SHARON HOEY
Sharon Hoey's shop at 19, Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2 has been extended to provide customers with an even greater feeling of comfort and space. We have more than doubled our floor space and installed extra fitting rooms. We offer space, quiet and calm where customers can come and try on the Sharon Hoey collection, as well as the latest gowns from some of the most exciting designers in Europe. There is an excellent and friendly service from the expert sales staff who can assist with every query a bride might have about wedding gowns.
We can tell you all you need to know about fabrics, sizes and our optional made-to-measure service. Another benefit to our customers is the extensive choice of gowns, shoes and accessories. We offer probably the most comprehensive selection of bridal designs, shoes, tiaras and veils in Ireland.
We have an extensive range of wedding dresses, shoes and other accessories in stock.
At Sharon Hoey we offer a wide range of fresh contemporary classics for the modern bride. Prices cover a wide range. There is excellent value at around 600 Euro and we go to over 4000 Euro, with a great deal in between. We stock Sharon Hoey, Linea Raffaelli, Beverly Lister, Sassi Holford, White Rose, Elegance Couture and Suzanne Neville.
Apart from that beautiful wedding dress, what really completes the picture is a tasteful combination of accessories. Well chosen tiaras, veils or wraps can make all the difference. We stock an extensive range of tiaras by well-known designers such as Polly Edwards and Fiona McAteer. Our shoe collection includes names such as Pure/Precious and Rainbow Club.
We have an extensive range of wedding dresses, shoes and other accessories in stock. If you would like to arrange an appointment to browse and try on some dresses - or just want some helpful information please call us at 00 353 1 676 2772.
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Sat. 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 pm. Please call to make an appointment.
Say I Do
Say I Do opened in March of 2003, offering an excellent range of designer wedding gowns from top designers from London and Belgium. From the traditional to the contemporary Say I Do has something to offer all tastes and styles. You can choose from the samples on display in the shop or you can redesign a dress to meet your individual needs. We are exclusive to Ritva Westenius in Ireland; this award winning label offers brides a wonderful collection of classical wedding gowns. We also stock Alan Hannah, Linea Raffaelli, White Rose Collection and Tracy Connop. To compliment all of our dresses we offer an extensive range of shoes, tiaras, veils and jewelry. Our veils and tiaras can be designed to reflect the styles and color combinations of individual needs. We also offer an exclusive range of bridesmaid dresses from JLM Occasions, Ronald Joyce and Eternity. You can dress your entire wedding party from head to toe at Say I Do.
We work on an appointment only basis. This gives us the opportunity to offer brides a private consultation with the shop's owner Ria. Each bride is given one on one attention during their visit to Say I Do. The shop surroundings are elegant and spacious all of which create a unique experience when shopping for the dress of your dreams.
So if you are planning a trip home to Ireland to buy your wedding dress call us today on 00 353 21 463 0810 to make an appointment and we will do all we can to make it a memorable experience.
Say I Do, 95 Main St, Midleton Co. Cork(Only 20 mins from Cork City).
KENMARE LACE
Kenmare Lace is a needlepoint lace It is made with a needle and thread. The pattern is laid on a foundation of two pieces of cloth. Over it is placed matt contact. A couching thread is laid down around the outline of the design. The stitches holding this down are called bridges. The first row of buttonhole stitches is laid around the outline of the couching thread. Subsequent rows are worked in from this without going through to the back.
The tension of the stitches determines the pattern. When the lace is finished it is removed fromm the background by cutting the bridges from becween the two layers of cloth at the back.
A piece of Kenmare lace which has been recently made from one of the patterns hand painted by the Poor Clare nuns in the 1880's.
Kenmare Lace was developed as an industry by the Poor Clare nuns to provide badly needed employment in the Kenmare area after the Famine. At the Kenmare Lace and Design Centre we sell Kenmare Lace, Carrickmacross, Limerick. Bobbin and Irish Crochet laces, and we demonstrate how they are made. We have a display of antique lace from the Poor Clare Convent Kenmare and we also sell kits, books cross stitch and lacemaking materials.
We also have crochet lace gloves, ring pillows, garters, linen hankies new and antique some are even hand embroidered with blue thread, ideal wedding gifts - "something old, something-- blue".
For Info contact Nora finnegan
Kenmare Lace and Design Centre
The Heritage Center, Kenmare
Co. Kerry, Ireland
Tel. 00-353-64-41497.
Wedding Makeup
The days are gone when the frock was the thing. For the modern bride hair, nails and make-up are just as important as a stunning dress and increasing numbers of brides are Opting to have their make-up professionally applied.
The internet has made it easier than ever for a bride traveling home for her wedding to get organized. There are several websites available to help with the organization of the Big Day, most of which have links to beauticians and makeup artists. The majority of these offer a full service of hair makeup and nails, for the bride, the bridesmaids, mothers, mother's-in-law and even the groom! Lads a wee manicure never did any body any harm.
Joanne O'Connell moved to New York when she was 18 and returned to her native Derry thirteen years later to marry her long time boyfriend Dave McCabe. "I must be one of the luckiest brides ever," Joanne said.'; All I had to do was turn up at the Church. My wedding planner organized everything." When asked if the services of a wedding planner were expensive Joanne laughed. "My mother was my wedding planner! It was a real family affair, my cousin is a professional make up artist and God knows how many times she's done me up, so I didn't have to worry about anything."
