Castle Leslie Wedding Photography | Aideen & Lee Got Married!

Hey there, folks! You’re very welcome to my latest wedding blog.

Wedding season is cooling down and that means it’s time to show my little website some much needed love. No better way to start than by telling you all about Aideen and Lee's fantastic day at Castle Leslie Estate.

You probably know me, but if this is the first time you’ve come across my blog… Hi! (as I wave from behind the keyboard at a big screen) I’m Shea. I had the pleasure of shooting Aideen & Lee’s wedding. You can find out more about me here but you’ll probably get a good sense of who I am looking at this blog. I put my heart and soul into this wedding and I’m so happy with how it turned out.

Buckle up, because this is going to be a journey filled with laughter, love, and a little touch of magic.

Getting both members of the wedding couple photographed during the getting ready stage is crucial in my book. I have options to do one or both of the wedding couple. Lucky for me, Aideen and Lee chose to have both covered.

A very short journey to Claudy to visit Lee, the dashing groom, kicked off the day with a bang. You see, Lee is the only boy in his family, let's be honest and speaking from experience, that's a lot of pressure! But he handled it like a champ. We had a few laughs, and even though he wasn't too keen on this part of the day, he enjoyed it more than he expected. Confidence is key, and these images reflect that. What a superstar. Dee Graham Tailor Made specialise in custom couture for the most distinguished of gentlemen and made Lee’s amazing suit.

I found out that both Lee and his wife to be are great footballers and both had fancy player of the year awards at their home. It was my idea to use them in a photo which I love. Aideen’s is more recent so does that make Aideen the better player? Probably. Ha ha.

Now, on to the amazing bride, Aideen and her wedding morning.

Big shoutout to Aideen's terrific trio of bridesmaids, Ciara, Colleen, and Julie. These girls kept the craic going during the bridal preps and were total lifesavers when it came to handling that stunning wedding dress which came from Dream Weddings in Coleraine. I must confess, I'm always a bit hesitant to touch the dress – but hey, who can blame me, right? What an amazing gown that Aideen chose. It was a gorgeous gown.

The morning with the girls was helped by having Michael Deery along side Blush & Glow Dani their hair stylist and make up artist on board making all the girls look all glammed up. You’ll notice some detail shots in here as well. How nice are the bouquet and wessing stationary made by Sass & Halo & Bright Light Designs respectively.

Saint Mary’s chapel in Aughabrack was just a stone's throw away from the bride's home, which allowed me to seamlessly move between both locations. Usually, I'd be taking pictures of any little ones running around the house, but we got to the little ones later in the day. Speaking of, Aideen and Lee's flower girl? Spoiler alert! She stole the show with her charm. Watch out, world!

By this stage, I was getting my steps in and back with the girls. They had just finished getting into their amazing gowns and were photo ready. As you can see, the excitement was building and it was nearly ready to go to church. Aideen’s plan was to walk to chapel but the weather wanted everyone to go in the fancy cars so they did that instead. Plan A would have been nice but plan B was good and made for some nice moments with Aideen & her daddy who is a superstar!

Once we got into the ceremony, it was nothing short of beautiful. I did my usual thing, staying discreet and capturing the essence of the ceremony. You know, those candid shots, they're just priceless. Got some of their little pageboy which will surely make an appearance again when he is all grown up. Alongside Jo from Film Maker Jo, we had the ceremony well covered.

After the "I do's" and all the hearty handshakes, I whisked Aideen and Lee back inside the church for some moments that I think are stunning. No doubt, going forward, my website is going to have Aideen & Lee all over it. Saint Mary's in Aughabrack is an absolute gem of a chapel, with a breathtaking glass window that demanded its moment in the spotlight. It took a bit of time, but every minute was worth it. I wouldn't be surprised if Aideen and Lee frame one of those shots for their home – they looked so good in front of it. Before we headed off in the cars, we visited Aideen’s mum’s grave. I never had the good fortune of meeting her mum. She is sorely missed and I’m sure she would be so happy of the woman Aideen has become.

