Real Irish Weddings: Ken and Emma had a fiesta of kitsch

While on a road trip through the southern US, Ken popped the question on board a steamboat during a jazz cruise on the Mississippi river.

"He was acting strangely but I didn't realise, and when he finally popped the question it was a huge shock," says Emma.

Ken and Emma had a spiritualist ceremony at The Millhouse in Meath. They had previously been at a wedding there and when they became engaged, Emma had only one venue in mind.

"I loved that it allowed us to have loads of personal touches and also that we had the whole place to ourselves."

The pair wanted a day that was fun and relaxed, where Emma's love of all things colourful shone through. They certainly achieved that - spray-painted jars, toy dinosaurs and pineapples, plus vibrant flowers spreading colour throughout.

"We named our tables after places and things that we had done on our American road trip including 'Mississippi', 'fried chicken' and 'Graceland'," says Emma.

The bride found her dress in Abellé Bridal in Trim, while the groom had his bespoke waistcoat made in Magee, Wicklow St, Dublin.

* Words by Dee Finnerty. Photos by Elisha Clarke, visit elishaclarke.com If you would like your wedding featured here, email weddings@independent.ie