wedding traditions at Markree Castle?
Yes. Liling and Paul combined a humanist ceremony with personal rituals and a
Chinese Lion Dance immediately afterwards. Cultural traditions can work beautifully
when their timing and practical requirements are considered as part of the day.
Is a first look a good idea at Markree Castle?
It can be. Liling and Paul used the Chapel for their first look and private exchange
before the ceremony, which also gave us time for portraits before guests gathered.
What happens if it rains during our wedding photographs?
Markree Castle has atmospheric interiors that can be used for portraits, while the
timeline can remain flexible in case a short opportunity outside appears later.
Can we take some of our couple photographs before the ceremony?
Yes. A first look can create enough time for part of the couple session and bridal
party photographs before the ceremony, leaving more of the reception free for guests.
Can family photographs be taken in the gardens?
Yes. When the weather gave us a short opportunity, Liling and Paul went into the
gardens with their daughter Roisin, giving us family photographs with Markree Castle
as part of the background.
WEDDING TEAM +
SUPPLIERS
VENUE | WEDDING PLANNER Nicole Cosgrove | WEDDING DRESS | WEDDING CAKE Cake Creations by Megan |
PHOTOGRAPHY | WEDDING FILM |
YOUR STORY STARTS HERE
Planning Your Wedding at Markree Castle?
Tell me about the wedding you are planning, the people who matter most to you
and how you would like your day to feel.