Deborah Pearce learned how to apply makeup as part of her training as a professional actor at the Gaiety Theatre School in Dublin echoes these sentiments. "If you cannot afford a professional and don't feel confident enough to do it yourself, get a good friend or a sister to apply the paint, they know your face and what suits you best. Make sure to have plenty of practice runs." When Deborah, now a partner in Irish casting agency Pearce McMahon, married earlier this year she did her own makeup. She offered Irish Connections some sound advice for women who don't want to go down the professional road. "Keep your face as neutral as possible, makeup can be as dating as any dress, remember you have to live with the photos forever, you don't want to have to show your grandchildren hideous photos that they'll scream laughing at," she said.
Less is not necessarily more when it comes to walking down the aisle. Brides should wear slightly more foundation than they are normally comfortable with. This extra coverage is needed for two reasons. One, it's a long long day girls and the last thing you're going to want to do is have to reapply. Secondly, the flash from the camera may give you a washed our look.
Long lasting lipstick is also a good idea. There are several products on the market that claim a nuclear blast wouldn't shift them, when in actuality a slight breeze and your dear bought gloss is gone. However, Cover Girl Outlast All-Day Lipcolor is the real deal. It does exactly what it says it's going to do and lasts all day, The festively named Merry Cherries and Holly Berries would complement any white dress perfectly. Best of all these lipsticks are made in Ireland so it ain't vanity, its patriotism. Trish McEvoy, an ordinary Irish name, an extraordinary range of lip treatments.
For those of you who are sick to death of pale pink lip-gloss (and who isn't!) try McEvoy's range of Sparkling lip color ($18), a winning combination of mart and glitter. For those brides who won't give up their gloss without a fight McEvoy has the perfect solution, Bare Gloss ($18), a neutral shade which suits all skin tones.
Good news for traditional brides, when it comes to cosmetics white is definitely the new black this season. The Body Shop new Snow Collection, which includes Body Lotion ($16), Shower gel ($14). lip balm ($15) and Shimmer gel ($14), is a must for all of the pre-honeymoon pampering. Body Shop also has a special edition eye color - the Shimmer Cube ($15.00)in earthy neutral tones, which are subtle and stunning at the same time. Their collection includes a Sparkle Pot (SRP $10.50) - loose white shimmer for use on hair, face or body. With this twinkling light catching dust you won't need confetti.
Glistening nails are definitely a must. The glittery Redsplendent, from Cover Girl's new Merryslicks range, is magnificent, like wearing the red ruby slippers on your fingertips. Better still, unlike a lot of glittery polishes, it comes off easily.
On top of the usual stresses of organizing a big event, long distance brides have to cope with the effects of long-haul flying. Dehydration plays havoc with the skin, so lather on plenty of Origins Perfect World White Tea Skin Guardian ($30), which protects skin from drying out, and smells great too. Make sure to drink plenty of water, and stay off the sauce at least until after the photos!
NOTE: Allprices quoted are the suggested retail price of the product manufacturer.
XENA PRODUCTIONS
Your wedding day will be one of the most complicated and emotive occasions you will ever have to organize in your life, so why not get a little help.
Contrary to popular opinion a wedding coordinator is not a character from 'Father of the Bride' rather a very useful service. Not only con they help to alleviate some of the stress but with Xena Productions you can also arrange a complete decoration and hire service for your reception venue. A decoration service will ensure that your reception will become an extra special part of your wedding day memories.
Using a wedding coordinator will not take the fun out of planning for you, as the responsibility for decision making remains with you, but a certified wedding coordinator, like any good advisor will save you time, Frustration, money and make your decision making easier and more pleasant.
Whether it's help in setting your budget or pulling together last minute details Xena Productions can help. We have a comprehensive listing of all the people required to make your wedding truly memorable. Getting married in Ireland.
If you are planning to get married in Ireland and are not sure of the residency requirements, just let us know and we can sort out the paper work. Whether you want to bring a group of 10 Friends over for the wedding or want a big reception we can organize everything.
Tara Fay from Xena Productions is a consultant member of ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants). She has worked in the USA and throughout Europe producing weddings and events. She keeps in touch with current trends and changes in the event world by traveling to trade shows worldwide and through memberships of ISES and ABC.
She is sought after as a speaker at Wedding events and has contributed to articles on weddings and parties in publications such as the Evening Herald, Image Magazine, Irish Weddings, Wedding journal, Weddings Irish Style and Confetti magazine.
As Ireland's premier party and wedding planner she appears regularly on both radio and TV and has taken part in two documentaries on wedding planners for both RTE and the Lifestyle channel.
Weddings By Tara Fay have featured in all the Irish Wedding magazines, "Brides" in the UK, "Victoria" magazine in the USA and also Hello magazine worldwide. Weddings By Tara Fay at Xena Productions was nominated as a finalist in the best wedding category at the Special Event 2003 in Orlando, Florida and for the Best Wedding Category at the Special Event 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The only European Wedding Company ever to be nominated in this category. For more information see www.xena-productions.com
