A beautiful day, midsummer in Dingle — Julia and Alex chose the Dingle Skellig Hotel, a fantastic venue and a genuine jewel in the Kerry crown, for their wedding celebrations.
Julia and Alex's day started at the church in the heart of Dingle town, before the celebrations moved out to the Dingle Skellig Hotel — a 4-star hotel and spa right on the shore of Dingle Bay, on the most westerly peninsula in Europe. The Skellig Suite here is something special: floor-to-ceiling views over the bay, doors opening straight onto the Sun Terrace, and that unmistakable west Kerry light rolling in off the water all evening.
I've photographed a good few weddings on the Dingle peninsula over the years, and there's something about this stretch of coast that changes the whole mood of a day. Guests arrive already half on holiday. Everyone's a bit more relaxed, a bit more themselves. Julia and Alex's wedding had exactly that energy from the first photo to the last.
The ceremony itself took place across town in the church in the heart of Dingle — a proper, traditional Irish wedding morning before the day shifted out to the coast for the rest of the celebrations.
The Ceremony & Dick Mac's
Kerry weather being Kerry weather, you always keep half an eye on the sky right up to the last minute — but the day held, and held beautifully. Straight out of the church, the whole wedding party did exactly what you're supposed to do in Dingle: piled into Dick Mac's, the pub directly across the street, for sunshine pints before the day carried on.
Dick Mac's has been pulling pints in Dingle since the 1800s, and it's hard to think of a better spot for a wedding party to pour into on a bright afternoon — half the fun of a Dingle wedding is the town itself joining in.
A Quiet Moment on the Beach
Before heading back to the hotel, Julia, Alex and I slipped away on our own for a quick spin out to the beach. They'd booked a fantastic vintage car for the day, and the driver had brought along a bottle of champagne on ice — so the three of us headed down to the sand for a walk, just the two of them, glass in hand.
On shoots like this, I like to hang back a little and give a couple their own space. It's honestly the only real bit of peace and quiet they'll get all day — everyone else is off having a well-earned pint, and for a few minutes it's just the two of them, the sea, and each other.
"It's the only time they'll have peace and quiet for the day. You can see how relaxed they are, and how happy they are."
Those are always my favourite images from a day like this — nobody performing for the camera, just two people who are delighted with each other, getting a few minutes entirely to themselves before the party starts back up again.
The Celebrations
The Skellig Suite's dining room comes into its own in the evening — those same panoramic windows turning the sunset into part of the entertainment while the speeches, the meal, and the first dance carry on. Kerry weddings always seem to know how to let a room stay loud and warm right into the night.
Julia & Alex — thank you both for such a warm, easy, genuinely joyful day. Weddings on the Dingle peninsula have a character all their own, and this was one of the best. Wishing you both all the happiness going forward.
Julia & Alex were kind enough to leave a review after their wedding — you can read it on the testimonials page.
About the Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel, Co. Kerry
A 4-star hotel and spa set on the shoreline of Dingle Bay, on the most westerly peninsula in Europe. The Skellig Suite — the hotel's dedicated wedding space — opens directly onto the Sun Terrace and can host up to 220 guests, with panoramic sea views the whole way through.
Planning a wedding on the Dingle peninsula? Get in touch — I love shooting weddings on this stretch of coast and know the light and locations well.