A Father's Hand — The Wedding Day Moment I'll Never Forget

The Nerves, The Craic, And Those Gummies

Gráinne, the bride, was sitting near home in West Cork getting ready that morning. The bridesmaids were in flying form, the music was on, the coffee was strong, and the craic was mighty. But underneath it all, Gráinne was holding onto a few nerves.

She was popping rescue remedy gummies like they were jelly tots, trying to keep it together. Not unusual. I’ve seen it all — everything from yoga breaths to whiskey shots before the veil even goes on. Brides get nervous. Grooms too. It’s all part of it.

How Wedding Photographers See Emotion

As photographers, we watch differently. We don’t just snap the smiling faces. We wait for the twitch in the brow, the way the shoulders lift, the moment the mask slips. It’s in those 101 facial expressions per minute — yeah, science backs that number up — that we find the real story.

So there I am, buzzing around the house in Macroom, popping between the kitchen and the makeup room, chatting to mam and dad, blending into the madness like a quiet fly on the wall. And then it happens.

The Moment That Changed Everything

Gráinne’s nerves had hit their peak. Her bridesmaids were saying all the right things, but it wasn’t landing. She needed grounding. Something real. That’s when she called for her dad.

He was in the next room, tying his tie — couldn’t see her in the dress yet, of course. That’s tradition. But when he heard her call, he turned slightly, reached back — and she reached forward.

They didn’t look at each other. Just hands, meeting in the middle.

“It’s alright, my girl,” he said.

And in that second, her shoulders dropped. The tension disappeared. The girl became the bride. And I sat there thinking, don’t fcking miss this*, and pressed the shutter.

This Is Why I Photograph Weddings

I’ve taken thousands of images over the years. Some are dramatic. Some are perfect. But this one? This one is human.

Years later, I still see Gráinne and JP around town. They have three beautiful kids. She teaches Irish and even tutored my own child. Life rolls on. But every time I scroll past this image, it stops me. It pulls me right back.

That’s what wedding photography should do. It should make you feel the day all over again.

Why This Matters — Especially If You’re Looking For A Photographer

If you’re searching for a wedding photographer in Limerick, Galway, Clare, Wexford, Tipperary, Mayo, Waterford or even up in Donegal — this is what I bring to your day.

Not just the highlights. Not just the hero shots. But the small, overlooked stuff that ends up meaning everything.

Because You’ll Forget The Pose, But You’ll Never Forget The Feeling

When you look back on your day, it won’t be about the perfect timeline. It’ll be these flashes of connection. Your mam crying quietly as you step into your dress. Your brother’s hug that lasted one second longer than it should have. The moment your dad reached out his hand because he couldn’t say what he was feeling.

These are the moments I live for.

Not just a typical wedding image now is it.

Let’s Tell Your Story

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…then I’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s a big hotel bash or a cliffside elopement, I’ll be there with my camera and my quiet buzzing energy, looking for the moment no one else saw — but you’ll feel forever.

To Gráinne and JP — thank you for letting me into your day. For trusting me with these moments. To your families, to the staff at the Celtic Ross Hotel, and to the cliffs of West Cork for behaving themselves with good weather — go raibh míle maith agaibh.