VOWS:LAOISE DOWNES McGURK and Michael Staines were married in Clara Vale Church in Co Wicklow on New Year's Eve by Fr Alan Mowbray SJ, a second cousin of the bride. It was chilly, but sunlight streamed through the windows, and when locals poked their noses in the door to have a look, they were welcomed in.
Laoise is the daughter of Ann Sugrue and the RTÉ broadcaster Tom McGurk. She grew up in Dublin, attended Alexandra College in Milltown and studied marketing at Dublin Business School, before leaving the country for a stint in Australia, where she lived for four years. She is planning to do an MA in Business Studies at night at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School this year, but meanwhile has her own well established event management company, VIP Ideas
Company, based in Castle Street, Dublin 2.
Michael is the son of Isabella and Michael Staines Sr, and both son and father are descendants of Michael Collins's right hand man and the first Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, Michael Staines. He grew up in Windy Arbour, Dublin, and attended Oaklands College and DIT. He works at VIP Ideas, and is also an actor. His most recent appearance was as the brain surgeon in the TV
drama
The Clinic, who had the unsavoury task of announcing Cathy's demise.
The couple met at a party in January 2004, and were engaged for two years. They chose to be married on New Year's Eve to give family and friends "a great night out". When the bride's father saw Clara Vale bridge, he said he knew he was in the land of Mick and Laoise. The church was charming and the gathering intimate. The bride was attended by her sisters Alannah, Clara,
Jessica and Georgia McGurk, all in black dresses from French Connection, alongside flower girls Leah and Rebeccah Heeran. The bride's French lace dress was designed by Monique Lhuillier, who also, incidentally, designed Nicole Kidman's wedding dress.
The groom was ably assisted by his brothers, Fintan, David and Stephen Staines, and by brothers-in-law Fran Heeran and Michael Cunningham.
Their friend Stella Bass sang in the church – including a memorable rendition of
Down to the
River to Pray– and later, at the reception in the candlelit Merrion Hotel, she appeared again with her band, Rewind.
Speeches were many – "wonderful, magical, tearful" – and her mother expressed pride in this
"huge, interesting, extended family".
The couple went to South Africa for their honeymoon, where they drove around the eastern
Cape and joined a safari, before luxuriating at the Paradise Cove in Mauritius for a spell. Now they're back at home and at work, in Dublin.
- We'd love to hear about your recent or soon-to-happen wedding celebrations. Please e-mail us at vows@irishtimes.com