11/06/2026
Mayo to Mayo.
Some love stories are extraordinary long before the wedding day ever arrives.
Séamus and Monique first met through mutual friends, spent six years building a life together, travelling the world and planning a future. Then life threw them something neither could have imagined. In 2024, Séamus became critically ill and underwent a double lung transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. Before that life-saving surgery, they exchanged vows in the ICU, a reminder that sometimes love simply can’t wait.
Fast forward two years and there we were, standing in the Mayo sunshine at Ashford Castle, celebrating not just a wedding, but life itself.
There were so many moments that made this weekend unforgettable. Monique’s breathtaking Philippa Lepley gowns. A surprise choir performance of You’ll Never Walk Alone that completely caught Séamus off guard (he’s a Liverpool fanatic). The incredible warmth of friends and family who had travelled from both sides of the Atlantic. And yes... the mutual friend who introduced them all those years ago just happened to be Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys.
Not only was Howie there to celebrate, but Monique had the lyric “No place like you” embroidered into her veil, taken from the Backstreet Boys song “No Place”. Later that evening, Howie sang the couple’s first dance himself.
But beyond the spectacular details, what I’ll remember most is the perspective that ran through the entire day. A couple who know how precious life is. A room full of people who knew exactly why they were celebrating. And a wedding that felt less about perfection and more about gratitude, joy and second chances.
A day I’ll never forget.
Special shout out to Michelle, Orla, Melissa & Sheila in Waterlily Weddings. Give these guys a blank canvas, and this is what you get!
