Alex & Joe had already tied the knot the previous October, but they weren't going to miss out on a proper celebration with their favourite people. They gathered 70 family and friends at Pot Duggans in Ennistymon, County Clare, for a day full of laughter, emotional speeches, homemade cakes and plenty of craic.


With Alex's brother stepping in as celebrant, the bridesmaids decorating the venue and so many personal touches throughout the day, this was a wedding that really felt like them. Relaxed, fun and with very little fuss — exactly the kind of wedding I love to photograph.


Getting Ready for a Wedding at Pot Duggans

Alex and the wedding party got ready in an Airbnb just across the road from Pot Duggans. The bridesmaids had also been busy decorating the venue, with so much of the day organised and put together by the couple and their friends.


Alex had even made the wedding cakes herself, and her dress was chosen with her tattoos in mind — something I made sure to photograph! It was lovely to see all those personal touches coming together.


A Personal Wedding Ceremony at Pot Duggans

Alex & Joe's ceremony took place in the barn at Pot Duggans, with Alex's brother Emmet taking on the role of unofficial celebrant. By the end of it, he'd earned himself the title of Reverend Emmet!


As they were already legally married, they had the freedom to make the ceremony entirely their own, including a handfasting and speeches from Joe's mum and Alex's dad. There was plenty of laughter and a few tears too, with their family and friends right there to share it all.

Black letter board reading 'Alex and Joe, happy wedding day 2.0, let's celebrate & party' on a mantel beside a teal lantern and candle.
Three groomsmen in matching beige suits and vests walk down a sunlit street, carrying jackets and a gift bag past white buildings.
Blue and white Irish village pub and shop with a purple door, yellow storefront, potted plants and barrels outside on a quiet street.
Three men in matching beige suits with green ties and floral boutonnieres toast with pints of stout at a pub-style wedding celebration.
Three men in matching light tan suits sit on pastel chairs on a wooden deck, raising glasses in a toast beside an ivy-covered stone wall.
Smiling bride in a flowing white gown carries a bouquet while walking along a village sidewalk in a black and white wedding photo.
Smiling woman in a rust dress clasps her hands in delight as wedding guests in sage green and tan suits gather around her outdoors.
A bride in a white dress shares a warm embrace with an older man in a navy suit while a groomsman smiles and sips a drink nearby.
Bride and groom pose with four bridesmaids in sage green dresses and groomsmen in beige suits outside a rustic stone building at a wedding.
A smiling man in a cream suit dances with raised fists as seated wedding guests cheer in a bright rustic venue.
A groom and bride in a white dress sit smiling while an officiant reads from a folder during an intimate wedding ceremony.
Man in a navy suit gives a wedding speech while a laughing bride and groom sit nearby in a rustic brick venue.
Bride in white dress and groom in beige suit join hands with an officiant during an intimate wedding ceremony in a rustic brick venue.
Smiling bride and groom walk hand in hand down the aisle past cheering wedding guests in a bright industrial-style venue.

Drinks, Speeches and a Lord of the Rings Surprise

After the ceremony, everyone settled into the celebrations at Pot Duggans. There was plenty of time for catching up, having a drink and enjoying the gorgeous weather.


Rather than keeping all the speeches for dinner, Alex & Joe had them scattered throughout the day. Alex's cousin and Joe's groomsmen took their turns during the drinks reception, with plenty of laughs and a few emotional moments along the way.


And then there was the Lord of the Rings ring! Joe is a huge fan, so the groomsmen produced a replica of the famous ring during their speech. Alex wasted no time claiming it for herself.


Exactly the sort of unexpected little moment I love photographing.


Relaxed Wedding Photos by the River in Ennistymon

With the weather being so good, we made the most of the riverside at Pot Duggans for some family photographs with Joe's side of the family and a few portraits of Alex & Joe together.


They'd told me beforehand that they didn't want to spend ages posing for photographs, so we kept things relaxed and didn't take too much time away from the celebrations. The river was a gorgeous spot for a few photos before heading back to join everyone.

