Lisa & Stephen at Markree Castle
Lisa and Stephen’s wedding story has always been closely connected to Sligo. From a proposal on Strandhill Beach and their engagement session on the Atlantic coast, to their church ceremony in Strandhill and a classic celebration at Markree Castle, their day brought together places that already meant something to them.
Photographed in September 2017, this is also one of my earlier Markree weddings, from a period of my work that I still enjoy looking back on today. The photographs feel bright, natural and full of the relaxed atmosphere that surrounded the day.
From Strandhill to Markree Castle
Lisa and Stephen first met while studying at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology. They were living next door to one another and met at a house party. Years later, Stephen proposed to Lisa on Strandhill Beach on her birthday before taking her away for a few nights at Ashford Castle.
Strandhill therefore became much more than simply a location for their wedding day. Before the wedding we returned there for Lisa and Stephen’s engagement session in Strandhill, creating another chapter of the same story before their wedding photographs were made.
On the wedding morning Stephen met the groomsmen for photographs at the Draft House in Strandhill, while Lisa prepared at Castledale Guesthouse. Their traditional Catholic ceremony followed at St Patrick’s Church before everyone travelled on to Markree Castle.
A Wedding Featured by WeddingsOnline
Lisa and Stephen’s wedding was later published as a featured Real Wedding by WeddingsOnline, originally through the Mrs2Be wedding platform. The feature tells the story of their relationship, their connection with Strandhill and their decision to choose Markree Castle for the celebration.
They had chosen the castle even while it was undergoing renovation, knowing from their first visit that it was where they wanted to celebrate with their family and friends.
A Classic September Wedding at Markree Castle
After the ceremony in Strandhill, the celebration moved to Markree Castle. Lisa and Stephen wanted plenty of photographs in the gardens, time with their grandparents and friends, and natural photographs of their guests simply enjoying the afternoon.
Their wedding is now part of a much larger collection of weddings I have photographed at Markree Castle, but it remains distinctive because of how naturally Strandhill, family and the castle all belong to the same story.
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A Sligo Story from Strandhill to Markree
Looking back through Lisa and Stephen’s photographs, what stands out is how much of their story belonged to Sligo. Strandhill was already part of their relationship before the wedding, and on the day itself it became the starting point once again before everyone travelled inland to Markree Castle.
It gave the wedding a wonderful sense of place. The coast, the church, their families and friends, and finally the castle were not separate locations chosen simply for photographs. Together, they formed the backdrop to a day that felt personal to Lisa and Stephen.
An Afternoon Made for the Gardens
Once everyone arrived at Markree, the pace changed. Lisa and Stephen had specifically hoped to use the castle gardens if the weather allowed, while also leaving time for photographs with their grandparents, bridal party and the people closest to them.
With 159 guests, there was plenty happening around them, but they also wanted photographs of people simply talking, laughing and enjoying the afternoon. That balance between portraits and unscripted moments is one of the reasons this gallery still feels so enjoyable to revisit years later.
Their Story Beyond the Photographs
Lisa and Stephen’s wedding was also selected for publication by Mrs2Be, with the original feature now preserved on WeddingsOnline. It tells more of their story, from meeting while studying in Galway and Stephen’s proposal on Strandhill Beach to their decision to choose Markree Castle.
One detail makes their Markree story particularly interesting. They committed to the castle while it was still undergoing renovation, choosing it before they could see the finished venue that would eventually welcome their wedding guests.
An Earlier Chapter of My Work at Markree Castle
I photographed Lisa and Stephen’s wedding in September 2017. Returning to the photographs now, I still like the openness and colour of this earlier period of my work. Photography evolves over time, but a wedding does not become less meaningful because the photographs were created years ago.
For me, galleries like this are also part of a longer photographic record of Markree. I have watched the castle, its grounds and the weddings celebrated here evolve through many different seasons and celebrations.
You can explore more of those stories, together with practical information and photographs from across the venue, in my Markree Castle wedding collection .
See Lisa & Stephen’s Strandhill Engagement Session
Their wedding was not the first time I photographed Lisa and Stephen together. Before Markree, we created their engagement photographs in Strandhill, a place that already had a special connection to their relationship and would later become part of their wedding day too.
Explore More from Markree Castle
If you are planning your own celebration at Markree, these guides and real wedding collections will help you explore the castle, see how it photographs and discover different ways couples have celebrated here.
Cabra Castle Weddings
If you love the atmosphere of an Irish castle wedding, you can also explore my work from Cabra Castle, Markree’s sister venue within the Romantic Castles of Ireland collection.
Other Castle Weddings in Ireland
Every Irish castle has its own character. Explore more real weddings and venue stories from some of the other castles I have photographed.
Planning Your Wedding in Ireland?
If you are planning a wedding at Markree Castle or another beautiful venue in Ireland, I would love to hear what you are creating.
