Carol O’Sullivan and Eugene Boys met 13 years ago at Carol’s best friend Éadaoin’s 18th birthday celebration. Éadaoin was Carol’s Maid of Honour and got married two weeks before her. Carol was her bridesmaid too! The secondary school teacher and accountant got married on June 29, 2019 in the Sacred Heart Church, Glengarriff followed by a reception in the “fabulous” Eccles Hotel afterwards.
Tell us about the proposal?
Carol: It was March 30, 2018. Eugene organised a night in Adare Manor where he proposed. We stayed overnight and came home the next day to a family party. Eugene organised a surprise trip to the Amalfi Coast for a week afterwards.
Why did you choose The Eccles as your venue?
We visited loads of hotels in the Cork area and had our heart set on one particular hotel. We started to get anxious about minimum numbers, set menus and lack of personal touch. We visited the Eccles Hotel and the minute we met the staff we knew it was a very special place. Everything was so personal and relaxed. We left feeling as if it would be our wedding and not just a set package that the hotel offered. We had a few things that were important to us and Rose (wedding coordinator), Dave (GM) and Eddie (Head Chef) all worked together to allow us fulfill our dream. The hotel has so much character and is being tastefully upgraded at the moment. We spent many nights in the hotel in the build-up to our wedding and by the time the day arrived we felt like we were going to a home away from home.
Did you have anything out-of-the-ordinary planned for the day?
The main focus of our wedding was to make sure our guests were looked after with food and drinks. We had lovely Garinish Island G&Ts at the drinks reception. We set up a beer and prosecco table in the reception room, for guests to help themselves. The menu was designed especially for us and the dessert was a unique creation by Chef Eddie! After the meal, Éadaoin’s father played the Uileann pipes. The atmosphere was amazing!
Most enjoyable and most stressful parts of the wedding planning experience?
Dealing with the staff in the Eccles was always enjoyable. We couldn’t have asked for a better service. I (Carol) enjoyed the planning of the day, the details like invitations, flowers etc. We knew what we ultimately wanted for the day. We were building a house at the same time so that was more stressful than the wedding!!
Did you ‘lock horns’ on any of the wedding details?
Luckily Eugene is very laid back…once I’m happy he is happy!
Did your other half had much input into the planning?
All big decisions were made together. Eugene was aware of all the details as they were being decided on. In fairness he is good at keeping me calm and encouraging me to make a final decision so we can move on to the next detail.
What was your favourite part of the day?
We both found the wedding mass very special. A family friend, Fr Cormac Breathnach performed the ceremony for us and it was so personal. There were lots of stories and laughter.
Where did you go on honeymoon?
We went to Spain for two weeks where we visited Marbella, Ronda, Seville and Malaga. It was very relaxing.
Advice/tips for other couples about to tie the knot?
Enjoy all the planning and be confident that on the day the professionals handle it all. Everything comes together in the end so try not to sweat the small stuff!
