A St Catherine’s Cultural Centre Wedding and Blacks Brewery Reception | Aoife & Tierney
Some weddings are in the diary for a year or two. Aoife and Tierney’s arrived the day before. Their original photographer became unwell and could no longer cover the wedding, so I was asked if I could step in at very short notice. Aoife and Tierney are both from County Waterford, but they had chosen Kinsale for their wedding, with the ceremony at St Catherine’s Cultural Centre and the reception at Blacks Brewery. I had not met them, their families or the wedding party. There was no long planning process and no time to become familiar with everyone beforehand. I was going in almost blind, but this is where experience matters. I arrive, look around, work out who the important people are and understand the mood of the room. Then I blend in and photograph what is actually happening. From the moment I arrived that morning, everyone made that very easy.
A Wedding Morning Overlooking Kinsale
Aoife and the bridesmaids spent the morning in a beautiful Airbnb overlooking Kinsale. The house was full of light, a conservatory at the back and views across the colourful town.
Aoife’s dad came in while she was having the final touches of her makeup done, with the bridal hair created by Hair by Mare.
Dad sat quietly on the sofa and waited for her, surrounded by the normal movement of a wedding morning. The bridesmaids were coming and going, bags and dresses were being gathered, and people were checking that nothing had been forgotten. I did not need to organise any of that. I stood back, watched it develop and photographed the morning as it happened. The girls moved into the conservatory for the final preparations. The strong sunlight pouring through the windows picked up all the small details, particularly Aoife’s shoes. They were white pointed slingbacks with oversized bows, and the texture looked brilliant in the light. Aoife wore a modern bridal two-piece: a structured strapless corset-style top with a flowing ankle-length skirt and a white scarf around her neck. With her hair worn loose in soft waves, the whole look was stylish and completely her own. It also worked beautifully later against the old stone at Charles Fort and the strong colours of Kinsale town.
Before leaving, we made a few relaxed portraits of Aoife and the bridesmaids in the house. They wore different styles of soft blush-pink dresses, which kept the group coordinated without making everyone look exactly the same.
Arriving at St Catherine’s Cultural Centre
One of the bridesmaids’ partners drove Aoife and the girls to St Catherine’s Cultural Centre. He ended up being a great help throughout the day, driving, gathering coats and quietly sorting whatever needed to be sorted. Two of the lads were waiting at the entrance when the cars arrived, which gave me a chance to photograph the bridesmaids stepping out and everyone meeting at the door. There was also a very cool young guest with a mohawk waiting around the entrance, one of those small characters who naturally becomes part of the story. Aoife, her dad and the bridesmaids then made their way down the road and into St Catherine’s, where Tierney and the rest of the wedding party were waiting.
A St Catherine’s Cultural Centre Wedding Ceremony
St Catherine’s Cultural Centre is a restored, deconsecrated 18th-century church overlooking Kinsale Harbour. It has only recently begun establishing itself as a wedding venue, which makes this wedding particularly useful for couples who may not yet know that ceremonies can be held there. It gives you the grandeur and atmosphere of an old church while allowing couples to create a civil, non-religious or personal ceremony around themselves. The stained-glass windows, historic tiled floor, carved oak pulpit, old organ and high timber roof are all still there. Large circular lights hang through the centre of the building, adding a modern detail without taking away from its character. The venue also hosts legal civil ceremonies. It is an incredible interior to photograph. The darker timber, bright stained glass and red aisle gave the photographs depth and colour, while the height of the building made the entrance feel properly dramatic. Aoife walked up the aisle with her dad to meet Tierney. They exchanged their vows in front of their families and friends, and I worked around the edges of the room, photographing the ceremony and the reactions without interrupting it. For couples who love the appearance of a traditional church but want the freedom to design a ceremony that reflects them, St Catherine’s is a very interesting option in Kinsale.
Confetti, Cold Beers and Everyone Pulling Together
After the ceremony, Aoife and Tierney came back outside to a confetti throw. It was great fun and produced exactly the kind of lively, imperfect photographs I enjoy. Afterwards, one of the bridesmaids carefully picked the confetti out of Aoife’s hair while conversations carried on around them. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were brilliant at helping me gather people and keep everything moving. With only one day’s notice, none of us had been able to make a detailed photography plan together. Everyone simply pulled in the same direction. Before we left, the lads sat in the car with a beer and had a few minutes to themselves. Again, it was not a picture that needed to be constructed. It was already happening, so I photographed it.
Relaxed Wedding Photographs at Charles Fort
We travelled to Charles Fort for the family, couple and wedding-party photographs. Its old stone walls, steps and views over Kinsale Harbour gave us a complete change from the interior of St Catherine’s. The family photographs took about five minutes. We then made a mixture of bridal-party portraits and more relaxed photographs of everyone talking and enjoying themselves between them. I also took a few bridal portraits of Aoife on her own. Her clean, modern outfit looked brilliant against the weathered stone and open landscape. For the larger wedding-party photographs, I used the steps of one of the old buildings, giving everyone somewhere natural to gather without making the session feel overly formal.
The bridesmaid’s partner deserves another mention here. While everyone else was in the photographs, he stood holding the jackets and coats and kept things organised. Every wedding has people who quietly make the day easier, and he was certainly one of them.
Guinness and Two Dogs at Kitty O’Se’s
Back in Kinsale town, Aoife and Tierney stopped at Kitty O’Se’s for a pint of Guinness. They were staying nearby and had brought their two dogs with them, so Aoife’s dad brought them down to meet us. One was a black-and-white lurcher or greyhound type, while the other was a small cream-coloured dog. The pub gave everyone a chance to stop, have a drink and catch their breath. I photographed Aoife and Tierney outside with their pints, the dogs arriving at the doorway and the conversations inside. It felt like a real part of their day rather than somewhere chosen purely as a photography location.
