Our wedding story: ‘The whole day was such a fantastic experience’

Leo O'Shaughnessy & Mark Kinsella The announcement of Leo and Mark's engagement in the Social & Personal column of The Irish Times last June was the first formal announcement in the section of a same-sex engagement since the marriage equality referendum last May.

One year later, on 3rd June 2016, the couple married in a civil ceremony witnessed by their parents – Charlie and Kate O’Shaughnessy and Yvonne Kinsella – and best men in Dublin’s registry office.

Two days after that, they were joined by 200 loved ones at Castle Leslie for an outdoor ceremony celebrated by their friend Ciara Flynn.

Enchiriadis Chamber Choir, of which Leo is a member, provided the music and the couple’s Bichon Russell, Judge, acted as ring-bearer.

For Leo, the wedding planning process was “very stressful – there were so many decisions and as the date got closer I got more and more stressed”.

“Thankfully Mark was able to keep me mostly calm. There were a couple of things that I absolutely wanted to include in the ceremony and celebration and so he very cleverly assigned that planning to me, while he took on the parts which would have driven me mad.”

Mark, on the other hand, found it “pretty straightforward. We listened to everyone who offered advice and there was plenty of advice offered. Didn’t follow all the advice, but the experiences of all of our straight friends who had gotten married years before and offered their experiences was invaluable.”

At the reception, the women of Enchiriadis gave a rendition of Dream a Little Dream of Me by the Mamas and the Papas, and Spring Break followed with a two-hour set.

Dermot Flynn, a friend of the couple who have been together for 21 years, created all of the wedding stationery, “which was considerable given it included images of us and our dog Judge for the Save the Date card, the invitation, the service booklet, the menu booklet, the table cards and the thank you cards”.

“I can’t pin down a favourite part of the day,” says Leo. “The whole day was such a fantastic experience with so many memorable moments.”

And for Mark? "Being lifted in the air a la Baby from Dirty Dancing during (I've Had) The Time of my Life by Leo with some minimal assistance from some of my schoolmates."