Svenja Stahl and Colin Hayes Colin (34), a solicitor from Glenageary in Dublin and Svenja (27), a dental nurse from Limburg, Germany – living in Ireland since 2009 – met on Match.com in early 2013.
Colin proposed to Svenja in Germany that July. They have a daughter Grace who is almost two years old.
On April 11th, 2015 they were married in a humanist ceremony (with music from The Carolan String Quartet) at Kinnitty Castle, Co Offaly, surrounded by 140 guests from Ireland and Germany.
“We visited six or seven venues and just got a good feeling from Kinnitty,” said the couple. “It’s a real castle and not just one created as a wedding venue – we thought all the Germans would love that”.
During the ceremony, the groom’s mother Suzanne, aunt Adèle and sisters Rebecca and Meriel did readings in English. The bride’s mother Claudia and four sisters – Tina, Tanja, Saskia and Mara – read passages in German.
Joachim Stahl walked his daughter – and granddaughter Grace – up the aisle. Colin’s father is Peter Hayes.
Svenja found her dress in The Bridal Outlet in Baldoyle, and her bridesmaids – Sharon Bruckner, Lisa Bruckner, Angela Schweitzer – sourced theirs on Asos.com.
Gemma Murphy styled the hair for the bridal party and mothers of the couple, and Marie Joseph of Makeup.ie did their make-up.
Colin’s suit was from Louis Copeland and his groomsmen were Andrew Pain, Ger White, Ger Clarke and Peter Glynn.
The cake was from Bake Café and Bakery in Tullamore and The Bentley Boys ensured an invasion of the dance-floor. The couple's first dance was to Can't Take My Eyes Off You.
The newlyweds – who spent a week honeymooning in New York by themselves and a week in Spain with Grace – are expecting a baby in the New Year.
Photographs: Weddings by Kara, weddingsbykara.com