Colourful Kinsale Wedding Photography
We then took a short walk through Kinsale. The town is full of colour, old shopfronts, narrow streets and unusual doorways, so there is no need to drag a couple around for an hour looking for photographs. We stopped at an enormous dark-blue arched doorway for a simple portrait of Aoife and Tierney together. From there, we used the bright orange, lime green and pink frontage of Stone Mad Gallery. The flowers, painted walls and strong colours made it unmistakably Kinsale. One of my favourite portraits from the day is Aoife standing there on her own. Her white outfit is very clean and simple against the explosion of colour around her. It is a strong bridal portrait, but it was made quickly as part of the walk rather than through a long formal setup. That is how I like town-centre wedding photography to feel. We stop when something catches my eye, make the photograph and keep moving. The couple still gets to enjoy the journey and stay connected to the day.
A Blacks Brewery Kinsale Wedding Reception
The reception took place at Blacks Brewery, on the waterfront at Blacks Lagoon outside Kinsale town. Blacks describes itself as Ireland’s first co-located brewery and distillery, and its Lagoon Bar overlooks the Bandon Estuary. It was an incredible choice for Aoife and Tierney. The sun blazed for the entire afternoon, so guests spread out across the decking with drinks while a young local musician played guitar and sang. He entertained everyone before the couple arrived and then played them into the reception as the crowd cheered and raised their glasses. Tierney is a big craft-beer fan, so the brewery was not simply an unusual venue. It connected directly to something he genuinely enjoys. Between approximately 3:45 and 4:10, guests were brought behind the scenes to see the working brewery and learn how the beer is produced. Blacks describes its public brewery experience as a guided look over the working brewhouse and the process from grain to glass. The children had plenty to keep them occupied, including giant Connect Four and cornhole boards. While they played, drinks were poured outside and guests gathered along the water. Everywhere I looked there were people laughing, chatting or raising a glass. There was even a tray of cigarettes laid out for anyone who wanted one. I had never seen that at a wedding before, but it was another little detail that made the reception feel completely individual.
Craft Beer, Pizza and a Waterfront Celebration
The team at Blacks looked after everyone brilliantly. Food was served inside, including pizzas carried out on wooden paddles and a generous buffet. The pizzas were genuinely excellent. I would happily travel from Waterford to Cork just to eat one again. Tierney later stood outside to give his speech, drink in hand, with the guests gathered around him in the sunshine. That open layout suited the day. Nothing felt confined to a ballroom or tied to a rigid hotel schedule. People could move between the bar, the deck, the games and the water while the music continued.The final group photographs show exactly how the afternoon felt: a crowd in summer clothes, glasses held in the air, bright sunshine and everyone fully involved.
Photographing a Wedding With One Day’s Notice
Taking over from another photographer at such short notice could have been difficult for Aoife and Tierney, the wedding party and me. Instead, everybody clicked together.
The photographer who had originally been booked also worked in a natural documentary style, so my aim was to give Aoife and Tierney the kind of honest, lively story they had chosen from the beginning. I did not arrive with a completely different agenda or turn the wedding into a photo shoot. I watched, assessed what was happening and photographed the day in front of me. Aoife later described the results as “really cool, documentary style shots” and said that taking the couple photographs was one of the highlights of their day. That meant a lot, particularly when we had only met on the morning of the wedding. From the light-filled Airbnb and St Catherine’s remarkable interior to Charles Fort, Kitty O’Se’s, the colours of Kinsale and the sunny reception at Blacks Brewery, the photographs show a day with a very clear personality. I may have arrived knowing nobody, but I did not feel like a stranger for long.
Planning a Kinsale Wedding?
I’m Keith Sullivan of Infokus Wedding Photography. I photograph weddings throughout Cork, Waterford and across Ireland in a natural, relaxed and unobtrusive way.
If you are planning a wedding at St Catherine’s Cultural Centre, Blacks Brewery or elsewhere in Kinsale, you can explore my wedding packages, browse my wedding photography gallery, or get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we get married at St Catherine’s Cultural Centre in Kinsale?
Yes. St Catherine’s Cultural Centre hosts legal civil wedding ceremonies. It is a restored, deconsecrated 18th-century church with stained glass, historic tiling, a carved oak pulpit and a large organ, giving couples a church-like setting with greater freedom to personalise their ceremony.
Is Blacks Brewery suitable for a Kinsale wedding reception?
Yes. Blacks Brewery offers a relaxed alternative to a traditional hotel reception. It has a working brewery and distillery, craft drinks, a waterfront bar and outdoor space overlooking the Bandon Estuary. Aoife and Tierney also arranged a short brewery tour for their guests.
Where can we take wedding photographs around Kinsale?
Kinsale offers several very different settings close together. Aoife and Tierney used Charles Fort, Kitty O’Se’s, a large blue doorway, Stone Mad Gallery and the colourful streets of the town before travelling to Blacks Brewery.
Do we need a long portrait session for a Kinsale wedding?
No. We divided the photographs into several short sessions at Charles Fort and around Kinsale. The family photographs took about five minutes, and the town portraits were made naturally during a short walk.
Can you photograph a wedding with very little notice?
Yes, if the date is available. I was asked to photograph Aoife and Tierney’s wedding the day before after their original photographer became unwell. Experience and a calm approach make it possible to understand the people and the flow of a wedding quickly without adding stress for the couple.
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