An Irish Wedding

To Eoin and Sarah

By Thomas Feng

October 21^st, 2018

Butler House

It was an honour to be asked to photograph Eoin and Sarah's wedding; Eoin has been a dear friend and mentor over the years, and Sarah has always been a delightful presence

which brought me all the way to Europe from Melbourne.

I met the groomsmen, Eoin's mother and other extended family at Butler House, an 18th century Georgian House, right across from Kilkenny Castle. They all enjoyed one last smoke and a beer before official proceedings.

St. Mary's Cathedral

There was no more fitting place for Eoin and Sarah's wedding than the Medieval Mile Museum, a 13th century cathedral converted into a 21st century modern museum, which had also never hosted a wedding before.

They have always been lovers of Irish history - they even made a documentary about it (which they told everyone about it 99 times) - but they also always seem to push the boundaries of their traditions.

The Ceremony

There were so many moments in the ceremony: Sarah walking down the aisle, a moment of reflection for Eoin's da, the candle-lighting ceremony with the bride and groom's mothers, a hauntingly beautiful folk song sung by Sarah's cousin, but my favourite moment was a reading of the poem Scaffolding by Irish poet Seamus Heaney.

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall. Confident that we have built our wall.

Rings

Suddenly the rings were on and they kissed, and we rushed up to the room to witness the signing of the papers. Eoin and Sarah were officially married.

Speeches

After a bountiful buffet banquet and many pints of Guiness, the clock ticked towards 11.30 at night and it was time for speeches. The late-Irish summer sun had only just set, and spirits ran high as we toasted to Eoin's late Da and to the newlyweds.

I snuck in an audio-message from Gavin back home, before we were moved by the honest reflections and beautiful words from Sarah's father, Eoin's ma and Eoin.

Another reading of "Scaffolding" was fitting.

Dancing, drinking and singing

Eoin and Sarah ran to the dance-floor as the clock struck midnight, before being joined by the parents. A rambunctious rave broke out until 4am, where the late revellers gathered for more beer and broke into song until the sun came up.

And at 1.30 the next day, everyone dressed up for lunch hungover, but ready to celebrate Sarah, Eoin and their beautiful newborn Shea.

Home

I rushed off to Dublin for the day-long journey home.

To Eoin and Sarah, thank you again for inviting me to adventure all the way over in Ireland. Thank you for your kind hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to get a glimpse of what home had been like for you for so many years (and what it will be like again soon).