Four smiling women in summer dresses pose together holding drinks at an outdoor garden party with guests and string lights behind them.
Woman with wavy brown hair in a white top showing fine-line floral tattoos on her shoulder and arm beside a table with flowers.
Family and friends share a warm group hug outside a stone building, with two young girls in matching teal dresses and a man in a navy suit.
Bride and groom stand at a round table with dried flowers and a rustic wedding cake outside a white stone cottage.
Two smiling women share an emotional embrace at an outdoor gathering while another woman looks on beside a stone wall and red flowers.
Wedding guests in smart attire smile and clap during an outdoor ceremony, with an older man in a beige blazer applauding in the foreground.
Two women in coral orange dresses celebrate at a wedding, one cheering with raised arms and the other holding a microphone.
Sliced dark chocolate loaf cake with orange pieces on a wooden board, surrounded by scattered flower petals and a knife.
Four laughing guests in wedding attire hold napkins with cake slices while celebrating together in front of a rustic stone wall.
Four smiling women in summer dresses laugh together outside a rustic stone building with a purple door and pink flowers.
A laughing bride in a white dress stands beside a smiling groom in a beige suit at an outdoor rustic wedding celebration.
Smiling groom in a tan suit and bride in a white dress celebrate outdoors beside a brick wall covered in green vines and red flowers.
Wedding guests in colorful dresses and suits raise glasses in a joyful toast under a rustic wooden pergola in an outdoor garden venue.
Bride and groom in wedding attire pose with three family members in front of a stone wall with potted plants and purple barrels.
Bride in a white gown holding a bouquet poses with groom, groomsmen and bridesmaids in sage green dresses outside a rustic stone building.
Smiling bride in a white dress and groom in a beige suit pose with two young flower girls holding a bouquet outside a rustic stone building.
Bride in a white gown stands among four smiling bridesmaids in sage green dresses, all holding dried flower bouquets outside a rustic buildi
A bride in a white cape dress and a groom in a beige suit share a kiss, holding a dried flower bouquet beside a stone bridge.
Smiling bride in a flowing white cape dress and groom in a beige suit hold a dried flower bouquet beside a garden and stone bridge.
Black and white portrait of a smiling bride and groom embracing outdoors, the groom wearing a light suit with a floral boutonniere.

Dinner, More Speeches and Live Music at Pot Duggans


The speeches weren't quite finished yet, with Joe saying a few words towards the end of dinner. Another lovely mix of laughter and emotion, which pretty much summed up the whole day!


After dinner, Trish and Bart got the music going with a trad session. A brilliant way to round off my time with Alex & Joe and their guests.


I absolutely loved photographing this wedding. So much of the day was put together by Alex, Joe and their family and friends, and it was full of the kind of moments I love to capture.


If you're planning a relaxed wedding in Clare, Dublin or anywhere in Ireland, and would rather spend your day enjoying yourself than posing for endless photographs, I'd love to hear from you. You can find out more about my wedding photography here.

Smiling woman in a white dress laughs at a rustic wedding reception table with wine while a guest holds a microphone nearby.
Black and white photo of wedding guests laughing around a long reception table as a man stands and gives a speech in a rustic brick venue.
Smiling man in a gray vest and red tie laughs heartily at a crowded restaurant table while guests behind him look on.
Musicians play a violin and an accordion together during a lively folk music session, with close-up views of hands on the instruments.
Woman in a white dress holds a baby and dances near live musicians playing guitar at an outdoor patio venue with wooden tables.
A man in a white shirt holds a smiling red-haired girl in a white dress by the hand as she twirls outside a purple door.
Two men in dress shirts and two young children play foosball together in a casual indoor room in a black and white photo.
Groomsmen in vests laugh and clasp hands at an outdoor wedding reception while guests chat and celebrate in a string-lit courtyard.
Three women in summer dresses hold hands and dance joyfully at an outdoor evening gathering with string lights and live musicians nearby.
Black and white photo of a bride and groom embracing during their first dance at an outdoor wedding reception as guests look on.
Smiling groom in a white shirt and a bride in a white dress dance together at a lively outdoor wedding reception as guests watch.
Quiet river flowing past stone houses, a green shed and a stone bridge arch, with colorful wildflowers blooming in the foreground.