Our Wedding Story: A traditional Chinese tea party in Louth

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Adam (34), a marketing manager from Dundalk, Co Louth, and lawyer Carmen (32) from London met in 2012 in a Shoreditch bar during the London 2012 Olympics.

Their first date was at the Big Chill in Kings Cross, the designated “Irish House” on August 4th 2012 – “Super Saturday”, when Britain won three gold medals.

Adam proposed to Carmen just before Christmas 2014 at their home in central London.

On 17th July 2015, the eve of their wedding at Segrave House in Co Louth, the couple honoured Chinese tradition – the bride’s parents, Tam and Ying are from Hong Kong – with a tea ceremony. The bride and groom kneel in front of the parents (one set at a time) and are served tea in an act of respect for their elders and acceptance into the others’ family.

The parents then present their children with gifts. Carmen received bangles and a necklace depicting a pig suckling piglets – a symbol of the hope for many children.

The following day, the groom's brother and best man, Tim Shearwood, sang Are You The One That I've Been Waiting For? by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds as the bride – wearing a dress by Catherine Deane – walked into the ceremony against a backdrop of barley fields and sycamore trees, Adam's favourite part of the day. The bridesmaids were Natasha Taylor and Jamie Kwan.

After dinner, Eugene Ginty, who owns the venue and is a professional opera tenor, sang Sweet Caroline, Delilah, Danny Boy, and Nessun Dorma.

A dance caller then led the céilí, followed by a set from Dundalk band, Third Smoke.

Just before midnight Carmen's friend Freya Zaiwalla sang To Be Loved by Jackie Wilson to which the newlyweds had their first dance.

After the wedding Adam and Carmen travelled through Connemara and the Aran Islands.

Photographs: Jenny Matthews Photography, jennymatthewsphotography.com

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