Then it was time to hop in the cars and head to the magnificent Castle Leslie Estate in County Monaghan. Our lovely bride and groom were treated to a chauffeur experience like no other by the fantastic team at Mercedes Wedding Car Hire Ireland. It was all smiles and sunshine on the trip to Monaghan.

Castle Leslie Estate is one of the finest luxury estates in Ireland. It really is an exclusive wedding venue. I scouted this location twice before Aideen & Lee’s wedding. I wanted to know it very well because it’s so big, you could stumble with timings and that’s the worst thing I could do. I had a good idea where to go and how long to spend doing it when we arrived.

Castle Leslie really is a dream venue. I could spend all day there photographing the bridal party, but I had to keep things rolling. Lee might've shed a tear if I'd suggested staying longer – we don't want that, do we? So, we got everything done in a sensible amount of time without causing torture for the bride, groom, and their lovely bridal party. I already sang the praises of Aideen’s fab bridesmaids so now it’s time to say thanks to the boys. Jamie, Aaron & Shay, cheers for keeping the craic going. You all did a brilliant job. The groomsmen were suited and booted courtesy of DC Menswear. What cool initials. I’m guessing Superman and Batman work there alongside the rest of the Justice League. (If you book me for your wedding, I promise I won’t spend all day talking about comic book characters.)

Last but not least, thanks to all the crazy girls who got their pictures taken with Aideen. I was only half serious when I suggested you picking Aideen up. Lucky for me, nobody let go of the gorgeous bride. After, I found out that two girls were in the loo and missed the photo. #Awkward. If any of you book me for your own wedding, we can recreate it. Deal?

Soon after, we moved on to the family photo shoot with minimal fuss. I firmly believe these are essential to get right because they become your absolute favourites in the years to come.

I managed to get some sweet pictures with Lee and his sisters and Aideen and her brother that I’m sure they didn’t expect. They are all good sports because if the shoe was on the other foot, not in a million years would I do it.

Next up was the speeches which were heartfelt, had plenty of laughs and a tear or two followed by the cutting of the cake which was provided by Heavenly Treats.

This is was one of those weddings that you wish you were on the guest list. Never a dull moment and it was the dancing that really stole the show. Atmosphere were the fantastic band and everyone had an absolute ball on the dance floor. It was like a scene straight out of a rom-com, but much better. I stayed on for a good bit after the first dance and got some brilliant stuff with Aideen & Lee’s guests.

What a brilliant day from start to finish with an even more fabulous bride and groom. Aideen and Lee, thank you for choosing me to be a part of your unforgettable wedding day. It was a pleasure to capture your love, laughter, and moments that you'll cherish forever.

Can we do it all over again? Hoping I’ll see you soon at some of your friends weddings.

Cheers to Aideen and Lee – may your love story continue to be as beautiful and fun-filled as your special day!

I’ve probably mentioned you already but here you are again for handiness. A massive shout out to all these fab suppliers that come highly recommended by Aideen & Lee. Please let them know that Shea sent you to them. I’m pretty sure Aideen & Lee recommend their wedding photographer as well. I’ve added my name to the top anyway. If you’d like me to be part of your wedding day, get in touch to see if I’m available for your day.

Wedding Photographer: Shea Deighan (That’s me.)

Venue: Castle Leslie

Hair: Michael Deery

Make up: Blush & Glow Dani

Earrings: Nomadabyrachel

Suits: Dee Graham (Groom)

Suits: DC Menswear (Groomsmen)

Wedding Dress: Dream Weddings Coleraine

Chapel Flowers & Bouquets: Sass & Halo

Room Decor At Castle Leslie: EPIC Designs

Car Hire: Mercedes Wedding Car Hire Ireland

Cake: Heavenly Treats

Videographer: Filmmakerjo

Wedding Stationary: Bright Light Designs

Band: Atmosphere

Last But Not Least…

I would love it if you could share this blog on your socials. I’m kinda rubbish at social media so any sharing you can do would be much appreciated. Thanks so much.

You can use the Facebook Share button or copy and paste this link if you are good at that sort of thing. lol

https://bit.ly/aideenandleewedding